AC1900 upgrade from 384 to 386_3_2 problem

[fbicknel]

I just upgraded my long-running AC1900 using the AC68U 386.3_2 code (Aug 6 21:47:27 2021). The router "works", but the web access doesn't work anymore. For several minutes, I got nothing but timeouts (failed to connect). Then as I came here to look for help and time passed, I refreshed and got a login screen. "eureka" I thought, as I happily logged in... but alas, all I get is a white screen and a spinning connect indication. The white screen changes to a black screen in time, but it continues to spin.

I can ssh to the router and it appears to be working as a router in general (including, thankfully, the VPN working).

I upgraded it by uploading the new 386 code through the gui from a linux host on the local network. Everything went normally during that operation.

I thought maybe something was screwy after the upgrade finished when I couldn't connect to the management interface, so I rebooted it from the ssh shell. Still nothing on the gui.

I didn't do a config reset (docs said it should be ok if I'm not upgrading more than 3 versions), and indeed everything seems to still work, including my IoT separate guest networks.

 

[fbicknel]

I rebooted it again and got more weird results. First, when I rebooted it, the management interface partially loaded to the screenshot attached.

After the router had finished booting, I thought it was working again, as the page nearly loaded completely, but no: it still spins and buttons don't work.

Opened a private window to eliminate any cookie issues, but that just spins and eventually times out.

 

[john9527]

Did you read the Changelog going back to the first 386 release since you were coming from a 384 base?

 

[CaptnDanLKW]

Your probably due for a factory initialize / config reset, then a manual reconfigure, do not restore config or /jffs.

Just to try, reboot one more time, ssh to the router and watch top. Once everything calms down see if the webui is back to normal. There might be a background process doing cleanup, which can take hours, and if it’s interrupted, may have to start over.
Get to a manageable state then schedule some time to nuke the config and start over.

 

[fbicknel]

I actually did come to the same conclusion: nvram was low and I've been there before.

I took the shortcut: factory reset + restore config and it seems to have helped. Now I have some weird intermittent latency that wasn't there before. I know I'm going to have to bite the bullet and do as you suggested eventually.

 

[Tech9]

I took the shortcut: factory reset + restore config

Don't restore config from one firmware version to another. Reset the router again and set it up manually.