ARcher C7 V2 Restored Back to Archer Firmware

[mrroute]

After failing to upgrade to Gargoyle on an Archer C7 V2 with the newer chip, I finally managed to return to the Archer firmware. I restored to version 3.14.3 Build 151014 Rel.49676n. This is the version prior to the current.

From this firmware (on a device with the newer chip), what do I need to do to get Gargoyle 1.9.2 on it?

[MisterQ]

Hello,

This worked for me on Archer C7 V2 with a S/N that starts with 216C;
I downloaded the relevant lede firmware (after many attempts-I'm not sure which one worked) but I followed the following advice:
This post is just if someone stumbles upon this thread.

If someone has the problem that he can not upgrade his firmware on the TP-Link Archer C7 v2 from the stock firmware version 160616 with bootloader 3.15.1 and has the error that the needs to chose a file, then renaming the LEDE file to ArcherC7v2_en_eu_3_15_1_up_boot(160616).bin works perfectly fine.

Found on the lede forum.

Hope it also works for you... After flashing with lede, you can easily upgrade with Gargoyle from lede.

Regards

[mrroute]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. My first failed attempt was with an LEDE build. I flashed it with TFTPD. Once it was flashed, I couldn't sign in. Every username/password combo that should have worked failed. Maybe I didn't choose the correct LEDE build. I have a US version and that post is showing an EU version being flashed. Maybe if I knew the correct LEDE build to flash first it will work. Maybe I shouldn't have used TFTPD. Maybe I need to reset to factory defaults before flashing with LEDE. Did you?

[MisterQ]

Hi mrroute!

I did not use tftpd with Lede at all, and I think that might have caused your issues. In theory it shouldn't which means, it could have been the wrong build.
I would suggest resetting back to factory defaults, getting the correct build for the US version, then trying the same instructions.

[mrroute]

Hi MisterQ. Just to confirm...

I am currently on 3.14.3 Build 151014.

I downloaded LEDE... lede-17.01.2-ar71xx-generic-archer-c7-v2-squashfs-factory-us.bin.

I should rename this file to ArcherC7v2_en_eu_3_15_1_up_boot(160616).bin?

Or, should I rename it to ArcherC7v2_en_us_3_15_1_up_boot(160719).bin... which is the name of the next firmware TP-LINK has for my version?

[MisterQ]

Hello,

I think if you match it like this it will work;
ArcherC7v2_en_eu_3_15_1_up_boot(160616)
ArcherC7v2_en_SC_X_XX_X_up_boot(YYYYYY)

Where

SC=Stock country
X_XX_X=Bootloader
(YYYYYY)=Firmware version

In theory, the above should work...

I do not believe that simply trying this; ArcherC7v2_en_eu_3_15_1_up_boot(160616) would do any harm to your router.

Regards

[mrroute]

Thank you MisterQ. It worked. I renamed the LEDE firmware to one of the valid firmware names from the TP-LINK website. In my case I used... ArcherC7v2_en_us_3_15_1_up_boot(160719).bin. This name is the name of the next TP-LINK firmware version after the one I was on.

I was mistaken earlier when I said my first failed attempt was after upgrading to LEDE. It was actually an OpenWRT build I flashed that failed. Anyways, it's running Gargoyle now so thanks again!

[ispyisail]

Thanks for the tip