How to fix Wrong firmware installed on router

Question

I have a Netgear WNR2000v3 (n300) router. The guy who came in and installed it for me somehow installed the Netgear RP614v4 Firmware on it. I have been having severe connectivity problems, and cannot restore the original factory firmware for the router.

On an added note, the router is also in Chinese and I can't read a single bit of it. The obvious option to install the software is to go into the router settings and manually install it, but this RP614v4 software gives me an error when I try to install with the WNR2000.img

The error is a bunch of chinese characters followed by (*.bix)

Then I tried two other methods in hopes of restoring the original firm ware.

1. I tried the 30-30-30 methods, where I hold the reset button for 30 seconds, then power off the router and hold for another 30 seconds, then power it back on and hold for 30 more seconds. That did not do anything.

2. I tried TFTP. That never managed to connect.

It is weird because websites have been saying that if my above 3 procedures do not work, then my unit is bricked. But I can still occasionally connect to my router and access the internet in very laggy chunks. With that said, I don't even know if the wrong firmware is causing the poor connections, however I do know this is my first step to solving the entire problem.

How can I restore my original firmware to this device?

Solution

First off, this online emulator of the RP614v4 may be useful for you in navigating the configuration pages.

Second, I would suggest downloading the WNR2000v3 firmware and renaming the .img file to .bix. I'm assuming the firmware is checking the file extension prior to trying to load the firmware (the firmware download for the RP614v4 is a .bix file). See if that will allow you load the firmware.

If flashing the stock firmware doesn't work, I'd try a DD-WRT build for your router (find one here).

And, lastly, if all else fails, I would try the steps here to upload either firmware via TFTP.

Comments

[Ramhound]

It might not be possible to go back to that firmware. Are you not able to ask the person who installed the router to resolve the language problem? Why is this tagged as dd-wrt it has nothing to do with it. Of course you might want to try loading dd-wrt on the router, all it takes, is the ability to find the configuration page to upload the binary to the device.

[krikara]

Language problem is the least part of the issue right now. I can interpret the error as the update requiring a bix file, which the original firmware doesn't come in. As for the tag, this SuperUser suggested DD-WRT, probably because TFTP is their own utility. Unforunately, I don't know anything about DD-WRT and have only been following online guides thus far. DD-WRT might be the answer, but I have a hard time believing it will work if I can't get back the old firmware.

[Ramhound]

install WNR2000 v3 (NA) Firmware - Webflash image for first installation which is located here: dd-wrt.com/site/support/router-database and after the 30/39/30 rest procedure apply the following firmware WNR2000 v3 Firmware - Webflash image and perform another 30/30/30. In the future don't allow people to flash your hardware :$

[Ramhound]

You will need to change the filename of the firmware I am suggestng to .bix or translate the error message so we have a better understanding of the failure.

[krikara]

Yeah, I have been using that navigator to try to figure out what's wrong in my router. Apparently, I am having a lot of issues, from the router not being able to maintain steady connections to any computers. As well as SYN Floods. But then I read somewhere that there are syn flood errors with this software, so I figured I best install the correct firmware before all else