Linksys E3000 reboot loop

Installing and Using OpenWrt
#1

I have tried to installed LEDE 17.01.2 on my Linksys E3000.

While I configured the router via the web GUI. I got a crash, and since then the router is in a permanent reboot loop.

So I have tried to follow the recovery instructions (30/30/30 hard reset, 5 seconds reset after power on, tftp upload). But, none of the recovery steps was successful.
Does anydoes has some advice to get the router recovered?

Linksys E3000 update documentation with common problems
#2

Try entering the generic failsafe mode (if your router has a button to press)
https://lede-project.org/docs/user-guide/failsafe_and_factory_reset

Ps. There is no 30/30/30 reset in Openwrt/LEDE. That advice is generally from ancient times with dd-wrt etc. for routers that had "shortable" nvram memory modules (instead of modern flash, where all settings are normal files).

(not quite sure if the router-specific failsafe advice for https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt610n#failsafe_mode works for you as the Linksys E3000 is based on the same hardware as the Linksys WRT610N v2.0 with changes to the CFE.

And in LEDE it is ssh always, not telnet)

Hooray for LEDE/OpenWrt VLANs! [No problem, just a happy story!]
#3

Thank you hnyman.
Both procedures does not work for me. I am still not able to ssh to the box. Also got the router in the reboot loop.
Otherwise I have tested the interrupt recovery and got the router with a ping TTL=100. But, upload via tftp is not posible, also no ssh or any other open port.

#4

See my contributions to this thread -- I will stress that it should be a method of last resort and could end up physically and permanently damaging your E3000 if not done correctly. I don't recommend this method for any other router, but like you, I have been in situations with the E3000 where nothing else will work and it would otherwise be heading to the E-Waste bin.

FWIW, I don't think that the failsafe mode works at all on the E3000, even when things are 'normal' (i.e. not bricked).

Proceed with caution, but if you go for it, good luck!

#5

Using the serial console to invoke (not prematurely size limited-) tftp transfers works reliably, without the huge risk of damaging the flash chip.

#6

Thank you for the assistance.
With shoritng pin 8 and 9 I was able to upload a firmware image via tftp.

But, it seems that the enableing of the wireless is the root cause. After enable wireless - with the actual stable lede release - the router will go into a reboot loop.

#7

Any hints, why the activation of the wireless causes the OS to crash?
I guess a it's a problem within the WIFI drivers.

#8

Bump.
Any hints?

#9

It may well be...

The OpenWRT wiki states that the E3000 is only supported on "14.07 with limited wireless performance" .

It also states that a "proprietary broadcom-wl driver can be tested for better performance".

#10

Hi there.
I know this is a very old topic, but today I was able to interrupt the rebooting loop without opening nor reflashing my E3000.
The procedure was as follow:

  • Connect E3000 LAN1 port directly to PC (I'm using Debian, btw)
  • Configure ethernet device in PC with 192.168.1.2 (i.e. as root, do ip addr add 192.168.1.2/24 dev enp1s0, where enp1s0 is the name of pc ethernet interface)
  • In a console, write the command "ssh -l root 192.168.1.1 rmmod b43" but do not press Enter key.
  • Power on E3000
  • Wait until wifi led turns on (this is the step when boot fails and make it reboot).
  • Very quickly, press Enter in the console to launch ssh command and login into E3000. If you have to enter the password (I was using RSA passwords), you must be very fast.
    Luckly, the command will remove the b43 module and will allow booting normally.
  • Then, you can log in E3000 again, blacklist b43 module and disable wifi. It should boot normally again.

Good luck!

#11

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