rt-n66u stuck in recovery mode

[isoman]

Hi guys,
My asus dark night wifi and web gui stopped working so I putted it on recovery mode and tried to reupload the last version of tomato shibby firmware (web restore and recovery tool) but without success.

I reset it to factory default, cleared the nvram and reuploaded tomato firmware but no success . Before uploading the fimrware power light blink every 4 secondes .Right after uploding the firmware (trx file not zip) I got a page that shows the size of the uploaded firmware and a message asking to wait and the power light is stable (no blinking). I waited for 30 minute then the power light start blinking every 4 secondes and the router is still blocked in the recovery mode.
I got this with merlin fimware and asus stock fimware .
What can I do ?
Thanks.

 

[KevTech]

Hi guys,
My asus dark night wifi and web gui stopped working so I putted it on recovery mode and tried to reupload the last version of tomato shibby firmware (web restore and recovery tool) but without success.

I reset it to factory default, cleared the nvram and reuploaded tomato firmware but no success . Before uploading the fimrware power light blink every 4 secondes .Right after uploding the firmware (trx file not zip) I got a page that shows the size of the uploaded firmware and a message asking to wait and the power light is stable (no blinking). I waited for 30 minute then the power light start blinking every 4 secondes and the router is still blocked in the recovery mode.
I got this with merlin fimware and asus stock fimware .
What can I do ?
Thanks.

Try loading an older stock 376 version: http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wi...524.zip?_ga=1.186676712.1731108405.1466916627

If that goes well then upgrade to a newer version.

Reason to try older is the smaller firmware size can help when in recovery mode.

Also be patient as I have seen the 66u take up to an hour to be ready after uploading firmware in recovery mode.

Just let it sit there until it reboots on it's own.

 

[isoman]

Hi,
I tried with this firmware. I uploaded it and left the router alone for 5 hours. When I came back , it was on recovery mode .
What can I do ?

 

[wouterv]

Lets go in small steps...try this and report what happens or goes wrong and when:

1. Power down the router.
2. Remove USB memory devices (if any).
3. Press and hold the reset button, at the same time power up the router.
4. Wait for slow flashing Power LED.
5. Release the reset button.
6. Set your computer to a fixed IP address, such as 192.168.1.100 / 255.255.255.0.
7. Hardwire your computer to the router.
8. Start a web browser and open http://192.168.1.1
9. This shall open the ASUSTeK - CFE miniWeb Server, from there you can Upload a Firmware File, Reboot or Restore default NVRAM values.

Q1: Do you manage to open the ASUSTeK - CFE miniWeb Server?
Q2: Can you at least start the Upload of the recommended stock firmware file (as said, the whole upload and settling proces can take a real long time)?

 

[isoman]

Hi,
Thank you for you answer.
I followed exactly all the steps above . Before the upload,router respond to ping with ttl=100. I uploaded the recommended stock firmware. After the upload of the firmware I got a page that shows the uploaded firmware size (
Receive file size=26271793 Upload completed. System is going to reboot. Please wait a few moments.)
,the power led blinking stopped and the router stopped responding to pings.
I left it alone for 2 hours. At my return the router was in recovery mode again and the slow blinking started again.

 

[wouterv]

Can you in above status access the ASUSTeK - CFE miniWeb Server?
If so, try the "Restore default NVRAM values" option.

 

[isoman]

I did so . Restore default NVRAM values from the CFE miniWebserver. The blinking stopped for a few secondes then started again. I waited for one minute then tried to restart it using the CFE interface . No change , still in the recovery mode.

 

[wouterv]

I did so . Restore default NVRAM values from the CFE miniWebserver. The blinking stopped for a few secondes then started again. I waited for one minute then tried to restart it using the CFE interface . No change , still in the recovery mode.

You need to wait much longer then one minute.

To be sure: please confirm the Upload of the recommended stock firmware did end without further messages.
Power down the router.
Start it in Recovery mode and access the ASUSTeK - CFE miniWeb Server.
Then select "Restore default NVRAM values".
Now leave your router alone, do not touch it.
Now take a break, get a coffee, pizza, few beers or cola's...wait...wait...wait....take some more coffee....wait.
Go out for shopping, wait.
Take a nap.
Still leave your router alone, do not touch it.
Now wake up your still hardwired computer and check what your browser is showing.

 

[isoman]

Any ideas guys ?
How can I try to flash it using tftp ?

 

[wouterv]

1-Have a firmware file available, ending with the extension .trx
2-Power down the router.
3-Remove USB memory devices (if any).
4-Press and hold the reset button, at the same time power up the router.
5-Wait for slow flashing Power LED.
6-Release the reset button.
7-Set your computer to a fixed IP address, such as 192.168.1.100 / 255.255.255.0.
8-Hardwire your computer to the router.
9-Open a Terminal window and make sure you can ping 192.168.1.1
10-CD into the directory where the firmware file exists (see step #1 above).
11-Run these commands from the Terminal prompt, using the correct firmware filename in the "put" command:

tftp
tftp> connect
(to) 192.168.1.1
tftp> binary
tftp> put <filename>.trx
Sent xxx bytes in yy seconds
tftp> quit

12-Give the router about 30 minutes to process the firmware image you've just sent it.
13-Access the router at the default IP address 192.168.1.1 and admin/admin
14-Manual configure the router again (do NOT load an old configuration backup file).

 

[RMerlin]

2-Give the router about 5 minutes to process the firmware image you've just sent it.

The RT-N66U has very slow flash compared to newer models. Give it at least 20, probably closer to 30 minutes when using recovery mode.

 

[isoman]

Guys, flashing using tftp produced something weird, the flash the power led is stable (since last night) and only the lan led is blinking. Should I reboot the router or give it more time ?

Edit:Router responds to ping with ttl=128

 

[wouterv]

Guys, flashing using tftp produced something weird, the flash the power led is stable (since last night) and only the lan led is blinking. Should I reboot the router or give it more time ?

Edit:Router responds to ping with ttl=128

Not sure what you mean to say now: is the power LED flashing or not?
Anyway, see my earlier post:

1. Leave your router alone, do not touch it.
2. Wake up your still hardwired computer and check what your browser at 192.168.1.1 is showing.

I have a weak feeling that your night sleep did heal the router.

 

[isoman]

Well, when I flashed the router using tftp power led stopped flashing. I got no answer to ping/recovery page.
Did I need to reset the nvram after I applied the new firmware ?

 

[wouterv]

Well, when I flashed the router using tftp power led stopped flashing. I got no answer to ping/recovery page.
Did I need to reset the nvram after I applied the new firmware ?

Try as follows to hard reset the router:

1. Turn off the router.
2. Press and hold the WPS button.
3. Turn on the router.
4. Wait about 10 seconds.
5. Release the WPS button.
6. Access the router at the default IP address 192.168.1.1 and admin/admin
7. You shall get the router configuration wizard.
8. Manual configure the router again (do NOT load an old configuration backup file).

 

[wouterv]

Did we lost isoman?

 

[Pierino]

I spoke to him on the dd-wrt forum. I told him to get a usb to uart adapter so we could see through putty what it was doing at boot up.
He wasn't able to flash any firmware on it.