Need advise before firmware upgrade

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Need advise before firmware upgrade

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Need advise before firmware upgrade
Need advise before firmware upgrade
2015-01-12 00:05:55
Region : Argentina

Model : TL-WR1043ND

Hardware Version : V1

Firmware Version : 3.13.4

ISP :


Hi, this is what I have according to the Status window:

Firmware Version:
3.13.4 Build 110429 Rel.36959n

Hardware Version:
WR1043ND v1 00000000



This is the most recent firmware I found here:

http://www.tp-link.com/en/support/download/?model=TL-WR1043ND&version=V1

file name: TL-WR1043ND_V1_140319

Published Date 3/19/2014

Fixed some vulnerabilities and improved security.

For TL-WR1043ND V1



Questions:


[*]Does this firmware maintain the "MAC clone" feature?
[*]Are there any known issues or can I upgrade expecting everything will be working fine?
[*]Should I make a backup of the current firmware (and how?) before upgrading?
[*]


(It's taking me forever to post this, it keeps complaining about one tag longer than 25 characters, I'm not seeing it.)
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#1
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11 Reply
Re:Need advise before firmware upgrade
2015-01-12 14:17:56
MAC clone is maintained.
What's your problem with current firmware?
It is better to make a backup of current configuration.

Tags is under Post Icons when we try to post new thread.
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Re:Need advise before firmware upgrade
2015-01-13 07:10:00

Ada wrote

MAC clone is maintained.
What's your problem with current firmware?
It is better to make a backup of current configuration.

Tags is under Post Icons when we try to post new thread.


Thank you for replying.

Can I backup the current firmware too? Or retrieve it later from the TP-LINK web site although it is a few years old?


Configuration backup: shall I take screen snapshots / note down, or can I use backup-restore across two different firmware versions? (Sounds risky.)


Do I have to expect any problems with the router I have and the latest firmware version (I mentioned precise versions of everything in my previous post), have any issues been reported?



Yes finally the post "went in" when I removed all but one tags, maybe they ought to be comma separated.

The current firmware works pretty well, only, sometimes, rather seldom, after a long period with no ethernet traffic or no wireless traffic, the ethernet or wireless part of it - the one who had no traffic - seems to stop working until I reboot.
But before I realize, typically I have already been out of reach through Whatsapp during 2-3 hours, sometimes with nasty results (I use to arrange my pupils schedules and receive consultations for last hour changes on the phone through Whatsapp or Telegram).

Also, ARP binding settings are sometimes ignored and specified MACs are not always getting the associated reserved IP, although one only other IP has already been (correctly) assigned (reserved in ARP binding settings and, in order to circumvent this problem, also set as static IP into the PC OS settings for that ethernet port... but of course I don't want to set my phone with static IP).

Finally, I read that recent firmware versions had security issues fixed, and that they permit to use the "no-ip" free dynamic dns service (dyndns is no longer providing the service for free).
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#3
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Re:Need advise before firmware upgrade
2015-01-14 19:47:40
3.13.4 Build 110429 Rel.36959n is far too old, I think there is no way to retrieve this version. Although I'm not sure whether a upgrade will fix the problem or not, it is good to go.

Better write down or screenshot the current configuration in case you forget the settings. The recent firmware has improved the login policy to enhanced security, which means your current backup-file won't suit for the new firmware. You need to log in the router via 192.168.0.1 with admin/admin and reconfigure the router according to the notes and screenshots.
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#4
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Re:Need advise before firmware upgrade
2015-01-15 02:11:03
192.168.0.1 => one more reason to switch off the modem before starting, 192.168.0.x is the subnetwork where my ISP put their modem, of course the router would not want to have both WAN and LAN on the same subnetwork.

Thank you very much coca koala!
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#5
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Re:Need advise before firmware upgrade
2015-01-20 22:55:54
Firmware upgrade just done, it was successfull.

The router afterwards was on 192.168. 1.1, admin/admin.

As for the firmware: nice!

And everything seems to work fine so far, I'll report here if anything doesn't.


I'd like to correct something I had written:
[quote]Also, ARP binding settings are sometimes ignored and specified MACs are not always getting the associated reserved IP, although one only other IP has already been (correctly) assigned (reserved in ARP binding settings and, in order to circumvent this problem, also set as static IP into the PC OS settings for that ethernet port... but of course I don't want to set my phone with static IP).[/quote]
While snapshotting the router configuration before upgrading the firmware, I realized I could very well and probably should have setup those MAC <=> IP reservations though the DHCP Address Reservation settings instead of using the IP & MAC Binding settings.

I've done so this time and I've set the Address Lease Time value to the maximum, 2880 minutes.
I suggest for the next firmware release that TP-LINK modifies this setting to accept 0 => allow for unlimited time.
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#6
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Firmware Upgrade concern
2015-01-22 00:48:34
Recently purchased TP-Link WR841N (before V9 update). Find that it works great, however I've had an issue trying to use the WPS to connect to my cable box. Have since just used password to log in, but wanted to see if it really makes a difference.

Additionally, I went to the website and wanted to inquire further as to which Firmware I should upgrade to. From what I can tell, it seems that those with the same model as the one that I have are able to use V9, but with some of the configuration concerns mentioned, I wanted to take precaution before downloading it.

If I am able to download it using my model, will I need to change or undo anything? And I assume this will allow me to use the TP Link app?

Thanks for any help in advance!
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#7
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Re:Need advise before firmware upgrade
2015-01-22 08:55:31

CaptA14 wrote

Recently purchased TP-Link WR841N (before V9 update). Find that it works great, however I've had an issue trying to use the WPS to connect to my cable box. Have since just used password to log in, but wanted to see if it really makes a difference.

Additionally, I went to the website and wanted to inquire further as to which Firmware I should upgrade to. From what I can tell, it seems that those with the same model as the one that I have are able to use V9, but with some of the configuration concerns mentioned, I wanted to take precaution before downloading it.

If I am able to download it using my model, will I need to change or undo anything? And I assume this will allow me to use the TP Link app?

Thanks for any help in advance!


I'm sorry I don't really know that model, and I'm not sure that I understand all of your issues. If you don't get any other answers in this thread and nobody else posted about the same issues on this forum, you might have more chances starting a new thread.

Let me ask you, out of curiosity (sorry if I'm too much a newbie in relation to your networking knowledge):

WPS stands for...?
Any of these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WPS

Cable box = cable modem?
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#8
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Wifi Protected Setup
2015-01-22 10:24:10

Nicolas wrote

I'm sorry I don't really know that model, and I'm not sure that I understand all of your issues. If you don't get any other answers in this thread and nobody else posted about the same issues on this forum, you might have more chances starting a new thread.

Let me ask you, out of curiosity (sorry if I'm too much a newbie in relation to your networking knowledge):

WPS stands for...?
Any of these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WPS

Cable box = cable modem?



WPS=Wifi Protected Setup. Basically you connect your devices at, literally, the push of a button. Hit the WPS option on whatever you want to connect to, then hit the WPS button on your router, and BOOM - you're connected. However, I've been trying to connect using WPS on 2 different devices with the router, but none seem to be working for some reason.

I just wanted to make sure I download the correct firmware for my device. As I'm looking on TP Link's downloads section for my router (WR841 [not ND]), I see one of the options, which has a publishing date of 1/4/2015, but mentions in the notes that it's for the ND version. The option below that one says it's for the WR841N(UN) - I'm not sure what the UN part means. Just don't want to mess anything up is all.
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#9
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Re:Need advise before firmware upgrade
2015-01-22 19:23:43

CaptA14 wrote

WPS=Wifi Protected Setup. Basically you connect your devices at, literally, the push of a button. Hit the WPS option on whatever you want to connect to, then hit the WPS button on your router, and BOOM - you're connected. However, I've been trying to connect using WPS on 2 different devices with the router, but none seem to be working for some reason.

I just wanted to make sure I download the correct firmware for my device. As I'm looking on TP Link's downloads section for my router (WR841 [not ND]), I see one of the options, which has a publishing date of 1/4/2015, but mentions in the notes that it's for the ND version. The option below that one says it's for the WR841N(UN) - I'm not sure what the UN part means. Just don't want to mess anything up is all.


Oh I see, here it appears as
"QSS (Quick Secure Setup,WPS compatible)"

Yes of course, you need the right firmware otherwise the router might stop functioning, they recommend correct match.
Maybe you want to post what the status window tells you... mine says now:

Firmware Version:
3.13.15 Build 140319 Rel.41339n
Hardware Version:
WR1043ND v1 00000000
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#10
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Re:Need advise before firmware upgrade
2015-02-19 14:18:48

Nicolas wrote

[...]
Firmware Version:
3.13.15 Build 140319 Rel.41339n
Hardware Version:
WR1043ND v1 00000000


Everything fine for now, February 19th 2015, thumbs up :D
Also tried the dynamic DNS service with noip.com, which is not included as an option in the firmware, and it's working like a charm.



[...]
I've done so this time and I've set the Address Lease Time value to the maximum, 2880 minutes.
I suggest for the next firmware release that TP-LINK modifies this setting to accept 0 => allow for unlimited time.


I also have two other suggestions:



[*]----- That forwarding => virtual servers entries permit to freely type a remark, instead of the "common service port" pull down list, which personally I don't find useful. So I could note "pidgin irc", "jamulus" or whatever application needs that port or port range open, that would be very useful in my opinion.


[*]----- That the router can act (on the WAN as well as on the LAN as well as between LAN and WAN) as a full duplex packets repeater, TCP or UDP or BOTH, from/to somebody connecting into the router with a logic port number to/from another IP and on another port number (or the same port, somebody might need that too, for some "routing" purposes).

I mean I'm asking that the router firmware offers the feature this application offers: http://www.komodia.com/komodia-relay

Why? Well for instance my current ISP filters port 5000, which is unofficially part of the UPnP protocol, but accidentally is also the only port on which FlightGear multiplayer servers listen at present (FlightGear = free open source flight simulator, I recommend the JA37 cold war Swedish fighter from JOFH hangar and all aircraft in Dave's Hangar).

So I told a friend that I was grabbing Java examples from the web to make a UDP repeater port shifter, and minutes later he came back with this komodia repeater and he's running it in his PC, I launch FlightGear connected to his PC on any port number other than 5000 and he acts as full duplex UDP repeater to/from mpserver01.flightgear.org, and it works great!

KomodiaRelay.exe 192.168.0.10 5507 217.78.131.44 5000 u 0

But of course he has to leave his PC going for this relay to work. If his router firmware offered this feature, he could switch off his PC and only leave the modem and router on.
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#11
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