Linux user? MOVE ON, nothing here for you to see.
Running Merlin? MOVE ON, nothing here for you to see.
So you're a Windows 11 user and you have tried backing up settings from the GUI. Now after you have factory reset the router and restored the settings you find that some settings, like server certificate and device icons, are missing and must be set up manually. You don't know (and don't want to know) Linux, which the router runs a limited version of, and you don't want to install anything.
Then this tutorial is for you.
The idea of this tutorial is to create 2 backup files. The 2 backups become a pair that should be made and used right after each other. The first backup is the standard settings backup made from the router's GUI ('Administration', 'Restore/Save/Upload Setting') The second is what this is about, which covers the rest of the settings.
The commands here use a thing called SSH, which is a kind of (secure) backdoor into the router. The good news are that Windows 11 already contains a SSH client, we can use, so nothing needs to be installed.
Prerequisites:
The only thing you need is a USB-stick mounted in the router's usb port (see 'Additional notes')
Well, here we go:
1. This is a one time SSH setup in Windows:
SSH uses a key for encrypting the connection. We need to generate that.
Run the following in Windows Terminal:
Press 'Enter' to accept the default filename.
You will need the public key later, which will be in:
"C:\Users\<windowsuser>\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub". (<windowsuser> is your Windows username)
It's a standard text file (can be opened in Notepad or whatever).
This key can be reused by all your routers.
2. The rest of the steps are one time steps per router:
Open the public key file, you just created, select all and copy to clipboard.
Login to the routers GUI (in browser).
Go to 'Administration', System'.
Find 'Enable SSH' and set to 'LAN only' - meaning you can only access SSH from lan.
Set 'SSH Port' to the number you want to use (do NOT use 22!)
Under 'Authorized keys', paste the key you copied earlier.
Click 'Apply' - leave the browser open.
Now your router is ready to accept connections.
Replacements used in rest of tutorial:
<router-ip> - The ip address of the router
<port> - The SSH port you entered above
<username> - Your router's login username
<routername> - just part of filename, I prefer to use the router name
<diskname> - in the GUI, go to front page, click the USB icon and click the 'Format' tab. Copy 'Diskname'
Now create the actual command files.
3. Backup command:
Open Notepad, type (and replace):
Save the file as 'Backup_jffs_<routername>.cmd'.
4. Restore command:
Open Notepad, type (and replace):
Save the file as 'Restore_jffs_<routername>.cmd'.
Test the connection as shown in 'Additional notes'.
You're now ready!
How and when to perform a backup:
Always make sure you're backing up a healthy router!
Ideally, you should perform a factory reset and set it up manually before making a backup, that way your router will be healthy and free from garbage.
Now after you have set up everything (including the SSH setup shown above), you:
1. Perform a standard settings backup via the GUI ('Administration', 'Restore/Save/Upload Setting'). Copy 'Settings_<routername>.CFG' from 'Downloads' folder and save it where you like.
2. Run (doubleclick) the 'Backup_jffs_<routername>.cmd' file.
How and when to perform a restore:
Always make sure your backup is from a healthy system and not 'too old'. A backup can get 'too old' if you perform a firmware upgrade, where Asus tells you to factory reset or if you have performed several firmware upgrades. In that case you should NOT use your old backup, but rebuild the system and then make a new backup.
Again ideally when you want to restore the settings you should perform a factory reset first, that will clean all settings and leave no garbage.
After the factory reset, browse to the router's GUI, setup your username and password and then choose 'Advanced setup'. Now you can choose 'Load settings' and select your backup ('Settings_<routername>.CFG'), which will be uploaded to the router.
After the router has rebooted (be patient, it takes minutes), you can now run 'Restore_jffs_<routername>.cmd' to restore the rest of settings. Again the router reboots.
When it comes up again (again be patient), you're done and you can connect to your router normally. It will now have ALL settings from the backups.
Hope this can help someone.
Running Merlin? MOVE ON, nothing here for you to see.
So you're a Windows 11 user and you have tried backing up settings from the GUI. Now after you have factory reset the router and restored the settings you find that some settings, like server certificate and device icons, are missing and must be set up manually. You don't know (and don't want to know) Linux, which the router runs a limited version of, and you don't want to install anything.
Then this tutorial is for you.
The idea of this tutorial is to create 2 backup files. The 2 backups become a pair that should be made and used right after each other. The first backup is the standard settings backup made from the router's GUI ('Administration', 'Restore/Save/Upload Setting') The second is what this is about, which covers the rest of the settings.
The commands here use a thing called SSH, which is a kind of (secure) backdoor into the router. The good news are that Windows 11 already contains a SSH client, we can use, so nothing needs to be installed.
Prerequisites:
The only thing you need is a USB-stick mounted in the router's usb port (see 'Additional notes')
Well, here we go:
1. This is a one time SSH setup in Windows:
SSH uses a key for encrypting the connection. We need to generate that.
Run the following in Windows Terminal:
Code:
ssh-keygen -C "" -q -N ""You will need the public key later, which will be in:
"C:\Users\<windowsuser>\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub". (<windowsuser> is your Windows username)
It's a standard text file (can be opened in Notepad or whatever).
This key can be reused by all your routers.
2. The rest of the steps are one time steps per router:
Open the public key file, you just created, select all and copy to clipboard.
Login to the routers GUI (in browser).
Go to 'Administration', System'.
Find 'Enable SSH' and set to 'LAN only' - meaning you can only access SSH from lan.
Set 'SSH Port' to the number you want to use (do NOT use 22!)
Under 'Authorized keys', paste the key you copied earlier.
Click 'Apply' - leave the browser open.
Now your router is ready to accept connections.
Replacements used in rest of tutorial:
<router-ip> - The ip address of the router
<port> - The SSH port you entered above
<username> - Your router's login username
<routername> - just part of filename, I prefer to use the router name
<diskname> - in the GUI, go to front page, click the USB icon and click the 'Format' tab. Copy 'Diskname'
Now create the actual command files.
3. Backup command:
Open Notepad, type (and replace):
Code:
ssh-keygen -R [<router-ip>]:<port>
ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -p <port> <username>@<router-ip> "cd /jffs && tar -cf /mnt/<diskname>/backup_jffs_<routername>.tar *"
pause && rem I prefer 'timeout /t 3' after testing4. Restore command:
Open Notepad, type (and replace):
Code:
ssh-keygen -R [<router-ip>]:<port>
ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -p <port> <username>@<router-ip> "cd /jffs && tar -xf /mnt/<diskname>/backup_jffs_<routername>.tar && reboot"
pause && rem I prefer 'timeout /t 3' after testingTest the connection as shown in 'Additional notes'.
You're now ready!
How and when to perform a backup:
Always make sure you're backing up a healthy router!
Ideally, you should perform a factory reset and set it up manually before making a backup, that way your router will be healthy and free from garbage.
Now after you have set up everything (including the SSH setup shown above), you:
1. Perform a standard settings backup via the GUI ('Administration', 'Restore/Save/Upload Setting'). Copy 'Settings_<routername>.CFG' from 'Downloads' folder and save it where you like.
2. Run (doubleclick) the 'Backup_jffs_<routername>.cmd' file.
How and when to perform a restore:
Always make sure your backup is from a healthy system and not 'too old'. A backup can get 'too old' if you perform a firmware upgrade, where Asus tells you to factory reset or if you have performed several firmware upgrades. In that case you should NOT use your old backup, but rebuild the system and then make a new backup.
Again ideally when you want to restore the settings you should perform a factory reset first, that will clean all settings and leave no garbage.
After the factory reset, browse to the router's GUI, setup your username and password and then choose 'Advanced setup'. Now you can choose 'Load settings' and select your backup ('Settings_<routername>.CFG'), which will be uploaded to the router.
After the router has rebooted (be patient, it takes minutes), you can now run 'Restore_jffs_<routername>.cmd' to restore the rest of settings. Again the router reboots.
When it comes up again (again be patient), you're done and you can connect to your router normally. It will now have ALL settings from the backups.
Hope this can help someone.
