Download https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/2023/05-24-2023-r52671/broadcom_K3X/ Hardware The ASUS RT-N16 is a single band (2.4 GHz) N300 Gigabit Router with 128MB RAM and 32MB Flash ROM. Note that SFE accelerated NAT (K3X build 33006+) is required to achieve high WAN speeds with an IPv4 SPI firewall. For speed tests without SFE, see Performance. Hardware Specifications RAM 128 MB (2*64MB): Samsung K4N511163QZ-HC25 or Samsung K4T51163QG-HCE6 Flash 32 MB (MACRONIX MX29GL256EHTI2I-90Q) NVRAM 32K CPU Broadcom 4716@480MHz[1] (Broadcom spec is 533) USB ports USB2.0 x 2 Power Supply 12V - 1,25A max (Upgrading the Power Supply) RJ-45 Ethernet Ports WAN (1), LAN (4), both 10/100/1000 Mb/s Antennas 3 x external detachable 2dBi antennas WiFi Frequency Range 2.4GHz ~ 2.5GHz 802.11n up to 300Mbps 802.11g up to 54Mbps 802.11b up to 11Mbps Switch Chip Broadcom BCM53115SKFBG LED Color Blue Install DD-WRT from Factory Firmware + Restore Factory Default settings (Clear NVRAM) + Install the INITIAL trailed build 22118 K2.6_mini_RT-N16.trx of DD-WRT + Restore Factory Default settings (Clear NVRAM) or via DD-WRT webGUI + Upgrade to the temporary 21530 K3X custom build (from 2013) + Restore Factory Default settings (Clear NVRAM), or via DD-WRT webGUI + Upgrade to recent working K3X mega or big build (*.trx and N16 in the name) Procedure 1. Download the INITIAL trailed DD-WRT firmware: (2013) 22118 K2.6_mini_RT-N16.trx 2. Restore Factory Default settings in the Asus GUI. Asus factory default username/password is admin/admin. Let the router reboot. Plug the PC into a LAN port on the router and disconnect other connections. 3. Flashing the INITIAL Firmware to the router (the one where the file name ends in .trx) 4. Set the router in "Recover mode" (same as other Asus routers) With this router pull power, hold the reset button in then plug in power and look for the slow blink of the power light. o Use ASUS Firmware Restoration Utility to upload the new firmware (from router CD or here). or search for Asus Recovery Utility. Or use tftp under windows. (tested on windows 10 the command tftp -i 192.168.1.1 put dd-wrt.v24-36808_NEWD-2_K2.6_mini_RT-N16.trx works) o You need to set the PC to Static IP 192.168.1.2 (Static IP guide) o Set the router in recovery mode by holding in the reset button when plugging in the power. The power light should now be blinking slowly, meaning the router is in restore/recovery mode and ready for the new firmware. Upload and wait for the router to reset on its own (may take anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes). Note on Asus Recovery Utility: The recover utility is just a tftp server with added wait timer, but standard tftp tools can also be used to upload firmware. Just remember to do the proper 3 minutes or more wait for the unit to reboot itself, after the 10 to 30sec tftp completion. See: TFTP, ASUS TFTP 5. After the reboot from flashing, wait for the device to show the password change screen for DD-WRT. Enter root as the user and anything for the password as you will do the user/pass procedure again after the final flash. 6. Reset to Factory Settings. + Method A - Use the DD-WRT GUI. Go to Administration->Factory Defaults, click Yes then select Apply. + Method B - WPS button hard reset. The following procedure will clear out the NVRAM and set dd-wrt back to default values: o With the unit powered off, press and hold the Red WPS button on the back of the unit. o Without releasing the WPS button plug the power in, and hold the WPS button for 30 seconds o When releasing the WPS button the unit will reboot and Factory Default settings will be loaded. Note on Asus hardware reset for NVRAM clear: do not use the Reset button. See Eko's post 7. Reset is recommended BEFORE and AFTER flashing and may be required for large jumps to avoid issues. 8. Upgrade to the custom transition firmware dd-wrt.v24-21530_NEWD-2_K3.x_big.bin (Alt) + NOTE: 21530 is not a regular released beta build! This transition firmware repartitions the flash. Later firmware of this series DO NOT. 9. Use the web GUI to upload. Administration->Firmware Upgrade and select Reset to Defaults. 10. Upgrade to a recent working K3X big build from the betas folder, this time DO NOT reset settings. See Where do I download firmware for links and research New Build and model-specific threads. Note that you SHOULD NOT reset settings under any firmware beyond the transition firmware or you could render it unbootable necessitating starting over. Firmware 36808 BIG K26 runs on this router. Congratulations! Please consider donating to DD-WRT as we are an open-source community providing free software to upgrade consumer routers with commercial-grade capabilities. Also read Basic Wireless Settings and Advanced Wireless Settings to learn how to get the most WiFi data speed out of your new N-Router. Troubleshooting IF the router won't provide a Power LED after updating to the K3.x file...then there is a problem with the flash chip and it needs to be cleared (except the CFE). Issue the following commands via telnet/SSH or the Commands window under the Admin tab. mtd erase nvram mtd erase ddwrt mtd erase linux This will clear the flash chip...now start the process again with the K2.6 mini build Notes about K3X Do NOT issue "erase nvram" command from CLI...this unit only has 64K of nvram...the CLI thinks it has 128K and the firmware thinks its 256k...this means doing an "erase nvram" removed other parts of the flash chip (likely firmware partition "dd-wrt" or "linux") Restore to Asus Firmware 1. Download the latest ASUS firmware from the ASUS web site. 2. Rename the Asus firmware file from .trx to .bin 3. Do a Restore Factory Default settings to Clear NVRAM in DD-WRT 4. Go to the DD-WRT firmware upgrade page and select the renamed ASUS firmware 5. After the flash finishes, and the router has rebooted, you see the ASUS GUI. If not, clear browser cache. 6. Do a Factory Reset to clear the NVRAM using the Asus GUI Recovery Mode To access recovery mode, you MAY have to press the WPS button (not the reset button like other ASUS), then plug in power, and tftp the firmware you want to flash. Some people have reported that the reset button DOES work like the other ASUS routers to get it into recover mode. GUI Factory Reset before and after every flash to make sure you don't have any nvram problems or conflicts. On this router, the reset button only resets the nvram partition. De-Brick Methods 1. Hard reset to factory defaults by holding in the red WPS button while plugging in the power. 2. Recovery mode, to upload a different firmware. 3. Internal serial connector, using CFE commands. Use 3.3V TTL level signaling. For example: US shop FTDI Serial Adapter is small and reliable, providing: Virtual serial port via PC USB to 3.3V-TTL (Rx, Tx) signaling. UK outlet 4. Try to reset/reload the firmware using the TJTAG software and the internal JTAG connector. Known Issues, Bugs, and Workarounds * Hardware fix (capacitor) for RT-N16 wireless drop-outs * UPNP is currently not working for the RT-N16, so for now leave the feature disabled unless you want a full CPU Load. FIXED with SVN Changeset #13527 * Access Restriction with MAC-Filter doesn't work on Asus RT-N16. FIXED Ticket #1319 (as of 12/18/09) * On this router the reset button will only bring you to recovery mode. If you wish to restore defaults, use the Red WPS button while plugging power in. * USB hard drives after build 15407: "The devs of dd-wrt have removed the loading of file system drivers from the startup of the firmware. They are now loaded on demand with automount. Well, this presents a problem for those of us with USB HDD that automount doesn't detect. In order to load the file system drivers at startup you need to add the following to save startup in the commands tab" for more, see TechInfoDepot DD-WRT Notes