Version 1.9.2

[d3fz]

There is the TFTP recovery method you can still try.

The link I pasted was actually the guide to TFTP recovery

Thank you for pointing it out, i edited my post.

The video tutorial still applies.

[ku1185]

There is the TFTP recovery method you can still try.

It saved me when i bricked my TL-WR842ND and couldn't enter failsafe mode as well.

Instructions:
Bricked TP-Link WDR4300 Version 1 Recovery/Rescue Unbrick Without A Serial Connection

Thanks for the suggestions, but if I'm not mistaken, both of these require the router to enter failsafe mode. I have tried these before to no avail.

While we're in the subject I should mention that I could not get a ping response from the router, even when trying to boot into failsafe. Is this an indication of anything?

[Lantis]

TFTP is usually initiated by the boot loader. If a router has this recovery method it is usually pretty hard to kill it unless you corrupt that as well.

It is worth trying, otherwise you're on to more drastic solutions like throwing it out the window.

[ku1185]

TFTP is usually initiated by the boot loader. If a router has this recovery method it is usually pretty hard to kill it unless you corrupt that as well.

It is worth trying, otherwise you're on to more drastic solutions like throwing it out the window.

As noted before, I cannot get my bricked router into failsafe mode. Doesn't TFTP require that the router go into failsafe mode? From what I understand, when router is in failsafe mode, it sends a signal to a specific IP for recovery firmware, which then triggers TFTP transfer if such firmware exists on the TFTP server. If there's another way of using TFTP, please let me know.

On another note, I am seeing that when I connect to the bricked router via ethernet, the computer never seems to hold a connection; it usually drops after "identifying" stage, then repeats connection attempt. Is there a way to force constant connection? I have tried using my WRT54G as a switch but that did not help me connect to the bricked router. In this configuration, the WRT54G was not able to detect the bricked router, though DHCP was disabled on the WRT54G.

Anyway, I'm ready to give up on this bricked router and will be using this WRT54G for the foreseeable future (i.e., until Black Friday?). Sigh, this old router powering my internet in 2017

EDIT: Anyone have any ideas as to why my router bricked when trying to update via web interface? Perhaps I shouldn't have gone from 1.8 straight to 1.9.2?

[d3fz]

As noted before, I cannot get my bricked router into failsafe mode. Doesn't TFTP require that the router go into failsafe mode? From what I understand, when router is in failsafe mode, it sends a signal to a specific IP for recovery firmware, which then triggers TFTP transfer if such firmware exists on the TFTP server. If there's another way of using TFTP, please let me know.

Could you provide the steps you're taking to enter failsafe mode ?
What about the router leds ? What happens when the router is powered ?

Just to be sure, you're not trying to access failsafe mode using OpenWRT method, right ?

As Lantis stated above, tplink failsafe mode shouldn't get corrupted like that, and if it did, i think your only option is recovery via serial cable or straight through the window..

EDIT: Anyone have any ideas as to why my router bricked when trying to update via web interface? Perhaps I shouldn't have gone from 1.8 straight to 1.9.2?

Sometimes you just ran out of luck. I've also bricked my router before when upgrading (without preserve settings, etc), for no apparent reason.

[ku1185]

Thanks d3fz.
To enter failsafe, I tried pressing the reset/WDS button on power up of the router, and many variations on that procedure: holding it for 3-7 seconds, tapping it rapidly, waiting for router activity via Wireshark, you name it. None of them seem to get it into "failsafe." I've exhausted (I think; at least I'm exhausted) the methods described in both Gargoyle's failsafe page as well as openwrt's instruction for my particular router.

When the router is powered on, the power LED comes on first, then all the LEDs turn on for about a second, after which they all turn off again and the cycle repeats in perpetuity. Here is a Youtube link showing the LED pattern (the fix described in this video does not work).

A key difference between mine and the video is, as mentioned earlier, that my computer can't maintain a connection to the router. It disconnects after the "identifying" stage, and then attempts to connect again.

[d3fz]

OK.

You're trying to enter failsafe mode via the OpenWRT method, as i suspected.

To get into TPLINK failsafe recovery mode, you have to PRESS and HOLD the WPS/Reset button BEFORE powering the router, and KEEP holding it (for about 3-7 seconds), wait a moment for the USB LED to begin to blink and only then release the reset button.

After that, the router should enter failsafe mode and automatically request the recovery image (which could be a gargoyle-sys-factory.bin renamed to wdr4300v1_tp_recovery.bin) from your TFTP server.

Also note that the latest build (2017-August-08) of Gargoyle is actually found in the "Show / Tell / Contribute" forum.

[Lantis]

Follow what d3fz has said above. Normally you need to start a TFTP server on your local machine to serve the image to the router and it may require it to be at a certain address (192.168.0.66 rings a bell).

Failsafe means that the router booted successfully but you bypassed it before finishing the full boot and bypassed any bad config.

TP Link recovery is before the OS even loads.

[chaos40]

Hi,

I've searched Google for the best hardware for Gargoyle and it is confusing.

Is there highly capable HW (multiple USB ports, gigabit ports, great radios, great MIMO) that Gargoyle offers that works with hardware that is 2 or so years old or newer?

I purchased an Archer C7 V2.0 with the hopes of running this awesome firmware. I can't get it to grab a DHCP address from my ISP reliably (about 1 in 20 attempts now maybe get a DHCP lease - if that; I've stopped trying, after all it requires a full modem reboot). And trust me, I've tried everything. It is running DD-WRT v3.0-r30949 std (12/15/16) at the moment rock solid.

But DD-WRT firmware doesn't do what Gargoyle does.

I don't mind donating the router after flashing it back to factory to a needy family, but I would tremendously appreciate a good recommendation for newer hardware that is compatible with Gargoyle.

Thank you so much!

[Lantis]

I really like my WRT1900AC v1. Very capable hardware.
eBay has them cheaper than in store in general