You need to specify clearly 2 things, what do you mean by recovery loop, and why need to flash back to dlink firmware ?

I have never seen stucked at recovery loop for asus or ddwrt firmware flashing. You will always be in either dlink recovery firmware page (see post #3 on page 1) or asus recovery firmware page (post #9 on page 1), and this is called the miniweb screen. You need to press reset (hold) and power on, until power led flashes for 5-10 secs, then release reset, and you will be in miniweb. Repeat this if you can not get to this.

An easier/simpler way is to use asus recovery.

If you want to change to ac68u in asus, you just need to reflash cfe, there is no need to go back to dlink firmware

This post has been edited by BTS1501: Mar 29 2021, 09:47 AM

One question, where did you get this file from "RT-AC68U-ddwrt" (from your previous post) ?
ddwrt is either webflash or factory-to-ddwrt, while asus firmware is RT-AC66U_B1_3.0.0.4 etc, like below :
b. 25974factory-to-ddwrt.bin
e. RT-AC66U_B1_3.0.0.4_385_20630-ged5e4c3.trx

I think you try to use asus firmware restoration tool, easier (in case you are still in asus CFE), just remember to set a static IP in your PC before running the restore :
https://www.asus.com/sg/support/FAQ/1000814/

If restore can not work, maybe it is already in dlink CFE, which in this case you need to use reset (hold) + power on, until power led flashes. Your pc must be in static IP as well. before reset + power on, you can also open a command prompt and type "ping 192.168.1.1 -t", you should see messages like timed out or unreachable, then TTL=100 (if TTL=64 then can not). once TTL=100, you can release the reset button.

saw the video, you still in asus cfe, not dlink. In this case just use the asus restore method. you can also use the reset+ power on if you want. remember PC must be in static IP.

Also, asus firmware is most updated/stable + mesh (stable for ethernet), I don't see the point of going back to dlink firmware again.

Yes, ip address in your pc should be set 192.168.1.10, subnet 255.255.255.0, no need gateway. You type 192.168.0.10

Dlink uses 192.168.0.x
asus uses 192.168.1.x (for older routers)

If still can not (don't know what firmware you flashed previously), then
1. WPS button + power on, ping 192.168.1.1 -t until ttl=100, then release wps button
2. reset button + power on, ping 192.168.1.1 -t until ttl=100, then release reset button

try 1 and/or 2 repeatedly

This post has been edited by BTS1501: Mar 29 2021, 05:03 PM

That's great. Enjoy

The wps + power on is to clear nvram, you will need to use this when reflash cfe. So most likely you did not clear nvram after flashing the asus cfe.

The reset + power on is to go into the miniweb screen, for flashing firmware.

When you do 2 868l together in aimesh, you also need to use wps + power on.

Yes, the steps are correct. Will not brick the router. Just some redundant steps.

Step 5, rename the cfe 2.4fix to just cfe.bin so that when you flash easier,no need to check so many characters.

Step 7,8 ,9 not needed. Mtd write has 3 versions,one version need -i ,and one version no need (like step 10).

Step 11 optional. You can just power off, then wps + power on until internet led flashes.

Using hp you should get around 50mbps (unless yours is high end hp. Using another 868l as repeater will be higher.

Yours is v2, as its 717kb, so must use step 9. Step 10 is for v1 and v3.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/how-to-fl...-cfe-abc.20641/

Since you are using 68u in the cfe, that is why only 1 led will light up. If you want both leds to light up, then you need to change it to ac66u b1, and also bl_version.

The 2 lines below are also redundant, as there is no line in the cfe that specify pci/1/1 or pci/2/1 (these 2 are for older cfe generation/routers), but you can just leave it there if you want.

devpath0=pci/1/1
devpath1=pci/2/1

Ye, repeater mode the speedtest results are a lot better, around 10-20% higher when compared to mesh mode. Most likely some bandwidth of the cpu is reserved for mesh purpose, hence lower results.

If you want to reflash, you can download the mtd write from below. I tried it and it can work (using ./mtd-write cfe.bin boot)

https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng/...m/cfe/mtd-write

Also, two cons after flashing to ac68u :
1. no led
2. mesh node 2.4ghz speedtest is half of the main router when backhaul is wireless, ie, when test at main router, speedtest is 50/50 Mbps, while at node its 20/40Mbps. defeat the purpose of fixing the 2.4ghz. Set as repeater mode (using 5ghz as backhaul) might be better.

I also notice that the cpu utilisation is higher when doing speed test, maybe will monitor the stability of this for a few days and then flash back to ac66u and see the utilisation again.

Last step ip should be 192.168.1.1, not 192.168.0.1. If its 192.168.0 1, that means you have not clear nvram properly. Need to use wps + power on, after internet led blinks for 10 secs, release the wps button.

If you still can not get in done in miniweb screen, easiest is to to asus firmware restore, download from ac68u firmware page, fast and easy. Just make sure your pc is set to static ip like 192.168.1.3 etc

WPS + power on, then asus firmware restore is the best method for fresh install 868l, it will not fail. If you use the clear nvram in miniweb, sometimes it will fail, even if you click it a few times.

AC68U and AC66U_B1 are using the same firmware, so there is no need for you to flash ac68u firmware and then ac66u_b1 firmware, the only thing you need to change is the cfe, either the ac68u cfe or the ac66u_b1 cfe. ac68u cfe no lights, ac66u_b1 got lights, its your choice.

ac68u cfe load more things than ac66u_b1 cfe, for example, in aimesh pairing, ac68u will need to go to 80% then can pair, while ac66u_b1 only need to go to 60% only to pair.

For aimesh to pair,
1) power up the node, wait 3 mins, then press the reset button on the bottom until power led flashes for 10 secs, wait another 3 mins
2) at the main router, MUST turn on WPS in wireless tab
3) go to aimesh menu, and add node
that is about it.

If you flash to ac68u stock firmware, you can't get the led working for router, but for node, you can turn off and then turn on the led, and the internet led will on. If you power cycle the node, the led will be gone, need to off/on led in aimesh -> node management menu

If you flash to ac68u merlin firmware, you can put a script in the jffs folder when startup and the led will be on automatically for main router. You need to search snb forum for the script. I remembered if no script, you can turn on the stealth mode and led will also work, but not so sure after power cycle the led will turn on or not.

This post has been edited by BTS1501: Apr 20 2021, 01:58 PM

yes

after re-flashing cfe,
1. you need to clear nvram using wps +power on until internet led flashes 10 secs, wait 3 mins, then try aimesh pairing.
2. if still can not, then reset button until power led flashes for 10 secs, wait 3 mins then try pairing again.

1:macaddr change to ..................29BC (original was ...........29B8)

Asus firmware will change the 5Ghz mac address for you if you specify same mac address in your cfe. that's why .....29BA, not the correct ....29BC.