wrt160n v2 failed firmware upgrade

[Teejay_c]

Is there any way to recover from a failed firmware upgrade on this device?

When I plug the power in the power light just blinks. It doesn't seem to matter what order or how long I hold in the reset button and power up the device, it just blinks. I've tried hardcoding the speed and duplex to 10 half and 10 full.  I'm never able to ping the device nomater how the IP settings are hard coded. Any Ideas on how to recover this device?

Thanks,

TJ

[binky]

You may not be able to Upgrade the device unless it is pinging...

Hard reset the router...Press and hold the reset button for 1 minute...Release the reset button...Unplug the power cable from your router, wait for 1 minute and re-connect the power cable...See if your PC gets an IP Address from your router, see if you could ping your router...

[Roorkee]

Button reset didn't help me when I bricked WRT160N V2. I established serial link using PL-2303HK USB-to-Serial cable.

Connected it to J10 using pins. Contacts of J10 are (starting from the back plane): not used, RX, TX, not used, GND.

Then I setted up PuTTY for 115200 baudrate and powered up the router.

Got these messages

U-Boot 1.1.3 (Aug 22 2008 - 16:05:01)

Board: RT2880 DRAM: 16 MB
******************************
Switch Reset Occurred
******************************
The Flash ID =22F9 MAN_ID=7F
CFI QUERY flash sectors=[8],sector_size=[2000]
CFI QUERY flash sectors=[63],sector_size=[10000]
============================================
ASIC -VerB/C (MAC to 100PHY Mode)
DRAM COMPONENT=64Mbits
DRAM BUS=32BIT
Total memory = 16Mbytes
Date:Aug 22 2008 Time:16:05:01
============================================

--------***** Rtl8306_asicSoftReset *****-------

--------***** Get the RTL8306SD Manufactory ID=5988 *****-------
Found valid NVRAM.
Board IP Address 192.168.1.1
Default host ip Address 192.168.1.10
Board MAC Address 00:22:6b:86:f5:dc
Boot file name "uboot.bin"
Boot address BFC40000
Deafult baud rate 115200

*** Press Ctrl-C or ESC key to stop boot run ***

Then I pressed Ctrl-C and recieved tftpd prompt. Loaded working firmware with tftp2.exe

Hope this helps.

Message Edited by Roorkee on 03-13-2009 07:04 AM

Message Edited by Roorkee on 03-13-2009 07:05 AM

[tiberiugal]

Hi,

I also have this problem with my router, can you give more details on the serial link?

I can't find anything related to pl-2303hk. I dont't understand how would I connect serial or usb to my router.

thank you

[Roorkee]

Hi!

Here what google told about pl-2303 usb-to-serial port adapter: http://www.google.ru/search?q=pl-2303+usb-to-serial+port+adapter&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GBfficial&client=firefox-a

1) Find a pl-2303 usb-to-serial port adapter or similar, install cable driver

2) Find some 4 pins assembly, the ones like used to hold jumpers on your PC motherpoard

3) Connect pins to pl-2303 so that first pin is connected to RX wire on pl-2303, second to TX wire, third is not used, fourth is to GND wire.

4) Download PuTTY.exe from here http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html and start it.

5) Connect pl-2303 to usb and set appropriate COM port to 115200 baudrate

6) Open router and find J10 contacts on router's motherboard

7) Connect first to fourth pins to second to fifth contacts of J10 starting from backplane

8) Power up the router.

9) Check messages in putty window, press Ctrl+C as you see *** Press Ctrl-C or ESC key to stop boot run *** prompt

Hope this helps to unbrick your linksys.

[freebelle]

Usually, if a firmware upgrade is interrupted and failed, this would cause damage to the chipset on the router.

As a result, there might be no way now to revive the router.

But we can still  hope anybody can find a fix.

[harryajh]

had the same problem, tried to upgrade to latest firmware ver 2 and had "connection interrupted" message appear in browser window. Tried resets etc but basically completly useless

Currently in process of trying to get a refund from Amazon and will never ever buy Linksys again

(Mod Note: Edited due to non-compliance of forum guidelines.)

Message Edited by daikunzeon on 08-08-2009 04:10 AM

[jlabroad]

I had the exact same issue with mine. I do not know if it was because I tried updating the firmware wirelessly or not. But anyways it failed at some point and the router did not respond to pings, and was not able to be reset.

I was able to revive it by using tftp and going back to the old version 8 of the firmware. I connected my PC with a wired connection to the router. I set my ip address manually to 192.168.1.100 (or anything that isn't 192.168.1.1), subnet to 255.255.255.0 and  gateway to 192.168.1.1. Even though you may not be able to ping the router at this point you can still use tftp to flash the router. I did this, used the reset button and was able to use the router again.

I find the router actually works more reliably now with my Xbox 360 and am just using this firmware for now. I do not know where to get tftp and the build 8 firmware but if you search the forums you should be able to find it, thats how I did.

Message Edited by jlabroad on 08-09-2009 11:52 AM

[160n]

I am on wrt160n v2 build 15 which worked for me. I tried 8 and it was not as stable for me.

Here is my link to fix the wrt160n.

I would try this before trying to open it or returning it. 

Mine has been working like a champ now on build 15.

No more drops.

Message Edited by 160n on 08-09-2009 04:13 PM

[goodhugh]

I had the same problem and found a solution in this forum:

http://homecommunity.cisco.com/t5/Wired-Routers/BEFSX41-firmware-upgrade-doesn-t-finish/m-p/326255#M...

If you follow great_white's instructions you will  be able to fix your router with no problems.  It worked for me like a charm!

I found the TFTP utility here:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/others/tornado/Windows-TFTP/tftp2.exe

Hope this helps!