Here is how I installed DD-WRT on my home router, a TP-link Archer C7 (v4).
I’ve used it for about 2 years now, but although it presents a lot of configuration parameters, I wasn’t as happy as I wished, especially with a 90€ router.
I’ve known DD-WRT for quite a while now, but I’ve always feared the bricked router situation. This is a situation where the routers cannot operated because its internal firmware is either corrupted or not properly flashed.
I’ve stumbled upon an article on the DD-WRT wiki about installing it on the same model as I have, but I wanted to publish this article for 2 reasons :
1. It’s my first Medium publications
2. To provide an extensive tutorial about this installation.
Note : All of those steps are to be done via a wired connection to the router itself (on LAN port 1 preferably, although not tested on other ports).
Checking the router version
The first step is to check the firmware version, from that will depend the firmware to install.
By logging on the web interface of the router (Advanced tab), and going in the menu System Tools > Firmware upgrade, you can check the Hardware version of your router. Or simply by looking at the footer of the webpage, as displayed on the picture below :
Reset to factory defaults
This steps has to be done to ensure a clean slate, on which we’ll load the DD-WRT firmware afterwards.
On the web interface of the router (Advanced tab), in the menu System Tools > Backup & restore, you can click on the button Factory restore. This will take some time.
At the end your are ready to install the DD-WRT firmware.
Installing the DD-WRT firmware
At the time of writing this post, the latest version of the DD-WRT firmware is the version `02–25–2020-r42514`, and it can be found in the FTP server of DD-WRT. From there, simply select the folder corresponding to the model and version of he router. You have then 2 files to download :
1. The actual DD-WRT firmware that we’ll flash : `factory-to-ddwrt.bin`
2. The factory firmware (if you want to rever to TP-link firmware):`tplink_archer-c7-v4.bin`
Download and install those 2 files.
Now, go into the webinterface of the router (Advanced tab), and going in the menu System Tools > Firmware upgrade, you can, in the section Manual upgrade, upload the file `factory-to-ddwrt.bin`. Click then on upgrade to start flashing the router :
Answer yes to the question “Do you want to upgrade the firmware”, and the DD-WRT firmware will be loaded into the router.
After that, the router will reboot… into DD-WRT.
Configuring DD-WRT
Once rebooted, browse to the DD-WRT defaut IP address : `http://192.168.1.1` and define a set of credentails for accessing the router’s web interface.
I advise you to then go an clear the NVRAM of the router before making any other changes. This can be done by going in the DD-WRT web interface, to the page Diagnostics (`http://192.168.1.1/Diagnostics.asp`), and entering the following command :
```erase nvram && reboot
Now you’re all set and can enjoy the hapiness of a REALLY customizable router !
Cheers !
