ROUTER RESUSCITATION

I decided to update the firmware in my network router. I have updated numerous routers over the years, and it has always been quick and painless. Except this time it was far from painless.

In fact, it killed the router. Yes, it was bricked. Linksys suggested I buy a new one.

It all started when I stumbled across an article discussing the throughput of Wireless N routers. The article highlighted various reasons why the theoretical speeds that wireless N can achieve are often not realized. The article noted many ‘N’ routers in use today were designed and sold prior to the Wireless ‘N’ standard becoming finalized.

That made me wonder if there was a firmware update available for my router. Sure enough, when I checked, there was. So I downloaded the update and clicked the button to update my router. Except my router froze when the firmware update finished. After doing a manual reset, it totally quit. The front panel lights would blink, but no data would pass through the router and the configuration pages were inaccessible. Oops.

I tried to ‘chat’ with a Linksys support person, but they informed me they were not permitted to discuss ‘out-of-warranty’ equipment. So I telephoned Tech Support (866.978-1316). That person was helpful, but quickly noted I had already tried what they normally recommend. However, she suggested one final workaround as a last resort. She sent me to the webpage of an older model router where I could download a small utility that just might work to force feed the update to my now non-responsive router.

That utility was named tFTP.exe, and it is far from user friendly (which is probably why the download is hidden). But it worked!! To use it, you must statically configure the IP address of your PC to the same subnet as the router IP address. You then type in the IP address of the router and the admin password (perhaps reset the router first, to restore the factory defaults). Then you cross your fingers and click update. If you need the utility, it can be downloaded from http://homedownloads.cisco.com/downloads/Tftp.exe.