It seems i've rushed the install and used "openwrt-ramips-rt288x-f5d8235v1-squashfs-sysupgrade"  from. http://downloads.openwrt.org/attitude_a … ps/rt288x/
i foolishly thought it must be a custom image , and haven't paid enough attention to the fact that it says : SYSUPGRADE.
After i messed the poor router i found out that post : http://klseet.com/index.php/tl-wr1043nd … to-openwrt which contained some information about the "factory" and "sysupgrade" since that wasn't easy to find on the openwrt site . :-/

Now i'm stuck - tried this , it isn't a TP link though it should work , right ?!?!
http://klseet.com/index.php/tl-wr1043nd … to-factory

The router's dhcp doesn't work - tried 192.168.1.* and 192.168.2.* .
NO luck so far getting up via telnet - and tftp seems not functional as well .
The lights on the unit seem to have some pattern , so i guess, it isn't bricked , .but what could i do !?

PLEASE help.

That's nonsense. If the DHCP works, it just assigns an IP address. You can't 'try a range'.

You can try to use Wireshark to see if there is any announcement from the router, try another LAN port (in case the switch chip is acting up) try the WAN port, try a serial cable.

Massive thanks , Mijzelf - nice to know you're not alone .
Thank you for your time.

What i meant was that i scanned those ranges - no activity there.
DHCP seams not to getting up. :-/ I want to find the source for the sysupgrade binary so that i could get an idea what to expect .
Looking at the LEDs it seams as if there's got to be a process of some kind going on . But whether there should be a failsafe option or not - i can not tell - from here http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/belkin/f5d8235-4 all i can tell is that - there's got to be an awfully small time frame in which the router listens on telnet.

If serial is the only solution - damn . stupid mistake - bad luck choosing the binary .

Could someone say whether there is failsafe after flashing directly an SYSUPGRADE  ???

Anyone - PLEASE help!

I don't know whether the router listens , or all i am left with is braking the package and soldering things hoping to get into the boot loader ??
if the router isn't bricked and there's still a chance to telnet into it - please if someone knows - tell me what should i do !?
Thank you, all !

The rt8366s switch doesn't work in 12.09 branch. You must open the case following instruction  https://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?id=21998, then solder console pins as described http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/belkin/f5d8235-4. After that you should be able get boot loader prompt and flash last original firmware f5d8235v1_ww_1.01.28.bin via tftp, but before that you need to cut firmware header with hexeditor to 27 05 19. I hope this help you de brick this router.

But mine router is probably the very first version - v1 with Ralink RT2880 - relying on separate wireless and switch.??
it is this one https://wikidevi.com/wiki/Belkin_F5D8235-4_v1 . based, i think on RT2880 ?

And what gave me wings : http://downloads.openwrt.org/attitude_a … ps/rt288x/
here it is - the  12.09 beta version with the very model listed . the very version one . and it has a custom upgrade file ??

It must work , am i right ? Does this change anything  or is the braking and soldering of things the only way to go about it ?

I thought it should work with this particular openwrt version 12.09  -beta .
Now i don't know how to go for the serial pins - here they should be somehow - top left corner "J6" but i'm not sure. :S https://wikidevi.com/w/images/c/c7/Belk … rd_top.jpg
There are no pins soldered as it could be seen on this one http://download.dsmg600.info/people/sal … _board.jpg .

Thank you in advance !

Oh !, i get it - you've meant the  Switch: Realtek RTL8366SR . Oh , boy , then why there is an 12.09 upgrade - i don't get it .
Guess i'm out of luck - is there any openWRT version that will work for this model ?