Bricked WNDR4300V1

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Hello. I bricked this device during try to revert to original firmware. I'm not capable of using recovery with tftp. Uboot looks corrupted. Any idea how I can try to rescue it with serial?

dump from console: https://pastebin.com/jjn0iGhB Everything before is quite unreadable.

2

U-boot is definitely working, you are seeing Linux booting. The random errors in the output suggest a problem with the serial hardware connection, but then it clears up when the Linux port driver takes over. That is strange.

Netgear TFTP recovery is very easy to use-- you only need a TFTP client on your PC, which is even included with Windows 10 though you have to go to the control panel and enable it.

1 Like
3

That's what strange. I was doing whats in manual step by step. After few tries I've checked packets with Wireshark. PC is asking with ARP for owner of address by not getting an answer. I've tried with tftp server. With that router is constantly asking with ARP for owner of address, getting an response from owner and after that asking again. This cycle repeat forever like while(true).

4

If it's like other Netgear models:

  • Enter TFTP recovery by turning on the power with the reset button held down. Keep holding the button until the power LED blinks orange (normally it's green).
  • Static IP your PC to 192.168.1.25/24 (anything 192.168.1.X except 1). Connect Ethernet cable to one of the LAN ports.
  • The router is a TFTP server at 192.168.1.1. It will not respond to pings or DHCP requests.
  • Use a TFTP client to PUT the file to 192.168.1.1. Be sure to use binary mode.
  • Router should accept the file, flash it and reboot.
5

In this model it blinks green in recovery mode. Set IP with netmask. Result on a screenshot.

Zrzut%20ekranu%20(2)
Zrzut ekranu (2).png1920×1080 191 KB

6

Any ideas whats going wrong? Or different solution?