New user guide to installing DD-WRT Kong mod

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darksky
darksky's picture
New user guide to installing DD-WRT Kong mod

I have a new R7000 with factory firmware.  I'd like to read an official guide on installing DD-WRT Kong mod.  I found several user-created "guides" that I would term unofficial.  Some of these are quite dated (circa 2013).  Can someone point me to an official document?  Thanks.

MyOpenRouter Team
MyOpenRouter Team's picture
Hi darksky, the process is

Hi darksky, the process is very straightforward for the R7000 :)

The process is the same as for the R8000, and the other ARM routers on Kong's site, such as the R8000, R6700, R6400, R6300v2, etc.)

Here's a link to the process for the R8000 - what you'll be doing for the R7000 is very much the same.

Here's another, more general guide we created for NETGEAR routers.

The .CHK files are used for the "initial" flash from stock. If you are upgrading from stock, from one Kong version to a newer Kong version, you would use a .BIN file.

 

darksky
darksky's picture
Thanks for the links.  So for

Thanks for the links.  So for the R7000, it seems there is only a .CHK file (no .BIN) listed on Kong's download site (filename=dd-wrt.K3_R7000.chk).  I guess it's an easy call to use that since it's the only one... why no .BIN file?  In the future when a new version is released, would one expect to see the a .BIN or is it's irrelevant?

darksky
darksky's picture
OK... I flashed from the
OK... I flashed from the stockfirmware to dd-wrt.K3_R7000.chk.  When I go to "Status", I see:
 
DD-WRT v24-sp2 (04/16/14) - build 23900M
Linux 3.10.25 #856 SMP PREEMPT Wed Apr 16 22:56:39 CEST 2014 armv7l
 
Then I used the image of the same name from the zip file and:
 
DD-WRT v3.0-r33615M (10/31/17)
Linux 4.4.95 #464 SMP Tue Oct 31 18:03:49 CET 2017 armv7l
 
I switched over to https but I appear to be locked out now (it will not accept my usersname/password I setup)... I tried a 30-30-30 reset but still, http://192.168.1.1 times out but https://192.168.1.1 challenges me for a username and password but it does not take it.  I also tried:
 
root/admin
root/MYPASSWORD
admin/MYPASSWORD
root/
 
Where to go from here :)
MyOpenRouter Team
MyOpenRouter Team's picture
Did you use the file from

Did you use the file from here or from Kong's site? These were just recently updated, and it looks like the first flash you performed was for a much older version of DD-WRT.

https://www.myopenrouter.com/download/dd-wrt-kong-mod-netgear-r7000-2017...

If it's a Kong build, the version info should have some reference to that, like: "Firmware: DD-WRT v3.0-r33525M kongal (10/16/17)"

Root/admin should work as default, although flashing with a Kong build will usually prompt you right away to enter your desired admin username/password.

Also, have you tried a cold boot?

https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Reset_And_Reboot

If all else fails and a 30-30-30/cold boot isn't allowing you to get in, you may need to try recovery methods such as TFTP (risky) or using a serial cable. However, since your router is booting and not "bricked" I doubt this will be necessary.

Some more information that might help, this can also be due to a 30-30-30 that didn't succeed or other issues (although this thread is about going from Tomato to DD-WRT, so not the same situation, but still good info)

https://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1000882

Finally, have you tried the username/password from the NETGEAR firmware before you flashed by chance? Or with a blank username and "admin" as password? Both worth a try.

Hopefully, if the steps above don't work, the experts here can help you find a way to access or get things recovered.

 

darksky
darksky's picture
Yes, I obtained the images
  • Yes, I obtained the images directly from Kong's site.  It did initially prompt me to change the username and password.
  • I did try a cold boot but no change in behavior.
  • I did try each combo of username/password as you suggested (both old and new).

I think the next move is to simply reset the firmware to its defaults which is what I understood the 30-30-30 to do.  Am I mistaken about that?  I have read that ARM processors don't reset with a 30-30-30.

MyOpenRouter Team
MyOpenRouter Team's picture
The DD-WRT wiki doesn't

The DD-WRT wiki doesn't specifically state that ARM based routers don't reset with a 30-30-30, but do acknowledge that (sometimes) it can cause more problems that it can solve. It is also not "required" to reset many router models, which may only need a 10 or 30 second press of the "reset" button to accomplish the same goal.

https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Hard_reset_or_30/30/30

Here, on the NETGEAR forums, a user states that it isn't necessary on an ARM based router:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-WiFi-Routers/SOLVED-Steps-for...

There is some sentiment on the forums here as well:

https://www.myopenrouter.com/forum/r7000-hard-reset

More info here too:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-WiFi-Routers/How-do-I-reset-m...

darksky
darksky's picture
OK... turns out the problem
OK... turns out the problem was that I went from DD-WRT to shibby's initial tomato image and some of the NVRAM variables from DD
WRT were retained.
 
The solution was found in this thread.
 
1) Boot router and let it sit for 2-3 min.
2) Press and hold the wifi on/off button for 25 sec, then release.
3) Execute: telnet 192.168.1.1 223 which enters a backdoor recovery mode.
4)
 
# nvram get http_username
$1$XOXHLIzN$qlKRQLiwNQ6Qkp41bwZ1Vs
 
# nvram get http_password
 
Using these two values did nothing for me but I reset them:
# nvram set http_username=admin
# nvram set http_password=root
# nvram commit
 
I was still unable to login.  After rebooting the router and doing steps 2-3 above:
 
# nvram get http_username
admin
 
# nvram get http_passwd
$2$LOXHLIzN$fhX4Ymoy4LlgNneth/F44n
 
 
NOW... using those two values got me in.  From there I updated to tomato-R7000-ARM--140-AIO-64K.trx and everything works as expected.
 
Very glad to have my $160 router functional again :)
darksky
darksky's picture
...now I need to figure out

...now I need to figure out what went wrong with my DD-WRT installation.  I am currently running Shibby/Tomato.

 

Are the correct steps:

1) Restore tomato USB to Netgear (using this image, name=R7000-back-to-ofw.trx)

2) Load initial DD-WRT image

3) Load latest Kong build

 

OR

1) Restore tomato USB to Netgear (using this image, name=R7000-back-to-ofw.trx)

2) Load latest Kong build

darksky
darksky's picture
...now I need to figure out

...now I need to figure out what went wrong with my DD-WRT installation.  I am currently running Shibby/Tomato.

 

Are the correct steps:

1) Restore tomato USB to Netgear (using this image, name=R7000-back-to-ofw.trx)

2) Load initial DD-WRT image

3) Load latest Kong build

 

OR

1) Restore tomato USB to Netgear (using this image, name=R7000-back-to-ofw.trx)

2) Load latest Kong build

darksky
darksky's picture
OK...

OK...

1) Restore tomato USB to Netgear (using this image, name=R7000-back-to-ofw.trx)

2) Load latest Kong build

 

Now I am up and running:

Netgear R7000
DD-WRT v3.0-r33675M kongac (11/03/17)
Linux 4.4.95 #472 SMP Fri Nov 3 23:27:37 CET 2017 armv7l