Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[tubaman]

Continuing with my run of bad luck from ebay (recently had a VMG3925 with faulty WiFi) I am now the proud owner of a (probably) bricked VMG1312-B10A.
The seller told me it was taken out of service in a working state a few months ago, but it certainly doesn't work now.
He has refunded me and doesn't want it back, so that's fine.

I am wondering how dead it actually is, as its symptoms are:
Powers on to slow flashing green power light, followed by faster flashing green, followed by solid red.
If I connect it to my laptop and set a static IP I can then ping the router on 192.168.1.1.
However 'ping' is all I can seem to do - it doesn't appear to respond to anything else.

So, there is some life in there but seemingly only a little.

Is this recoverable or does it need to go to the Zyxel home in the sky?
 

[GigabitEthernet]

What I might suggest is to unplug it, hold down the reset button and plug in the power cord. Keep the button held in for 10 seconds and see if you can access a firmware flash page at 192.168.1.1.

[j0hn]

Have you tried the pinhole reset procedure?

Switch router on, wait for it to boot up
With a paperclip, pen, etc., hold in the reset button
Wait until power flashes red, keep holding it down until power stops flashing.
Release the reset button
Wait for the router to boot up again

[tubaman]

What I might suggest is to unplug it, hold down the reset button and plug in the power cord. Keep the button held in for 10 seconds and see if you can access a firmware flash page at 192.168.1.1.

Now why didn't I think of that!

And it works  - Firmware loaded and I'm posting this connected to it.

Have a very big one of these  on me.

So how did it end up like this and why isn't the fix better publicised?

[banger]

Free router. 

[tubaman]

Free router. 

It was only £6 (inc P&P) to start with - I'm too tight to pay much for stuff just to play with (well most stuff if I'm honest).
I was slightly miffed before I even powered it up as the seller had neglected to mention that it was an EU model with an EU power plug.  I had even asked beforehand if it had its power plug with it as it wasn't in the photos and he said that yes it did - which was true I suppose.
I am wondering if I should pay the seller again, but it was dead when I received it and it's only through Kitz that it's been saved from the tip.

I wonder why don't Zyxel publish the procedure for dealing with corrupted firmware in the user manual, as that just says a red power light means a fault?

[Dray]

I am wondering if I should pay the seller again, but it was dead when I received it and it's only through Kitz that it's been saved from the tip.

If you feel guilty about not paying, donate to Kitz instead?

[burakkucat]

If you feel guilty about not paying, donate to Kitz instead?

Seconded. 

[tubaman]

If you feel guilty about not paying, donate to Kitz instead?

Top idea - it's done.
 

Paypal even says I'm eligible for Buyer protection on my donation.

[kitz]

Thank you