Gargoyle Forum

Hello everyone,
I successfully bricked my TL-WR1043ND with my attempt to flash the 1.4.3 build over the factory firmware.
Flashing appeared to go fine, however after restarting the device does not connect to a PC via LAN. The LAN LED stays dark, after initial flashing the SYS LED stays on.
I somehow managed to get into a open-wrt shell using the QSS button once (unforntunately couldn't reproduce, yet).
So my question: is there any way from the openwrt shell to flash a working firmware? Is there a chance to unbrick the device?
I would be very grateful for some ideas before I go and buy a new device (and do not try gargoyle again).
Best
Alex

http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wr1043nd?s

Follow the info on that page.

You can try Failsafe Mode and see if that works.

Next you can try Serial Recovery to recover / flash firmware.

HIGHLY doubtful you bricked your router.

The new Atheros based routers are pretty hard to brick.

Maybe if you were flashing a firmware and power shut off during
the process, that might brick it, but not sure - I think you could still
get in via Serial Recovery.

Don't give up just yet - Failsafe mode first, then try Serial.

Anything that references OpenWRT firmware image also applies
to the Gargoyle firmware image - remember Gargoyle is an
enhanced+ GUI for the OpenWRT base firmware.

update?

Here is the solution which works just fine for me with the above problem.(copied from another forum)
1) Download and install small http server: http://home.lanck.net/mf/srv/index.htm
2) Download the sysupgrade binary at * below
3) Copy the file downloaded in 2) to the default directory created when you installed 1) above.

Set your computer with static address 192.168.1.9 and subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Unplug the wr1043nd power cable. Plug the power cable back in and repeatedly tap the QSS button on the right like crazy for about 30 seconds.

Have your computer connected to a LAN port of the wr1043nd. Then ping it with this command:
ping 192.168.1.1

If it responds, we’re good to go

Since your wr1043nd already runs Gargoyle which is Openwrt underneath, it's easier to upgrade the firmware using the openwrt command sysupgrade and the sysupgrade firmware. There's no need for command mtd.
http://downloads.openwrt.org​/backfire/10.03.1-rc4/ar71xx​/openwrt-ar71xx-tl-wr1043nd-v1-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin

To get this file to the router you need to telnet to the router:

telnet 192.168.1.1

then you enter

cd /tmp

To get the file into this directory enter:

wget http://192.168.1.9/openwrt-ar​71xx-tl-w ... pgrade.bin

then, we’re ready to upgrade

#go to /tmp directory

cd /tmp
#check firmware file integrity
md5sum openwrt-ar71xx-tl-wr1043nd-v1-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin
#use sysupgrade to flash sysupgrade image. it's one line
sysupgrade -n openwrt-ar71xx-tl-wr1043nd-v1-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin

Wait a few minutes. If successful, the wr1043nd will reboot and become openwrt with default IP number 192.168.1.1.

If it doesn’t reboot, wait a few more minutes and repower the router, it should then allow access.
Then I did install Gargoyle over OpenWRT using the web interface. Everything is working fine here.

I've got a TP-Link TL-WR1043ND v1.8 with Gargoyle 1.5.0 installed

I have a serial cable connected and I have tested that "repeatedly tap the QSS button on the right like crazy for about 30 seconds" does not work

but

"repeatedly taping the reset button" on the back does work

This puts the router in openwrt recovery mode

If you can't get your router into "openWRT recovery mode" the next option is putting your router into "TP-Link recovery mode"

http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl- ... al.console

But this requires a seral cable connection

Update:
Thanks everybody, you guys are great! I am now writing you from my all-but-bricked router as client bridge with Gargoyle!

Here is what I did:
- I hit the QSS button repeatedly after switching the router on
- After the SYS led started fast flashing I connected my PC via Ethernet cable
- set static IP address to 192.168.1.9, subnet 255.255.255.0
- from console: telnet 192.168.1.1
- (openWRT console opens, yay!)
-

mtd -r erase rootfs_data

(to erase all user data
- after this the router reboots and gargoyle magically appears!

Thanks again! You saved the day!

My router somehow got into a quasi bricked state and I had to perform a recovery by following the below instructions.
My router is TP-Link TL-WR1043ND Ver. 1.6
Had to get the router into OpenWRT failsafe mode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVIrpJVebyE

Power up the router
Press the QSS button and hold the front after the sys led starts to flash and wait till the flashing starts to flash faster.
After the SYS led started fast flashing faster I connected my PC via Ethernet cable
- set static IP address to 192.168.1.66, subnet 255.255.255.0
- from console: telnet 192.168.1.1
- (openWRT console opens, yay!)
-

mtd -r erase rootfs_data

(to erase all user data
- after this the router reboots and gargoyle magically appears!

Thanks again! You saved the day![/quote]