Hi guys

I really need help, since I've been reading wiki and this forum but I can't make my TP Link 1043 to work again

so the story in oder :

1. I look at open wrt and I think this is very cool, so I upgrade my TPLink wr1043nd to openwrt-ar71xx-tl-wr1043nd-v1-squashfs-factory.bin using "Firmware Upgrade" from the orginal firmware.
2. After reboot it wont run, I can't telnet /ping , so I tried using failsafe mode (http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/generic.failsafe)
3. It worked and i can ping/telnet 192.168.1.1

since I was noob I don't know what to do, but nevertheless I tried belows telnet command (in order):

4. mount_root
5. passwd -> successfully changed the original root password
5. firstboot
6. mtd -r erase rootfs_data

reboot the router, but I still not able to ping/telnet the 192.168.1.1
so I tried random solution (again I'm very very noob at this)

7. mtd -r write openwrt-ar71xx-tl-wr1043nd-v1-squashfs-factory.bin firmware
but the telnet said : couldn't open image file

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
what should I do?
should I mount the firmware again? if yes, how could I do that?
I'm really confused and been trying to fix this more than 5 hour by my self

thanks in advance,

After the reboot when flashing using Firmware Update did you give it enough time to complete the initial boot up (few minutes?) or after the mtd -r erase rootfs_data did you allow it to complete?

I suggest you do the mtd -r erase rootfs_data again and have ping 192.168.1.1 running then wait at least a few minutes after the reboot and hopefully after that time the ping will reply and you can telnet in.

Also which version of OpenWRT image did you use?

I have a WR1043ND v1.8 and backfire 10.03.1 final worked fine:

http://downloads.openwrt.org/backfire/10.03.1/ar71xx/

Thx for the reply, i use the latest firmware like u did. Maybe my fault is that i was in hurry. I'll try your solution right now

I wait mtd erase until finished
Update : after I wait for 10minutes, the ping are always failed "destination host unreachable"
Telnet : "could not open connection to the host"

Are there anything else I should do?

(Last edited by blasev on 22 Apr 2012, 13:55)

You booted router in failsafe mode and did:

telnet 192.168.1.1

mount_root
mtd -r erase rootfs_data

The router reboots after the erase and during normal boot you only see destination unreachable?

Your network adapter is using DHCP to get an IP from the router during failsafe and normal boot?

Is there somehow a DHCP problem during normal boot?

Yes I use

Mount_root
Mtd -r erase rootfs_data

Yes and no
I use manual ip address on pc (192.168.1.2) while failsafe mode, since using automatic won't give me succesfull telnet
After reboot, I tried using both DHCP and manual IP address (192.168.1.2), but still unable to connect

Thx for helping me, but since my knowledge are very little, please be patient with me

Without a serial you cannot see what is wrong.

Perhaps you could boot failsafe and with telnet you can create a working /etc/config/wireless using vi and reboot to normal boot and see if wireless works?

Here is the basic WR1043ND wireless config:

config wifi-device  radio0
        option type     mac80211
        option channel  11
        option macaddr  xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
        option hwmode   11ng
        option htmode   HT20
        list ht_capab   SHORT-GI-40
        list ht_capab   DSSS_CCK-40

config wifi-iface
        option device   radio0
        option network  lan
        option mode     ap
        option ssid     OpenWrt
        option encryption none

Replace the xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx with the mac address on the sticker on the bottom of the router.

Ok I'm lost.

I use failsafe mode again

Than using telnet

Mount_root
Config wifi-device radio0
.... /bin/ash: config not found

Am I doing it wrong?

You should read up on how to use vi. It is an editor built into OpenWRT. To edit /etc/config/wireless you would boot to failsafe and do:

telnet 192.168.1.1

vi /etc/config/wireless

To edit with vi you press 'i' and then type whatever you want and to exit edit mode you press 'Esc'.

To exit vi and save you first exit edit mode with 'Esc' and then you do ':' to enter command mode and type 'wq' and to abandon changes and quit you do ':' and then 'q!'.

If only the setting of the mac address is needed, it would be easer to just invoke a uci command:

uci set wireless.radio0.macaddr=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
uci commit wireless

thx again, I've done what you told, the result in the telnet :

then I turn off and turn on the router, but the wlan is LED is not blinking. and I've got no wireless lan

(Last edited by blasev on 22 Apr 2012, 16:35)

for me is totally useless trying to use wireless if ethernet is not working (except for filesafe mode) -.-

you should try to reflash, or maybe return to stock, reset, reflash openwrt..

If it was possible to reflash without serial we would suggest it.

What version of WR1043ND is it?

Perhaps post here the contents of /etc/config/network?

Please define "it wont run". No power? Or you just could not perform firstboot?
Did your PC get an IP address via DHCP?

So were able to perform firstboot and you did. Good.
Please install LuCI while you are at it: LuCI

Did you have a password problem?

Not "still", but "once again" you are not able to. Since you didn't get the chance to change the configuration, a mystery.

Why do you keep saying this?

How did you manage to connect to the router? Failsafe again? In failsafe, DHCP is deactivated.
Did you download an image?

I have a couple if ideas...

The problem is, I do not believe you. I think, your "problem" is invented. Not real. It doesn't sound real. Are you bored?

Hi orca

No, my problem is not invented
You see, I'm genuinely stupid at linux. The first linux for me is puppy linux, and i don't know how to use "sudo" until now.

So I'll try to explain again. I can flash my router, but after that I was shock that wlan dont run. After some reading, i know that was normal. So i tried to connect using wan cable. Then assuming it already has luci, I just run web interface, it wont run and confused again. And after some more reading, i know that's normal again.

So i try to ping my router, but no reply. Reading failsafe mode and trying for some hours, until I really get what was that. Finally i can use it. But i was very confused what to do after i get failsafe to run. So i come here.

Thanks for the idea, i'll try to install luci, after i got home. The truth is that i dont undertand. Shouldn't I download luci, then install it? Or it already included in original firmware flash?

Thx to all for helping me, i sry but i dont even understand half of what you all said. But i'll be fast learner. Snce i really want my router to come back life

Ps : my problem is that i try something beyond my capabilities

(Last edited by blasev on 23 Apr 2012, 00:22)

Failsafe works even when the PC network cable is plugged in to the WAN port but a normal boot requires it to be plugged into a LAN port.

I cant try anything until i get home, but i tried setting the router without connecting it to LAN only to WAN. (darn it, i feel stupid already)

(Last edited by blasev on 23 Apr 2012, 01:53)

Ok, after I was able to overcome my stupidity, I'm now a happy open wrt user.

Many many thanks to j8soot , you're the best