Asus DSL-AC68U Help ... Is it "bricked" ?

[AJ_CPT]

Hi All

Newbie here ... Apologies if this is posted in the wrong/incorrect section of the forum.

I recieved this faulty Asus DSL-AC68U Modem Router.
(DSL-AC68U not the RT-AC68U)

I was hoping to be able to fix it with reloading Firmware, but seems like it might be beyond repair.

On Power Up:

• Power LED is On
• LAN Port 1 LED On
• LAN Port 2 LED Off​
• LAN Port 3 LED On​
• LAN Port 4 LED On​

After a good few seconds (1 minute or so), the 2.4GHz and 5GHz LED's also come on...

All these LED's stay on continously....

I cannot access the LAN/Ethernet ports via LAN cable ...

When the 2.4GHz and 5GHz LED's come on, I can then (weirdly) access the Router Wirelessly ...

Under Network Map .... Status :
​

Status:
Ethernet Ports

Port Link State
LAN 1 1 Gbps
LAN 2 Unplugged
LAN 3 1 Gbps
LAN 4 1 Gbps

I do NOT have any LAN/EThernet Cables connected, LAN 1/3/4 LED's are continously ON.
THe Router GUI also indicate that it is picking up "1 Gbps" on these ports... like a cable is connected.​

I am able to get the Router in Rescue Mode .. by holding the Reset button in while powering up.
The Power LED then flashes slowly...

I am also able to Reset/Refresh the Router by holding the WPS button in (for about 20+ seconds) while Powering up.
The Power LED then flashes fast, until I release the WPS button again.

I then opened up the Router, attached a USB to TTL cable (used only 3 pins, GND, TX and Rx, with VCC connected it seems to provide power on the board) as the LED's light up without the Asus Power Supply).

I Setup Putty and was able to see the Router loading.

I am also able to break the Boot Sequence by pressing "Ctrl + C"
(It took me a few times to get the timing right, but htis can be replicated)

I can then enter some commands
(which I found on the forum).

admin@DSL-AC68U:/tmp/home/root# robocfg show

Switch: enabled

Port 0: DOWN enabled stp: none vlan: 2 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 1: 1000HD enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 2: DOWN enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 3: 1000HD enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 4: 1000FD enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 5: 1000FD enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: d4:6d:6d:c2:b0:f0
Port 7: DOWN enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Port 8: DOWN enabled stp: none vlan: 1 jumbo: off mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
VLANs: BCM5301x enabled mac_check mac_hash
1: vlan1: 1 2 3 4 5t
2: vlan2: 0 5t
56: vlan56: 2 5t
57: vlan57: 0 4
58: vlan58: 0 2 4t 5 7 8u
59: vlan59: 1t 4t 7t 8t
60: vlan60: 0 1t 2 4t 5t 8t
61: vlan61: 0t 5
62: vlan62: 1 3t 7t 8t
3880: vlan3880: 0t 5t
admin@DSL-AC68U:/tmp/home/root#


The Router does not want to come back to "normal".
It seems stuck, in a loop or something.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After a "normal boot" (no reset/wps buttons being pressed etc.

It seem to get stuck here:
USB2: reset USB power to call up the device on the USB 3.0 port.
hub 1-0:1.0: over-current change on port 1
hub 1-0:1.0: over-current change on port 1
start_usb
nhub 1-0:1.0: over-current change on port 1
o tune_bdflush
[1 preinit:init_main +38] recv signal 14 from pid [1:/sbin/preinit] (from user)
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
ping test fail 3
ping test fail 4
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
[1 preinit:init_main +82] recv signal 14 from pid [1:/sbin/preinit] (from user)
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
[1 preinit:init_main +389] recv signal 14 from pid [0] (from kernel)
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed


Have any of you come across this before ?

I searched (Google, SNB), but could not find more information regarding this scenario ..

Can the Router be salvaged/repaired (easily) ?
Or should I just keep the PSU and Antennas

I will upload the various load sequences I tested currently ...

• "Normal" Loading (without any buttons pressed);
• "Reset" Button pressed on Power Up - Power LED flashes slowly;
• "WPS" Buttone pressed on Power Up - Power LED Flashes Fast until WPS released;

Of all the commands and tips I've come across, Nothing seems to work.
The LAN 1/3/4 LED's stay on continously and I cannot connect a LAN cable to it (it does not work).

Hopefully someone will be able to assist ...

Thank You

Greatly Appreciate the information on this Forum.

Regards

AJ

 

[AJ_CPT]

It's weird that I can access teh Router (DSL-AC68U) via wifi, on both 2.4GHz as well as 5GHz, but the LAN/Ethernet Ports 1, 3 and 4 LED's are continously lit.

In the Asus Router GUI, under Network Map Status, it also shows as 1Gbps on LAN/Ethernet Ports 1, 3 and 4, with LAN port 2 indicating Unplugged.

Also, what does this indicate:

udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed
udhcpc_wan:: leasefail
Get Mac address failed


Can it be fixed ?

 

[AJ_CPT]

Yikes … I just killed the whole board trying to check voltages … I probably shorted something …

Anyways … that ends this saga … I won't be able to fault find any further … guess nobody knew either

So this thread can be closed … before they send me off to see someone (I can't be talking to myself so often )

Anyways .. great forum ... I have learnt a lot ... although it did not resolve my problem …

Regards

AJ