This topic has been marked solved and closed to new posts due to inactivity. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.
Hello all. Yesterday, I unplugged my router and all my computing things, and moved them upstairs. The router used to have a CAT5E cable plugged into it and broadcasting from that. When I moved my computer, I found that the built-in Wi-Fi had 0 connectivity. Na-da. So, my solution was to move my Netgear router upstairs and use it as a repeater. Sounds pretty simple, right?
It was... Right up until the point where everything went wrong. I changed the options in the GUI and the router started to reboot... and reboot... and reboot. It never came back. Trying the reset button on the back of it does nothing, and pinging it does nothing even after setting a manual IP on my computer. I have tried this with both my MacBook on Ethernet and my desktop Windows 10 machine on Ethernet. Nothing.
Every now and then when pinging it, I'll get something along the lines of:
Reply from 192.168.1.2: Destination host unreachable. Reply from 192.168.1.2: Destination host unreachable. Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=728ms TTL=100 Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=100 Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=100 Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=100 Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=100 Request timed out.
Then it'll just time out repeatedly over and over until it restarts, gets the TTL=100, and then drops pings again.
So, the solution is TFTP, right? Yeah... That doesn't work. I tried following Netgear's page on it, and nothing happens. It fails to connect. I've tried for a solid day, and nothing has worked.
The unit is out of warranty. It's probably 18 months old. I don't know if we still have the original receipt. What else can I do? Is there anything I can do? I don't feel like opening it up and soldering the Serial-To-USB thing and using PUTTY until I know its a last resort. Even if it's off warranty, I'm kind of hoping that if it's a faulty software glitch that Netgear might step in and aid me. Does anyone know any solutions or anything to try? I have Windows and Mac OS X at my side, but could also use any version of linux if necessary. Thanks!
You shouldn't need to solder anything to attach a USB TTL device.
I find working out how to get the top off a router is usually more difficult than getting the serial connection working.
And then there's finding instructions on how to upload the firmware once you get a prompt, this is often different device to device, hopefully it's the same for all the Netgear devices.
for some pictures of what is needed, of course you need to get a USB TTL cable or device and work out how to use it.
Assuming that the Netgear instructions are correct and the R7000 does provide tftp upload early in the boot process it can still be quite difficult to catch the brief time it listens for a connection.
You could try opening a two terminal windows, get the tftp command ready in one (or have the tftp application ready to click the start button) and in the other run an extended ping (assuming windows use some largish number, eg. -n 100) so it doesn't stop while your trying to work out when to initiate tftp of the firmware. Then remove the power from the router for a little while and plug in back in and as soon as the ping to 192.168.1.1 (pretty sure that will be the IP address) gets a valid reply initiate the tftp.
The problem might be that the oppertunity to initiate a tftp upload is already gone between the time you plugged in the power and the time you tried the tftp, it's only possible for a brief time before the router continues to try and boot up.
You shouldn't need to solder anything to attach a USB TTL device.
I find working out how to get the top off a router is usually more difficult than getting the serial connection working.
And then there's finding instructions on how to upload the firmware once you get a prompt, this is often different device to device, hopefully it's the same for all the Netgear devices.
for some pictures of what is needed, of course you need to get a USB TTL cable or device and work out how to use it.
Assuming that the Netgear instructions are correct and the R7000 does provide tftp upload early in the boot process it can still be quite difficult to catch the brief time it listens for a connection.
You could try opening a two terminal windows, get the tftp command ready in one (or have the tftp application ready to click the start button) and in the other run an extended ping (assuming windows use some largish number, eg. -n 100) so it doesn't stop while your trying to work out when to initiate tftp of the firmware. Then remove the power from the router for a little while and plug in back in and as soon as the ping to 192.168.1.1 (pretty sure that will be the IP address) gets a valid reply initiate the tftp.
The problem might be that the oppertunity to initiate a tftp upload is already gone between the time you plugged in the power and the time you tried the tftp, it's only possible for a brief time before the router continues to try and boot up.
Umm .. I posted a reply to this and it never made it to the thread ... I'm not going to type it all again so you'll need to make do with this.
You shouldn't need to solder anything to attach a USB-TTL cable to the R7000.
Google for "r7000 serial connection" and go to the myopenrouter link to see instructions.
The problem might be that you are missing the "brief" window of time when the router will accept a tftp of firmware.
Try starting a ping (to 192.168.1.1) in a serarate window before removing the power and look for a brief time where you get replies fairly shortly after re-applying power.
If you see that pattern of replies you should be able to work out when to initaite the tftp.
