Fix for ASUS 3100 Router Firmware Update Failure

I started experiencing random issues with my ASUS RT-AC3100 wireless router at home.
First the guest network would show "bad password" when it was being typed correctly.
Then the 2.4Ghz network would not allow connections.
Finally, when I tried to access the router login page, the router was refusing the connection.

I called ASUS support and they tried to do some troubleshooting over the phone, but eventually stated the unit would need to be sent in for repair.

Thanks to my mentor, James Bond (the other James Bond), who originally recommended the router to me and has one himself, pointed me to a firmware fix.  He said it was likely bricked due to a bad firmware update, which he experienced as well.

Here's the resolution:

1) First I acquired a known working firmware version from my mentor, but can also be found on the ASUS website or down below under the Sources links

2) Next I installed the ASUS Firmware Restoration tool as admin on my laptop (note the install location)

3) Third, I hardwired my laptop to the router, and disconnected the WAN cable from router to my modem

4) Then I statically set my LAN adapter IP address to 192.168.1.100, mask 255.255.255.0 with no gateway specified

5)  I launched the ASUS Firmware Restoration tool from the install location, as admin (right click, Run As Administrator)

6) Then I chose Browse and selected the firmware file/version to which I wanted to restore the router to

7) Set the router to rescue mode (with the router disconnected from power, press and hold the [red] reset/restore button on the back.  Connect power, continuing to hold the restore button until the power light starts SLOWLY flashing on and off.  It's now in recovery mode.)

8)  Click "Upload" on the firmware restoration tool to start the recovery process

9)  The tool will show finished and waiting for a reboot when the firmware is done uploading

10)  Manually reboot the router via disconnecting and reconnecting the power cable



I was then able to navigate in a web browser to my router's login page and start from scratch.  (I had reset the router to default before all these steps, as part of the ASUS phone tech troubleshooting  - press and hold the reset button for five seconds)

Remember to set your LAN IP address back default settings or to obtain automatically...



Sources:

[How To] Use Rescue Tool - Firmware Restoration on ASUS Router
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/how-to-use-rescue-tool-firmware-restoration-on-asus-router.29434/

"The Wireless Router Is Not in Rescue Mode" ?? Asus rt-n66u help
http://www.linksysinfo.org/index.php?threads/the-wireless-router-is-not-in-rescue-mode-asus-rt-n66u-help.68801/

How do I use the rescue mode of a router?
https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1000814/


[Trouble Shooting] Firmware update failed
https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1030652/


Dropbox Link to Rescue Tool Installer and Two Different Firmware Versions:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zjaabgx7s1b6wyd/AAA3RhvrAMCOnDB4wdC1fvxPa?dl=0

Windows 10 Will Not Update / Check for Update Fails

Updated Steps 4/12/2018 to include workaround of error: WARNING: Can't find registered service Microsoft Update. Use Get-WUServiceManager to get registered service.

****If you are having difficulty with Windows 10 downloading updates or being stuck at 0% check out my other post here: http://austecjenni.blogspot.com/2017/07/windows-10-updates-wont-download.html****

The Problem:

My Windows 10 laptop seemed unable to successfully check for updates, let alone download and install them.

I just kept getting a generic "There were some problems..." message with error code 0x80244022.

The error code did not prove helpful upon my research of it, but I recalled a Powershell method I used in the past to force windows to update on Windows Server 2012, so I looked for a similar approach for Windows 10.


Steps for Resolution:

1) Download the latest version of PSWindowsUpdate.zip from Technet (https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/2d191bcd-3308-4edd-9de2-88dff796b0bc/)

2) After downloading, extract the contents of the zip file to:
             C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\

3)  Click Continue if a UAC prompt pops up

4)  Open an elevated PowerShell window
     (Search for Windows Powershell, right click and Run As Administrator)

5)  Type the following and then press enter:
       Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

6)  Confirm the change of the execution policy by pressing Y and then Enter

7)  Type the following and then press enter:
      Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate

8)  Type the following and then press enter to apply Windows Updates:
      Get-WUInstall -WindowsUpdate

8)  Type the following and press enter to get the WUServiceManager services list:
       Get-WUServiceManager

Example (notice there is only Windows Update service available):

9)  Next type the following and press enter to add the Microsoft Update Service:
      Add-WUServiceManager -ServiceID 7971f918-a847-4430-9279-4a52d1efe18d -Confirm:$false

Example (see the Microsoft Updates service is now in the list)

(Or, alternatively, type Add-WUServiceManager, enter the
ServiceID: 7971f918-a847-4430-9279-4a52d1efe18d when prompted, and press enter to confirm)

10)  Display a list of available updates from the Microsoft Update servers by typing the following and then press enter:
       Get-WUInstall -MicrosoftUpdate -ListOnly

11)  Install the available updates by typing the following and then press enter:
        Get-WUInstall -MicrosoftUpdate -IgnoreUserInput -AcceptAll -IgnoreReboot -Verbose

12) Reboot the machine and repeat as necessary until there are no more available and relevant updates displayed when running the -ListOnly command and Windows Update in Settings shows as Up to Date

You can also double check by choosing "Check online for updates from Microsoft Update" and see if it returns anything.  I did not have that option to begin, but it showed up after my machine was finally updated via this method.



Sources:

Managing Windows Updates with PowerShell:
https://www.petri.com/manage-windows-updates-with-powershell-module

Windows Update PowerShell Module (TechNet):
https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/2d191bcd-3308-4edd-9de2-88dff796b0bc/

Update and Upgrade Windows 10 using PowerShell:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/76207-update-upgrade-windows-10-using-powershell.html

Powershell for Automatize Windows Update and Program Installation:
https://www.windowsbbs.com/threads/powershell-for-automatize-windows-update-and-program-installation.110303/