better rt-n66u shibby tomato flashing instructions - Windows

[bob13bob]

1) download firmware restoration utility
http://support.asus.com/ServiceHome.aspx?SLanguage=en > download > type “rt-n66u” in model search, click search > click rt-n66u (ver B1) > select your os > expand utilities > download ASUS RT-N66U B1 Utility > unzip and install.
to open the utility in windows, type “rescue”, or “firmware restoration” in your windows query. The application is named one of these two things.

2) download tomato-shibby
http://tomato.groov.pl/download/K26RT-N/ > click latest build with highest number i.e., “build5x-121-EN” (at the time of this post > click Asus RT-N66U 64K > click the file ending in AIO to download to your drive. > unzip the file

3) Unplug everything from the router except for power and that one LAN cable going from LAN port 1 to the computer. That means unplug the WAN cable as well .

4) open firmware restoration tool in step 1.

5) Turn the router on with the Reset button pressed (looks like >0<) > Wait 5 seconds, then release it. This enters the router in to <recovery mode>. The power led light should blink on and off.

6) in firmware restoration tool > browse to the tomato shibby file you got in step 2 > click upload > wait up to 45minutes! Ignore any messages about “failing to connect”, etc.

7) after 45minutes > power off the router > hold down the WPS button, power on, wait 30sec, release the WPS button. > let router reboot

8) type 192.168.1.1 in to your web browser. user:admin password:admin if prompoted. If you do not see tomato interface. something went wrong. see these threads for troubleshooting, especially the posts from RMerlin.
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/forums/showthread.php?p=79674
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12328

 

[bob13bob]

After googling and following instructions from the web, I bricked my router. I found them to be inaccurate, and hard to follow (worst offender: not telling user to wait long enough after flash, and to ignore error messages). I clobbered these instructions together from posts here. they are quick and dirty, but I hope to save some other poor sap the hours i put in to this router. Thanks Merlin for your clear and very helpful posts.

 

[wouterv]

Add the following between step 3 and step 4:
Set the IP address of the computer LAN interface fixed to e.g. 192.168.1.100 / 255.255.255.0

 

[KevTech]

This is too much work to me.

I just put router into recovery mode

Set NIC to IP 192.168.1.2

Subnet 255.255.255.0

gateway to 192.168.1.1

Go to 192.168.1.1 in web browser and flash firmware then wait for router to reboot

After reboot erase nvram

 

[wh7qq]

This is too much work to me.

I just put router into recovery mode

Set NIC to IP 192.168.1.2

Subnet 255.255.255.0

gateway to 192.168.1.1

Go to 192.168.1.1 in web browser and flash firmware then wait for router to reboot

After reboot erase nvram

Good condensed instructions but leaving out the wait after flashing complete (reboot) and nvram erase can lead to problems. This works well on Linux computers. Simple upgrades to next/new version of same firmware may omit the nvram erase step...see instructions for firmware. Patience is your friend.

FIRST! Unplug router from WAN and all but PC you are working from. Disable WLAN. You don't want anything to be able to interrupt this process.

1. Recovery Mode: Unplug router, press and hold reset button, plug-in router. Release button when leds blink slow.
2. Set PC NIC to static IP of 192.168.1.x (where x not = 1).
3. Go to 192.168.1.1 with browser and "mini-web page" will come up.
4. New firmware file may need to be renamed from "xxx.trx" to "xxx.bin". Flash new firmware and wait for reboot.
5. After (4.) completes, go enjoy a beverage of your choice, or two.
6. Reset NVRAM
7. Reset computer to DHCP if needed (but Toastman releases default to DHCP off). You should be good to go.

My impression is that rt-n66u's are not created equal in terms of flash rom speed so step 5 may vary.

 

[bob13bob]

yeah kevtech, those aren't instructions. there guidelines which work for someone who already knows what they're doing.

at least with my router setting static ip is not necessary when using asus tool.

I believe I remember Merlin saying the recovery web interface may not wait long enough for the flash. The asus tool on the other hand is the most recent version and does not rely on whatever version your router's web interface may be.