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Forum Discussion
Plomo
Jan 08, 2023Tutor
Accessing Bootloader via Putty on RBR50
My orbir router got bricked while I was at the office and when I got home, I was greeted to magenta lights on my satellite. I was able to factory reset the satellite, but my router is unresponsive to any attempt at factory reset (light just stays lit green all the time). I've tried doing the tftp and 30-30-30 methods and those don't work. I bought the usb to ttl cable to try to access the router via the serial connection, but I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong.
These are the current serial settings in putty. (I've also updated the speed for the com port in device manager as well)
Putty Session screen before opening the connection
PIN Connections to the RBR50
Putty screen when the connection is opened.
Whenever the connection opens and I turn on the router, absolutely nothing gets printed to the screen. When I turn off the router, 1 or 2 of those characters shown in the screenshot gets printed. If I turn back on the router nothing is still printed to the screen. Turning it off just prints more characters to the screen.
Many people say that they see the router info being printed to the screen, but I'm clearly not. I'm not sure what else to do other than buy another usb to ttl cable and try again.
21 Replies
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- FURRYe38Guru - Experienced User
DId you try the TFTP method to get FW loaded on the RBR before try the USB cable and putty?
Might review these:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-orbi-rbk50-rbk53-rbr50-rbs50-v-9-2-5-1-18sf-hw-v-9-2-5-1-18-1sf-hw.64414/page-3#post-590839
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Is-my-13-month-old-RBR50-bricked/td-p/2009904/jump-to/first-unread-message- PlomoTutor
Yeah I did try TFTP method. That doesn't work because my computer recognizes ethernet port as not being connected any device so that method fails every time.
The RBR50 has a solid green power led when it's on, reseting is unresponsive & the status LED at the top of the router doesn't display any thing. When you look at the router it looks like it's "working" since the status light is off.
Thread you provided is one that I've been reading and led me to try putty and serial cable.
- FURRYe38Guru - Experienced User
After all that, possible the RBR could be fully bricked...
- Gorgia666Aspirant
Have you solved? I too am stucked with solid green light and no reponse from serial port, with your settings. No ethernet presence or wifi or any other light.
I cannot understand how can I get a solid green light but no communication on serial interface.
- Gorgia666Aspirant
I can add that 3.3v serial pin and usb seems correctly powered.
- CR4Guide
I just did the same thing (successfully).
I recovered a bricked RBR50 by this method - then converted it to a satellite
I found that on some diagrams posted out there, the TXD and RXD pins are incorrectly labelled, and as a result, when you connect them, Putty gives you a blank screen.
Swap the TXD and RXD wires and you should get a result - make sure the GND wire is correct though !!
Hope this helps
- SlarmeauxAspirant
CR4 Thanks for the info of switching the Tx and Rx. After that I am able to see info output in Putty. I am having the same issue that Plomo mentioned where it's just a green power light and nothing else. The Putty output goes for about 2 seconds and then stops after DDR Frequency, 672 Mhz. It doesn't let me type or do anything. Anyone have any ideas if this is salvageable?
- CR4GuideYou need to break the boot process by pressing ctrl + c after about 2 seconds.
This should give you access to the commands in putty to enable you to write the new values to the router