Router Recovery

So you've created yourself an expensive paperweight...

Not to worry! If you aren't breaking things, then chances are you aren't making hardcore progress. This page serves as a knowledge pool for methods to revive routers that are corrupted or otherwise considered non-functional. The information below is mostly specific to the WRT54GL as it is our most popular and well understood platform at this time. The process is somewhat similar for other models/platforms; however, some of the utilities are limited to specific platforms and commands vary slightly between bootloaders (ex. [U-Boot] vs CFE).

Sometimes the router won't boot because of a corrupted NVRAM variable and a simple factory reset will resolve the problem. Chances are if you've sought out this page you are in much deeper and probably need a more serious TFTP or JTAG recovery. We'll start with the simple solutions and work our way to the more intense recovery methods.

Before You Begin

If you haven't already, backup your router's configuration. Hopefully you did this earlier so you can restore to a "known good" working state. If you didn't, it is still a good idea to do that now; it can always get worse. You'll also want to grab yourself a copy of some reliable firmware. The default firmware that shipped with your router is a good place to start (generally available from the manufacturer's website). Otherwise, a stable release of your favorite embedded Linux distribution is a good alternative.

Factory Reset

Don't get your hopes up for this one, but sometimes [Occam's razor] applies to router recovery. To do a factory reset, hold down the reset switch for about 10 seconds while the unit is powered on, then unplug it. Let it rest for a little while then power it back up. If this isn't working for you, try the dd-wrt [30/30/30] reset method.

There's another option if you have access to a serial console, but your router isn't necessarily readily accessible (say locked in a rack somewhere with a pool of backends). Access the CFE as you normally would. Then, issue the command

CFE> nvram erase

and then reboot. Some models do not properly reinitialize their NVRAM variables automatically, so be careful with this method. The WRT54GL does recover them conveniently from a separate stored location in flash.

If you haven't caught on by now, these methods erase any custom settings that were stored in NVRAM. Don't forget to re-configure and commit your network settings, if applicable.

Serial Console

Now is a good time and check that your serial console is up and running. If you don't see any text coming across the serial link, then you should double check your transceiver is working properly. Swap with a working one or at least try the one in question on another working router, if you have one available. If you can access the web interface (assuming the OS in flash has one) at either the default IP address or the one you configured, then your flash image is probably fine--fix your serial console.

If you can see text and access the CFE but your router won't boot, try re-flashing the firmware with TFTP.

If you are confident the serial interface hardware is working properly but your router appears dead, then proceed to the next section.

JTAG

In a nutshell, JTAG is a interface that allows external control of an SoC and its memory. You can read more about this on our EJTAG page. JTAG allows us to recover routers that are completely unresponsive (aka debricking). Before continuing, you'll need a JTAG cable (active or passive will do) and a header soldered to the JTAG connector on your router. See the references below for some suggestions on this bit.

External References

• OpenWrt JTAG Reference (includes various DIY cable designs and links to commercial products)
• OpenWrt Utilities (HairyDairyMaid Download)
• TJTAG Download
• TIAO Wiki Debrick Guide