Are you saying that because you think I have them connected backwards or because sometimes they're mislabeled on the device(s)?
doesn't matter, you can't really break anything by swapping them.
if you want to simply test your USB TTL, short the Tx and Rx pins, and you should be able to see your own typing in the serial term app.
serial term app?
Can you guys explain this to me like I don't have any experience? Because I don't have any experience 
I hate to be the one to just say 'search' it -- but this is all basic microcontroller interface stuff, not specific to this AP or even APs in general. Please take a little time to dig on it, you will learn more in the long run I promise vs us just telling you step by step what to do.
Here is a site I found that seems informative on the subject: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/terminal-basics/all
I'm happy to weigh in on the more specific items for this particular model that doesn't have 1000's of information pages across the internet on it, but this stage of the process is pretty generic.
Okay I understand that.
My biggest issue right now is just getting it to show up in Putty. You mention having to nab the boot loader. Is there an order to plug things in and click connect in PUtty?
you can get output from it after it boots, just have to it enter a couple of times -- you just won't be able to load the new firmware as it will be the wavlink firmware.
you can click connect in putty even before you "connect it" and you should get some random 'noise' in putty during the physical 'connection' process.
you only have 3 lines, ground, rx, tx (receive, transmit)
you want to hook the AP tx to your cable's rx, because you are receiving the data from the AP. But since we know which one ground is, you have a 50/50 chance of getting it right, flip them if it doesn't work the first time.
if it doesn't work after flipping then something else is your issue.
AS frollic said, if you connect the rx wire to tx wire on your cable, when you type into putty, you should see it pop back up on your screen. if that doesn't even work then you have something with with your usb/putty setup not quite working right.
Okay I've got Putty spitting out "MeshLink Login:"
What's my next step?
there you go. now you're at the point you can load it.
it's time to set up a tftp server, compile your own image or use the one I linked a few posts back. you need the -initramfs image for this stage
if you're not familiar with the tftp portion......here's a guide https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/troubleshooting/tftpserver
Okay I'll move forward with the TFTP server, but can you provide links to the files you provided up above? Some of the links are broken.
most APs run OpenWRT in some form...usually with custom drivers/modifications
you'd be surprised at where you'll find openwrt.
Let me find a better file host for the files
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here's the initramfs file to load with tftp
will be a few mins before I have the one to flash from that point
Can you point me in the direction of the TFTP server app you used in Windows?
I'm on linux...haven't done the windows thing since MS showed how little they cared about users with Windows 10
do you have an Ip address configured on you network interface in windows that the AP is connected to?
also I'm just now realizing that IP addresses are being mentioned. This might by a stupid question, but does the unit have to be actually connected to my network along with the PC hosting the TFTP server? And then have the same gateway IP?
they both need to be on the same network, whether it's via a switch/wifi or directly connected with a cable