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MR80 router loses configuration on re-boot

NavM5
Aspirant

MR80 router loses configuration on re-boot

Hi All, I am hoping someone can give me a clue as to what I can do to prevent my MR80 router from loosing all its configuration anytime it is rebooted. My setup includes one MR80 main router and another MR80 router set in AP mode, plus 4 MS80 satellites. Both routers are running Firmware Version V1.1.7.14_3.1.109.  The AP mode router retains the config on reboot but my main router completely resets; loosing my WiFi customization, reserved IPs for my NAS and network printers. To make it worse; when I do attempt to load the configuration setting from a backup file; that too does not help as the router brings me to setting up security questions and basically walks me through a fresh setup again. 

How can I ensure that my main MR80 retains its configuration when it reboots? Any guidance greatly appreciated!

Message 1 of 7

Re: MR80 router loses configuration on re-boot


@NavM5 wrote:

Hi All, I am hoping someone can give me a clue as to what I can do to prevent my MR80 router from loosing all its configuration anytime it is rebooted. My setup includes one MR80 main router and another MR80 router set in AP mode ...


You could rule out hardware issues by swapping these two MR80s. If the problem persists, it is a configuration thing.

 



To make it worse; when I do attempt to load the configuration setting from a backup file; that too does not help as the router brings me to setting up security questions and basically walks me through a fresh setup again. 

 


I always disable password recovery.

Message 2 of 7
NavM5
Aspirant

Re: MR80 router loses configuration on re-boot

Good idea; I will try to swap my main router with the AP router and report back my findings. 

Message 3 of 7
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: MR80 router loses configuration on re-boot

Any progress on this? 


@NavM5 wrote:

Good idea; I will try to swap my main router with the AP router and report back my findings. 


 

Message 4 of 7
NavM5
Aspirant

Re: MR80 router loses configuration on re-boot

I did swap the main MR80 router with the access point router and yes it does seem like the fault is with the main router. I tried manually updating the firmware of the the problematic router to various older version but not once could I keep the router from resetting after soft reboot or a hard reboot. Which means that I am not able to set it as an access point since to apply the AP setting it requires a reboot and hence triggers the reset. Is there any particular firmware version or hack that can help me here? Or is this basically a brick? 

Message 5 of 7

Re: MR80 router loses configuration on re-boot


@NavM5 wrote:

Which means that I am not able to set it as an access point since to apply the AP setting it requires a reboot and hence triggers the reset.


Catch 22!

 

Have you actually taken the dodgy router through the AP setup? Does the process reset it again? The restart it goes through may not be quite the same as the firmware flash.

 

I would not normally suggests this – configuration isn't supposed to be portable – but in the case of two identical routers, I would try to create a backup of the settings from the working router and "restore" that to the troublesome one.

Message 6 of 7
NavM5
Aspirant

Re: MR80 router loses configuration on re-boot

Here is how the AP setup runs; Since the router as already fully reset; I go in and update the WiFi setup to match my main router, I click apply settings, which is a softer update I guess, as the router retains this after settings are applied. Then I set the router in AP mode and when I apply this change the router reboots and I am back to a fully reset router!!

Now before you even suggested using the backup file for the AP config; I already tried that and it actually seems like it takes; however that process also restarts the router after the config file is applied and brings me back to a reset router. Is there an internal log that might show what fails? How does a router go from being perfectly good to not usable? Its never been dropped or damaged as far I know. I know I am somewhat venting but I spent all of Sunday afternoon with this. Is this even something that can be repaired, hardware wise? or a flash file that can clear any bad config tables? I am still hoping that this isn't the end of the road but it might be. 

 

Another issue I want to share; as I was getting the good router setup to be my main router and yes the setup went through fine and the router kept al the config. However, none my devices were able to login to the WiFi; some devices reported authentication failure and some reported that bad IP configured and others said the default gateway is bad. I tried resetting and running though setup several times but could not get my SSID to work even though the default Netgear SSID would connect in the setup process; this was very odd and after hours of this; I gave up and picked up an old AC gigabyte ASUS router that I had around and configured it as my main router and it only took but 5 minutes to setup and went like a breeze; I then setup the good MR80 back to AP while the bad MR80 is unusable and this is the setup I have now. 

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