Solved Windows Unable to Discover Modem, and cant revert to Original Firmware

[four321zero]

Router: TL-WR841N version 8
Windows 7 64bit
Internet: WAN port

Problem started when I was trying to figure out a way to reverse my firmware upgrade to Open WRT. I first followed the steps of using Putty and WinSCP (am a networking retard but i blindly followed instructions). I got an error at the last stage of it. At this point my router was being identified, and net was fine, I just wanted back my old firmware So I tried a Hard Reset. .

My router does not do a hard reset. It has a tiny button labelled "WPS/Reset". Apparently that is supposed to be the hard reset button, which when pressed for 15-30 seconds, is supposed to flash all the LEDs together when complete. However, it does not work in my router. All the LEDs remain unchanged when i keep the button pressed. But when re-plugged my Lan cable, i started getting this problem.

My Internet runs fine with the ethernet cable directly connected to my PC. However, my PC is no longer able to detect my router. Also cannot open router page with both default ips "192.160.1.1" or "192.168.0.1". Previously my LAN used to get discovered within 2 seconds of plugging in. Now it says "identifying" for a couple of minutes, and then changes to "Unidentified network".

Since then I've tried the hard reset several times with all cables unplugged, plugged, immediately after power on, with power off etc. Just desperation moves. Nothing works.
I have followed the previous posts and guide on the "unidentified network" issue, but it hasn't done me any good. Also re-installed the ethernet drivers for my motherboard. Didn't work.



Is my router broke?

 

[Berton]

My router does not do a hard reset.

Usually when a tech wants the user to do that it means pulling the power cord from the device.

Have you tried opening Command Prompt [right-click the icon in Accesssories and choose Run as administrator] and typing ping 192.168.x.x, whatever the default is for your router? IPCONFIG should communicate with the Router and give that number as Default gateway.

Is my router broke?

Very possible.

 

[Slartybart]

Try resetting to factory defaults

Full User guide: TL-WR841N_V8_User_Guide

Page 88 only - Factory reset: View attachment TL-WR841N_V8 Factory defaults.pdf

You might have to install the original firmware after the reset, I'm not cure about your router.
If you need to do that, the earliest version on the website is TL-WR841N_V8_120802
TL-WR841N - Welcome to TP-LINK

You might not have to re-install the firmware though, the factory reset might do it for you (My Asus router does). After the factory reset - check the firmware version in the web admin utility.

 

[four321zero]

My router does not do a hard reset.

Usually when a tech wants the user to do that it means pulling the power cord from the device.

Have you tried opening Command Prompt [right-click the icon in Accesssories and choose Run as administrator] and typing ping 192.168.x.x, whatever the default is for your router? IPCONFIG should communicate with the Router and give that number as Default gateway.

Is my router broke?

Very possible.

For both the IPs i get:
PING: transmit failed. General failure.
PING: transmit failed. General failure.

Try resetting to factory defaults

Full User guide: TL-WR841N_V8_User_Guide

Page 88 only - Factory reset: View attachment 334662

You might have to install the original firmware after the reset, I'm not cure about your router.
If you need to do that, the earliest version on the website is TL-WR841N_V8_120802
TL-WR841N - Welcome to TP-LINK

You might not have to re-install the firmware though, the factory reset might do it for you (My Asus router does). After the factory reset - check the firmware version in the web admin utility.

Can't do a factory reset, my router page doesn't open.

 

[Slartybart]

Can't do a factory reset, my router page doesn't open.

Sure you can ... just not the way I asked you to try. Sorry about that.

That's why I linked the full manual, in case I missed something you posted (or forgot that you couldn't get to the web based admin utility)

On page 5, you can see the rear panel and the reset description begins with "There are two ways to reset ..." and page 6 tells you how to manually reset the box

View attachment TL-WR841N_V8_UG_p5-6.pdf​

WPS/RESET: This button is used for both WPS and Reset function.

To use the WPS function, press it for less than five seconds;
To use the RESET function, press it for more than five seconds.

Used as RESET button:
There are two ways to reset to the Router's factory defaults:

1) Use the Factory Defaults function on System Tools -> Factory Defaults page in the Router's Web-based Utility.

:ar:
2) Use the WPS/RESET button: With the Router powered on, press and hold the WPS/RESET button (more than 5 seconds) until the SYS LED becomes quick-flash from slow-flash.
Then release the button and wait the Router to reboot to its factory default settings.

 

[four321zero]

Can't do a factory reset, my router page doesn't open.

Sure you can ... just not the way I asked you to try. Sorry about that.

That's why I linked the full manual, in case I missed something you posted (or forgot that you couldn't get to the web based admin utility)

On page 5, you can see the rear panel and the reset description begins with "There are two ways to reset ..." and page 6 tells you how to manually reset the box

View attachment 334683​

WPS/RESET: This button is used for both WPS and Reset function.

To use the WPS function, press it for less than five seconds;
To use the RESET function, press it for more than five seconds.

Used as RESET button:
There are two ways to reset to the Router's factory defaults:

1) Use the Factory Defaults function on System Tools -> Factory Defaults page in the Router's Web-based Utility.

:ar:
2) Use the WPS/RESET button: With the Router powered on, press and hold the WPS/RESET button (more than 5 seconds) until the SYS LED becomes quick-flash from slow-flash.
Then release the button and wait the Router to reboot to its factory default settings.

Appreciate your reply. Like I mentioned, the WPS/Reset button is what started the whole thing. The LEDs did not show any change. When I reconnected the LAN cable after reset (if I can call it a reset), I could no longer establish a connection between my PC and Router. The reset does not happen the way it is shown on youtube and other sites. Every video shows, when the reset is successfully complete, all LEDs flash together and go out. In my case, the LEDs show no change, no matter how long I press and hold the button. I got a pothole in my thumb. But it obviously did something to stop the router from being detected.

 

[Slartybart]

Read through the manual and see if there's anything I missed. To be honest I only looked for RESET.

Forget about Youtube for now - your description of the youtube videos differs from the manual's description.

I'm not sure the forum is the best way to solve this - you will probably have better luck with a phone call to TPlink.
Let them know that you cannot get to the web based utility to RESET and the WPS/RESET button isn't resetting to defaults.

They'll run through the trouble shooting steps and if the router is defective, they'll give you information to return it under warranty (I'm assuming that it's new enough to still be covered).

BTW, I got a kick out of your I got a pot hole in my thumb comment - thanks.

Let members know if TPlink authorized the warranty return.

Good luck,

Bill
.

 

[four321zero]

Thanks again for your help!

Just sent Tp Link a Trouble Ticket. Its quite a strange system there. They do not ask for Serial#.

After I finished filling up the form and describing my issue, I got a pop up saying "OK". I didn't get any ticket number or an email acknowledgement. Lol I hope there is more to it than just an "Ok, i feel you. There there. Everythings going to be Ok"

 

[rvcjew]

Your router has wrt now therefore you need to follow its directions to reflash your router or at least reset, you no longer have stock firmware so its method to reset will not work. check out debricking under this page. http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wr841nd

 

[four321zero]

Your router has wrt now therefore you need to follow its directions to reflash your router or at least reset, you no longer have stock firmware so its method to reset will not work. check out debricking under this page. http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wr841nd

Ok thanks. I tried following the instructions. But i get stuck at the telnet part.
I pressed start and typed telnet and run as admin. Then entered telnet 192.168.1.1 and i get "invalid command"
I tried typing just 192.168.1.1 and yet the same error. I think im in failsafe mode because the first 2 leds of my router are fast blinking.

 

[rvcjew]

http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/generic.failsafe On some routers (e.g. TP-LINK models), OpenWrt will start to blink a LED (e.g. the "SYS" LED) on the front of the router when it is in its early boot cycle. The blink rate is about twice a second. Looking for a blink pattern is much more convenient to use instead of having to use a packet sniffer.

Power on the router
As soon as this blink pattern is seen, press the hardware button the front of the router
The SYS LED will change to faster blink pattern, indicating the router is now in failsafe mode

should be your wifi one i'd imagine.

 

[four321zero]

http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/generic.failsafe On some routers (e.g. TP-LINK models), OpenWrt will start to blink a LED (e.g. the "SYS" LED) on the front of the router when it is in its early boot cycle. The blink rate is about twice a second. Looking for a blink pattern is much more convenient to use instead of having to use a packet sniffer.

Power on the router
As soon as this blink pattern is seen, press the hardware button the front of the router
The SYS LED will change to faster blink pattern, indicating the router is now in failsafe mode

should be your wifi one i'd imagine.

Thanks again. I got the fast blinking going. But am getting stuck at telnet. I typed open 192.168.1.1 and it says "telnet could not open connection to the host on port 23 connect failed"

 

[rvcjew]

Your using the wan port for router to pc right and pc is set as static 1.2 ending ip?

 

[four321zero]

Your using the wan port for router to pc right and pc is set as static 1.2 ending ip?

Oh I didnt realize I was supposed to connect to WAN port. I was connected from PC Lan port to Router LAN port. The IP in IPV4 is 192.168.1.2 and the next field is 255.255.255.0. Let me give it a try by switching to WAN port.

 

[four321zero]

Your using the wan port for router to pc right and pc is set as static 1.2 ending ip?

Ok it worked with the WAN to PC connection. I had to switch off the WIFI too for it to work.
You just saved me a router. I appreciate your help.

I'm kind of stuck at configuring the connection though. For some reason, the internet is not working. I changed the WAN connection type to PPPEO (which is the right one for me), entered user name and password. Cloned my macaddress (since my router mac is not registered with my ISP. Am i missing anything else?

 

[four321zero]

Bad news. I restarted the Router, and its back to square one.

 

[rvcjew]

Bad news. I restarted the Router, and its back to square one.

I would at this point try the reverting to stock option then go from there as I believe you need to erase some nand flash everytime you update or install wrt after flashing it or else it gets bricked. It was like that for my old router (wrn3500L) you might want to explain what you have tried in detail over on their forums. https://forum.openwrt.org/

 

[four321zero]

Bad news. I restarted the Router, and its back to square one.

I would at this point try the reverting to stock option then go from there as I believe you need to erase some nand flash everytime you update or install wrt after flashing it or else it gets bricked. It was like that for my old router (wrn3500L) you might want to explain what you have tried in detail over on their forums. https://forum.openwrt.org/

Ok thanks. Can you help me with 1 more thing? When I connect via telnet in failsafe mode, I want to use the wget command for the firmware bin file on a ftp site. The problem is i don't know much about ftp, so when I create my ftp on windows 7 IIS manager, although Ive enabled "Anonymous" authentication, and Read permission for All Users, I am unable to connect to the site. I get an incorrect password error, even when I have not entered any password during set up. I read, it is not supposed to ask for a password, and directly take you to the file directory, upon entering the ftp url.

I also have tried it through filezilla, same results.
Alternately, I have my own website, which I can access via ftp, but I need to enter a password. Any idea how I can upload a downloadble and not a password protected bin file there?

 

[rvcjew]

I don't know that I would have used fillzilla.

 

[four321zero]

I don't know that I would have used fillzilla.

Ok I thank you for the assist. Slartybart too. I've repeated the same steps as 2 days ago and got the router working. This time I'm not rebooting it till I find a permanent solution. Am still on the openwrt firmware but at least its working.

For anybody else with a bricked router on openwrt, I'll sum up what worked for me:

Change ip settings in LAN properties (not sure if its a required step, but won't take much time): go to IPV4 settings, select "use the following ip address", enter 192.168.1.9 , subnet mask: clicking in that field should automatically generate 255.255.255.0 . Leave the rest unchanged.

Boot router in failsafe:
To do this, connect your PC to the WAN port of your router with an ethernet cable. Keep the "wifi" switch on your router off. Then plug in your router power cable. At boot, the one LED comes on first, and after a few seconds the 2nd LED does a slow blink. As soon as you see that happen, press the "Reset" button on your router. This will cause the LEDs to remain in fast blink. This indicates you have entered failsafe mode.
**Different routers enter failsafe in different ways. Mine is TL-WR841N v8. Google failsafe mode for your router. In some routers, you need to connect your PC to the LAN port or LAN 1 port instead of WAN port. Also you might have a different button instead of RESET.

Once in failsafe mode
Click on Start in windows, run the command prompt "cmd" or run "telnet". For the CMD window type telnet 192.168.1.1
For the telnet window type open 192.168.1.1

After this, regardless of whether you opened cmd or telnet, rest of the steps remain the same.

-Define a password by typing passwd hit Enter
- type your password hit enter
- retype password hit enter.
These 3 steps did not work for me. But in case you are able to work with it, great.

Next step Kill the Openwrt firmware by typing mtd -r erase rootfs_data
At this point your router will reboot and after a while if you are connected to the WAN port in step 1, you would unfortunately lose connection. Anyway, don't let that bother you. Go back to your LAN properties and select "Automatically assign Ip" option in your ipv4 settings. Replug your ethernet cable to your LAN port. Put in your internet cable into the LAN port. Type 192.168.1.1 in your browser, the user name (root) and password fields should autopopulate so just hit Log in. And then follow your regular ISP settings to set up your internet connection.
The issue I still face is if I restore a backup file or reboot my router, it gets bricked again. So i'm going to keep it powered on forever lol.

Also what works instead of the command mtd -r erase rootfs_data you can alternately enter firstboot and you are likely to see a message on the lines of "root erased"or something. Then type reboot -f and hit Enter. Rest remains the same.


METHOD 2: Involves using FTP (I couldn't get it to work for me, but its worked for others)

1. Go to control panel, click on programs, programs and features and on the left panel click on 'Turn windows features on or off'
2. Enable the following the press OK:
- Internet information services
- Click on the + next to Internet information services and ensure FTP Server is ticked, and also the folders within FTP Server
- Near the bottom of the list enable 'Telnet Client'
Press OK and these will install.
3. Download the firmware file you want to switch to, lets say in this case lets call the file "841nv8.bin"
4. Create a folder anywhere on your PC and call it something like 'sysupgrade', and put the file you downloaded above into it.
5. Set your computer with static address 192.168.1.9 and subnet mask 255.255.255.0
6. Go back into control panel, go to system and security, administrative tools, and double click on 'Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager'
7. On the left you should see your PC name, expand that and right click on 'sites' and 'add ftp site'.
Enter any name you like and for the physical path select the folder you created earlier with the sysupgrade file inside.
Click next and set the IP Address to 192.168.1.9
Press 'Allow SSL' and leave everything else the same and click next
Under Authentication select Anonymous, and Authorization to All Users with Read Permissions. Click finish
8. To test this connection, open a web browser and enter
ftp://192.168.1.9
You should see the file
9. Disable windows firewall (important step. your router may not find the sysupgrade file with firewall enabled).
Unplug the router power cable. Boot in Failsafe mode (refer to the description above in the First method)


To get this file to the router you need to telnet to the router:
Open command prompt and enter: telnet 192.168.1.1
then you enter
cd /tmp
To get the file into this directory enter:
wget http://192.168.1.9/wr841nv8.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 wr841nv8.bin
Wait a few minutes. If successful, the router will reboot with the desired firmware.

If it doesn’t reboot, wait a few more minutes and repower the router, it should then allow access.