Router Configured Wrong, Cant Access Interface to restore backup config. HELP PLEASE

[Tony De]

on tomato nighthawk r7000 I changed the WAN to something other than DHCP. Not sure if I used Static or PPPoE or something else. I was frustrated because my Network Shares and Network in General on my Win 10 PC disappeared and I've been trying to fix it o and off for months so this weekend I decided I am not going to stop until its fixed so 3 days later. I had some small success but still couldn't see my Plex Shares on my Server that's on WIn 7 in the basement. I can see it on my HTPC but I cant see it from my Main Win 10 PC which I use the most and need to transfer things daily. So I was frustrated and figured I could switch back with the backup config I have for my Tomato FW. Well I cant see the interface to do so and that's cost me 12 more hours of despair so if anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears. I tried to reset the Router as I have before and this time it just seems to loop in a reboot mode now. Is there any way to interact with the Router Settings without being online or knowing the address to connect to it because I cant find an Address that makes sense and any of the ones I have tried wont load.

Thanks in advance of any help.

 

[jsmithepa]

Once you have lost management control, there is nothing to do but RESET it to FACTORY.

 

[stdragon]

Make sure your PC is connected to the LAN (not WAN/Internet) port of your router. Now reset the router back to defaults by holding the button down for 12 seconds at the back of the router while power is still applied. This will clear the configuration.

After all the LED lights cycle on the router, proceed to reboot your PC. It should pull from DHCP. now run the IPCONFIG command and look at what your Default Gateway is. That's the IP of your router. Proceed to plug that into a browser, log in, and reconfigure the router to your liking.

 

[Tony De]

Make sure your PC is connected to the LAN (not WAN/Internet) port of your router. Now reset the router back to defaults by holding the button down for 12 seconds at the back of the router while power is still applied. This will clear the configuration.

After all the LED lights cycle on the router, proceed to reboot your PC. It should pull from DHCP. now run the IPCONFIG command and look at what your Default Gateway is. That's the IP of your router. Proceed to plug that into a browser, log in, and reconfigure the router to your liking.

Thanks. I have tried to reset to Factory settings as I have a bunch of times over the past 20 years but this time it just is in a reboot cycle it seems. The lights keep cycling like I am pressing the reset button but of course I am not. The PLEX Server PC is connect by LAN Ethernet. Which is where I am trying to fix this because the Wireless isn't available.I also hold that reset button for at least 2 minutes every time I do it to make sure it clears. I have also tried holding for 30 secs, unplugging power but still holding for 30 secs and same plugging it back in holding it. I think its called a Hard Reset. That's pretty much what I did twice so I don't know if my Router is screwed or what but I can get xfinity hot-spot with limited coverage and that is wi-fi so I am not sure. Gateway is 172.20.20.1 and the ipv4 is .20 on end. I don't know if this denotes a specific protocol? Thanks again for the help

 

[stdragon]

If the router is cycling, I'm guessing you have a bad router as it shouldn't do that. It could be from a faulty AC adapter, to bad surface mount capacitors on the logic board.

If it's really old, just replace the router.

 

[Tony De]

If the router is cycling, I'm guessing you have a bad router as it shouldn't do that. It could be from a faulty AC adapter, to bad surface mount capacitors on the logic board.

If it's really old, just replace the router.

Yea it only started recycling after I tried the reset this morning. Never did that before. Its an R7000 nighthawk with Tomato FW. About 5 years old and Worked great Tried an upgrade to R8000 but it didn't work near as well as this R7000. I shouldn't have messed with it as the Network issue had to be Microsoft Windows 10 BS,Maybe if I keep resetting it, i may get lucky and it fix itself. Thanks much.

If Anyone else has any new ideas, let me know. Thank you

 

[jsmithepa]

Nope. That baby gone to router's heaven.

 

[bill001g]

Maybe you get lucky and it is just corrupted firmware. Most modern routers have a way to recover. Many of the third party firmware sites like tomato have quite extensive discussions on how to "unbrick" a router since many people load bad firmware images.

I would see if there are instructions for your router. Try to follow them exactly since many times it is a very picky when in recovery mode.

But what you describe is exactly what one of mine did. This one had the ability to solder a console into the main board....and I figured I had nothing to lose. But all I found out was the flash ram was bad and nothing could be read or written to it.