Microsoft MN700 hack project

[ggoldfingerd]

I can't connect and flash the cfe file using windows or linux. I keep receiving CHIP ID: 11111111111111111111111111111111 (FFFFFFFF) = no power no link. I built my jtag connector, but something must not be right. I know the cable and headers are soldered correctly. I used a DVOM and check for opens, shorts, and to make sure they went to the correct pins. When ground pin 13, the CHIP ID changes to 0x00000..... I bypassed the resistor on pin 13 also to check, but it had no effect.

I have only tried two different pc's, so maybe its the computers. One is really old, can barely run linux (couldnt even make the wrt54g file) and the other is newer and is running vista.

Thanks,
Jeremiah

Does any have troubles in cold boot with the mn700? Sometimes the power light wont come on and I have to keep resetting the power until it works. This has happened for years. Maybe this problem is affecting my flashing ability.

[ggoldfingerd]

I still have had no luck with my router. I know for sure my cable is correct. I will try more pc's, but it may be my router. I traced the lines to the broadcom chip, no opens or anything. I cant see the solder points on the chip, so idk.

[youyou]

Consults a question with the fellow friends，I have the MN700. And three days ago succeed flash DD-WRT system. This morning has turned off several MN700 power sources, presents the breakdown, the phenomenon is often bright for the yellow, PING does not pass router. I have made “wrtjtag-modified.exe - flash:cfe /noreset” again, demonstrates normally.
After the installment completes, with the line connection computer and the MN-700 random LAN mouth, for the MN-700 power failure, then holds down the Reset button not to put, puts through the power, about 10 to 20 seconds later, the MN-700 power source lamp does not present between the orange color and the green glitters. Please ask how to solve this problem, was the router is bad?

[brettwal]

It's nice to finally find an active discussion on this topic. Here is my status thus far.

I have successfullt JTAG'ed my mn700. I can write to it but, I think my cfe.bin is bad. I cannot get the router into restoration mode afterwards. I cannot get nvserial to run in linux. My MAC is 00:0D:3A:6D:08:60

Can some please create and email (or post) a cfe.bin with this MAC ? Or even give some instruction on how to get nvserial running under Ubuntu 7.10 ?

Thanks in advance.

[thenamelessthin]

Hi all! I have build a JTAG cable and I test it with a multimeter. It look good. When I try to jtag the routeur I got FFFFFFFFFFFF error.. I have try with the Windows JTAG soft (with GUI) I'm on XP and I disable the antivirus. And I have try on the différent PC.

Any Idea?

[leperkuan]

I'm just starting to attempt this modification and im just a little worried, ive started to solder my jtag cable and from what i see on the diagram, 17-25(pc) are ground wires and can be placed on any 2,4,6,10,12 (jtag) ??? the way i have done it was
(25-2) (24-4) (23-6) (22-8) (21-10)
does this sound correct?

Also does anyone know if Radioshack carries the 12 pin header male and female, so far ive soldered straight into the router.... which i see may cause problems down the line in case i need to restore or something of that sort i would have to re solder..

closest thing i have done to this is put a mod chip into an xbox and flash it and my first go i bricked an xbox motherboard so im taking this project in stride.

once i get this connector finished i will be back in the forums because alot of these tutorials i have seen leave you to figure out some small items

[smeyer56]

I am having problems getting nvserial to run on Ubuntu. Is it possible to take someone else's CFE.bin and just edit the MAC address?

[smeyer56]

I finally got nvserial to work! It took a lot of time and multiple tries but it works!

[Sofo]

Might I please get the CFE.bin with the MAC address of
00:0D:3A:70:50:F4 ?

Thanks in advance, I'm really looking forward to testing it out.

[fargodude]

Hello all the title says it all. Everything seems to flash ok, but no power led, no blink. No ping, no TFTP, no asus util

I have tried to download a known good cfe.bin from Oleg just to see if that was the problem, but that did seem to be the problem.

Maybe is the way I am doing it.
I am trying to use HairyDairy v4.8 util on Ubuntu. Is this why it not working?
I do the erase:cfe, kernel, nvram then the flash:cfe.

Does anyone know if this works.

I did see some posts about changing the code and something about "R6" but I don't know if that should be the next step.

I also have a ByteblasterMV cable I was thinking about trying to use as my cable might be on the long side.

Do all versions of the MN-700 have the same hardware other than the MAC change?

Thanks for any input you can give.
-Fargodude

[fargodude]

Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

I have tried everything.

I think maybe were I have gone wrong is that I did a
-erase:cfe
-erase:nvram
-erase:kernel
before I did a ./wrt54g -flash:cfe

So I am still stuck. When I do a ./wrt54g -flash:cfe everything seem to work, but when I try to ping it I get nothing. I also don't see a power light.

PLEASE PLEASE can someone help me?

Thanks
Dustin

[fargodude]

I thank everyone for there help in this matter. But after much agony I fixed it myself.

To flash this router, I have found you must use a utility called
"wrt54 modified" or something to that effect.

Everything works great then.

It also appears that the mega version is to large for this unit. I chose the vpn version and everything works great.

Thanks to all the hackers that put this thing together.

[dnaraG_1M]

WHAT:
I owe a debt of gratitude to the folks of this forum - and some other pages - for the help in getting my MN-700 re-flashed with DD-WRT in a fairly quick and easy manner. It was a great learning experience.

WHY:
I bought a $10 MN-700 from a local thrift store with the idea of replacing my current, kludgy, ResetMeOften router. It works! And I've turned another piece of junk into a treasure. How's _that_ for recycling!!

HOW:
I read - and re-read - this forum and several other pages. like Liamm, for a day or so, then plunged in with both feet. The first problem was how to connect to the JTAG port in a way that would allow use in the future. (Having struggled with Murphy and his "Law" for about a half century, I always plan for Plan B!!!). I found an old keyboard extender cable to be an Organ Donor of miniDIN connector(s) which would fit in the box when closed.

Many folks here have noted the "noise prone" nature of the cable and the need to Keep It Short (Size Does Matter!). But, one person indicated that an extension cable could be used if the cable didn't reach the PC. Hmmmm. That sounds like the problem of noise might be due to the resistors being on the DB25 connector - thus, extending the internal JTAG nodes. Perhaps the cable length from the resistors to the DB25 isn't the limiting factor..??.. With that in mind, I decided on a ZERO LENGTH cable. IE, solder the resistors to the JTAG socket and extend the wire from the resistors to the DB25 connector. Remembering Murphy, I still made the total cable length SHORT. About 8".
(See Pix below.)
For whichever reason - resistor location, cable length, or both, that worked B-U-TEE-FLEA!!!! No hardware problems at all.
Take that you rotten, no good Murphy!

I had several software problems and it took three or four re-visits to these pages to iron them out. But, the bottom line is that 10 bucks, about a day or two of "study", an hour of hardware work and about two hours of software fiddling has left me with a GREAT router - love it. It's already looking more stable than the former POS.

I could not have done it without you all.
So thanks, ..........thanks, ............and thanks again.......

cheers,
johnd

[royitoroy]

hi friends, im roy from venezuela and i think that i break my mn700 because sombody have just lost a few times ago the 12v energy adapter, so and i had to change it the conector in the mn700 for use another universal 12v energy adapter with a lot of plugs, and i just use the one for the conector that i change it in the mn700.

ok thats fine its not a problem and it works fine, but.. im trying to change the firm to ddwrt and i am doing all of this post and thats good too, the problem its by mistakes i change the polarity of the universal 12v energy adapter and now, it doesnt do anithing, dont turn on the ligth , it do nothing, and i think its burn some transistor o anything...
but a really think that is the little thing (capasitor, transistor, anything ) black rounded with written stuffs in white on it, that its down to the energy conector and of the hole of the bold, in the picture it just saw.

it says: <PS>E
JET
bel
T1.25A 250V

PLEASE let me know if you know what could ill do? wath its that? can i foud anything like that to change it? can you help me to fix it? or at least tell me if can i buy anyting to change that or fix it? pleaaase i want my ddwrt in that sh.. its about a junior hacker proud

[EMAIL=royroyers@gmail.com
very very sorry for my english its 4 am and im learning it and im desperate
and for the image i dont know how to get it smaller soory
thanks

[akcam2006]

dnaraG_1M, thanks for the help. I moded my router just like you did and it worked perfectly. I played with the idea of using a longer cord and with the resisters on the board my 18" cord worked perfectly.

Thanks to everyone for the help... My old POS is now running at light speed. Well not really but its much better than it was.

akcam2006