Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2023 22:55 Post subject: GUI instability turned out to be Authentication blacklist
Long time DD-WRT user (since 2007) but had not updated any DD-WRT software in 6+ years. Like the many GUI improvements!
Upgrading for some experiments I got 4 TM AC1900 (TMobile Cell Spot -> A68U) . In Oct I setup the first went smoothly (other than fighting openVPN issues with campus). This week I setup 2-4 and found they were very unstable. the web GUI would lock up and so would traffic through them. Based on other threads, I cleared NVRAM and reflashed dozens of different builds, the various forms of reset, and tried multiple power supplies. I though I just got had hardware units.
I jumped over to CLI to do my setup by hand which was more stable. I could do long sessions in ssh if I avoided the web. While doing some like openVPN which was messy over ssh, I realized even the ssh would get blocked when I did something on the web interface after which ssh closed and I would have to reboot. Digging, I realized that while never showing me any prompt about logging in, there was failed authentication showing up in the log and after 5 attempts (all hidden from me), it blocks the IP. I tried various things to resolve the issue. I tried other browsers incognito made it a bit better, prompting more often with the popup, it was still an issue even there. Maybe adding an optional explicit login-tab and not counting on the web popup for an implicit prompt. With an explicit tab people could use to ensure they get to log in.
To anyone facing this issue and wanting a quick workaround, I suggest telnet (enabled by default) or ssh into the device and after any web-based interaction check for and delete /tmp/blacklist. While setting up actually did a little loop sleeping 1 min then rm /tmp/blacklist) so I would not even have to bother.. then i could freely use the web GUI.
Current Firmware: DD-WRT v3.0-r50146 std (09/10/22) But tested on builds from 12/31/22 11/2/22 1/3/23 and many other 2022/2023 ones I don't recall. Same issue on all of them so its not build specific. Primary Brower was chrome but also had it locked up using Opera. Browser OS were linux and windows 11.
Firefox (Quantum), FF ESR, Waterfox Classic, Pale Moon. Most Chromium-based browsers, especially with add-ons and extensions loaded, surfing the internet with the same browser = problems. Private / Incognito browsing mode helps, too. _________________ "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep." - Robert Frost
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