Hello All,

So I had bricked my TP-Link WR1043ND Router and managed to get the firmware on it working again using a TTL Serial-USB adapter. I think my cheap eBay adapter had the labels incorrectly for the 3.3V and 5V Should have measured...

Now, the problem now is it wont power using its normal AC adapter but only using the USB Serial dongle. My guess would be that some Low voltage regulator or converter died on its board, I suspect the APW7120, any suggestions or ideas ?

Thanks,
Pete

You should start testing voltage levels at different test points. Like TP1V8 should provide 1.8V, TP3V3 should give 3.3V, ... you get the point.

You don't have the power from the usb/serial adaptor connected when you're trying to power it up with the wall wart, do you?

You shouldn't ever connect the power from the adaptor to your router--only TX, RX, GND.

MBS, It seems that on Ver2.1 the Test point voltages aren't labeled like that anymore but rather just TP1, TP2..etc. Is there a list of what they should be ?

Lizby, when i first tried the serial adapter without the VCC connected it wouldn't work at all with or without the power adapter, when i connected VCC it worked and i was able to unbrick it. The problem was the 3.3V and 5V connections were swapped and labeled wrong on the adapter which i think fried the router board. As it stands now, the router will not power up using the wall wart adapter, but when i connect VCC from the adapter it does power on.

Do we know we know what chip powers the 5V & 3.3V rails (i assume connected to the VCC serial pin), im thinking it was backfed and fried somehow ?

Pete