TIP: You do not need to touch anything in the firmware file, just download from tp link and use it straight in tftp (some tutorials will say to strip some part of the firmware, not needed for the v5)
Also, be sure to set the file name to
ArcherC7v5_tp_recovery.bin
Upper case included, if the file name is wrong, you wont see any logs.
Do not use any of the openWRT methods of flashing using terminal(mtd -r, sysupgrade), their C7 wiki is mostly based for the V2 hardware(and the std dd wrt does not include sysupgrade), and will soft brick your V5 (which will need to be recovered using tftp, or worse, serial)
The first youtube video I found was using terminal to flash it and, of course, it did not work. It came up with a couldn't unlock something error. Afterwards, I had a router with only a glowing power light on. Found a second video that explained the TFTP method and this one worked. Bit stressful, but it's back.
I had flashed to DD-WRT with the intent of setting up OpenVPN, and no matter what I did, couldn't get it to work . . . it was like the script was not even running. Even had the VPN providers try for about an hour. I couldn't even get PPTP, so I figured I'd get things back to where I started. It was a fun
if TFTP is not successful, there is a serial method too...
do notice on some routers you may need "stripped stock file"
By the way, what is the reason you want to move away from DDWRT... ?
Could we help with settings and ect. instead.. ??
I personally deeply prefer DDWRT over any stock files because:
cons
-stock firmware is full of security holes
-it never gets updated, as it should
-it lack's of features
-very often WI-Fi drops or router needs to be rebooted in order to work everyday (TP-Link's case)
-incompatibility Wi-Fi or Lan among different clients
pros
+only one benefit of stock firmware, over DDWRT 'questionable better WAN performance, using hardware features that compromise security "Hardware Acceleration Chip"... _________________ Atheros
TP-Link WR740Nv1 ---DD-WRT 55630 WAP
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -DD-WRT 55723 Gateway/DoT,Forced DNS,Ad-Block,Firewall,x4VLAN,VPN
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -Gargoyle OS 1.15.x AP,DNS,QoS,Quotas
Qualcomm-Atheros
Netgear XR500 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoH,Forced DNS,AP Isolation,4VLAN,Ad-Block,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R7800 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,Forced DNS,AP&Net Isolation,x3VLAN,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R9000 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,AP Isolation,Firewall,Forced DNS,x2VLAN,Vanilla
Broadcom
Netgear R7000 --DD-WRT 55460 Gateway/SmartDNS/DoH,AD-Block,Firewall,Forced DNS,x3VLAN,VPN
NOT USING 5Ghz ANYWHERE
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Stubby DNS over TLS I DNSCrypt v2 by mac913
Last edited by Alozaros on Sun May 23, 2021 17:11; edited 1 time in total
I can't remember yesterday, never mind a year ago. I was trying to set up OpenVPN with my VPN provider and it just wouldn't work. So I converted the router back to stock, and ended up buying another router (Asus). This one had no problem setting up OpenVPN, so I just boxed the TPLink and stored it away.
