Cannot reset router - DHCP off and IP changed

mattyjim123 · 12 Aug 2017 at 12:45

Hi guys,

I recently picked up a couple of TPLink TL-WDR3600 routers from a company that had gone bust (sounds dodgy, but liquidators had been in, and we're clearing the building). It looked like they were being used as modems between the BT Fibre modems and the Draytek router.

Either way, I'm trying to reset them, and I'm having no luck.

The reset/wps button doesn't seem to do much, as I presume they have disabled this through custom firmware (Gargoyle maybe?).

The DHCP server must have been turned off, as connecting a PC via ethernet doesn't work. Also, I would presume that the default IP of the router has been changed too.

I'm stumped as to how to reset these two routers... Any ideas at all?

Cheers.

spudbynight · 12 Aug 2017 at 13:03

Have you tried this?

http://www.tp-link.com/us/faq-497.html

mattyjim123 · 12 Aug 2017 at 13:22

spudbynight said:
Have you tried this?

http://www.tp-link.com/us/faq-497.html

Yeah - Reset button doesn't do anything at all unfortunately :/

r7slayer · 12 Aug 2017 at 13:47

IF DHCP is off then manually assign an ip address in your pc. Using same gateway and subnet. Then connect via the routers config page / IP address.

ohh nvm if they have altered the default gateway IP etc than that makes things difficult.

mattyjim123 · 12 Aug 2017 at 14:44

Managed to do it!!

I installed Open-WRT on them both using the TFTP Auto Recovery detailed on this page.

Worked like a charm

Thanks for the suggestions anyway!