DD-WRT for my TP-Link TL-WR842ND

My TP-Link TL-WR842ND freeze once or twice a day. It’s not the WAN because I may go online with other ports on FDDI modem. I cannot even login to my TL-WR842ND. Upgrade to the latest firmware doesn’t help, either. After 7 months, I give up and get a new AP.

Until last week, when I try to do more research to see if there is any solution, a YouTube names “TP-link TL-WR740N freezing, no connection until restart” catch my eye. It’s exactly what happen to me. And there are comments TL-WR842ND has the same problem, too. Aidin shadnezhad solve his problem by flash it with DD-WRT firmware.

Here comes the solution!

Download and Install DD-WRT

Please use an Ethernet to connect to your TL-WR842ND. If you use Wireless connection, you might not be able to login your router after flashing firmware.

1. Search for your model in DD-WRT: Router Database. I use WR842ND as keyword to find my router.
2. Download factory-to-ddwrt.bin and tl-wr842ndv1-webflash.bin.
3. In TL-WR842ND’s configuration utility, use [System Tools]→[Firmware Upgrade] to upload factory-to-ddwrt.bin and click [Upgrade] to flash firmware.
4. Browse http://192.168.1.1 to the new DD-WRT control panel. It will help you to setup password for administrator.
5. Choose [Administration]→[Firmware Upgrade] to upgrade with tl-wr842ndv1-webflash.bin again

Configure your WAN and LAN

First, let’s get connect to internet.

1. [Setup]→[Basic Setup] to  your WAN.
2. Choose the connection type of your WAN. It shall be available from your ISP.[
3. [Save] and [Apply Settings]
4. Enable [SPI Firewall] in [Security]→[Firewall] as soon as possible.

If you need to change DHCP setting like DNS, start IP address, and etc, you may find them in this page.

Now, make the WiFi available again.

1. [Wireless]→[Basic Settings]
2. Provide your SSID and tick [Disable] Wireless SSID Broadcast for better security.
3. Add your WPA Shared Key in [Wireless]→[Wireless Security]. I preferred to use [WPA2 Personal] with [AES] for better security.
4. Enable MAC Filter will stop wireless access from unknown computer. In [Wireless]→[MAC Filter],  click on [Edit MAC Filter List] to provide known device. Choose [Permit only listed to access the wireless network] to prevent others to access.

You may increase security level by disable unwanted service in [Services]→[Services], turn off [VPN] and [NAS], fine tune more setting in [Firewall], and etc.

Status of my TP-Link WR842ND with DD-WRT

More thoughts

Although there are people complaining Tomato is more stable than DD-WRT, it is actually more stable than the factory firmware to me – I haven’t drop for weeks. Besides, only DD-WRT support Atheros. I don’t have other choice, either.

DD-WRT provides more information about my router and the statistics is more useful. I was very surprised it comes with Atheros AR7241 at 400 MHz and 32MB RAM only.

For those using Broadcom, Atheros, and Ralink chips, you may try DD-WRT if you have drop-line issue. If you are using Broadcom, you may also try Tomato, too. It’s good to have more options for your hardware.

If you preferred OpenWrt, it is available here. OpenWrt doesn’t comes with a web interface, you might need to install something like LuCI yourself.

If you encounter any issue and your TL-WR842ND becomes a brick, you may read [HOWTO] Unbrick TP-Link WR842ND WITHOUT serial to save it.

Reference

1. TL-WR842ND
2. DD-WRT
3. YouTube: TP-link TL-WR740N freezing, no connection until restart
4. Aidin shadnezhad
5. DD-WRT: Router Database
6. TP-Link TL-WR842ND User Guide
7. DD-WRT: TP-Link TL-WR842N(D) v1.x factory-to-ddwrt.bin
8. DD-WRT: TP-Link TL-WR842N(D) v1.x tl-wr842ndv1-webflash.bin
9. Mobile01: 請教DD-WRT 與 Tomato的差異
10. TomatoUSB: Difference between DD-wrt and tomatousb
11. 電腦殺毒掃毒與軟體硬體與網路防毒研究中心：[網路] 無線IP分享器(無線基地台) 刷第三方韌體 DD-WRT
12. OpenWrt
13. OpenWrt: TP-Link TL-WR842ND
14. OpenWrt: LuCI Essentials
15. OpenWrt: [HOWTO] Unbrick TP-Link WR842ND WITHOUT serial