Ok let me start by saying I have read everything I can find on this, and watched countless YouTube videos. (if i hear one more dubbed music video I think i'll go crazy) I have even watch a few in languages i do not speak oping to see something I am missing. So please be kind here. I bought a tp-link Archer A7 .and installed a stock 10.1 Openwrt on it. It works fine in fact I am using it right now. Yesterday morning when I got up I could not log in to the unit. I have tried many times to get in to falesafe mode with no luck. I have tried both pressing the weps key on boot up and the reset key. and I have tried holding each of the buttons down during power up for ten seconds. But I always just get promoted for a password trying to ssh in. I even tried setting up a TFTP server to restore the router back to factory settings. but it never started the file transfer. I have tried all this on all 4 lan ports and with setting my local ip address to 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.0 10. but still nothing. But the router is working and it is a stock install. I have tried both fro my PI5 desktop and an old windows laptop. running windows 10. I'm just stuck. Thank you
which version of the A7 ?
wrong IP's for TFTP recovery - https://openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/archer_a7_v5#installation_using_the_tftp_method
Also important for all recovery is to connect only one cable and power (no usb, no wan)
First off Thank you. The sticker on the underside of the archer says Archer A7(US) Ver 5.8
I did set my local ip address to 192.168.0.66 when I tried to TFTP the unit back. I did this from a note book ruining windows 10 and used solerwinds. I tried it on all 4 lan ports. it just never started up.
Run wireshark, port is 1st or last LAN port.
for windows you may need a switch in between as it "detects" a "new network" seeing different gateway MAC
I only had one cat 5 cable in. and tried 2 cables out of desperation. lol
i am researching wireshark now Thank you
Unlikely cable suddenly broke, first check whether you get openwrt failsafe packet, depending on that try respective recovery
I did not think it was a bad cable but after a while you try anything. thank you
Well ok here is what I have going on now. I have my laptops IP address set to 192.168.0.66
I ha and one read request from ve solerwinds started with 1-p1[20220715-re119099]_-07-15_17.44.33.bin renamed as ArcherC7v5_tp_recovery.bin in the C:\TFTP-Root directory . I am over my head here i see a ton of broadcasts from 192.168.0.66 (my laptop) and one read request from 192.168.0.86 (the router I think) to 192.168.0.66. The read request is asking for ArcherC7v5_tp_recovery.bin. nothing seems to be happening on the solerwinds side. Understand I don't know whats going on here. My first time running wire shark. This is on lan port 4 (switch side) I did not see the read request on any others, I may have missed it. I only have the one cable pluged in. Thanks
I tried re downloading the firmware just to be safe i did see two red requests, also a ton of "who has 192.168.0.30? Not that i know what that is. I'm going off and read more about wire shark. thanks
Turn off the Windows Firewall and any third party firewalls. They will prevent the TFTP server from receiving the request. Wireshark intercepts packets before the firewall.
Mike Thank YOU!! IT is doing something! No clue how long it will take but at least it's moving!
Thank You and everyone. I have not used windows in 15 years or so. very old laptop. THANKS!
To every one.. I will let you all know.
OK with my laptop ip set to 192.168.0.66 windows firewall and defender off I hook a tested cat5 cable to the archer C7v5.8. start solarwinds, power on the router while holding in the reset button with a paperclip. Solarwinds displays the following:
TFTP conected from 192.168.0.86:1519 on 5/2/2025 7:57:10 Am.binary. Get.completed, file name:C:\TDTP-Root\ArcherC7v5_tp_recovery.bin
TFTP conected from 192.168.0.86:1519 on 5/2/2025 7:57:10 Am.binary. Get.started, file name:C:\TDTP-Root\ArcherC7v5_tp_recovery.bin file size: 15727744
But nothing ever happes to the router. I can't get in on 192.168.0.1 like tp-link syay to. when I go to 192.168.1.1 i get the opwnwrt log on page. I have tried this on all for lan ports. and let it sit for horus thinking it may need some time. From wire sharck (Not that I know what im looking at) it looks like its getting a file as i can see Acknowledgements up until block 10714 if that is of any use. Thanks
Make sure you're using the firmware for the same country that is marked on the router label. (though the A7 may have only US). The bootloader downloads the entire file to RAM then checks it for validity. If it does not pass nothing is flashed, the file is discarded and it continues by trying a normal boot again.
I'll have a look, at this point i'm not sure of anything Thank you.
Ok I was using ver 5.8 firm ware from TP-links web site it did not say US. The sticker on my router says Ver 5.8. II downloaded ver. 5.0 that said us in the name but i got the same results. same reports of acknowledgement from solar wind. "1106 Data Packet, Block; 10714 (last)" There are older versions of firm ware up there should I try them? And it goes with out saying Thank You again.
Guys At this Point I think the best thing is to write this one off. I would like to thank everyone for there help with this. I am going to order a new one from Amazon and try again. I think it's just a bad unit. Or not but it's above my pay-grade at this time. Thank you all that pitched in.
While the Archer A7 is a solid device with decent OpenWrt support, this is a really old platform by now… If you already own one, it's fine to keep using them for a few more years to come, but in 2025 you should really go for something better (and wifi 6 based) instead.
The Archer A7 is rather hard to kill (although you certainly can), so I would keep trying a little bit more - timing matters for push-button tftp. While serial console access would offer additional insight, this probably doesn't make sense for this device anymore (yes, the components are cheap, but soldering equipment is not - and the case not the easiest to open).