Information required about dual partitions on LinkSys WRT3200ACM

I have recently flashed my router to OpenWrt and soon after regretted it. It's not bricked, but there are too many problems with it, like for 1 the radio LEDs don't work. I have heard about the dual partitions on LinkSys but I don't know how they are used with respect to flashing new firmware. I flashed to OpenWrt from stock firmware using the LinkSys GUI, so what does that mean about the state of the dual partitions. Is the stock firmware on partition 1 and OpenWrt on the 2nd? Is there documentation about this? If I install LEDE using LEDE Sysupgrade, what partition will it go on and will the stock firmware still exist on the other?

Thanks.

Can you copy-paste stuff into shell?

If you do /usr/sbin/fw_printenv -n boot_part it will tell you which boot partition is currently active. Let's assume it will say 1. If you then run/usr/sbin/fw_setenv boot_part 2 it will set second partition as active and after the reboot you should be back to stock firmware.

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Here is a description and a small shell script I stuff in my builds. And the flash layout is here, also how to use the power switch to change partition that boots.

Hi Stangri, thanks for your help. I switched over the boot partition and rebooted and now I'm back to stock firmware. This whole experience has been a misery. I am going to return the rooter for a full refund. I'm sure the WRT3200ACM will be a good router, but there are still reliability problems with LinkSys stock firmware, OpenWrt (and I suppose by association LEDE) ad there are documented issues with DD-WRT. I am going to wait a few months until further development has been made with all firmwares, then buy the router again, once the firmware has matured beyond beta state. Cheers.

As a courtesy to the next passenger, please flash a stock firmware while you're booted to the stock partition. That should (afaik) flash stock firmware to a second partition and erase LEDE from it.

If you want to stick with the brand, you may want to try WRT1200AC/WRT1900AC series, they seem to be supported better. Or even EA8500 (although you may find lack of LEDs on it discouraging).

There are alternatives if you're not married to Linksys, you may want to formulate exactly what you need from the router and what do you need it for and ask for advice on the forum. You may be surprised, but one of the huge benefits of LEDE is that if you don't need the raw processing power (for running OpenVPN on your router for example), you might be very well off with the router which costs well within $100.

The primary reason for me choosing the WRT3200 was its speed, and ports in particular the USB2/estata and USB3 ports, which I was going to use a NAS to stream audio. At the moment, the WRT3200ACM falls well short of being able to do this, so I'm just going to go back to plan A and buy a QNAP NAS. When the firmware for the LinkSys improves I will buy it again (becasue afterall, I still want a modern AC capabale router which my Sky Broadband router is not capable of)
And as far as reflashing the alternative partition, how do I do this? I have a copy of the original LinkSys firmware for this model. Can I just use the GUI (Connectivity->Basic->Router Firmware Update->Manual) to load the same firmware and it will overwrite OpenWrt which is now inactive on the other partition? Thanks.

I believe so. It should then reboot to your freshly-flashed partition.

Thanks guy it works on switching on my Linksys WRT 1900AC V2.
Also after booting to stock and go to Admisni.. and restore to previous firmware boots to another partition without reset.

Stock Linksys WRT 1900AC V2 Boot to 2nd Partition from Stock Firmware- go to Admin.. and click restore to previous firmware.It will boot to another partition whatver you have flashed.

OpenWrt-To check Active Boot Partition type in SSH Puty to your router it will show 1 or 2.
/usr/sbin/fw_printenv -n boot_part

Boot to Alternate partition type 1 or 2

For Stock type 1
/usr/sbin/fw_setenv boot_part 1

For Custom Firmware Type 2
/usr/sbin/fw_setenv boot_part 2

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Thank you!
It works on my Linksys EA7500 v1 too!

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