[Solved] Bricked DL-WRX36 Install after following instructions

[sulwh]

Hello,

I was trying to install OpenWRT on my DL-WRX36 router. I followed the instructions here (Dynalink DL-WRX36 Install - #68 by S7venLights) because the wikipedia entry here (https://openwrt.org/toh/dynalink/dl-wrx36) said it was "a detailed guide on how to install OpenWRT via SSH".

However, one of the instructions bricked my router, specifically:

This can be applied in OpenWrt using each of these 3 commands :
1.
fw_setenv bootcmd 'run openwrtusb; run openwrtboot'
2.
fw_setenv openwrtboot 'setenv bootargs console=ttyMSM0,115200n8 ubi.mtd=rootfs rootfstype=squashfs rootwait; ubi part fs; ubi read 0x44000000 kernel; bootm [0x44000000#config@rt5010w-d350-rev0](mailto:0x44000000#config@rt5010w-d350-rev0)'
3.
fw_setenv openwrtusb 'usb start && fatload usb 0:1 0x44000000 openwrt-ipq807x-generic-dynalink_dl-wrx36-initramfs-uImage.itb && bootm 0x44000000'

I understand now that it was a different set of instructions from the wiki, which had:

 This can be done in OpenWrt using SSH:

fw_setenv bootcmd 'run openwrtusb; run openwrtboot'
fw_setenv openwrtboot 'setenv bootargs console=ttyMSM0,115200n8 ubi.mtd=rootfs rootfstype=squashfs rootwait; ubi part fs; ubi read 0x44000000 kernel; bootm 0x44000000#config@rt5010w-d350-rev0'
fw_setenv openwrtusb 'usb start && fatload usb 0:1 0x44000000 openwrt-ipq807x-generic-dynalink_dl-wrx36-initramfs-uImage.itb && bootm 0x44000000'

After rebooting, my router will not work and is now stuck on a purple led. That mailto part really messed it up.

Is this router still recoverable? If so, how?

[ncompact]

I don't have this router...

you will have to open the router and access via serial (as per the guide)

​https://openwrt.org/toh/dynalink/dl-wrx36#serial

Dynalink DL-WRX36 Askey RT5010W IPQ8072A technical discussion

@QatarMo and @sampson I already shared it here: Dynalink DL-WRX36 Askey RT5010W IPQ8072A technical discussion - #693 by missingcharacter. Thank you for this context. I just recovered my device; I just entered the commands "blindly" by following the timing (someone said it takes 20 seconds for the u-boot menu to show up) Note: Please read instructions before you attempt them, also, try to be as calm as you can because typing stuff blindly is not fun The steps are below: Connect to serial/…

[sulwh]

I've tried connecting via the serial on putty (115200, no flow control, and the right COM port), but the putty window remains black. It doesn't seem like anything is happening and it is just hanging.

[hecatae]

You have USB recovery available as the first boot command is for Openwrt USB.

Have you got initramfs on a fat32 formatted USB drive?

[sulwh]

Let me try running it from usb

EDIT: Oh man, it runs from usb just fine thank god.

I've gone ahead and typed in:

fw_setenv openwrtboot 'setenv bootargs console=ttyMSM0,115200n8 ubi.mtd=rootfs rootfstype=squashfs rootwait; ubi part fs; ubi read 0x44000000 kernel; bootm 0x44000000#config@rt5010w-d350-rev0'

Hopefully that fixes it.

EDIT2: That absolutely fixed it. Thanks for the obvious tip. I somehow thought that the USB recovery didn't work because I messed up.