Wndr3700 gargoyle, now can't log into gui

[SkyBoss]

Hello guys,

I'm new to the forums and am having issues trying to reconnect to my Wndr 3700 which was flashed with Gargoyle firmware. The flash was fine and I tried setting up my router as a wireless repeater/bridge but after I input my ip info and subnet info, I didn't get a chance to uncheck use dhcp. So after save in Gargoyle settings page, I can't access the router anymore and I don't see my SSID either. When I connect via LAN cable, I get an:

IP address: 169.254.242.113
subnet mask: 255.255.0.0
gateway: 169.254.242.113 ???

I tried to TFTP the orig Netgear flirmware and the telnet won't take this time. It doesn't seem to connect to router. I see statements from Wireshark seeming to say that the router is asking who has the LAN ip, tell it to the router, but the router doesn't seem to save the router's ip into it's ARP or something to that affect.

I've tried manually inputting the IP address of 192.168.1.2 for the Lan network and using another tftp app besides windows xp built-in tftp. It just doesn't connect to router to flash/start the restore to netgear original firmware.

I appreciate any and all help. I even bought a usb to serial adapter to plug into the router but it won't connect and it doesn't seem like the adapter is recognized on my computer. I installed the drivers for it but I'm using my serial com port on my motherboard and plugging in the usb into the usb port of the router.

I had set up my router (bridge) IP to 192.170.50.80
mask: 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.170.50.1 (that's the ip of my primary router)

I used the subnet range of 192.170.50.2-192.170.50.100 for the primary server dhcp.

If you need any other info ask, I'm stumped and want to get this thing either restored to original firmware or gargoyle again.

Thanks!

[Kline]

The 169.* IP is an APIPA address.

Do you have a LAN adapter on your PC? If so, manually set it to 192.168.1.2 and connect directly to a LAN port on your WNDR3700. Pull power from the router and while holding the reset button (bottom of the unit) using a toothpick or something, power it up.

Keep holding the reset button until the power light blinks a slow steady green. This is recovery mode. You will be able to flash a stock NG firmware or an acceptable "factory image" build of DD-WRT, Gargoyle, OpenWRT, etc via TFTP now.

If your client machine is Windows, the command would be: tftp -i 192.168.1.1 PUT some_factory_image.bin

The transfer should be near instantaneous and output that it completed. Give the router a good 5 to 10 minutes to fully process the image and reboot then you should be good to go. It may look like it's not doing anything, but it is, so don't pull power from it. You can set a constant ping going to it (ping -t 192.168.1.1; Windows) if you're really curious to know when it comes back to life after the reboot.

[SkyBoss]

Thanks for replying Kline. The weird thing is that I've tried doing that numerous times and the router won't take the firmware update. I've tried on my wife's macbook and on windows xp. On windows I used the cmd prompt and I've tried another tftp app but still no success.

I've been able to restore it prior to original firmware but now I'm having nothing but issues. I can't get the serial connection going as I was attempting to restore via serial command line.

When I tried doing the restore with Wireshark running it stated that the telnet process was starting but the router or the lan connection couldn't figure out who had the host 192.168.1.2 so the telnet connection couldn't complete.

Do you happen to have any other ideas?

I've even tried doing the 30/30/30 reset thing too and no success.

[Kline]

I've never had either of my two WNDR units not accept a factory firmware in recovery mode. I've also never run Wireshark while putting them in recovery mode to see exactly what they output.

If the router is unable to figure out who has 192.168.1.2 have you tried using a different LAN port on it? Perhaps you had a partial flash happen and erase the in-memory MAC of the port you are trying. I had a similar issue when I tried to flash directly from Gargoyle -> my own OpenWrt build via sysupgrade; it took, and the router passed traffic like a switch, but that was it. It forgot its own MAC so I had to recovery + full flash it.

The OpenWrt Wiki has directions on how to flash via a WNDR3700 via serial cable since you have one. If a different LAN port still doesn't work you may want to try the directions there.

[SkyBoss]

That's a good idea! I'll try a different LAN port and give the recovery a flash. I think the only thing I saw in the wiki for serial is to get a certain kind of cable with 3.3V for my router but I don't know what volts my cable has. I just might not be able to get it going via serial.

Thanks again for the info! I'll see if it works when I get back from work.

Cheers!

[SkyBoss]

Well still no success with recovery mode. I tried a different LAN port on the router as well. I'm wondering if my timing is not right but so far I'm bummed about not getting connected to my router.

I'm going to keep trying but I hope this isn't the end of my router.

[Kline]

There shouldn't really be any timing to doing it. Is the router entering recovery at all? Pull the power cord (don't use the button), firmly hold reset in (careful not to slip off the button, as I've done a lot...), then plug the power cord back in and wait for a slow steady green blink on the power light. At that point you can safely release reset and attempt to ping it at 192.168.1.1 via any port.

[SkyBoss]

Thanks again Kline! I feel like the most dumb person in the world. I kept using a mechanical pencil to push the reset button but I don't think it was accurately pushing the button!!!

I then, at 1AM this morning, decided to use a pen and IT WORKED!!!!! I was able to put router into recovery mode and it finally is flashed to original firmware!

I was able to recover my router previously and I was successful but this second time I was using the wrong instrument! I can't believe I was stuck on this thing for almost two weeks due to not using a PEN in the beginning!!! ha ha.

Thanks again man for your help!

[Kline]

Hey glad to know your router continues to live on happily . I have a thumb tack on my desk since for resets since I lost my trusty paperclip. It has on more occasions than I'd like "slipped" off the button inside the chassis...So annoying, lol. Congrats on your re-flash