I have a TP-Link RE200 v1 extender running OpenWrt for the past few years. The device seems to be "bricked" after flashing the sysupgrade file for 23.05.3 (it was running 22.03.6). I selected the default option to "preserve" system settings. I waited ten minutes and when the Wi-Fi didn't come back, I did a hard reset. It didn't work. I tried a few more times, and it doesn't seem to work at all. The power indicator is on (does not blink), and when I insert an ethernet cable that indicator also turns on. But there is no connection and I can't login to LuCI.
You need to do firstbootYou need to enter failsafe mode in failsafe mode and do factory reset as detailed:
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/troubleshooting/failsafe_and_factory_reset#entering_failsafe_mode
vendor reset like powerring on holding button is vor OEM firmware, not OpenWRT
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Thanks. I tried two of the methods to enter failsafe mode but am unable to do it. The indicator doesn't blink at all, it immediately turns on and stays on.
wiki> Flashing this relatively big file takes some time, so be patient.
if you were not it bricked.
Basic behaviour is that LED switches off when OpenWRT kernel starts, then blinks fast while failsafe prompt appears, then blinks slow while init scripts proceed, then stays on when OpenWRT is running.
There is nothing you can do, as wiki indicates you need serial connection (5cm from mains power 
) to trigger tftp recovery.
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dang...never had this problem before. i thought ten minutes would be sufficient but apparently not. i am now scared of upgrading my main router which has been on openwrt since lede 17.xx.
Ooomph... Check if vendor recovery is reachable without serial there...
seemingly not lol. there is something about a "serial console" that requires opening the case and is beyond my rudimentary skills. little thing had a good run.
I'm not sure if the RE200 actually works with 23.05. I received a similar report a few days ago via E-Mail, but that was an initial installation.
I do not use my RE200 v1's anymore, but I've got two or three that are already open somewhere in the basement. If I don't forget, I can check on the weekend with serial console what's going on here.
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oh well i should have just stayed on 22.03 haha
It works (v4 hw) but flasing took over 20min
besides it never worked right.
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23.05.2->3 upgrade took 800 missed pings, slightly more seconds
I have the same issue. Updated my device today from a version from the beginning of the year to 23.05.4 and now it seems bricked.
on my v2 and v4 device the upgrade worked seamlessly.
Is there a good beginners step by step guide for the serial adapter? I have one here but have only Arduino experience.
V1 has remarkably slow flash, sysupgrade or factory intall takes in ballpark of 15 minutes without any feedback via LEDs or anything.
First try to boot it and enter failsafe mode:
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/troubleshooting/failsafe_and_factory_reset#entering_failsafe_mode
i.e connect cable with wireshark or tcpdump running just in case something comes - if config is wrong failsafe mode can reset it
Wiki page has rather dangerous description on there to connect serial pins next to live mains prongs (not providing link because of that)
Thanks for the fast reply. Already tried the failsafe mode, but no success like mentioned above. The device goes from "all LEDs on" to "only power LED on"
Attached my computer with wireshark and I don't see a singe packet from the device.
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And I was waiting for more then one hour, before unpowered the device when I upgraded it
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I am honestly amazed that official 23.05.x images for re200v1 are still up. I fully understand this is voluntary work done on free time and comes with no guarantees, but even after reports of this version bricking devices and the original maintainer saying he is not sure if the version actually works, the images continue to stay up. When I suggested the images should be taken down (which I can't imagine would take more than a couple of minutes) I was asked to submit a request with "reasoning" for why it should be done...
This forum is full of threads with claims that OpenWrt has bricked the device while, in fact, it was a user mistake. Nobody provided a log file or objective evidence that the image really doesn't work. Yes, there is a possibility that it simply ran out of its very limited flash memory, but we do not know this for sure. And 23.05.1 seems to work, so it's not the 23.x series per se. And yes, there is live voltage inside, but if you don't dare to open it, then OpenWrt shouldn't have been installed in the first place. I shouldn't have written this OpenWrt Image Tool, it made installation too easy.
And, did you submit a request for disabling the build?
My honest opinion on this topic is that OpenWrt has provided this small device with a life span several years longer than intended by the manufacturer. With the next release of OpenWrt, it won't be supported any longer (due to 8MB flash/64MB RAM). It is really time for a hardware upgrade.
There is nothing to get amazed about. 10 years ago all routers were flaky like this one, with dozen places user could make a mistyping for a nice soft brick.
That's not true. As shitty as these devices are, they run for ages on stock firmware. I have used LEDE/OpenWrt without issues for years but this was a wake-up call to not fix what ain't broken.
No, I should have but guess I threw a tantrum because your reply came across as dismissive in the other thread. Which I do get, having to deal with other types of stupid people, but it was not a user error and I didn't blame anyone when I created this thread or commented on the other thread. It was a genuine report and I think the responsible thing would be to take down those images, whether someone files an official request or not.
Can't argue there. I had to use tftp for some older routers but this one was far too easy haha. Thinking about it I don't even understand why I flashed OpenWrt on a bunch of routers to begin with. Keeping security aside, these devices are so shitty that you can't do anything on them besides running the base OpenWrt setup. Going forward I will only "tinker" with routers that have decent specs and is a popular pick that's confirmed to work.
It took a while to find my RE200 v1 in the basement, but I found it.
It was on stock, I flashed an old 22.03.x image I had lying around - worked fine. Then I sysupgraded to 23.05.0, everything went fine and it worked.
Next, I tried 23.05.4, the flash went fine, but the system is stuck at "Starting kernel ...". Searching for the error message, the same issue is also present on the RE210v1 as reported here.
This is good and bad news: Good, because it's not 23.05 that's causing the issue, but a rather recent kernel change since, according to the github message, 22.03.7 doesn't work either. Bad, because when going over the commits between 23.05.2 and 23.05.3 and between 22.03.6 and 22.03.7, I have no idea what might have caused this.
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