Hi there, I'm creating this topic for fellow WNDR4500v3 users. I had this problem and solved it. The problem is similar to Netgear WNDR4500v3 - Bootloop after first reboot which cannot be posted anymore.
After installation and some reboot or short power breaks the device gets into a bootloop. So now an tutorial for solving and installing correctly:
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Get "nmrpflash" via github. This is THE tool for repairing corrupted netgear routers (worked better than netcups original support advices).
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You need to install npcap-1.31 with winpcp legacy for the program to get the need libaries.
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Download the original firmware which is e.g. "WNDR4500v3-V1.0.0.58.img".
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Rightclick with pressed shift in your folder in which you have all the tools stored and click on powershell.
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do
.\nmrpflash.exe -L
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poweroff your router with powerclickbutton (you should be connected with lancable)
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do
.\nmrpflash.exe -i net12 -f .\WNDR4500v3-V1.0.0.58.img
BUT changed net12 accordingly to what you saw in the last command with -L. After that turn on power on router again and let it work. When command prompt says it power of and power on the router again. -
Now you can get to your normal router software.
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Download e.g. netgear_wndr4500-v3-squashfs-factory.img from https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/21.02.1/targets/ath79/nand/ (see if there is newer realse than 21.02.1). And use that file when doing the firmware update with the original netgear router software.
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After installing openwrt this way go and set a password and ssh and connect via ssh (using e.g. putty) to e.g. 192.168.1.1 (or what s your adress) and the set login (root and your password).
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do via ssh
cd /tmp
andwget https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/21.02.1/targets/ath79/nand/openwrt-21.02.1-ath79-nand-netgear_wndr4500-v3-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin
(again maybe set other newer version). you may check hashes like described in https://openwrt.org/de/docs/guide-user/installation/generic.sysupgrade . -
then do via ssh
sysupgrade -v /tmp/openwrt-21.02.1-ath79-nand-netgear_wndr4500-v3-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin
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you will disconnect and wait some minutes. After that power of and power on.
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you should be able to use your router fine now.
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disable ssh access via browser with lucy (disallow root and generll passwort logins)
explanation/rationale: the installation via firmware upgrade via original router software probably does the installation not completeley correctly. By doing a sysupgrade we do it correctly.
For completion: I also did editing /etc/config/network and on lan interface changed ipaddr to '192.168.2.1' and service network reload
, see https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/base-system/basic-networking. It was before or after sysupgrade thing, don't know anymore, but i don't think that was the thing fixing it (but if the above didn't you can try with that).
Maybe for the future: If you have e.g. trouble with reset button or something, you can edit or remove by editing script file /etc/rc.button/reset .
Hope this is a shortcut for all other 4500v3 users (and maybe other people ).
Cheers.