BACKUPMON BACKUPMON v1.7.2 -Apr 1, 2024- Backup/Restore your Router: JFFS + NVRAM + External USB Drive! CIFS/SMB/NFS! (Now available in AMTM!)

[Viktor Jaep]

Nope. Take a look at the NVRAM.txt file.
I messed my wifi up so much on one occasion the radios stopped working with mac of 00:00:00:00:00:00.
Reset didn't fix. Flashing firmware didn't fix. BACKUPMON - no problem.
Some peeps don't realise how powerful this script actually is.

Interesting... I just can't imagine that the Asus router factory is pumping out router after router on the assembly line having to write a custom software config on each based on some unique MAC address that each device needs to have? If this isn't hardcoded or retrievable in some way from doing a factory reset, then I don't get it. Seems like a real flaw if that were the case?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Interesting... I just can't imagine that the Asus router factory is pumping out router after router on the assembly line having to write a custom software config on each based on some unique MAC address that each device needs to have? If this isn't hardcoded or retrievable in some way from doing a factory reset, then I don't get it. Seems like a real flaw if that were the case?

The unique factory settings of each router (like MAC addresses, serial number, etc.) are stored in a separate partition. When you do a factory reset the "user" settings are wiped and replaced with these factory settings.

 

[Ripshod]

I know. I can only provide anecdotal evidence, but that's how it happened.
I do wonder now if there may be certain areas of nvram that are retained in a reset, maybe just wishful thinking. The MAC addresses weren't restored by a three way reset.
Still, the discussion was about transferring settings between routers.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

The unique factory settings of each router (like MAC addresses, serial number, etc.) are stored in a separate partition. When you do a factory reset the "user" settings are wiped and replaced with these factory settings.

Off-the-wall question, @ColinTaylor ... but is this partition accessible? Are there known scenarios where restoration of these settings could possibly fail as in @Ripshod's scenario above?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Off-the-wall question, @ColinTaylor ... but is this partition accessible? Are there known scenarios where restoration of these settings could possibly fail as in @Ripshod's scenario above?

I've come across cases where the factory partition had been wiped or corrupted. But that's not something that would fix itself and start working again so it sounds like @Ripshod situation was different.