[Bloat] First-time install on brand new WNDR3700v2 not working

Jim Reisert AD1C jjreisert at alum.mit.edu
Wed Nov 2 17:20:28 EDT 2011


Disclaimer: I don't think this is the right list, but I can't find
another.  If not, please direct me to the right place, thanks.

First off: I've been running dd-wrt on a WRT54G router for some time,
but wanted to upgrade to something better.  So I'm aware in general of
how to flash routers, etc.  I remember that dd-wrt was a two-step
process: step 1 to wipe out the old firmware and install a simple FTP
client (?), and step 2 to actually upload the code into the router.
Step 1 only needs to be done to wipe out the factory firmware.

My WNDR3700v2 is brand new, I've been using the factory firmware for a
couple of days:

  Hardware Version        WNDR3700v2
  Firmware Version        V1.0.0.8
  GUI Language Version    V1.0.0.67

I am running a Windows 7 system, and I'm using tftp (Cygwin) to try to
push the CeroWRT code into the router.  It's not working.  I refer to
items 6-8 from:

    http://www.bufferbloat.net/projects/cerowrt/wiki/Cerowrt_flashing_instructions

6.  Hold down the "factory reset" button on the bottom of the router.

7.  Turn on the router. Light 1 will light up green; the connection
light will light up yellow, flash yellow, turn green, then flash
green. This takes over a minute.

8.  Release reset button

My router has a submerged "restore factory defaults" button on the
bottom, surrounded by some red/orange paint.  This is the button I'm
holding down to reset the router per the instructions above.
Regarding "the connection light will light up yellow...", on my
router, it's the POWER light (the first one) that is going through
that sequence.  The LED corresponding to my LAN connection remains
solid green.  The sequence completes in about 45 seconds, thought I've
tried up to 90 seconds.  When done, the power light is flashing green,
and the LAN connection is solid green.

I can ping the router at 192.168.1.1 from my PC.  Using tftp, if I try
to put the image, I get a timeout.  I turned on "binary" and "verbose"
and when I put the image, tftp says the image was transferred
successfully.  Then I wait.  And wait.  I've tried this a couple of
times, waiting up to 10 minutes each time.  I never see the status
lights change per item #13 at the URL above:

13.  A good indicator of completion is a steady green or yellow light
for the port you cabled to, together with a steady green power light
and steady green or blue wireless lights.

When I gave up and powered off/on the router, I still got the Netgear
GUI, so the CeroWRT code isn't going in.

What am I doing wrong?  I'm sure it's something simple.

Thanks - Jim

p.s. I note that the "CeroWrt 'Ocean City' INSTALLATION GUIDE" says:

"Please see the Cerowrt flashing instructions for how to install the
current CeroWrt build on your Wndr3700v2 Router from your platform of
choice (windows, osx, linux)."

However, the flashing instructions are for Linux, Mac and "From the
router" only.  I tried to load the image through the Netgear GUI, but
got a failure message, something along the lines of the image was NG.
I don't know of that's a supported kind of upload or not.

-- 
Jim Reisert AD1C, <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>, http://www.ad1c.us



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