TP-Link TL-WDR3600 bricked after installing 1.9.0 sysupgrade

[Creed]

I've been having connection drop and router reboot problems for months now with my tp-link wdr3600 router with gargoyle 1.7.1 firmware. I have 2 computers on my room connected on ethernet cable and my roommate uses only wifi on his MAC. Not sure, but I suspect that the connection problems were due to the wifi what I almost never use and I didn't have any problems before my room mate moved in. Never bother to do any extensive testing if it actually is because of the wifi usesage, but I suspect it because I did not have problems when I was alone with my ethernet connections.

So finally I decided to upgrade it with the newest 1.9.0 firmware in hope to get more stable router. I've done the firmware upgrade couple of times before without any problems, but today something went wrong. Usually I've done the factory default firmware flash and only once the sysupgrade flash.

Today I downloaded the 1.9.0 sysupgrade file for wdr3600 and checked that the md5 sum matches with the file and it did. Then opened my vivaldi browser(latest build 1.0.344.5 32-bit), logged on to my router and navigated to system settings page. From there normally loaded the latest firmware and left the preserve setting check box unticked. Browser screen showed that firmware was being uploaded, so I went to kitchen for couple of minutes. When came back, windows network tray icon was showing that new connection is being established. After couple of minutes nothing happened and I got the yellow exclamation mark. Tried to boot the router couple of times more after that but same results. Nothing goes through, cant telnet, SSH, anything.


Then tried the recovery option with wireshark but can't get my router to go in failsafe what ever I do. Did dozen times the wait for first packed and press reset for 3 seconds(tried even number of combinations of pressing the reset). After powerup wireshark gives who is 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2 messages. Broadcasts 192.168.1.255 address and gives bunch of messages I don't understand. But every time after few seconds the router LAN led stops blinking and messages stop and some times it doesn't send anything anymore.


To me seems that the router is bricked pretty thoroughly. Is there anything to do anymore?

[Lantis]

Hi mate,

Don't stress just yet! It probably isn't fully bricked.

You say you have tried entering Failsafe mode using wireshark.
Have you tried using the hardware buttons on the router to trigger it?

Turn the power off to the router.
Then turn it back on, and repeatedly press any of the buttons on the router. The LEDs will start to flash very quickly. This indicates that it is in failsafe mode.

Don't be confused by them flashing slowly which also happens. I'd guess they flash maybe 5-10 times per second in Failsafe mode as opposed to maybe 1-2 times in regular boot time.

Once you have achieved that, try Telnet again.

Don't forget to set a static IP address for the machine you are going to recover from.

[tapper]

Hi wen i put my 3600 in failsafe i had to plug the ethernet kable in to the wan port not one of the 4 lan ports.

[Creed]

Hi mate,

Don't stress just yet! It probably isn't fully bricked.

You say you have tried entering Failsafe mode using wireshark.
Have you tried using the hardware buttons on the router to trigger it?

Turn the power off to the router.
Then turn it back on, and repeatedly press any of the buttons on the router. The LEDs will start to flash very quickly. This indicates that it is in failsafe mode.

Don't be confused by them flashing slowly which also happens. I'd guess they flash maybe 5-10 times per second in Failsafe mode as opposed to maybe 1-2 times in regular boot time.

Once you have achieved that, try Telnet again.

Don't forget to set a static IP address for the machine you are going to recover from.

I don't know what you mean by pressing any button randomly, because there are only 2 buttons to press and 1 dip switch on the router. One of the two buttons is the power switch and by pressing it I would terminate the power on process. So I have only the the WPS/reset button to press.


I manually set my computer LAN address to 192.168.1.2, netmask 255.255.255.0. Tried like that bunch of times and even tried to add default gateway 192.168.1.1, but no success.

Every attempt only the LAN 1 port(3rd led from the right) led blinked like 10 seconds when turning on the router. After that the blinking stop completely or blinked once or twice rarely, but not nearly as much as working router would have.

The power led(first on the left) was statically on every attempt.

Hi wen i put my 3600 in failsafe i had to plug the ethernet kable in to the wan port not one of the 4 lan ports.

Hmmm... yes, didn't try that, only LAN 1 port. But I was able to put my router to failsafe mode once before by using the LAN 1 port.

[Lantis]

well then the WPS button will just have to do give it a go!
Tomorrow i'm going to make a video about putting routers into safe mode.