Bricked DLink Router with Firmware Update

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Lope

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I've got this DLink Router
DSL-2640U
HW Ver: C2
FW Ver: (was) RU_2.01

I loaded new firmware from the russian DLink site version V.3-06-04-3H00
And now the router is bricked (unresponsive, tried holding reset button for up to 2 min)
DHCP not running, when it turns on only power light and internet light go green and remain that way, regardless of pressing reset button.

After googling I found some DLink routers have a maintenance firmware update facility. FTP Port 21 on 10.8.8.8. This IP does not respond to pings, but port 21 IS OPEN! :)
So I want to find the correct firmware for this router before attempting an update via FTP.
I've emailed DLink in Russia, waiting for a reply.
I don't want to contact DLink in SA yet. I might have to RMA the router. It might be easier if I just say "Its dead" and hope it comes back working :) LOL. (The SA DLink site has a password on their FTP)
I know they've got ways of fixing the firmware even if its completely dead, JTAG flashing etc.

Does anyone have any experience with DLink SA? Are they friendly/helpful or are they full of shizer?
 
You were in the wrong folder on that FTP site. That folder did not include the HW Ver C2 firmware.
Here's the latest version for your router: http://ftp.dlink.ru/pub/ADSL/DSL-2640U_BRU_C2/Firmware/RU_2.04/
* If you go a few folders up, you'll see that they also have the original firmware version there: 2.01

I've also once gave the wrong build for someone, and then he also bricked his router :(
 
Gotta figure this beast out...
Port 21 on 10.8.8.8 is open.
I think it might be ADAM2, but when I connect with Putty using a Raw or Telnet connection, there is no greeting message, and no response for anything I've typed thus far.
The connection just closes 30 sec later.

If its a FTP service, the server should give a greeting upon connection saying "220 Hello, this is the Foo." But I get nothing.
I've tried typing in commands shown here: https://wiki.openwrt.org/inbox/dsl-g604t (no response)

Apparently it could be TFTP, which would be quite easy. I just need to know what file to upload it as...
 
Last edited:
Lope said:
Gotta figure this beast out...
Port 21 on 10.8.8.8 is open. I think it might be ADAM2, but when I connect with Putty using a Raw or Telnet connection, there is no greeting message, and no response for anything I've typed thus far.The connection just closes 30 sec later.
Click to expand...
tried to tftp (not the same as normal ftp) a new firmware image? still sounds very recoverable at this point... just google debricking howtos for that modem, you're certainly not the first person to have bad-flashed it
 
Pada said:
You were in the wrong folder on that FTP site. That folder did not include the HW Ver C2 firmware.
Here's the latest version for your router: http://ftp.dlink.ru/pub/ADSL/DSL-2640U_BRU_C2/Firmware/RU_2.04/
* If you go a few folders up, you'll see that they also have the original firmware version there: 2.01

I've also once gave the wrong build for someone, and then he also bricked his router :(
Click to expand...

Yep, that's the correct firmware. I've also nearly bricked one of these routers.
 
The local DLink guys are quite helpful.
I discovered a problem with XP which caused me to waste a lot of time.
Winsock will establish a connection to any IP (real or not) instantly as long as the port number is 21.
Its weird, because you can connect to legitemate FTP servers.
Even a fresh XP VM does this.
Windows 2000 however, does not do this.
Really weird!
So the router was not actually listening on 10.8.8.8 and seems to be a brick.
I thought there was some life in it, and that I was close to getting it going. meh.

Gonna try my luck RMA.
Apparently these things can be recovered with JTAG.
 
10.8.8.8 is a really weird IP address!

Usually the D-Links are on like 192.168.1.1 IIRC.
 
i bricked one aswell :/ so just got it RMA'd ;)

you would think they would make it recoverable some how.
 
What kind of router did you brick?

Yeah its retarded that they have firmware on the FTP for
DSL-2640U
And the router says Model No: DSL-2640U
Then on the router box it says UPC Code: /BRU/CS (what the hell is a UPC code?)
Then theres another folder on the FTP site I didn't explore and see
DSL-2640U_BRU_C2
then, they also messed up by not putting a code for the hardware version inside the firmware file.
So it just flashes the firmware with any old crap.
It would probably let you upload a MP3 file ;)

The combination of ambiguous Model naming and not checking hardware version in firmware files is a major bricking hazard.
 
Lope said:
What kind of router did you brick?

Yeah its retarded that they have firmware on the FTP for
DSL-2640U
And the router says Model No: DSL-2640U
Then on the router box it says UPC Code: /BRU/CS (what the hell is a UPC code?)
Then theres another folder on the FTP site I didn't explore and see
DSL-2640U_BRU_C2
then, they also messed up by not putting a code for the hardware version inside the firmware file.
So it just flashes the firmware with any old crap.
It would probably let you upload a MP3 file ;)

The combination of ambiguous Model naming and not checking hardware version in firmware files is a major bricking hazard.
Click to expand...

The UPC is Universal Product Code (barcode).

Another thing with D-Link is the power supply. It tends to die and is not covered by the warranty. Replacing it costs more than half the router. That's just retarded.
 
I've heard so.
Well, I tried more thoroughly now, and I found if I followed this procedure.
Give PC static IP
Leave router off for at least 5-10 sec
Hold reset button & power router, wait about 2 seconds, lights will change, simultaneously release reset, and ping router.
With that method I got ping responses from 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.1.1
Neither would update via TFTP. I even tried batch files which would ping and immediately follow with the TFTP command or a short pause in between.
I tried about a dozen times. Ping reply, then the TFTP update timed out.
RMA time for sure.
I've freakin earned it.

I discovered it by running ping -n 999 192.168.0.1 etc. It will only reply to about 5 pings max, then disappears.
 
Last edited:
Lope said:
I've got this DLink Router
DSL-2640U
HW Ver: C2
FW Ver: (was) RU_2.01

I loaded new firmware from the russian DLink site version V.3-06-04-3H00
And now the router is bricked (unresponsive, tried holding reset button for up to 2 min)
DHCP not running, when it turns on only power light and internet light go green and remain that way, regardless of pressing reset button.

After googling I found some DLink routers have a maintenance firmware update facility. FTP Port 21 on 10.8.8.8. This IP does not respond to pings, but port 21 IS OPEN! :)
So I want to find the correct firmware for this router before attempting an update via FTP.
I've emailed DLink in Russia, waiting for a reply.
I don't want to contact DLink in SA yet. I might have to RMA the router. It might be easier if I just say "Its dead" and hope it comes back working :) LOL. (The SA DLink site has a password on their FTP)
I know they've got ways of fixing the firmware even if its completely dead, JTAG flashing etc.

Does anyone have any experience with DLink SA? Are they friendly/helpful or are they full of shizer?
Click to expand...

They are situated in ECO PARK Centurion. Service was good the last time I went there...
 
I asked a guy who hacks these routers some questions a few days ago.
He replied with this complicated russian thing
He reprograms the flash directly with some Nokia serial data cable or something.

I see the one method there is FTP.
So in interest of flogging a dead horse (I don't give up easily)
I also made a batch file to do
ping -n 1 192.168.1.1
ftp 192.168.1.1
(and also one with 0.1)
When the ping replies, it accepts the connection, but then closes the connection immediately.
Maybe its an ADAM2 console...
I really don't care at this point.
RMA for sure.
 
Haha, wish I'd done a little more reading, Google'd 2500u T1 firmware, download flash, brick.... thank the cods for RMA.
 
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