wAP AC (ARM revision): Bad flash chip?

RouterOS General
1

I have a new(ish) wAP AC (the ARM revision) that is behaving oddly. It seems to not save all the config changes I make, and other changes get corrupted (most recently, for example, the DHCP client somehow got associated with an unknown interface, even though this is a simple CAP device and I’d done nothing to change the interfaces on the device, let alone the DHCP client). I was able to get in and recover via winbox, but it’s frustrating and confusing to have config changes not always “take” and for others that have been there since the device’s config was last reset simply get lost. The last time this happened, it did occur after the power was cut to the device (i.e., it wasn’t rebooted via System → Reboot), fwiw. It’s powered from the POE out port on a hAP AC device, so whenever that device reboots, the wAP AC reboots, too.

Is it possible I have a bad flash chip? Is there some way to check this? I’ve re-flashed the firmware a couple times in hopes that would help, but it seems to keep reverting to the old behavior. The device doesn’t appear to be overheating (system health reports 47-50C), and ambient temperature is below 35C. I could try giving the device its own POE injector, but it seems like it should be able to survive losing power from time to time without a manual recovery via winbox…

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

2

How exactly? Using netinstall or some other way?

3

Installs done within the last 7 days (in this order):

  • v6.47.10 via netinstall
  • v6.48.3 via System → Packages
  • v6.48.4 via System → Packages
4

After the netinstall, have you restored the configuration from a backup file or have you configured the device manually? If manually, I’m afraid it is indeed a hardware issue.

5

It was manual, after netinstall, via System → Reset Configuration and choosing “CAP” mode for the reset device. Out of curiosity, is there a difference between netinstall and System → Packages → Upgrade in terms of how the firmware is physically flashed?

The device is only 5 months old, so perhaps it’s time for an RMA…

6

It’s not about physical difference, it’s about a chance of eventual malware to survive. Netinstall rewrites everything on the disk; upgrade is under control of the old RouterOS version which boots, notices the file(s) with the new version, and upgrades only some files. And upconverts the configuration where necessary.


I’d say so.

7

Got it, thank you!