Tutorial ASUS ROUTERS JTAG RECOVERY

[bbsc]

replacing has nothing to do with fixing it. So in my world your AC66U is still broken

Ok, let it be so.
But my router is working and yours - not.
Because I've done something with my own head and hands and you - did not.
That's really a dead end.
Have a nice day.

 

[hggomes]

Now, this is getting spicy

Thank you for your feedback.

 

[Vaesel]

Ok, let it be so.
But my router is working and yours - not.
Because I've done something with my own head and hands and you - did not.
That's really a dead end.
Have a nice day.

Damn you are thick headed - just like many others on many forums - many say that they have fixed something but they dont elaborate on how-to even if they got help from others in the forums.

But hey you fixed it and thats good for you - but if you cant tell how you did it, then you dident fix anything other than your ego.

/Vaesel

 

[hggomes]

Please people chillout, this is not a case for this.

Bricking a router is not something to be happy with but it's interesting to know how to fix it, that's the main purpose of this thread so please focus on that.

Vaesel: i though you trashed your router, do you still have it?

If so you should be happy to have a positive feedback and know how to fix it, and try to be reasonable for the ones who made it possible, i can understand your point of view (frustration of bricked device) but take it easy, BBSC user will make a HOW TO on AC66U as soon he can, let's be pacient.

 

[Vaesel]

Please people chillout, this is not a case for this.

Bricking a router is not something to be happy with but it's interesting to know how to fix it, that's the main purpose of this thread so please focus on that.

Vaesel: i though you trashed your router, do you still have it?

If so you should be happy to have a positive feedback and know how to fix it, and try to be reasonable for the ones who made it possible, i can understand your point of view (frustration of bricked device) but take it easy, BBSC user will make a HOW TO on AC66U as soon he can, let's be pacient.

I am chilled with me and my joint and a good strong beer (realy need that for this thread)

No i dont have the AC66U anymore iv got the AC87U now - but who cares?

Its a false positive in my mind.

As far as i know bbsc havent made it posibol, http://rayer.g6.cz has, bbsc just put a link up, but agin who cares who did what, i dont - as long as they elaborate on how-to instade of a false-positive.

So let put it in the grave for now until bbsc make a how-to.

/Vaesel

 

[bbsc]

And the last thing I'd like to say.
I've tested the original chip MX25L1606E today with a simple LPT flashing tool and SPIPGM program. SPIPGM is declared to support MX25L1606E by it's developer.
I wasn't able to write it or to erase the chip.
SPIPGM reports "unknown chip", "parity error".
I was able to read the chip. It's content is absolutely different from CFE I've flashed. The amount and the structure of the data are similar but not exactly the same. The data itself is different.
I have no advanced tools to test the chip so I consider the chip is broken.

Conclusions:
1. It's possible to repair broken CFE in AC66U by soldering off the SPI chip, reflashing it and soldering in.
2. The original chip MX25L1606E can be replaced with a $0.5 chip MX25L1605A.
3. Original chip may be broken during CFE-upgrading process.
4. You only need to flash 256 kB CFE binary into SPI, nothing more.

P.S. I'm not going to make any how-to, sorry. First, I don't see any interested person. Second, I'm not fluent in guide-writing or how-to-writing. Third, there's enough information in this thread to do all necessary operations.
But please, feel free to ask any questions, I'll answer if I can.

 

[hggomes]

What are the main differences between the 2 files?

 

[bbsc]

This one I tried to flash (from your thread about cfe dumps): https://mega.co.nz/#!lpZCwJqB!R_fuUtNQ_oZpOMBbvCXia1O-i9wdGiVfHYiWblYMu_Y

This one I've dumped from the SPI: https://mega.co.nz/#!f893TQLT!x8Veg75ntL8am-inQ4K55vnN2jCj2q5F07jNVlzY1EA

 

[hggomes]

The dump file is completly corrupted, i wonder what happened.

 

[bbsc]

So do I.
BTW, now I think that using MX25L1605 instead of MX25L1606 is not a good idea, because the second has "Dual Output" mode.
My router seems to boot slower now.

 

[hggomes]

Now that you know it works you can always buy the original chip and program it again.

Good luck

 

[stefauresi]

hello,

Anyone have a tutorial for the jtag RT-AC68U ?

After a bad flash bootloader (CFE) the RT-AC68U is bricked

 

[hggomes]

First of all:

1. Did you open the router? (voided warranty)?
2. What exactly you've done on your CFE update procedure?
3. What was the stock version vs new version?

 

[stefauresi]

First of all:

1. Did you open the router? (voided warranty)? Yes and Yes
2. What exactly you've done on your CFE update procedure? bad input MAC addresses
3. What was the stock version vs new version? 1.0.1.6(EU) vs 1.0.2 (EU)

I'm too stupid, I have not checked editing mac Address.
I bought 2 X AC68U, I was wrong on only one

I bought this http://www.ebay.fr/itm/221396627302?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I had not backed up the CFE before flashing but I have a backup of the nvram that contains the MAC address

I prepared the new bootloader with the MAC address and the WPS PIN
I am waiting to receive the USB JTAG

I can not find a tutorial on the web
I saw on the motherboard pins VCC-TX-RX-GND
I guess the pin J4 used to jtag?

A picture of my RT-AC68u

 

[hggomes]

If the problem is bad MAC editing then you should be able to access via serial cable, unless you screw something else.

How many light are ON?

 

[Pierino]

"I saw on the motherboard pins VCC-TX-RX-GND"

Those are the pins for serial console. That's not jtag.
I don't think there is jtag support for this cpu.

 

[hggomes]

There's 3 JTAG ports on AC68U, the main one is between LAN1,2,3,4 and WAN port.

 

[stefauresi]

If the problem is bad MAC editing then you should be able to access via serial cable, unless you screw something else.

How many light are ON?

How many light are ON? : Power and lan

 

[hggomes]

Have you tried recovery mode? (press reset without releasing before turn power on) and see if Power LED blinks.


I don't think the problem was the wrong mac address only like you said, connect serial port and see the output.

 

[stefauresi]

not possible to enter in recovery mode
hard reset has no effect.

LED power is fixed
The router reboots every 4-5 minutes