TL WR841N V8 Alternative firmware. Restoring the TP-LINK TL-WR841ND V8.1 router. TP-LINK router recovery process

Hey! In this article, we will consider the restoration of the TP-LINK router after unsuccessful firmware. It often happens that during the firmware of the router there is some kind of failure, and the router simply stops working: Wi-Fi does not work, the power indicators are not covered as usual, it is not possible to go to the router settings, etc. In such cases, it does not even help Reboot, and reset the settings to the factory. If you unsuccessfully flashing your TP-LINK router, and it has become like a brick, you can try to restore it.

In this way, the following TP-LINK models can be restored:

TL-MR3220V2, TL-WR842ND, Archer C7 AC1750 V2, TL-WR740NV4, TL-WR941NDV5, TL-WDR4300ND, TL-WR1042ND, TL-WR940NDV2, TL-WR841NDV8, TL-WDR3600ND, TL-WR741NDV4, TL-MR3420V2, TL -WR940N V2.

If your router is not in the list, most likely, it can be restored only with a soldering iron, and a special cable. In this case, it will be better to contact the service center.

All models that I listed in the list can be restored programmatically than we will now. True, you can return to life those devices that the last time were stitched by a special firmware with recovery support. But you do not need to delve into it, it's easier to try.

A patient:

I thought that it would be wrong to prepare the instruction without checking all myself. Therefore, I took my router TP-LINK TL-MR3220V2 (I don't use it now)which is in principle a fully worker, just for some reason focus refuses to see any 3G modem. Well, for the purity of the experiment, I decided to turn it into a brick. Make it is not very different (when you need :)). At first, I tried to pour the firmware for another hardware version, she did not go, issued an error. Then, I decided to flash on Wi-Fi - I was stitched. Well, nothing remained for me how to turn off the power in the firmware update process :) never do it! After all, it may not be possible to restore.

It turned out that I have non-working TP-LINK TL-MR3220V2, which only two indicators are lit. (Nutrition and gear).

He did not respond to reset settings, well, and in the settings, of course, it was not possible to go.

You can try before starting the restoration of the router:

• Check the article with possible reasons for which. Perhaps you have some other problem, and the router worker.
• Before restoring your TP-LINK, try.

TP-LINK router recovery process

1. First of all, we need to download a special program TFTPD.. You can download this link - (size - 467 KB). Save the archive with the program on the computer. Create a folder with any name. I created it on the desktop, named "325". Remove the program itself to this folder. tFTPD32.exe..

2. Next, we need to download a special firmware. You can download this firmware from the official TP-LINK site. Find the firmware for your model, and the hardware version is important! And one more important point, in the name of the firmware there should be no word boot. If you do not know where and how to look for the firmware, then look at the article.

In the name of the firmware on the site, you will not see the words boot. Firmware fits, or not, you can see only downloading it to the computer, and opening the archive. See the name of the file itself. Bin, which is in the archive. For my TL-MR3220V2, I downloaded the first in the list (on the site) firmware, and it came up.

Remove the firmware file from the archive and rename it. The name must be: "MR3220V2_TP_RECOVERY.BIN" - This is for the model TL-MR3220V2. For example, for TL-WR841ND V8, the name will be: "WR841NDV8_TP_Recovery.bin". It all depends on what model you have.

Then, place the firmware file in the folder with the TFTPD32.exe program. You should have something like this:

3. You need to change the IP address of the connection over the local network. Press the right mouse button on the Internet connection icon and choose Network and Shared Access Control Center. In a new window, we press on the left Change adapter settings.

Right-click on the adapter "LAN connection" and select Properties. Next, select the item "Internet Protocol version TCP / IPv4" and click Properties. Install the switch near "Use the following IP address".

Now attention! For TL-WR1042 and TL-WR842 V1 routers and TL-WR842 V1, in the IP Address field 192.168.1.66 . For all other models, we register - 192.168.0.66 . (If both addresses do not fit, then try another 192.168.0.86.) The subnet mask should register automatically - 255.255.255.0. Leave it. Press the button OK..

Preparation is finished, start.

Disconnect antivirus, firewall, and other programs that can block the connection.

I have Dr.Web requested permission for the program.

4. Connect your router to a power cable computer. On the router, the cable can be connected to one of 4 LAN connectors.

5. Open the folder in which we put the firmware and the program. Run the TFTPD32.exe program on behalf of the administrator. Click on it right-click and select Run on the name of the administrator.

6. In the program TFTPD, opposite Server Interface. Select the desired adapter. There will be the IP, which we set up above. Further, click on the button Show dir.And look if our firmware is in the list. In my case, this is "MR3220V2_TP_RECOVERY.BIN".

If all is well, then the program is simple leave open. To start recovery, you do not need to press anything.

7. We take our router (which must already be connected to the computer), turn on food, and quickly press and keep the WPS / RESET key.

Hold until the recovery process is started in the program. I immediately went. If it did not work, try this: Turn off the router power, press and hold the WPS / RESET key and turn on the power.

We are waiting, do not press anything until the router will reboot. You will understand this on indicators. My router earned, and I am without problems.

If you want, you can flash the router in the usual way according to this instruction. Just look attentively :) Well, you have to configure the router. Can.

In the properties of the LAN connection, do not forget to install back Receive an IP address automatically. We changed it in 3 points of this article. Otherwise, there may be problems with connecting to the Internet on the cable.

Conclusion

As you can see, everything works. It turned out to restore the router, which many would simply have already thrown away, or would have a bunch of problems with the warranty service center. Little to attract routers for repairs. Usually believe that it's easier to buy a new (In some cases, this is true).

Do not forget to write in the comments about the results, it is important! Especially if you managed to restore the TP-LINK router model, which is not listed, at the beginning of this article. Any information on the topic will be very useful!

TL-WR-841N. In this situation, it is possible to assign one of the LAN ports as a WAN. In the stock firmware, unfortunately you can not reassign ports, so moving to an alternative firmware.

First of all, you need to download the firmware for your router model, and launch the firmware process.

When the update is completed, we go to 192.168.1.1 and fall on the updated web interface of the router.

To do this, we go Network - Switch and create two VLAN 1 watching Tagget on the CPU and Untagget to the port who wants to become a new Wan, 2 VLAN Tagget on the CPU and Untagget on all remaining ports.

Please note that port 1 specified as a new WAN, is really 4 port of the router.

Click Save & Apply

Create a new NEWWAN interface

With the next step, open Network - Interfaces, delete the old WAN and create a new Newwan interface and direct it to VLAN Interface: "ETH1.1" and set up a connection, for example.

Return to Network - Interfaces, click Edit LAN.

On the Physical Settings tab, set the ticks opposite:

• VLAN Interface: "ETH1.2"
• Wireless Network: Master "OpenWRT" is

Open Network - Firewall, edit WAN in the Covered Networks section: Newwan, on the General Settings tab, allow you to press Save & Apply.

Click System - reboot and check.

Second option to transfer the WAN port through the console

An example of a 5-port router:
# Uci Get Network.eth0_0.Ports
1 2 3 4 5
# Uci Get Network.Eth0_1.Ports
0 5

You can watch the current purpose like this:

uCI Get Network.Eth0_0.Ports.

uCI Get Network.eth0_1.Ports.

View all network settings:

That's always. I wanted to start writing to the blog and threw it by writing an introductory post. It's time to correct.

TP-LINK continues to slowly migrate on new chipsets from MediaTek. This time the company released new versions of popular WR841N and WR840N routers.

Man with nickname svobodavacmade the initial support for the WR840N V4 router. At the moment, not accepted in LEDE and is temporarily closed.

Unfortunately, the Open Source driver for Wi-Fi Chip (MT76) is not very adequate. Permanent disconnects, Ignoring Beacons right at the time of traffic transmission, packet loss, low signal power (it was possible to fix it prescribing the correct location of the EEPROM in DTS). I could not understand the scale of the problem (whether it only concerns TPLs or this is the overall problem of all MT76xx devices).

Therefore, it was decided to collect LEDE with a proprietary driver from MTK.

All images version 17.01.

For WR840N V4 ( ATTENTION! Testing on the WR840N V4 was not produced! Put at your own risk!Although no problems should be, the device is similar, but I warned you):

FAQ:

How to install?

Installation is performed only through TFTP. Everything is standard, as for the remaining TPLs. The name of the firmware file must be tP_RECOVERY.BIN..

More detailed instructions on how to fill firmware via TFTP on TP-Link can be found, for example, (Windows-Only).

How to update with lede / OpenWRT?

Through Luci. Backup / Flash Firmwareeither sysupgrade. via ssh. You can update using the sysupgrade image. Factory image is not yet accepted.

If before that, the LEDE firmware from WR840N V4 was installed on the WR841N V13, then it is better to install via TFTP (see the previous item).

Will there be an installation via a web interface?

Someday will be. On this occasion, there were discussions in the discussion of Pull Request, of which it is clear that the new firmware has a new header format. At the moment, the firmware is collected with an empty header and because of this, they can only be poured through TFTP.

How stable works?

Pretty stable. Fatal disconnects or packet losses were not observed.

What exactly works and tested?

Wi-Fi itself :), management of them via UCI, Multissid.

What does not work?

Control via LUCI. This is due to the fact that LUCI receives some parameters via iWinfo, which works, but not friendly with the MTK driver and does not display all current information. Actually, in fact via LUCI, you can configure SSID, interface and WEP encryption. Behind the rest of the settings will have to go to the console :).

The Wi-Fi indicator itself does not work. If you really want, you can configure it to the RAI0 interface in LUCI LED Configuration to Morgall, when the data will flow :).

What is possible?

WDS and client mode. Did not check, but the support in the driver is available. In general, the driver must have full support for Wi-Fi chip, then he and proprietary-branded :). Problems may occur at the Stage of the UCI config in the MT7628_AP config, which is located separately and from which, in fact, is reading the configuration.

Wireless Is Disabled or Not Associated - this garbage writes!

Again, due to lack of information in IWInfo. In fact, Wi-Fi should work and you have to see it from other devices, just in LUCI it is not displayed yet.

No interface WLAN0!

Instead of WLAN0, WLAN1, WLAN2 ... Driver creates RAI0, RAI1, RAI2 interfaces ...

What about the repository of the packages?

Repository core It was replaced by the repository on my server. In repository core All collected modules available in LEDE. Core modules with lede-project.org You will not be able to establish due to the non-compliance of the kernel hash-sum (it was done specifically in OpenWRT). The remaining repositories (Base, Routing, Telephony ...) are used standard, from lede-project.org. Unless they have to be reduced in configs.

How long will the Core repository exist?

Repository core I will try to keep as much as possible. When sending new builds, the packages to it will be folded into a separate directory, so that no one breaks the OPKG :).

I will lay out the repump on GitHub a little later, there it is necessary to take a little bit and put everything in order.

Why not make Pull Request LEDE Raise?

LEDE does not make decisions containing non-free components. MTK Driver is just true. For official support for LEDE, it is necessary to rule the opensor driver. Moreover, there was no problem with the firmware heading, so you can still forget about Pull Request.

At the moment, in parallel, I understand the problems of the opensor driver and the heading. If problems are solved - I will make Pull Request.

Routers are deprived of their native firmware for various reasons. Desire to add functionality, soldering USB port or simply add stability to the work of the router.

In my case, the router at the last stable native firmware at 3 WiFi and 2 Ethernet consumers hung 4 times a week. It is not very scary, but also reboot it tired. I wanted stability. After searching and reading reviews, the choice fell on OpenWRT. The article already shows a step-by-step instruction without errors that I had to go.

Step 1, we flash on the last official firmware

The first thing to be done is to upgrade and put the latest native firmware.
You can find the latest firmware for TL-WR741ND, for the corresponding version of the equipment.

• Turn the router and specify the version of the glands in it focusing on the sticker on the housing.
• Download the archive with the last firmware.
• Put the router with firmware from the archive in the usual way. System Tools -\u003e Backup & Recovery (System Tools -\u003e Firmware Upgrade).

Step 2, download and install OpenWRT

Next you need to select the version of the OpenWRT firmware.

You should use exactly the file that is consistent with the version of the iron of your model. Do not neglect this rule! There are two options for downloading: JFFS2 and SquashFS.

Before continuing the description of the assembly, I will stop a little on how the root file system OpenWRT is arranged. It is a MINI_FO file system that transparently combines two other file systems: unchangeable SquashFS mounted in / ROM, and a variable JFFS2 mounted in / overlay. All files that are created or changed after installing the firmware are in / overlay. When you delete files, initially former in the firmware, mini_fo simply marks them as deleted, the files themselves remain in / ROM and continue to take place. Both Squashfs and JFFS2 use compression, but SquashFS gives the best compression ratio, so the room of all necessary packages immediately gives a smaller firmware. The elimination of unnecessary packages from the firmware also allows you to save so precious space on the flash drive.
alt.

Factory word in the file name means that such a file you must pour on your device over the factory (native) firmware. The file with the Sysupgrade word is applicable only to update OpenWRT, i.e. Fastened after Factory firmware.

We have a native firmware, which means we need to install the firmware with the Factory tag.

Below is one firmware with a different hardware version of the device, choose the one to which your router belongs to determine the version Step 1:

Swing Factory firmware and sew in the usual way. System Tools -\u003e Backup & Recovery (System Tools -\u003e Firmware Upgrade).

Step 3, We enter the Web Firmware Interface

After successfully firmware, we get a working router with a web interface enabled. Therefore, go to the firmware settings through the browser. Next actions are:

We enter the address of the router in the address bar 192.168.1.1

Press key ENTER And the web interface of the router appears. We will see what we were offered to enter UserName and Password. In username Introduce root., Password field leave empty. Press Login..


On this firmware ended, you fell into the OpenWRT firmware web interface.

Step 4, configure Internet connection

Click on Network. -> Interfaces. -> WAN. -> Edit.

We choose the protocol we need, in my case it is PPPoE. We enter the login from the Internet in the string PAP / Chap Username, and password in PAP / CHAP PASSWORD. Press SAVE & APPLY.

Return back B. Interfaces.by clicking on this section, choose a string Wan. and click connect.. Internet is configured.

Step 5, configure Wi-Fi connection

It is configured in almost the same way as the Internet connection so I will tell you briefly.
We go through the section Network. -> WiFi. -> edit.(if any) or Add.(if not created). In chapter General Setup. Change Essid., this is the name of your network, then go to Wireless Security. In line Encryption Choose WPA-PSK / WPA2-PSK Mixed Mode. In line Key Write a password from a Wi-Fi network. Press SAVE & APPLY.


Return to section WiFi. and click connect.. Wi-Fi is configured.

Step 6, Russify the firmware

In order to Russify the firmware, we need to go to the section System. -> Software. -\u003e and click on the button Update List..

After that click on Available Packages., choose the section L.. Find a file named " lUCI-I18N-RUSSIAN"Press the button Install. Do you agree to the request, click oK.

Language package downloaded, now it needs to be applied. Open section System. -> Language and Style.-> Language. -> Russian. After that click the button Save & Apply.

We update the page (click on the keyboard F5) And we see the Russian interface.

Step 7, Install the password on the router

Go to the section System -> Control. Install Password router. Press save and apply.

Step 8, Final Stage

-> Perform reboot.

This is not another leadership where everything is cited, in this note I want to summarize my experience and leave for myself some nuances (pinout, colors of wires, addresses, teams, etc.).

Show

I brought me a familiar Admin Router, this is:

During the thunderstorm, he knocked out the WAN and LAN1 ports. An acquaintance of the piece was stitched on a DD-WRT in order to reassign the WAN port on some LAN. I decided to put the Open-WRT firmware on the router and successfully turned the device into a brick:

• when you turn on, only the power indicator is on,
• the remaining indicators simultaneously light up and drunk after 1 second,
• when connecting a router to a computer, the Link interface does not raise and the router over the network is not available.

It is clear that the router is now with completely erased or damaged firmware. When opening the device on the board, a unprecedented JP1 serial port was detected:

On the Internet found a cable electrical scheme:


I called the connector and learned the colors of the VCC, GND, TX and RX wires (in my case they were as follows: yellow, red, blue and white, respectively). Full pinout connectivity:

On the router board, the sequential port was swept as indicated in the figure (in series from left to right - not connected, red, white, blue):

Pach-cord from the computer inserted into the living LAN-port (LAN3). On the network interface of the computer installed IP address 192.168.0.2/30 and configured the TFTPD daemon, with which the firmware file will be covered in the device (Windows users recommend using the program). From the official site TP-Link downloaded the firmware. Moreover (by specifying manuals) downloaded the file without the word "boot" in the name. I put the downloaded firmware file to the folder configured in the TFTPD configuration by renaming it in firmware.bin. Turn on the router and inserted the USB cable to the computer.

When you turn on the cable to the USB port of the computer, it was determined as a new device / dev / ttyusb0 (Windows users will appear a new Serial Data Cable device, creating a virtual COM port and requires driver installation). After starting the team

Sudo Minicom --Device / Dev / Tyusb0

(Windows users can use the HyperTerminal, Putty or) program. And the exchange rate setting in 115200 Bod 8N1 I saw on the screen diagnostic messages and a periodically appearing inscription "AutoBooting in 1 Seconds ...". Immediately after the next appearance of this message quickly scored on the keyboard tPL. The system has passed into command standby mode, the router indicators stopped flashing and the network connection, not active before, has become active.

Then I introduced the team to fill the firmware in the piece of iron:

Stenv Serverip 192.168.0.2.

(Installation of the IP address from which the firmware file will be flooded)

Setenv iPaddr 192.168.0.1

(Installation of the IP address of the enabled device)

TFTPBoot 0x81000000 Firmware.bin.

(downloading the firmware file from the computer to the device's memory (in the temporary area, starting from the address 0x81000000). If there is a line at the execution of this command, it means timeout (no response from 192.168.0.2). Must be filling Screen symbols ##########.

Erase 0x9F020000 + 0x3c0000

(Preparation (cleaning) of the memory block from the address 0x9F020000 under the firmware length 0x3c0000 byte (3932160 in the decimal system)

CP.B 0x81000000 0x9F020000 0x3c0000

(copying the memory block from the address 0x81000000 to 0x9F020000 address 0x3c0000 byte length)

Bootm 0x9F020000.

(Program management to 0x9F020000 address)

The router rebooted and began to respond to ICMP requests with the address 192.168.0.1. Half the case is done, I raised the piece of iron with my native firmware, but with a non-worker WAN-port.