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Setting up a spare router.

alan659882
Rising Star
Posts: 97
Thanks: 12
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎04-02-2011

Setting up a spare router.

Thought it'd be a good idea to have a spare router in case the existing one blew up or something so I got a cheap (Brand new/un-opened) plusnet TG582n off fleabay and tried to configure it as a backup.
-- First problem, it's an ADSL router, not FTTC. Whoops, didn't think of that!
However, I flashed 8.C.M.0 firmware onto it (was running 10.2.2.B) without problem, plugged it into my FTTC modem and it brought the connection up no trouble. All good so far.
-- Second problem, I saved the config from my existing router and tried restoring it to the new router and it all goes wrong.
It 'sort-of' works, the config loads, the router reboots with my old WiFi network name and password but I can't login to it anymore (Invalid admin password). Tried all combinations I can think of but no luck.
Also (More importantly), it no longer brings up the FTTC connection, 'Internet' light on router stays red.
I have to reset it with a 'pin-in-the-hole', then it works again but with the default config.
The current result is that I have a working spare but I can't setup my normal config without a lot of typing (Lots of static IPs and port forwarding to be done).
Any ideas?
Maybe it's just that you can't take a config from one router and load it on another?
Or maybe changing the firmware isn't a good idea?
5 REPLIES 5
twocvbloke
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 6,399
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Registered: ‎06-11-2014

Re: Setting up a spare router.

Reset it, put it on the box, and leave it "blank" 'til it's needed, if you set it up now, the details may be different in a year's time so it'd need resetting again anyway, but as cheap as the TG582n is, they're pretty reliable (ours, a generic & unbranded one supplied by Primus who we're leaving, is about 3 years old and hasn't failed yet), probably needing a bolt of lightning to wipe it out... Smiley
MisterW
Superuser
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Posts: 14,575
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Setting up a spare router.

Quote
but I can't login to it anymore (Invalid admin password)
The admin password will be the serial no, printed on the underside of the router.

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alan659882
Rising Star
Posts: 97
Thanks: 12
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎04-02-2011

Re: Setting up a spare router.

Quote from: MisterW
Quote
but I can't login to it anymore (Invalid admin password)
The admin password will be the serial no, printed on the underside of the router.

No, it won't.
It was before I restored the config from my other router but after that it no longer worked.
Nor did the password from my old router, nor blank, nor 'admin'.
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 14,575
Thanks: 5,411
Fixes: 385
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Setting up a spare router.

I didn't think the config file stored the password and I'm sure I've saved and restored config's to 2 different routers and they have always retained their own unique pw. Are they both the same firmware version , I'm not sure that restoring the config from a different version works..

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

alan659882
Rising Star
Posts: 97
Thanks: 12
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎04-02-2011

Re: Setting up a spare router.

They are the same s/w version, but only as a result of me flashing new firmware (To get the FTTC functionality).
I'm assuming that the h/w is the same.
One thought: once I had the new router running, I restored the my config via WiFi.
Is that OK, or do you need to do it over an Ethernet connection?