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| docs:guide-user:troubleshooting:failsafe_and_factory_reset [2023/07/29 14:54] – [Factory reset] vgaetera | docs:guide-user:troubleshooting:failsafe_and_factory_reset [2024/06/23 11:45] – Tweak failsafe to remind about setting static IP for the PC richb-hanover | ||
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| ====== Failsafe mode, factory reset, and recovery mode ====== | ====== Failsafe mode, factory reset, and recovery mode ====== | ||
| OpenWrt offers several ways to "start over" with your router: | OpenWrt offers several ways to "start over" with your router: | ||
| - | * **[[# | + | * **[[docs: |
| - | * **[[# | + | * **[[docs: |
| - | * **[[# | + | * **[[docs: |
| ===== Failsafe mode ===== | ===== Failsafe mode ===== | ||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
| If your device becomes inaccessible, | If your device becomes inaccessible, | ||
| When you reboot in failsafe mode, the device starts up in a basic operating state, with a few hard coded defaults, and you can begin to fix the problem manually. | When you reboot in failsafe mode, the device starts up in a basic operating state, with a few hard coded defaults, and you can begin to fix the problem manually. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Failsafe mode can be triggered by pressing (almost any) button on the device shortly after powering it on. | ||
| + | Each router is unique, but OpenWrt watches for a WPS, Reset, or other button press. | ||
| Failsafe mode **cannot**, however, fix more deeply rooted problems like faulty hardware or a broken kernel. | Failsafe mode **cannot**, however, fix more deeply rooted problems like faulty hardware or a broken kernel. | ||
| Line 25: | Line 28: | ||
| /dev/root /rom squashfs ro,relatime 0 0 | /dev/root /rom squashfs ro,relatime 0 0 | ||
| </ | </ | ||
| + | |||
| ==== Entering failsafe mode ==== | ==== Entering failsafe mode ==== | ||
| - | Make sure you use a wired connection, since the failsafe will disable your wireless connectivity. | + | Failsafe mode starts |
| - | Sometimes you need to connect to a specific network port of your router to get connectivity. | + | DHCP and wireless connectivity. |
| - | **Try the LAN 1 port first.** | + | You will need to set your PC to a static address on the same subnet |
| - | For DSA devices | + | (e.g., 192.168.1.10) and connect via Ethernet. |
| + | Sometimes you need to connect to a specific network port of your router | ||
| + | to get connectivity. | ||
| + | **Try the LAN1 port first.** | ||
| + | DSA devices | ||
| - | On most routers, OpenWrt will blink an LED (usually " | + | On most routers, OpenWrt will blink an LED (usually " |
| - | OpenWrt will rather early in the boot cycle check if the user wants to enter the failsafe mode instead of a normal boot. | + | Early in the boot cycle, OpenWrt watches |
| - | It listens | + | inside a specific two second window |
| **To enter failsafe mode, follow one of the procedures listed below:** | **To enter failsafe mode, follow one of the procedures listed below:** | ||
| - | **Recommended | + | **Simplest - recommended |
| + | This can be the WPS, Reset, or other button on the device. | ||
| - | For most users and most devices, the LEDs now (2018) | + | The LEDs provide clues for timing the button |
| - | + | Watch the LED blinking speeds immediately after powering up the router. | |
| - | There are three different (power) LED blinking speeds during boot for most of the routers: | + | Most routers show three different (power) LED blinking speeds during boot: |
| * A power-on sequence of lights that is specific to the device' | * A power-on sequence of lights that is specific to the device' | ||
| - | * Then a fast 5-per-second blinking rhythm during two seconds, while router waits for user to trigger the failsafe mode, typically by a button press | + | * Then a fast 5-per-second blinking rhythm during two seconds, while router waits for a button press |
| - | * Then either | + | * Then either: |
| - | * A faster, 10-per-second blink if the user pressed a button and failsafe mode was triggered | + | * A faster, 10-per-second blink if failsafe mode was triggered. The device is listening on 192.168.1.1 |
| - | * A slower, 2.5-per-second blink continuing to the end of boot, if the failsafe was not triggered and the normal boot continues | + | * A slower, 2.5-per-second blink continuing to the end of normal |
| + | * If you missed the timing | ||
| + | |||
| **Alternate for expert users: Wait (with a packet sniffer) for a special broadcast packet and press a button.** The packet will be sent to destination address 192.168.1.255 port UDP 4919. | **Alternate for expert users: Wait (with a packet sniffer) for a special broadcast packet and press a button.** The packet will be sent to destination address 192.168.1.255 port UDP 4919. | ||
| The packet contains the text "// | The packet contains the text "// | ||
| Line 61: | Line 71: | ||
| Whichever trigger you use, the device will enter failsafe mode and you can access the command line with SSH (always possible) or a serial keyboard. | Whichever trigger you use, the device will enter failsafe mode and you can access the command line with SSH (always possible) or a serial keyboard. | ||
| - | Note that modern OpenWrt always uses SSH, but early OpenWrt releases (15.05 and before) offered a telnet connection in this state but no SSH. | + | Note that modern OpenWrt always uses SSH for terminal connections. |
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ================= | ||
| ==== Fixing your settings ==== | ==== Fixing your settings ==== | ||
| Line 99: | Line 112: | ||
| ===== Factory reset ===== | ===== Factory reset ===== | ||
| - | :!: **Factory reset** depends on completing the boot process. | ||
| - | If **factory reset** is not working, try with **failsafe mode** instead. | ||
| - | |||
| A factory reset returns your router to the configuration it had just after flashing. | A factory reset returns your router to the configuration it had just after flashing. | ||
| This works on any install with a squashfs / overlayfs setup (the norm for most installations), | This works on any install with a squashfs / overlayfs setup (the norm for most installations), | ||
| - | |||
| - | :!: x86 builds (made for PC/Server hardware) with an ext4 read-write rootfs cannot be reset this way. | ||
| With a large NOR chip, it can take 3 to 5 minutes for the overlayfs to be formatted in the flash. | With a large NOR chip, it can take 3 to 5 minutes for the overlayfs to be formatted in the flash. | ||
| During this time, changes cannot be saved. | During this time, changes cannot be saved. | ||
| + | |||
| + | **Caveat:** | ||
| + | * Factory reset depends on completing the boot process. If factory reset is not working, try with failsafe mode instead. | ||
| + | * x86 builds (made for PC/Server hardware) with an ext4 read-write rootfs cannot be reset this way. | ||
| ==== Reset button ==== | ==== Reset button ==== | ||
| Line 128: | Line 140: | ||
| <code bash> | <code bash> | ||
| - | firstboot && reboot | + | firstboot && reboot |
| </ | </ | ||
| Line 138: | Line 150: | ||
| <code bash> | <code bash> | ||
| - | firstboot -y && reboot | + | firstboot -y && reboot |
| </ | </ | ||
| Line 177: | Line 189: | ||
| ======================================================= | ======================================================= | ||
| - | admin@(none):/# | + | admin@(none):/# |
| [ 102.942293] jffs2reset: This will erase all settings and remove any installed packages. Are you sure? [N/y] | [ 102.942293] jffs2reset: This will erase all settings and remove any installed packages. Are you sure? [N/y] | ||
| y | y | ||
| Line 192: | Line 204: | ||
| ==== Hard factory reset ==== | ==== Hard factory reset ==== | ||
| === Re-flashing the firmware === | === Re-flashing the firmware === | ||
| - | Factory reset is an [[docs: | + | Re-flash or upgrade |
| - | OpenWrt preserves | + | |
| <code bash> | <code bash> | ||
| sysupgrade -n / | sysupgrade -n / | ||
| </ | </ | ||
| + | |||
| + | OpenWrt preserves settings [[docs: | ||
| === JFFS2 reset === | === JFFS2 reset === | ||
| - | Force OpenWrt to re-format | + | Reset the JFFS2 partition. |
| <code bash> | <code bash> | ||
| - | umount /overlay && jffs2reset && reboot | + | umount /overlay && jffs2reset && reboot |
| </ | </ | ||
| Line 209: | Line 222: | ||
| === F2FS reset === | === F2FS reset === | ||
| - | Force OpenWrt to re-format | + | Reset the F2FS partition. |
| <code bash> | <code bash> | ||
| dd if=/ | dd if=/ | ||
| </ | </ | ||
| - | |||
| - | ===== Recovery mode ===== | ||
| - | If neither failsafe mode nor factory reset returns control of your router, you can often replace the firmware of your device using one of the procedures described on the [[docs: | ||