I'm struggling on installing OpenWRT on the Netgear WAX214v2 AP. I see that some users (@thr33 or @hedzwillroll for example) succeed with nmrpflash but impossible on my side. I have the latest factory firmware and I'm not able to make it boot in recovery mode (tftp)
What I feel strange is that in the procedure the IP os the ap is 192.168.0.1 however on my AP the default IP is 192.168.0.100 ... Maybe something wrong here.
I'm trying to flash from a Linux laptop, I have no Windows
What exactly are your network settings? I can’t test with my WAX214v2 now because it’s in active use, but I wrote previously that it defaulted to the IP 192.168.1.1 (when reset). Have you tried moving your laptop on to a 192.168.1.0/24 IP? Also, how are you physically connecting to the AP? You should use a switch between the AP and your laptop, so that your laptop can be plugged in with a properly configured network before the AP switches on or you may run in to timing issues.
The thing is I don't see anything with tcpdump coming from the AP so strange. I do not use VLAN too. The AP si connected to my laptop directly (I don't think a switch is required but I can try)
nmrpflash can be tricky. I have used it on several different devices and noticed that each device react differently. Documentation tells to power up THAN launch the command. That is no true for some device.
Try different timings between powering up and lauching, try powering before launching and after launching. Ideally, monitor the boot with a serial link, you'll be able to catch precisely when the device is waiting for the nmrpflash command.
Last but not least, the flashing process may not be finished when the reboot message appears. Hence you'll reboot a partial firmware, it'll brick (experienced on a WNR3700v2). Wait 1min before rebooting. Here again the serial link can show the flashing progress in action.
Final word is that nmrpflash have always worked and let me recovered devices from extreme desperate situation.
I finally managed to make it work!
It required a switch because of I did not used a cross cable. I was thinking that the laptop's interface would do the trick but it seems not.
Thanks !
