This article will help you how to upgrade the bootloader of RUT2xx Router step by step.
A bootloader is a program that loads the operating system or other system software for the router after the startup self-tests are completed; It is the installer of the operating system itself.
1.) Checking Bootloader Version
You can find your bootloader version in the Firmware section under the System tab; in short: System->Firmware. You can find the bootloader version under Current Firmware Information, just below the Kernel version;
2.) Setting Static IP on the Computer
Bootloader can be upgraded from Bootloader menu. Once the bootloader menu becomes accessible, the router will not work in its normal state, meaning all normal services including DHCP will be disabled, so you will need to set a Static IP address on your PC first.
The default address of the router is 192.168.1.1, so your PC's IP address should also be in the first subnet, for example: 192.168.1.2. The final number can be any number in the range 2 – 254. Your PC's IP cannot be the same as the router's IP (192.168.1.1), nor can 192.168.1.255 and 192.168.1.0.
Here's a quick guide on how to set up a static IP address.
3.) While in the Ethernet Settings window, click Change adapter options under “Related settings”,
4.) While in the Network connections window, right-click on the Network connection associated with your Ethernet adapter and click Properties,
5.) Then click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4),
6.) Check Use the following IP address and enter a static IP for your PC (e.g. 192.168.1.2); netmask – 255.255.255.0; gateway – 192.168.1.1
7.) Unplug the Router Power Supply Unit (PSU) and leave only the LAN Ethernet port (for your computer) plugged in.
The WAN Ethernet port should not be plugged in during the following procedure.
Press and hold the reset button. Plug the Power Supply back in while holding down the Reset button. After plugging in the Power Supply, press and hold the Reset button for 3-4 seconds. After this, all Ethernet port LEDs should start blinking.
Now you can enter the Bootloader menu. Open your web browser and enter your router's IP address in the URL field and add /uboot.html at the end (192.168.1.1/uboot.html). This may not work if you have connected to the router's WebUI at least once as the path to the URL may be cached. To fix this problem, you can clear the browser's cache or, more simply, open the browser in a mode that does not cache browsing information. In Google Chrome, this is called Incognito mode and can be accessed by pressing ctrl+shift+n; In Mozilla Firefox, this is called Private Browsing and can be accessed by pressing ctrl+shift+p; It is InPrivate in Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer, accessible by pressing ctrl+shift+p.
Load the bootloader image and click Update U-Boot,
8.) You should be greeted with a window like the one below,
9.) This means the upgrade has started and you can close the browser window.
The update itself only takes a few seconds, but the router will then reboot. The entire process takes 2-3 minutes before the router becomes accessible again.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not forget to change the IP address of your PC, because if you have not specified any DNS server manually, it may cause problems connecting to other devices or accessing the internet.