TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

General discussion about Gargoyle, OpenWrt or anything else even remotely related to the project

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fortify9
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2015 12:44 pm

TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

Post by fortify9 »

I recently upgraded from WD N750 to TP link Archer C7 V2. I really liked the Gargoyle interface and control, bandwith features on the N750. I am wondering if there is any progress on Archer C7 Gargoyle working with AC channel making the router fully functional. I really don't want to run only on 2.4, due to the number of devices in my home.

tapper
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Location: Stoke-on-trent UK

Re: TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

Post by tapper »

Hi there latest build here:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8289

I am running it on my c7 now mate runs nice and has full ac support.
Linksys WRT3200ACM
NETGEAR Nighthawk R7800
NETGEAR R6260

fortify9
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2015 12:44 pm

Re: TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

Post by fortify9 »

Great, how was the install? Is it a simple firmware update, or is it more complex? I know I will need to setup the network again, but beyond that, I am not very familiar with.

tapper
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Location: Stoke-on-trent UK

Re: TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

Post by tapper »

Hi yes it's simple. If you are stil on the stock firmware then the file you use has factory in the name of the file. When you are flashed over to Gargoyle you use the file with sysupgrade in the name.

You can flash both files from the web interface whether you are on stock or Gargoyle.

If you need any more help let me know.
Linksys WRT3200ACM
NETGEAR Nighthawk R7800
NETGEAR R6260

fortify9
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2015 12:44 pm

Re: TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

Post by fortify9 »

Sorry one more question, how hard is it to revert back to stock, if the firmware won't work properly. Is there a recovery feature with the C7?

tapper
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Re: TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

Post by tapper »

Sorry i dont no about that mate. I wood never go back to stock! :) :P
Linksys WRT3200ACM
NETGEAR Nighthawk R7800
NETGEAR R6260

tapper
Moderator
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Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:49 pm
Location: Stoke-on-trent UK

Re: TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

Post by tapper »

from the openwrt wiki

Return to Factory Firmware
If you have accidentally flashed your V1 or V1.1 before realizing that the 5GHZ network card will not be supported, and want to return it to factory firmware, you can follow the following instructions (tested on V1.1, harvested from other tp-link device wikis)
The following instruction also works on V2
→ generic.uninstall
Warning!
This section describes actions that might damage your device or firmware. Proceed with care!
Obtain the factory firmware from the OEM: http://www.tplink.com/en/support/downlo ... =Archer+C7
◾
UNTESTED in case the file name of this firmware file does not contain the word "boot" in it, you can simply revert back to original firmware
◾
in case the file name of this firmware file does contain the word "boot" in it, you need to cut off parts of the image file before flashing it:
An example of an image file with the word "boot" in it is ArcherC7v1_en_3_13_33_up_boot(130729).bin.
Cut the first 0x20200 (that is 131,584 = 257*512) Bytes from original firmware (not sure why 0x20200, as the bootloader partition is only 0x20000, but it works!):
dd if=orig.bin of=tplink.bin skip=257 bs=512
You should transfer the firmeware image to the /tmp folder and revert back to original firmware (if available you can flash the firmware via the webinterface as well):
Via the safer method using sysupgrade:
sysupgrade /tmp/tplink.bin
Or alternatively you can use the mtd method:
mtd -r write /tmp/tplink.bin firmware
https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wdr7500

If you want to revert back to stock TP-link firmware from custom firmware, most of the time you can not flash the TP-Link firmware directly from the official TP-Link website.
The reason for this is that most of the downloadable firmware from the TP-Link website contains a so called bootloader section in front of the actual firmware.
Normally when upgrading the official (not the custom) firmware this is fine of course, the official software on the router provided by TP-link takes the bootloader into account
and handles or uses it properly so that your device keeps working.
However the custom firmware, like OpenWrt Gargoyle and DD-wrt (and probably others) only suspect an firmware image that doesn't contain a bootloader
and try to flash this extra data in the place of the spot in the memory where the firmware goes. That simply doesn't fit, resulting in a router that does not want to start up anymore
Because it is sometimes hard to find out how to remove the correct section of the firmware or to find and execute those instructions at all, I decided to create an unofficial
TP-link firmware download page that has no boot loader part anymmore. This means that the image can be flashed without worrying if there is still a bootloader within the image or not.
On most custom firmware variations out there the image downloaded from here can be flashed trough the webinterface, however some versions (like DD-wrt) need some extra steps that
are explained on the DD-wrt website.

http://www.friedzombie.com/tplink-stripped-firmware/
Linksys WRT3200ACM
NETGEAR Nighthawk R7800
NETGEAR R6260

nworbnhoj
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Re: TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

Post by nworbnhoj »

not gunna happen
Can you help someone else get Gargoyle up and running?
TL-WDR3600 : Gargoyle 1.9.0 : NBN FixedWireless
TL-WR1043ND-V2 : Gargoyle 1.8.0 : 3G Huawei E160E

fortify9
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2015 12:44 pm

Re: TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

Post by fortify9 »

Got it up and running, I was forced to toll back the TP firmware, it would not take the gargoyle firmware. I found where this has been a problem for other people. Seems to be running well. I am checking the data rates and other things to make sure. AC is running well from what I can see. Thanks for the help, I would have been less of a pansy updating, but I didn't need to hear from the wife about me breaking something else that didn't need to be fixed :lol:

nworbnhoj
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Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:08 am
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Re: TP-LINK Archer C7 Gargoyle

Post by nworbnhoj »

fortify9 wrote:I would have been less of a pansy updating, but I didn't need to hear from the wife about me breaking something else that didn't need to be fixed :lol:
Somehow that first step over the line into Gargoyle is a bit terrifying, but life is better on this side of the line. Try leaping over the Ubuntu line some day when the wife is out.
Can you help someone else get Gargoyle up and running?
TL-WDR3600 : Gargoyle 1.9.0 : NBN FixedWireless
TL-WR1043ND-V2 : Gargoyle 1.8.0 : 3G Huawei E160E

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