I agree with Malachi, this is not a router that you can revert. I was never successful, having tried twice.
You will need to assemble a serial cable, tools, stock cfe, nvram dump and firmware. Flash back cfe, flash firmware, then set nvram vars from the original dump. The problem I had was not knowing how to set the original partitions. Also, you lose cli access once stock fw is flashed, so a serial cable is required to replace the stock nvram vars. Probably a few people are capable of reverting, but it requires more than just ftping some files to /tmp and a few flash commands.
Last edited by colnago on Wed Jul 05, 2017 2:29; edited 1 time in total
I agree with Malachi, this is not a router that you can revert. I was never successful, having tried twice.
You will need to assemble a serial cable, tools, stock cfe, nvram dump and firmware. Flash back cfe, flash firmware, then set nvram vars from the original dump. The problem I had was not knowing how to set the original partitions. Also, you lose cli access once stock fw is flashed, so a serial cable is required to replace the stock nvram vars. Probably a few people are capable of reverting, but it requires more than just ftping some files to /tmp and a few flash commands.
#1. What happens when you flash stock cfe, stock fw, then reboot?
Will it brick?
#2. Why can't we set the nvram variables using a script, then mtd write the stock firmware to one or two of the partitions, then reboot?
Will this not bring it to stock?
When the ea6400 dd-wrt instructions mention returning to stock firmware, does that mean the cfe will remain modified forever?
There's gotta be a way to restore stock cfe without serial.
I agree with Malachi, this is not a router that you can revert. I was never successful, having tried twice.
You will need to assemble a serial cable, tools, stock cfe, nvram dump and firmware. Flash back cfe, flash firmware, then set nvram vars from the original dump. The problem I had was not knowing how to set the original partitions. Also, you lose cli access once stock fw is flashed, so a serial cable is required to replace the stock nvram vars. Probably a few people are capable of reverting, but it requires more than just ftping some files to /tmp and a few flash commands.
#1. What happens when you flash stock cfe, stock fw, then reboot?
Will it brick?
#2. Why can't we set the nvram variables using a script, then mtd write the stock firmware to one or two of the partitions, then reboot?
Will this not bring it to stock?
When the ea6400 dd-wrt instructions mention returning to stock firmware, does that mean the cfe will remain modified forever?
There's gotta be a way to restore stock cfe without serial.
Lol. I go away and study and find out people are still buying this router If anybody is actually considering it for dd-wrt; please don't. There are probably better alternatives at the moment (at the time the router was produced, it wasn't bad as I got it at a bargain; today, you can find many ac routers...)
I honestly don't know how to revert back to stock cfe, as I have lost my UUID_Key parameter to try, but I did see the Chinese running stock firmware.
They used their own Koolshare cfe and used the same UUID_Key from the stock nvram param into their modified cfe (which is why I told you to backup in the instructions) and this UUID key allows you to run stock firmware.
If you have not backed this up, then you will need a backup of your stock cfe and with that route I don't know how it works. Many people have bricked their routers using stock cfe as it gets stuck on the waiting screen...
However, if you do have the UUID key (from your own device; this is unique!) simply place that in the Koolshare cfe (I believe this was a instruction on the guide) and clean flash the stock firmware (probably the version without the signature check, begins with 1.0.1.16 or something similar).
If it does get stuck on the waiting bug, you have the koolshare cfe, meaning you can run the Asus restoration utility to recover the router back to Merlin or DD-Wrt. It has been discussed many times during this thread, go and search for the post. Any version of the Asus utility will work...
I haven't tested this as I lost my original cfe and I didn't backup all of the nvram So I can't help and I don't know if this will work, but its worth a shot... I also don't know if they restored their nvram.
If you do try stock cfe and Linksys Firmware; there will be no easy way to fix the router incase you do get the waiting bug (it basically gets stuck on the first boot on the setup screen with a waiting dialog stuck in a infinite loop).
Koolshare cfe may run the stock firmware, provided that you have the UUID_Key in your CFE! _________________ Linksys EA6400/6300v1 Guide
BT Infinity FTTC
BRAS PROFILE: 76.2MBPS DOWN / 20 MBPS UP
BT Smart Business Hub 6A - Modem and AP
Linksys EA6300v1 - Broadcom DD-WRT v3.0-r36104 std
BT HomeHub 5A - Wireless AP Extender
BT Openreach Modem ECI - Unlocked OpenWrt 15.05
There is a newer version of the Merlin firmware X7.5, there is a note in Chinese on the download page http://firmware.koolshare.cn/merlin_qin_firmware/EA6400/X7.5/
But as previous I guessed the filename in the folder (it's there but hidden), and installed / working OK
I upgraded to "Tomato Version 1.28 by Kille72 - forked off from Tomato-ARM by Shibby" from DD-WRT, here how I did it:
1. flashed "linksys-ea6400-numinit-super-hacky-smaller-version1c.bin" via tftp - there is 5 second delay (wait for tftp update" just click update in the tftp with the firmware during plug in the power supply.
Just a little update for those with the newer firmwares. On the newer 1.1 EA6900, there is a way to downgrade the firmware. It seems that Linksys have a new cfe with 1 partition, many users there are having issues with the newer models, however, it could be possible that this may work on the newer firmwares for our router?
Just replace the older firmware version of the EA6900 for the EA6400 version...
Just a hint for those with a newer firmware that doesn't allow downgrades/3rd party firmware anymore. While I was running into the same issue using the normal firmware upgrade function, I was able to bring up the mini webserver using the 30-30-30 method and then use it to flash Brainslayers DD-WRT directly. From there, everything went smoothly.
It seems that doing a 30-30-30 reset will bring up a mini webserver like the Asus CFE on the EA6900 1.1 Router and you are able to upload a firmware on that.
I am unsure if our router may contain this as I have moved away from stock firmware for quite a bit of time. Again, it could be Linksys producing this cfe for just newer revisions of the router; but it's worth a try if your stuck on the newer firmware that won't downgrade.
I have two EA6900, one is version v1.0 without power switch on the back, one with v1.1, has a power on/off on the back.
both are automatically updated to the latest Linksys firmware 1.1.42.172776, when I tried to follow the instruction on page 1 of this Linksys EA6900 install guide by going to Linksys web interface, and perform a manual firmware upgrade and chose the ea6900 initial build, it would say invalid, corrupted firmware, and I also pushed WPS button hoping to bring up the mini CFE webserver, I watched the ping with ttl=100, but the mini CFE page never came up.
so I googled and download an old Linksys oem firmware 1.1.42.161129, and downloaded Linksys tftp utility,
went to Linksys webgui and troubleshoot, diagnostic, and click the restore to previous firmware button, at the same time I launch the Linksys tftp utility, and loaded the 1.1.42.161129 in tftp utility, and watched and waited for 25 seconds tftp utility timeout, and kept retry until the blue progress bar in tftp utility started moving, and the router rebooted, I was able to downgrade the firmware to earlier version 1.1.42.161129, which allows 3rd party dd-wrt initial flash. proceeded to save stock-cfe.bin and nvram, loaded xvortex ea6900 cfe mod, and loaded latest dd-wrt ea6900 build, it does take 1 or 2 minutes to boot up, but works well as intended, the temperature on the case is not as hot as before. I've also tried unplug the power cord many time after loaded dd-wrt, the mini CFE webserver came up, then dd-wrt started running after about 1 minute.
So yeah we need to check whether our routers have this new cfe on these new firmwares that allow us to flash older/custom firmware. _________________ Linksys EA6400/6300v1 Guide
BT Infinity FTTC
BRAS PROFILE: 76.2MBPS DOWN / 20 MBPS UP
BT Smart Business Hub 6A - Modem and AP
Linksys EA6300v1 - Broadcom DD-WRT v3.0-r36104 std
BT HomeHub 5A - Wireless AP Extender
BT Openreach Modem ECI - Unlocked OpenWrt 15.05
Lol. I go away and study and find out people are still buying this router If anybody is actually considering it for dd-wrt; please don't. There are probably better alternatives at the moment (at the time the router was produced, it wasn't bad as I got it at a bargain; today, you can find many ac routers...)
I honestly don't know how to revert back to stock cfe, as I have lost my UUID_Key parameter to try, but I did see the Chinese running stock firmware.
They used their own Koolshare cfe and used the same UUID_Key from the stock nvram param into their modified cfe (which is why I told you to backup in the instructions) and this UUID key allows you to run stock firmware.
If you have not backed this up, then you will need a backup of your stock cfe and with that route I don't know how it works. Many people have bricked their routers using stock cfe as it gets stuck on the waiting screen...
However, if you do have the UUID key (from your own device; this is unique!) simply place that in the Koolshare cfe (I believe this was a instruction on the guide) and clean flash the stock firmware (probably the version without the signature check, begins with 1.0.1.16 or something similar).
If it does get stuck on the waiting bug, you have the koolshare cfe, meaning you can run the Asus restoration utility to recover the router back to Merlin or DD-Wrt. It has been discussed many times during this thread, go and search for the post. Any version of the Asus utility will work...
I haven't tested this as I lost my original cfe and I didn't backup all of the nvram So I can't help and I don't know if this will work, but its worth a shot... I also don't know if they restored their nvram.
If you do try stock cfe and Linksys Firmware; there will be no easy way to fix the router incase you do get the waiting bug (it basically gets stuck on the first boot on the setup screen with a waiting dialog stuck in a infinite loop).
Koolshare cfe may run the stock firmware, provided that you have the UUID_Key in your CFE!
that's what I was saying. With the koolshare asus cfe, I can install both ddwrt and revert to stock, but the koolshare cfe remains.
I wanted to find an easy way to restore bone stock cfe.
People have still been buying this router because it's the cheapest AC router at $20. The last $20 router I bought was an outdated tplink N router, and that just doesn't cut it for 100mbps+ internet speeds.
There is a newer version of the Merlin firmware X7.5, there is a note in Chinese on the download page http://firmware.koolshare.cn/merlin_qin_firmware/EA6400/X7.5/
But as previous I guessed the filename in the folder (it's there but hidden), and installed / working OK
Hello,
The link is down. Can you help share the file here. A lot of thanks
Lol. I go away and study and find out people are still buying this router If anybody is actually considering it for dd-wrt; please don't. There are probably better alternatives at the moment (at the time the router was produced, it wasn't bad as I got it at a bargain; today, you can find many ac routers...)
I honestly don't know how to revert back to stock cfe, as I have lost my UUID_Key parameter to try, but I did see the Chinese running stock firmware.
They used their own Koolshare cfe and used the same UUID_Key from the stock nvram param into their modified cfe (which is why I told you to backup in the instructions) and this UUID key allows you to run stock firmware.
If you have not backed this up, then you will need a backup of your stock cfe and with that route I don't know how it works. Many people have bricked their routers using stock cfe as it gets stuck on the waiting screen...
However, if you do have the UUID key (from your own device; this is unique!) simply place that in the Koolshare cfe (I believe this was a instruction on the guide) and clean flash the stock firmware (probably the version without the signature check, begins with 1.0.1.16 or something similar).
If it does get stuck on the waiting bug, you have the koolshare cfe, meaning you can run the Asus restoration utility to recover the router back to Merlin or DD-Wrt. It has been discussed many times during this thread, go and search for the post. Any version of the Asus utility will work...
I haven't tested this as I lost my original cfe and I didn't backup all of the nvram So I can't help and I don't know if this will work, but its worth a shot... I also don't know if they restored their nvram.
If you do try stock cfe and Linksys Firmware; there will be no easy way to fix the router incase you do get the waiting bug (it basically gets stuck on the first boot on the setup screen with a waiting dialog stuck in a infinite loop).
Koolshare cfe may run the stock firmware, provided that you have the UUID_Key in your CFE!
that's what I was saying. With the koolshare asus cfe, I can install both ddwrt and revert to stock, but the koolshare cfe remains.
I wanted to find an easy way to restore bone stock cfe.
People have still been buying this router because it's the cheapest AC router at $20. The last $20 router I bought was an outdated tplink N router, and that just doesn't cut it for 100mbps+ internet speeds.
Well as stated, I do not know if restoring stock cfe will let it boot stock cfe; probably nvram has to be there too?
$20! Where can I get it; lol Here in the UK it's discontinued but before it was like £40. I got this originally new at £60 when it was out on offer from a pc retailer. Though to be fair I did get the BT HomeHub 5 for £9 (an UK isp router) and unlocked it.
To be fair, the Linksys router isn't that bad; it's just that if you to maximize it's potential through custom firmware (as that smart Wi-Fi was useless) it does take sometinkering
v234567 wrote:
jpearn wrote:
There is a newer version of the Merlin firmware X7.5, there is a note in Chinese on the download page http://firmware.koolshare.cn/merlin_qin_firmware/EA6400/X7.5/
But as previous I guessed the filename in the folder (it's there but hidden), and installed / working OK
Hello,
The link is down. Can you help share the file here. A lot of thanks
I have it saved somewhere over here. I will try to have a look at where I had saved it and hopefully mirror the file.
You may need to go to firmware.koolshare.cn or koolshare.io and manually locate the firmware through the merlin_qin_firmware folder _________________ Linksys EA6400/6300v1 Guide
BT Infinity FTTC
BRAS PROFILE: 76.2MBPS DOWN / 20 MBPS UP
BT Smart Business Hub 6A - Modem and AP
Linksys EA6300v1 - Broadcom DD-WRT v3.0-r36104 std
BT HomeHub 5A - Wireless AP Extender
BT Openreach Modem ECI - Unlocked OpenWrt 15.05
Lol. I go away and study and find out people are still buying this router If anybody is actually considering it for dd-wrt; please don't. There are probably better alternatives at the moment (at the time the router was produced, it wasn't bad as I got it at a bargain; today, you can find many ac routers...)
I have an another issue. I have been using two of those 6300v1/6400 turned to DDWRT, but after a year, (in some time separation period) both lost LAN#3 port. They were not plugged between themselves by LAN#3 and there is no possibility of surge problems... maybe a design issue ? Did any of you have a similar issue with them? Any chance of reviving lan port ? (no ping, no led activity)
Lol. I go away and study and find out people are still buying this router If anybody is actually considering it for dd-wrt; please don't. There are probably better alternatives at the moment (at the time the router was produced, it wasn't bad as I got it at a bargain; today, you can find many ac routers...)
I have an another issue. I have been using two of those 6300v1/6400 turned to DDWRT, but after a year, (in some time separation period) both lost LAN#3 port. They were not plugged between themselves by LAN#3 and there is no possibility of surge problems... maybe a design issue ? Did any of you have a similar issue with them? Any chance of reviving lan port ? (no ping, no led activity)
I haven't lost lan port 3, this is the first time I have heard of such an issue. I will have a look into why this happens. All my lan ports are fine, but I've always been on Merlin as I was just not bothered with coping of finding a stable dd-wrt build. _________________ Linksys EA6400/6300v1 Guide
BT Infinity FTTC
BRAS PROFILE: 76.2MBPS DOWN / 20 MBPS UP
BT Smart Business Hub 6A - Modem and AP
Linksys EA6300v1 - Broadcom DD-WRT v3.0-r36104 std
BT HomeHub 5A - Wireless AP Extender
BT Openreach Modem ECI - Unlocked OpenWrt 15.05