Archer C7 V4 TFTP issues [Solved]

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

I was able to get into my Archer C7 v4 via serial connection. It is unresponsive and no lights are active (serial coms work fine). First is what i am getting from serial without trying to go into tftp recovery, the second is trying to do recovery. I have verified that the tftp server is functioning and able to serve the file, and that the filename is correct. I have also tried older revisions of the firmware. In wireshark it shows it requesting ArcherC7v4_tp_recovery.bin which is the name of the file residing on the tftp server, but it doesn't appear that any data is ever sent to 192.168.0.86 which is the C7's ip. The only thing showing up is the request from 192.168.0.86. I have tried tftpd & atftpd in linux and tftpd64 in windows.

"Normal" Boot

U-Boot 1.1.4 (Feb 19 2017 - 17:48:39)

ap152 - Dragonfly 1.0

DRAM:  128 MB
Top of RAM usable for U-Boot at: 88000000
Reserving 395k for U-Boot at: 87f9c000
Reserving 16448k for malloc() at: 86f8c000
Reserving 44 Bytes for Board Info at: 86f8bfd4
Reserving 36 Bytes for Global Data at: 86f8bfb0
Reserving 128k for boot params() at: 86f6bfb0
Stack Pointer at: 86f6bf98
Now running in RAM - U-Boot at: 87f9c000
Flash Manuf Id 0xc8, DeviceId0 0x40, DeviceId1 0x18
flash size 16MB, sector count = 256
Flash: 16 MB
Using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   ath_gmac_enet_initialize...
No valid address in Flash. Using fixed address
ath_gmac_enet_initialize: reset mask:c02200
athr_mgmt_init ::done
Dragonfly  ----> S17 PHY *
athrs17_reg_init: complete
SGMII in forced mode
athr_gmac_sgmii_setup SGMII done
: cfg1 0x80000000 cfg2 0x7114
eth0: 00:03:7f:09:0b:ad
eth0 up
eth0
Setting 0x181162c0 to 0x50a02100
factory boot check integer ok.
factory boot load fs uboot len 131072 to addr 0x80010000.
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
## Starting application at 0x80010000 ...


U-Boot 1.1.4 (Feb 19 2017 - 17:48:29)

ap152 - Dragonfly 1.0

DRAM:  128 MB
Top of RAM usable for U-Boot at: 88000000
Reserving 122k for U-Boot at: 87fe0000
Reserving 16448k for malloc() at: 86fd0000
Reserving 44 Bytes for Board Info at: 86fcffd4
Reserving 36 Bytes for Global Data at: 86fcffb0
Reserving 128k for boot params() at: 86faffb0
Stack Pointer at: 86faff98
Now running in RAM - U-Boot at: 87fe0000
Flash Manuf Id 0xc8, DeviceId0 0x40, DeviceId1 0x18
flash size 16MB, sector count = 256
Flash: 16 MB
Using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   ath_gmac_enet_initialize...
No valid address in Flash. Using fixed address
ath_gmac_enet_initialize: reset mask:c02200
athr_mgmt_init ::done
Dragonfly  ----> S17 PHY *
athrs17_reg_init: complete
SGMII in forced mode
athr_gmac_sgmii_setup SGMII done
: cfg1 0x80000000 cfg2 0x7114
eth0: 00:03:7f:09:0b:ad
eth0 up
eth0
Setting 0x181162c0 to 0x50a02100
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
## Booting image at 9f040000 ...
Bad Magic Number
ath>

Attempting TFTP Recovery

U-Boot 1.1.4 (Feb 19 2017 - 17:48:39)

ap152 - Dragonfly 1.0

DRAM:  128 MB
Top of RAM usable for U-Boot at: 88000000
Reserving 395k for U-Boot at: 87f9c000
Reserving 16448k for malloc() at: 86f8c000
Reserving 44 Bytes for Board Info at: 86f8bfd4
Reserving 36 Bytes for Global Data at: 86f8bfb0
Reserving 128k for boot params() at: 86f6bfb0
Stack Pointer at: 86f6bf98
Now running in RAM - U-Boot at: 87f9c000
Flash Manuf Id 0xc8, DeviceId0 0x40, DeviceId1 0x18
flash size 16MB, sector count = 256
Flash: 16 MB
Using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   ath_gmac_enet_initialize...
No valid address in Flash. Using fixed address
ath_gmac_enet_initialize: reset mask:c02200
athr_mgmt_init ::done
Dragonfly  ----> S17 PHY *
athrs17_reg_init: complete
SGMII in forced mode
athr_gmac_sgmii_setup SGMII done
: cfg1 0x80000000 cfg2 0x7114
eth0: 00:03:7f:09:0b:ad
eth0 up
eth0
Setting 0x181162c0 to 0x50a02100
run command setenv serverip 192.168.0.66;setenv ipaddr 192.168.0.86
run command tftp 0x80060000 ArcherC7v4_tp_recovery.bin
Trying eth0
dup 1 speed 1000
Using eth0 device
TFTP from server 192.168.0.66; our IP address is 192.168.0.86
Filename 'ArcherC7v4_tp_recovery.bin'.
Load address: 0x80060000
Loading: checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
checksum bad
T T Tftp server tranfer fail!
tftpboot firmware failed, now start normally.
factory boot check integer ok.
factory boot load fs uboot len 131072 to addr 0x80010000.
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
## Starting application at 0x80010000 ...
2

Assuming that you did successfully pull that file from another tftp client.......

  1. Try using all ( usually first or last ) LAN ports on the router
  2. Try using a crossover / direct cable connection
  3. Verify arp table listing for the router on the tftp server ( arp -a or similar ) if none or incorrect.... try setting a static one. Remember to remove it later!
  4. Try replacing the firmware file you have with a new one ( compatible! )

edit: may be some relevant info here: Archer C7 V4 brick on sysupgrade from Luci
Help required to revert to stock TP-Link Archer C7 V4 EU
( don't blindly follow! )

3

I dropped the ball. When i tested the tftp server i was only doing so locally (on the machine hosting the service) and did not check from another device. Turns out the issue has been on the server side all along. I had some kind of security enabled, i removed it and now the C7 is running factory firmware again.

4

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5

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