II. Resetting & Router Firmware
ExpiredVigor 120 & Vigor 130 modem Firmware Recovery using DrayTek Firmware Utility
DrayTek Vigor Modems - Firmware Recovery using DrayTek Firmware Utility
If your Vigor 120 or 130 modem is not operating normally, then it is very likely that it can be successfully returned to normal operation by performing a firmware upgrade, using the DrayTek Firmware Utility. The DrayTek Firmware Upgrade Utility is a DrayTek specific TFTP utility designed for use with DrayTek products.
If a DrayTek Vigor modem is in an inoperable state either due to a failed firmware reflash or any other reason, the modem can be manually put into TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) mode - this is a function separate from the modem's firmware that makes it possible to reflash the firmware when the modem is not able to start up normally.
When a DrayTek Vigor 120 or Vigor 130 is in TFTP mode, its IP address is 192.168.1.1, it will respond to Ping and TFTP connections from the DrayTek Firmware Utility.
| Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ALL File | v130_382_BT.all | The firmware will be upgraded to this version and retain all existing settings |
| RST File | v130_382_BT.rst | The firmware will be upgraded to this version and the modem will be reset to its factory default settings |
There are two firmware file extensions that can be used to send firmware to the modem:
Firmware Recovery Pre-requisites
- Download the correct Firmware for your Vigor 120 (v1 or v2) or Vigor 130 modem
- Download the DrayTek Firmware Utility
- Windows computer with Ethernet port and Administrator account - required to set IP address & configure Windows Firewall
DrayTek Firmware Recovery Procedure
Firmware recovery is easiest to complete in this order, which this guide will be covering at each step:
- Configure the computer's Ethernet port IP address settings
- Run and configure the DrayTek Firmware Utility
- Open a Command Prompt window and start a constant ping to the modem's TFTP IP address
- Connect the modem to the computer and power up the modem in TFTP mode
- Send the firmware to the modem
- Wait for the modem to restart with the new firmware
Step 1 - Configure PC IP address
Disconnect the computer that will be sending the firmware from its networks, both Wired - disconnect the cable, and Wireless - disable the wireless adapter or enable Airplane mode.
Set up the computer's Ethernet adapter IP address with these details:
| IP address | 192.168.1.10 |
| Subnet mask | 255.255.255.0 |
| Default gateway | no Gateway IP address set |
| DNS servers | no DNS IP addresses set |
For guidance on how to change the IP address in different Windows operating systems, see this guide.
Step 2 - Set up the DrayTek Firmware Utility
Upon starting the DrayTek Firmware Utility, it will pop-up a warning that recommends to disable the computer's firewall. Just click OK to bypass the warning, the Windows Firewall should only be disabled if the Firmware Utility fails to send.
In the Firmware Utility, click "..." for the Firmware File to select the firmware that will be sent by the utility, where the type of firmware to be sent can be selected:
ALL File (Reflash & retain settings) - Navigate to the directory that the firmware is located in, select the firmware and click Open:
RST File (Reflash & reset settings) - Firmware with .rst extension. Change the file type to "(*.rst)" to select the file, then click Open:
With the firmware selected, configure these settings and move on to the next step:
| Vigor 120 | Vigor 130 | |
|---|---|---|
| Router IP | 192.168.1.1 | 192.168.1.1 |
| Password | leave this blank | leave this blank |
| Port | 69 | 69 |
| Time Out | 5 | 5 |
| Block Size | 512 | 1024 |
Step 3 - Ping the modem's TFTP IP address
Open the Windows Start menu (Start key) or open the Windows Run prompt (Start+R keys) and type "cmd" then press enter to open the Windows command prompt.
At the command prompt, type "ping -t 192.168.1.1" and press enter. This will start a constant ping to the TFTP IP address, which is useful to determine when the Vigor modem's TFTP server is ready to accept firmware.
The pings to 192.168.1.1 will not receive a response, which is normal at this stage. Leave this running and move on to the next step.
Step 4 - Activating TFTP Mode
Remove the modem from its normal fitted position and connect it directly to the PC running the DrayTek Firmware Utility.
Vigor 130
TFTP mode is activated by powering up the Vigor 130 while the Factory Reset button is pressed in.
This requires a pen tip or paperclip to press the recessed reset button.
When pressed, the reset button will make an audible clicking sound as the button is depressed.
TFTP Procedure Steps
- Connect power to the modem with the 12v DC power adapter
- Switch off the modem using the power switch
- Press and hold the Factory Reset button
- While still holding the Factory Reset button, turn on the modem with the power switch
- The Vigor 130 will power up with the ACT & DSL LEDs flashing rapidly
- Let go of the Factory Reset button, the modem will stay in TFTP mode for 2 minutes
TFTP mode is activated by powering up the Vigor 120 while the Reset button on the side of the modem is pressed in.
Step 5 - Sending Firmware to the Vigor modem
Once the modem is in TFTP mode and is connected to the computer, watch the pings to the modem's TFTP IP address - 192.168.1.1 should begin responding to pings after a few seconds, at which point the firmware can be sent:
In the DrayTek Firmware Utility, click the Send button and watch the status, it should look like the animation below:
1. Check that the Block Size is correct for the model (see table in Step 2)
2. If the progress bar gets stuck part-way, be patient and it will usually continue
3. If it doesn't continue after pausing, wait for the Firmware Utility to abort the sending attempt. Restart the modem in TFTP mode and try again
4. If the Sending progress bar does not fill at all:
i. Check the computer's Firewall configuration
ii. Try a smaller Block Size
4. Ensure that the computer has no other network adapters such as Wireless networking active
Once the firmware has been sent, the Firmware Utility will pop-up a "Waiting" window, the modem will not respond on the TFTP IP address once it has restarted, so click "Skip" and proceed to the next step.
If a Windows Firewall message pops up, the firmware sending procedure may be able to send successfully even without being allowed access, but if you find the firmware is not sending, click Allow Access for the Firmware Utility.
Step 6 - Wait for the Vigor modem to restart with the new firmware
Once the firmware has been sent to the modem, it can spend up to 5 minutes upgrading its firmware.
During this time, the modem's LEDs will indicate its status:
Do not power off the modem until the LED states indicate it is operating normally
| Vigor 130 - LED States | Description |
|---|---|
| ACT & DSL flashing simultaneously | modem is in TFTP mode and awaiting firmware |
| ACT & DSL lit constantly | firmware has been uploaded successfully, modem is reflashing firmware |
| ACT blinking once per second | modem is operating normally |
| Vigor 120 - LED States | Description |
|---|---|
| ACT blinking semi-rapidly | modem is in TFTP mode and awaiting firmware |
| ACT blinking very rapidly | firmware has been uploaded successfully, modem is reflashing firmware |
| ACT blinking once per second | modem is operating normally |
Once the modem has restarted, the ACT light should blink once per second, indicating that it is operating normally.
If the Vigor modem had standard .all firmware sent to it, the modem will be accessible on the IP address it was on prior to the reflash with all original configuration present. Connect it back up to the network and use the modem as normal.
If the Vigor modem had .rst firmware sent to it, the modem will be back to its factory default configuration, with an IP address of 192.168.2.1. Connect it back up to the network and reconfigure the modem.
Troubleshooting
If the upgrade process shows this error message when attempting to send firmware then the utility has not been able to successfully send the firmware to the Vigor modem.
If this occurs, try these steps which should allow the Firmware Upgrade Utility to send to the modem successfully:
- Check that the "Router IP address" setting is correct in the DrayTek Firmware Utility and that the computer sending the firmware has an IP address on the same network as the modem's TFTP address of 192.168.1.1
- Make sure that the firmware file is still present on the computer and that it is the correct one for the model - there are two version of the Vigor 120 modem
- Connect the computer directly to the modem's LAN port
- Disable the Windows Firewall or any other software firewalls running on the computer
- Try starting the DrayTek Firmware utility with administrator rights by right clicking on the icon / application and selecting "Run as Administrator"
- Try using a different computer if none of the above works
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- First Published: 25/07/2018
- Last Updated: 22/04/2021