Bricked Archer VR2600v - need help

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Hi there,

I just bricked my TP-Link Archer VR2600V I made some hard flash misstakes, so even serial console over uart dont come up. Does someone if is there a chance to debrick this device?

best regards

nebkas

2
  • Set PC to fixed ip address 192.168.0.66
  • Download factory firmware from TP-Link and rename it to ArcherC2600_1.0_tp_recovery.bin
  • Start a tftp server with the file ArcherC2600_1.0_tp_recovery.bin in its root directory
  • Turn off the router
  • Press and hold Reset button
  • Turn on router with the reset button pressed and wait ~15 seconds
  • Release the reset button and after a short time the firmware should be transferred from the tftp server
  • Wait ~5 minute to complete recovery.

https://wiki.openwrt.org/inbox/tp-link/tp-link_archer_vr2600v_v1

3

Thank you for answering but didn't worked for me. There must be more getting wrong during flash my device. I think the flash chip must be reprogrammed with more external hardware.

Maybe someone is capable to do this, for a little fee?(Germany)

4

Try again using serial port... So far (Indonesia) :grin:

5

Serial port don't come up. I crashed the bootloader so far :confused: Seems now I have a really expensive brick :smiley:

6

Have you tried this
https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/generic.debrick

You need a 3.3Volts serial to USB cable
i.e. with PL2303 chipset.
The common ones have 4 wires.
I normally begin with GND and do probing with the RX line of the cable until I get some output.

7

Yes, I tried this. Without Serial TTL I wanst able fflashing firmware. U-Boot bootloader dont come up, no serial signal, no recovery mode come up. I think its dead. Only chance so far I know is to manually reprogramm the flash-chip. Bu I dont have hardware for this and don't have the know how.

8

Hardware :

  1. Solder
  2. SPI Programmer (i.e EZP2010)
  3. Find out where is bootloader partition, then erase and flash with new bootloader.

Recomendation bootloader : https://breed.hackpascal.net/ or https://github.com/pepe2k/u-boot_mod


https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/techref/bootloader

1 Like
9

Thank a lot for your input :slight_smile:

10

Well well, now I need some more specific help. I will order a SPI programmer and reprogramm the chip. But for that I dont know which one is the SPI chip. Could someone have a closer look to this picture and help me out? Under the heatsink arent any related chips.

I was thinking ahead, to replace the 16mbyte chip with a 32mbye or 64mbyte. does someone know is this possible and when yes, for what specific chips I have to look for?

Thanks a lot for all they helped me so far :slight_smile:
https://picload.org/image/rprlalla/spi.jpg

11

In c2600 spi flash chip is here:

Look on backside board or remove heat sink.

12

Thank you @Heinz

I found this one under the heat sink. That sould it be. Do you have any expirience with re flashing these chips ?

13

You might read this http://www.tech-blog.pl/2013/03/29/zmodyfikowany-u-boot-dla-routerow-tp-link-z-atheros-ar9331-z-trybem-aktualizacji-oprogramowania-przez-www-i-konsola-sieciowa-netconsole/

It is in Polish, but Google Translator will help you to understand it.

14

Thanks, yeah, I read a lot last days about u-boot. I had once BPI R1 and compiled u-boot from source for that device.
I played a bit around with "pepe2k's u-boot_mod" but it seems pretty outdated and not supporting the vr2600v. Tried looking around for a porting guide, but didnt found anything today.

USB flash programmer is on the way to me. Think will get it the day after tomorrow. Software is already installed and prepared to flash :smiley: When I dont get actual u-boot to run, I will use the stock rom bootloader. that should work at least :slight_smile:

15

Which firmware do you use ? I try to check the U-Boot :slight_smile: I've visited this link http://www.tp-link.de/download/Archer-VR2600v.html but I don't know where is your device

16

Tthis is exacty my device :slight_smile:

I had this Firmware on my device: Archer_VR2600Vv1_160622.DE http://static.tp-link.com/Archer_VR2600Vv1_160622.DE_1472553907497a.zip

I also downloaded the TP-Link GPL-Code http://static.tp-link.com/resources/gpl/GPL_ArcherVR2600vV1.tar.gz and build the u-boot from this, but I that version will be outdated in compare to the Archer_VR2600Vv1_160622.DE firmware.

And I really have to thank to all of you for your answers. Thats not obvious :slight_smile:

I relly start to like the Lede Project :slight_smile:

17

Hello Nebkas,

I read your articles about the TP-Link VR2600V. I'm looking for an (modern) LEDE-Capbable VDSL2 modem router for
replacing my AVM Fritz!Box 7490. Did you bring your router back to life? Can you tell me what you have done wrong to
brick it? Zeraphim wrote in an Post, that you can flash the VR2600V with a TFTP-Server and the right commands to
write the downloaded firmware into the flash. I don't want to destroy my newly bought VR2600V in the same way as you.

I would be happy if I got an answer from you or the community. Is there is a safe way to Flash a VR2600V with LEDE?
Maybe there is a more suitable device which you can recommend me for using VDSL2.

Greetings from Germany
Chris

18

Hi nebkas

I will be attempting flashing VR2600... soon. The router is discontinued and i really dont like TP-LINK interface.

Have you managed to recover your router? Any advise on how to approach a custom LEDE firmware upload?

Regards
Lotkas