ASUS N66U b1 lost 5Ghz -- no config, no Mac address

[kalli]

Hey all,

I was messing and trying different firmwares (fantastic router, but worst ever when it comes to flashing)
I ended up in a weird situation where I lost 5Ghz. In Tomato and dd-wrt I can't see the configuration (its removed from webui) and the mac address is gone as well ?!


Tomato v1.28.0000 MIPSR2-130 K26 USB AIO-64K
========================================================
Welcome to the Asus RT-N66U [TomatoUSB]
Uptime: 04:58:41 up 3:58
Load average: 0.04, 0.04, 0.00
Mem usage: 4.3% (used 10.78 of 249.73 MB)
WAN : 0.0.0.0/0 @ 30:85:A9:39:EE:21
LAN : 192.168.1.1/24 @ DHCP: -
WL0 : Tomato24 @ channel: 6 @ 30:85:A9:39:EE:20
WL1 : Tomato50 @ channel: auto @
========================================================

root@unknown:/tmp/home/root# nvram show | grep wl1
landevs=vlan1 wl0 wl1
wl1_channel=0
wl1_leddc=0x640000
wl1_nband=1
wl1_radio=1
wl1_ssid=Tomato50
wl1_wme=auto

root@unknown:/tmp/home/root# strings /dev/mtd0ro | grep bl_ver
bl_version=1.0.1.2

The only FW I can flash seem to be tomato 26 (i used tomato-K26USB-1.28.RT-N5x-MIPSR2-130-AIO-64K.trx and ) and dd-wrt.v24-18702_NEWD-2_K2.6_mini_RT-N66U.trx (followed by big). But all 3.x kerbel builds get the router into an unresponsive state.

I was thinking maybe upgrade CFE to get mac address data back, but it says merlin build only (which i can't seem to be able to flash as they are 3.x?)

Anyone any advise on what I could try?

 

[kalli]

YES BOY !!!!

i'm now on day 4 with this crap. and searching my computer I found an old merlin build that i was able to flash (all new failed for me): RT-N66U_3.0.0.4_266.23b.trx

from here I updated CFE using this article: http://www.snbforums.com/threads/cfe-bootloader-update.8259/ (THANKSS!!!!!)

reboot: 5Ghz still gone.
factory reset in merlin web UI: causes eventual reboot and both are now working!!!!! 2.4 and 5 GHZ!!!!
Mac addresses populated, LEDs up and running

delighted. off to bed now. back to flashing tomorrow

tomato or dd-wrt, tomato or dd-wrt .... (might need to use it as repeater bridge, so probably dd-wrt)

Thanks for all your help (noone posted, but that article and work gone in the CFE updater is worth gold)