I am using a DIR-885L A2.
I was successfully using 23.05.2 with extroot. I tried to flash 24.10.4, and it failed.
Since then, I can flash the OEM image, and it boots fine, remembering all the settings. However, when I try any version of OpenWrt, it flashes successfully, but becomes unresponsive after boot.
Could there be some kind of corruption on the router? How would I go about reinstalling OpenWrt?
Thank you for your assistance
Probably a good read: https://openwrt.org/toh/d-link/dir-885l#installation
I have used that guide exclusively, but it doesn't give any information for when the image succeeds, but the device doesn't respond.
This is all very vague. Details matter. If 24.10.4 failed, what symptoms did you observe, did you carry any configs over, . . .
Then there is "flashes successfully, unresponsive after boot" ???
Unlikely given that you can flash the OEM image and it boots. Can you explain "remembering all settings"?
What method did you use, have you updated the OEM firmware image version that might have introduced unintended consequences, any process messages recieved, . . .
You can't document a hypothetical scenario.
I flashed 24.10.4 the DIR-885L using recovery mode from Google Chrome on a Mac Mini M2. The flash said that the image completed and the router rebooted.
Once it rebooted, it isn’t accessible from the computer. DHCP does not work and I cannot connect to the router.
I then thought it may be due to Chrome, so I tried flashing from Safari using the OEM image (DIR885LA1_FW115b02). This flashed successfully and when the router rebooted, DHCP worked. I opened the configuration page and couldn’t log in with the default admin password, but my old password from before I flashed OpenWrt the first time worked.
Once in the configuration, I noticed that all the settings were still there (DHCP, DNS, PPPoE, WiFi, etc).
So, I tried to flash again using recovery mode to install OpenWrt. Although it says the image was successfully installed, every time the router reboots, DHCP is not working and I cannot access the router (I tried 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1).
I have tried flashing 23.05.2 up to 23.05.6 and also 24.10.2 up to 24.10.4. All of these images flash successfully, but upon reboot there is no DHCP or access using manual IP addresses.
Incidentally, I can update the OEM image using the update firmware page inside 115 to DIR885LA1_FW120b02, but recovery mode also fails if I install 120 directly.
One commonality I see - you flashed -- 23.05.2, 23.05.3, 23.05.4, 23.05 5, 23.05.6, 24.10.2, 24.10.3, and 24.10.4 and all of these images flash successfully, but upon reboot there is no DHCP or access using static IP addresses. And you can also flash OEM image that works more or less OOTB without issue.
Can you post your flash process from start to finish along with any messages returned. I can't help but think something is being missed when flashing OpenWrt.
What do you mean "I tried 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1”. As your gateway or your PC Client IP?
OpenWrt by default enables a DHCP Server instance on boot, maybe try setting a static IP?
In your PC Connection Manager for a Static IP connection, use something like:
As long as you are running on firmware v1.15 that will allow the Recovery Mode to run. Later firmwares require decryption first.
Flash method: D-Link Recovery mode as described here: https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/installation/recovery_methods/d-link_recovery_gui.
Since it is recovery mode, the only message is "Flash successful"
For each, I have set:
To me it sounds like the Openwrt image is somehow wrong, so the router does not actually boot. Note that the wiki mainly talks about hardware version A1. Not sure if your A2 actually works. (But as you say, 23.05.x worked for you, so that is the curious part)
Alternatively, the flashing somehow fails, despite the message about ok. Those recovery flash routines are so small that there is not much verification logic or verbosity.
You recover by flashing OEM image, which then works. Many OEM firmwares store settings separately from root file system to another partition, and OpenWrt typically leaves those partitions unused in any case, so the old OEM settings do survive there.
(By default, OpenWrt would be in 192.168.1.1 and without active WiFi, and without password.)
You may need to connect a serial cable to the header inside the router to see actual boot messages. Otherwise there is just guesswork.
The link here: indicates the process should:
Re-reading the wiki, I notice this section specifically aimed at the A2 variant
Have you followed the above?
That is for after the OpenWrt flash, right?
But OP does not even get the OpenWrt running ,so no possibility to use apk/opkg later to install something...
Right you are. Before coffee. I was relying on https://openwrt.org/toh/d-link/dir-885l#supported_versions and just linked to the V2 section.
From what I see, the V2 device never was supported, and based on a forum search for the V2 device, I think the wiki was updated largely based on anecdotal successful flashing.