Tutorial ASUS ROUTERS JTAG RECOVERY

[hggomes]

Thats great news, it seems you probably have access to serial console. Give it a go.

 

[FUNTOWNE]

D'oh

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?

I'm in a similar boat. Bad CFE flash (long story). At boot, my AC68U (TM-1900) only has the USB 2.0 light lit. If I plug in an ethernet cable, that lights too.

Am I hosed, or is it worth picking up a serial adapter and rolling the dice to reflash a clean CFE via serial?


Thanks!

 

[hggomes]

It depends, if your bootloader is intact or not, JTAG or NAND Programming is the way.

 

[FUNTOWNE]

It depends, if your bootloader is intact or not, JTAG or NAND Programming is the way.

Is there a way to verify the integrity of the bootloader?

Thanks!

 

[hggomes]

If you are able to access to Bootloader Recovery Mode then it's intact, press
RESET botton without releasing it and power on the router, then:

1- Open your browser and try access to http://192.168.1.1
2- Try to ping 192.168.1.1, if ping is sucessfully and you see TTL=100 then bootloader fine.

 

[FUNTOWNE]

If you are able to access to Bootloader Recovery Mode then it's intact, press
RESET botton without releasing it and power on the router, then:

1- Open your browser and try access to http://192.168.1.1
2- Try to ping 192.168.1.1, if ping is sucessfully and you see TTL=100 then bootloader fine.

That answers my question. Holding reset and powering it on leads to no ping responses on 192.168.1.1 (my local machine is set to 192.168.1.6/24). It appears that JTAG is my only way to write a new bootloader and CFE!

 

[hggomes]

Yes, but the problem at this time is this:

- No JTAG software support to AC68U available yet. (OpenOCD)

I would recommend you to program your NAND, that will solve the problem.

 

[FUNTOWNE]

Yes, but the problem at this time is this:

- No JTAG software support to AC68U available yet. (OpenOCD)

I would recommend you to program your NAND, that will solve the problem.

Bad news on the JTAG

Regarding programming the NAND: I've never heard of doing such. Has anyone posted instructions to date on this, or should I wait for a JTAG to come along? I get the feeling this involves unsoldering the NAND and reprogramming, no? (aka: I may just wait )

Thanks again! Very frustrating that I bricked my new toy so clumsily.

 

[hggomes]

Expect a long wait on JTAG support, it depends of several factors.

NAND programming is the best way to go ATM, you need to unsolder the NAND chip on your PCB and use a programmer on it (TL866) to upload the CFE, if you have the skills then you will revive it quickly.

 

[abhig]

bricked TM-AC1900(RT-AC68)

HI All,

My TM-AC1900 is bricked . Was following this wiki http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=71097168&postcount=2814


I can enter into Recovery mode (power led is blinking )but I am unable to ping 192.168.1.1 and http://192.168.1.1

Any idea how to recover it back?

Thanks

 

[RMerlin]

HI All,

My TM-AC1900 is bricked . Was following this wiki http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=71097168&postcount=2814


I can enter into Recovery mode (power led is blinking )but I am unable to ping 192.168.1.1 and http://192.168.1.1

Any idea how to recover it back?

Thanks

Try the IP you were previously using on your LAN, if it wasn't 192.168.1.1. Don't forget to also set your PC on a static IP in that same range (i.e. 192.168.1.100 if the router is on .1.1)

Otherwise, try 192.168.29.1 (after manually setting your PC to use 192.168.29.100 as its own IP).

 

[abhig]

Try the IP you were previously using on your LAN, if it wasn't 192.168.1.1. Don't forget to also set your PC on a static IP in that same range (i.e. 192.168.1.100 if the router is on .1.1)

Otherwise, try 192.168.29.1 (after manually setting your PC to use 192.168.29.100 as its own IP).

Thanks

Now, i Can see the following page if I hit http://192.1681.1

http://postimg.org/image/mmb139jnb/

Please let me know what to do next ?

 

[johtaja]

Thanks

Now, i Can see the following page if I hit http://192.1681.1

http://postimg.org/image/mmb139jnb/

Please let me know what to do next ?

Click browse, choose your firmware file, click upload. When upload has finished, click restore default nvram settings and finally reboot.

 

[abhig]

Click browse, choose your firmware file, click upload. When upload has finished, click restore default nvram settings and finally reboot.

Thanks again.
I am able to get my router back


I need one more help :
I was trying to install DD-wrt or tomota on this router so that I can use it as wifi extender and got it bricked.

Any correct links which I Should follow?

Thanks

 

[hggomes]

You should be able to flash any FW via bootloader recovery, what happens often is that people doesnt wait enough time after flashing so the router can sit and reboot.

 

[velmeran42]

So, bricked an RT-AC68U somehow during a flash (done tons of them on several routers, something went south, not sure what). I can't enter firmware recovery, so I thought I'd look into JTAG to unbrick and found it's not an option as of yet.

Anybody seen
this post over on sourceforge?

It details kicking a Broadcom chip (4716,4717,4718) out of LV mode into EJTAG mode. Anybody with an otherwise bricked AC68 and a JTAG device want to check it out and see if it works and they can flash successfully?

I don't want to bother getting a programmer if it's not going to work out.

 

[RMerlin]

So, bricked an RT-AC68U somehow during a flash (done tons of them on several routers, something went south, not sure what). I can't enter firmware recovery, so I thought I'd look into JTAG to unbrick and found it's not an option as of yet.

Anybody seen
this post over on sourceforge?

It details kicking a Broadcom chip (4716,4717,4718) out of LV mode into EJTAG mode. Anybody with an otherwise bricked AC68 and a JTAG device want to check it out and see if it works and they can flash successfully?

I don't want to bother getting a programmer if it's not going to work out.

Bricking the RT-AC68U through a firmware flash is highly unlikely.

When you turn it on with the reset button pressed, can you at least reach a state where the power LED is flashing?

 

[velmeran42]

Bricking the RT-AC68U through a firmware flash is highly unlikely.

When you turn it on with the reset button pressed, can you at least reach a state where the power LED is flashing?

I've flashed tons of routers for friends and family and never managed to brick one yet, but on this one something went wrong. It is unable to enter recovery mode (first thing I tried when it failed to come back online after a five minute settle time and reboot). No impact from a 30-30-30 reboot, unresponsive to a reset hold and power cycle to enter recovery, nada. Just comes up and the power LED comes on. The light for the network jack comes on solid, but it's unresponsive to ping (w/ PC set to 192.168.1.2 on 255.255.255.0)... I'll give it another shot when I get home.

 

[RMerlin]

I've flashed tons of routers for friends and family and never managed to brick one yet, but on this one something went wrong. It is unable to enter recovery mode (first thing I tried when it failed to come back online after a five minute settle time and reboot). No impact from a 30-30-30 reboot, unresponsive to a reset hold and power cycle to enter recovery, nada. Just comes up and the power LED comes on. The light for the network jack comes on solid, but it's unresponsive to ping (w/ PC set to 192.168.1.2 on 255.255.255.0)... I'll give it another shot when I get home.

Try turning it on while WPS is pressed for 5 secs, to wipe out nvram. If after a minute the router hasn't completed its boot, turn it off, and now try again powering it with the Reset button pressed, to enter recovery mode (where power LED should be flashing).

30-30-30 is a DDWrtism, and does not work with Asus routers.

 

[velmeran42]

Try turning it on while WPS is pressed for 5 secs, to wipe out nvram. If after a minute the router hasn't completed its boot, turn it off, and now try again powering it with the Reset button pressed, to enter recovery mode (where power LED should be flashing).

30-30-30 is a DDWrtism, and does not work with Asus routers.

WPS 5 sec hold on power on - No indication the router noticed (I would assume the LEDs should blink off to indicate power cycling?). Let it sit for a good 5 minutes while I checked the mail. Power cycled and wondered off for a few more minutes, still no response to ping or attempts to bring up the GUI. Luckliy I kept my old RT-N16 (running Merlin actually) so that's keeping me up and running.