UART recovery

If the router does not start and does not open the bootloader either, Athena can be started over UART. mtk_uartboot hands Athena to the BootROM of the router, Athena runs from memory and opens the web interface. Nothing is written to the flash memory until you write it yourself.

What's in the archive§

Athena for UART, mtk_uartboot for Windows, macOS and Linux, BL2 for DDR3 and DDR4 memory and scripts that start it all. Athena for UART opens the web interface at every start and cannot be written to the flash memory.

Connecting§

1. Power off the router and open it.
2. Find the UART contacts on the board: GND, RX and TX.
3. Connect GND to GND, TX of the adapter to RX of the router and RX of the adapter to TX of the router. Do not connect VCC.
4. Plug the adapter into the PC and connect the PC to a LAN port of the router.

Starting Athena§

1. Unpack the archive and start the script from its folder:

   • Windows — start.bat;
   • macOS — in the Terminal type sh , drag start.sh into the window and press Enter;
   • Linux — sudo sh start.sh in the Terminal.

   The script asks the model of the router and finds the adapter by itself; if there are several serial ports, it asks which one is the adapter.

2. When Handshake... appears, power the router on.

3. mtk_uartboot sends BL2 and Athena and finishes after Received FIP.

4. Wait about 5 seconds and open 192.168.1.1. The PC gets its address by itself.

   Athena for UART does not drive the LEDs of the router, except on Cudy RE3000 and TR3000: they do not show that it has started.

Repairing the router§

Athena runs from memory with the usual web interface. In Update, write what is damaged:

• Athena bootloader — the bootloader of your model from the Athena page, not Athena_UART;
• Firmware — the firmware update file;
• Full image — a full dump of this very device.

Then choose Reboot the device: the router starts from its flash memory again, mtk_uartboot is no longer needed.

If it does not work§

• Stays at Handshake... — TX and RX are swapped or GND is not connected. Power the router off, check the wires and power it on again: mtk_uartboot keeps waiting.
• An error while sending — the adapter does not keep up with the speed: try another one.