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Topic: Can't access failsafe mode

The content of this topic has been archived on 20 Apr 2018. There are no obvious gaps in this topic, but there may still be some posts missing at the end.

Hi,
I did something stupid today. Because my TP-Link TL-WR841ND v8.1 was still running an old rc1 I reflashed the image with a more recent openwrt-ar71xx-generic-tl-wr841n-v8-squashfs-factory.bin, which worked without problems.

Then I wanted to configure it as a repeater and deleted all previous interfaces. Thought I configure the new myself... You see the misstake smile ? As soon as I deleted the lan-interface (which was the last one) the router was not accessible anymore. So I tried to get into failsafemode but I can't connect to it. I followed these instructions: http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl- … lsafe.mode . I get the system-led to blink rapidly but I can't telnet to the router.

I put the lan-cabel to port 1 on the router and on my pc. Then I configured my pc like this:

% sudo systemctl stop NetworkManager.service
% sudo ifconfig eth0                         
eth0: flags=4098<BROADCAST,MULTICAST>  mtu 1500
        ether 00:1b:24:94:67:9e  txqueuelen 1000  (Ethernet)
        RX packets 11343  bytes 4258887 (4.0 MiB)
        RX errors 0  dropped 0  overruns 0  frame 0
        TX packets 13842  bytes 5206913 (4.9 MiB)
        TX errors 0  dropped 0 overruns 0  carrier 0  collisions 0
% sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.1.2  netmask 255.255.255.0
% sudo ifconfig eth0                                   
eth0: flags=4099<UP,BROADCAST,MULTICAST>  mtu 1500
        inet 192.168.1.2  netmask 255.255.255.0  broadcast 192.168.1.255
        ether 00:1b:24:94:67:9e  txqueuelen 1000  (Ethernet)
        RX packets 11343  bytes 4258887 (4.0 MiB)
        RX errors 0  dropped 0  overruns 0  frame 0
        TX packets 13842  bytes 5206913 (4.9 MiB)
        TX errors 0  dropped 0 overruns 0  carrier 0  collisions 0

Then I power off and on the router, wait for the system-led to blink, press the button and the system-led starts to blink more fast, which should indicate failsafe-boot. ifconfig now shows RUNNING next to eth0 but I can't connect to or even ping the router:

% sudo ifconfig eth0
eth0: flags=4163<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST>  mtu 1500
        inet 192.168.1.2  netmask 255.255.255.0  broadcast 192.168.1.255
        inet6 fe80::21b:24ff:fe94:679e  prefixlen 64  scopeid 0x20<link>
        ether 00:1b:24:94:67:9e  txqueuelen 1000  (Ethernet)
        RX packets 11343  bytes 4258887 (4.0 MiB)
        RX errors 0  dropped 0  overruns 0  frame 0
        TX packets 13848  bytes 5207401 (4.9 MiB)
        TX errors 0  dropped 0 overruns 0  carrier 0  collisions 0
% telnet 192.168.1.1
Trying 192.168.1.1...
telnet: Unable to connect to remote host: no route to host
% ping 192.168.1.1
PING 192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
From 192.168.1.2 icmp_seq=1 Destination Host Unreachable
From 192.168.1.2 icmp_seq=2 Destination Host Unreachable
From 192.168.1.2 icmp_seq=3 Destination Host Unreachable
From 192.168.1.2 icmp_seq=4 Destination Host Unreachable

Do you have any idea what the problem could be? I hope I don't have to throw it in the garbage..

greetings

Okay suddenly it worked. I'm not sure why or why it didn't work before.. I could execute firstboot via telnet and my router ist working again.

Hey @wk3054.
Please help me, I have the same problem and failsafe isn't working

Same here, I've ordered a PL2303 cable, but I'm not much of a hero with a solder iron, so hopefully failsafe mode will work! To what port do you connect the pc, is it WAN or LAN (1-4?)?

SherlockS wrote:

Same here, I've ordered a PL2303 cable, but I'm not much of a hero with a solder iron, so hopefully failsafe mode will work! To what port do you connect the pc, is it WAN or LAN (1-4?)?

Just tried it one last time, while the settings LED is blinking rapidly change your PC's IP address as stated and place the RJ cable to the WAN port not the LAN then run the telnet procedure. Password might not change but a reboot function will. Once it reboots, try reaching the router through the default IP.

So it worked for you? Does timing make that much of a difference?

Could you confirm or correct below steps?

1. Unplug and power off router
2. Go to IPv4 settings on pc and enter static ip 192.168.1.2 subnet 255.255.255.0 -> Don't confirm yet
3. Power on router
4. When settings LED starts blinking, press reset button
5. When settings LED starts blinking rapidly, connect the ethernet cable from the pc to WAN port and confirm IP settings on pc.
6. Open putty telnet session and connect to 192.168.1.1 port 23
7. In telnet do the following things one after another (taken from here):

    Define a password

    passwd

    enter

    yourpassword

    enter

    againyourpassword

    enter

    Kill the broken OWRT firmware

    mtd -r erase rootfs_data

    enter

    firstboot

    enter

    reboot -f

(Last edited by SherlockS on 4 Dec 2013, 14:10)

SherlockS wrote:

So it worked for you? Does timing make that much of a difference?

Could you confirm or correct below steps?

1. Unplug and power off router
2. Go to IPv4 settings on pc and enter static ip 192.168.1.2 subnet 255.255.255.0 -> Don't confirm yet
3. Power on router
4. When settings LED starts blinking, press reset button
5. When settings LED starts blinking rapidly, connect the ethernet cable from the pc to WAN port and confirm IP settings on pc.
6. Open putty telnet session and connect to 192.168.1.1 port 23
7. In telnet do the following things one after another (taken from here):

    Define a password

    passwd

    enter

    yourpassword

    enter

    againyourpassword

    enter

    Kill the broken OWRT firmware

    mtd -r erase rootfs_data

    enter

    firstboot

    enter

    reboot -f

Yeah it worked and timing didn't matter for me. However, in telnet the only thing I did was the "mtd -r erase rootfs_data

    enter
". It then told me it was rebooting and after waiting a while (2 minute or so) there was no response so I just manually unplugged the power and put it back, set the PC's ip to obtain address automatically and accessed the router on the default openwrt ip address.

The default ip-address is 192.168.1.1, yes? So that should be the same as during failsafe.

Anyway, I used to get stuck after step 6. (trying to connect putty) so hopefully I have more luck now smile

SherlockS wrote:

The default ip-address is 192.168.1.1, yes? So that should be the same as during failsafe.

Anyway, I used to get stuck after step 6. (trying to connect putty) so hopefully I have more luck now smile

Try this:

1) Set your PC to 192.168.1.10 (click OK until done)
2) Connect you PC to LAN port no. 1
3) Open cmd/console and ping ("ping 192.168.1.1" for linux/unix, "ping 192.168.1.1 -t" for windows)
4) Reboot/Power cycle your router and then the ping will return timeouts. After some time you will get the first ping reply from the router, then quickly press WPS/RESET button many times.

If everything went fine, now you can telnet your router.

(Last edited by headless.cross on 4 Dec 2013, 16:11)

You made my day, it worked!! Thanks!

georgemuchira1386 wrote:
SherlockS wrote:

1. Unplug and power off router
2. Go to IPv4 settings on pc and enter static ip 192.168.1.2 subnet 255.255.255.0 -> Don't confirm yet
3. Power on router
4. When settings LED starts blinking, press reset button
5. When settings LED starts blinking rapidly, connect the ethernet cable from the pc to WAN port and confirm IP settings on pc.
6. Open putty telnet session and connect to 192.168.1.1 port 23
7. In telnet do the following things one after another (taken from here):


    Kill the broken OWRT firmware

    mtd -r erase rootfs_data

    enter

Yeah it worked and timing didn't matter for me. However, in telnet the only thing I did was the "mtd -r erase rootfs_data

    enter
". It then told me it was rebooting and after waiting a while (2 minute or so) there was no response so I just manually unplugged the power and put it back, set the PC's ip to obtain address automatically and accessed the router on the default openwrt ip address.

Followed exact same steps as above (ethernet cable back into LAN1 after reboot) and now I can access it again smile

I know this is an old post but, I'm having the same issue currently on my Hootoo Tripmate Nano.
I can get it into "failsafe mode" but I cannot, for the life of me, access it via telnet.

If someone could please help me, that'd be great. I just bought this thing. lol

frankie- i have the same problem with a hootoo nano. did you ever figure this out?

The new versions don't use telnet.  Try a SSH to it.  It should log in instantly without asking for password.  Then you can do the same things that used to use telnet.

The discussion might have continued from here.