Help Plz: Asus RT-N66U Dark Night [Stuck in rescue mode]

[Ruski]

Thanks everyone!!!

Just want to close out the thread and thank all the contributors.

I opened an RMA with Asus yesterday and then decided to just drive the router to Asus Service Center ~40km away from home. They took it this AM and said that it takes 3-5 business days to replace. The reason why they couldn't replace on the spot is that they said a technician needed to verify that it was broken.

Anyway, long story short is that they notified me like 5 hours later that my router was totally bust and my replacement router was ready for pickup (so much for 3-5 days lol). I just sucked it up and drove the 80km (40 there + 40 back) and picked up my router after work.

Typing this now with refurbished router online and latest Merlin build flashed.

My RT-N16 (running in AP Mode), still has 270.26 firmware. Should i just leave it since it sits behind the main router and nothing is obviously an issue right now? Or should i upgrade since its so far back in versions?

P.S. Got my network up and running in no time, 5Ghz band seems WAY faster and more stable than it was on the old router (probably just firmware improvement).

 

[DanielCoffey]

EDIT : Missed your reply there - glad it is now sorted out.

 

[reach4thelasers]

After 2 days of trying EVERYTHING. Different firmware versions, Tomato, Merlin, Various ASUS Stock image versions. TFTP, Restore Tool, Webui - nothing worked.

Refused to give up read post after post after post. Desperately clutching at straws - decided to try PACKET's idea below. Restore, and then restore again but abort after 10%.

to my absolute joy within a few seconds the wifi lights appeared and then the ASUS setup util appears in the browser!! YAAAAY!

Its true these routers are never really bricked - just keep trying.... I would have given up long ago and RMA'd this but could not find my purchase receipt, thank god I kept trying!!!!

Hi.

Not sure if this will be of help but it is worth a try. I have RT-AC66U that is stuck in recovery mode after a reboot and I also tried all the flashing scenarios as well with no luck.

Now, assuming your last firmware update via the Asus Recovery tool was successful, try updating again .. but .. this time stop the upload part way in @ 1% or so. Due to the differences in 66U/AC66U wait 10 seconds or more and if all goes well the router should reboot and hopefully bring you to the Asus start-up webui.

This procedure works every time for me. However, for me I still see the Power LED flashing in a slow and sometimes fast pace signifying Recovery Mode is just around the corner if I were to invoke a reboot or select a setting that initiates such!

Regards - PaCkEt

 

[reach4thelasers]

Looks like I spoke too soon - although I'm getting there.

A normal power-cycle/reboot puts my router into rescue mode EVERY time (slow flashing power light).

WPS Reset and 30/30/30 does the same.

I can get my router to be functional by starting an upload in the restoration tool, and cancelling it immediately - this works EVERY time! I have working Wifi lights and full access to the web config tool.

However, reboot, or apply any configuration settings and I am back in recovery mode??!?! WTF?!

Why would cancelling a restore give me a useable router but any other form or reboot leave it in recovery mode?

 

[PACKET]

Hi reach4thelasers,

I'm happy this procedure worked for you, although I do not have an answer as why our routers drop back into recovery mode after reboots or applying certain config settings. For what it is worth I read a post somewhere, possibly mentioned by Merlin that there are a small number of AC66U owners that experienced this condition. It is unclear if the SPI Flash chip is damaged or simply corrupt in some fashion. Via my old serial cable that I dug up from another project I was hoping have a CFE session but when I tried it all I get is garbage. If I had been successful and reached the >CFE prompt, I would then do a " nvram clear " as I believe the nvram is corrupt.

Guess I need to validate my serial cable and try again when I have some more time then post back the results.

PACKET

 

[Bartek]

Hi All.


There is a simple step by step recovery procedure for ASUS RT-N66U.


What you need:


router, network patchcord, PC, Asus [Firmware Restoration] software, latest stable official firmware.


1) Remove all connected devices and pen drive, HDD etc…

2) Take 1 patchcord and connect via router LAN port to LAN computer port.

3) Set and save on computer side network parameters:

a. IP: 192.168.1.2

b. MASK: 255.255.255.0

c. Gateway: 192.168.1.1


4) Reset router

a) turn off router

b) push and hold reset button

c) turn on router

e) Release reset button after 10-15 seconds.


If Powel Led is blinking slowy Router should be in recovery mode.


5) Go to Computer and run cmd.exe At command prompt set continued ping on router: Start->Run-> cmd.exe -> ping 192.168.1.1 –t

If everything is ok you should to see a response ping from router

6) Run browser and open page http://192.168.1.1

If everything is ok you should to see a ASUSTek – CFE miniWebserver

7) Use link “Restore default NVRAM values” on CFE miniWebserver

8) Turn off router

9) Turn on router

10) Check a response form ping (point 5) - response shouldreturn shortly

11) Install and run ASUS Recovery Tool [Firmware Restoration]– You can find this on original CD

12) Download latest official stable ASUS firmware for RTN-N66U

13) Unzip downloaded package

14) Upload file with [Firmware Restoration] tool.

15) Check ping status and do not worry that loose a responce ping for long time

16) Check a power LED state. Power LED can be off.

17) During restore phase Power LED should NOT blink slowly.

18) Please be patient. Recovery process can take up to 4 hours!!! – So you can turn off computer off and go to bed.

19) After several hours router will be restored. You can easily check it -> WiFi LED lights should blink.

20) Now you can turn on computer and launch browser

21) Open page http://192.168.1.1 and login with default credentials

a. Login: admin

b. Pass: admin


That’s all.

 

[NMITGuy]

I'd just like to share my experience so far with this same problem. I've tried all the suggestions short of TFTP, and much like everyone here, I'm experiencing the same results. At one point I was able to get in after applying a beta build of the firmware from Asus, but like reach4thelasers mentioned above, as soon as I started reconfiguring and a reboot of the router was required, it is back to square one. Funny thing is, after the reset procedure and verification that I can ping the router, as soon as I try uploading through the firmware restoration tool, the router becomes unreachable. Request timed out or destination host unreachable and the message, The wireless router is not in rescue mode from the restoration tool.

Unfortunately, RMA isn't an option for me since this is nearly 8 months out of warranty. I give up. I've ordered a replacement Asus AC1750. Hope the replacement lasts longer than this one did, otherwise I'm off to find an alternative to Asus products altogether. I have another RT-AC66U upstairs I bought at the same time as the one I'm having problems with. That is chugging along nicely so far. Not sure what happened to this one, I wasn't applying any updates, in fact it was up-to-date with the latest stable firmware before it started having problems.

 

[Sinan]

I have the same problem : RT-N66U stuck in rescue mode and the tool can upload the FW and start the recovery process but after the router reboot it will go to rescue mode again , while the tool can upload the FW the ping to 192.168.1.1 always reply with "destination host unreachable " , I'm start thinking that it's permanent brick please help if you can more info here : http://www.snbforums.com/threads/asus-rt-n66u-stuck-in-rescue-mode-after-a-reboot.26460/

 

[RodS]

@Bartek , thank you so, so much man! My router has just came back to life after an hour or so of doing the procedures you posted. =)

 

[bharral]

In response to PACKET and reach4thelasers:

ASUS ROUTER STUCK IN RESCUE

I realize this thread is several years old, but the following information may be useful to future googler's with ASUS routers showing the symptoms you described - namely routers stuck in Rescue mode, and that can be started in normal mode by using the ASUS Firmware recovery tool to initiate and immediately abort a firmware upload.

A day or two ago, I bought a used ASUS router that exhibited these symptoms.

I theorized that the above behavior could be caused by a malfunctioning reset switch. I disassembled the router and made some resistance measurements with the router unpowered, and some voltage measurements with the router powered. Although the reset switch operation felt normal, the electrical behavior was not correct.

I was not sure how I was going to address this, but decided to exercise the reset switch in a somewhat severe manner:

I pressed it in firmly and released it dozens of times
While the reset switch was depressed, I displaced it laterally, but moving my finger in a circular motion - this may be difficult to replicate with the router assembled since the reset switch button will have its maximum lateral displacement limited by the hole in the case.

After performing this procedure, I repeated the electrical measurements above and found them satisfactory. I then rebooted the router and it functioned normally.

Based on my experience, I would suggest that anyone encountering these same symptoms try to perform the reset switch manipulations described above, firstly without disassembling the router - it may result in a 30 second fix!

The WPS switch is identical, so I supposed it might be subject to the same type of issue. I have also read of a number of power switch failures. So I guess while the ASUS routers have many outstanding qualities, the reliability of the switches is suspect.

In my particular case:
1. The router was always pingable.
2. The CFE web interface was available.
3. There was never any issue with uploading new firmware, via the CFE web interface or the ASUS firmware recovery tool.
4. The only issue I had was getting it to boot to normal mode, so for those folks that have issues with items 1-3, this fix will not address those issues.

Good luck to all,
Blake

Hi reach4thelasers,

I'm happy this procedure worked for you, although I do not have an answer as why our routers drop back into recovery mode after reboots or applying certain config settings. For what it is worth I read a post somewhere, possibly mentioned by Merlin that there are a small number of AC66U owners that experienced this condition. It is unclear if the SPI Flash chip is damaged or simply corrupt in some fashion. Via my old serial cable that I dug up from another project I was hoping have a CFE session but when I tried it all I get is garbage. If I had been successful and reached the >CFE prompt, I would then do a " nvram clear " as I believe the nvram is corrupt.

Guess I need to validate my serial cable and try again when I have some more time then post back the results.

PACKET

 

[linuxxx]

bharral, thx a lot for the idea!
I had this problem with RT-N12. tried everything from this thread, nothing helped, still every time boots to CFE iface.
Tried pressing hard and moving the reset button - all the same.
Then measured both buttons with multimiter's continuity mode. WPS worked as it should (when pressed multimiter beeps and vice versa), but!! on the reset button multimiter was slightly beeping even when button is not pressed! So I desoldered it, checked there is no short on its pads. And whaddaya think? The router booted up like nothing happend! I updated fw through standard web-interface, still ok - I'm now working through it! Now I only have to resolder WPS btn to Reset's place so I have reset functionality (and who needs wps, right?).

Thanks to all of you guys in this thread and bharral most of all! I hope someone finds this helpful.

 

[RouterUser]

In response to PACKET and reach4thelasers.

My RT-N66U stuck in rescue mode with slowly blinking power LED. No sofware manipulation helped. I suspected that it was a hardware problem. Indeed, it was solved in the following way.
I disassembled the router (unscrewed 3 antennas, removed 4 rubber legs, unscrewed 4 screws under them, opened plastic hood, pulled out PCB, unscrewed 6 small screws and removed the flat shield).
I measured resistance between the terminals of "Reset" button. It was zero Ohms in ON position and about 13 Ohms in OFF position. 13 Ohms seemed to be very low. One terminal of the button was soldered to large grounded area, the second terminal was soldered to the small pad that looked like island inside the mentioned large grounded area. It was surrounded by narrow path of insulative solder mask. I found under 40x magnification that there were tiny dotted lines of migrated solder across the solder mask. I cleaned them using cotton wool and alcohol. After that resistance between the button terminals rose up to 4.7 kOhms. I assembled the router and found that the problem disappeared.

 

[Vexira]

Sorry to be a bit off topic, but is the procedure the same for an RP-AC68U extender I have one stuck in a recover mode loop it won't respond to ping but the recovery tool works but it's stuck in the recovery mode. Reset switch is fine, tired the 30/30/30 reset but same deal.

 

[Marcus Yansen]

thank you so much for this blessed forum and comments - I was going crazy with this problem as well - I ended up leaving it for 20 minutes and then the Wi-Fi lights changed and turned on and that's when I rebooted and everything was fine. So yes you have to wait even if the program says everything is complete. also special thanks goes to @Bartek for his clear and Easy to follow post, and others that contributed.