Where the backup lives on a GL.iNet router
GL.iNet's upgrade guide does not use a backup button in its own admin panel. It sends you to LuCI: SYSTEM, Advanced Settings, Go To LuCI, then System, Backup / Flash Firmware, and Generate archive. [1] LuCI is OpenWrt's web interface. You sign in with the same password as the GL.iNet admin panel, and GL.iNet says it is not responsible for maintaining LuCI. [2]
Because the backup is OpenWrt's, OpenWrt's documentation describes it best. Command-line users can create the same archive over SSH with umask go= followed by sysupgrade -b /tmp/backup-${HOSTNAME}-$(date +%F).tar.gz, then copy it off the router with scp. Running sysupgrade -l lists every file the backup will include. [3] Run the list command once before you rely on the archive, so you know what is in it.
What the archive includes and what it leaves out
OpenWrt builds the archive from several sources. These are the files listed in /etc/sysupgrade.conf, configuration that packages declare in /lib/upgrade/keep.d, and config files it detects as changed. [3] The sysupgrade documentation's example of saved files includes the /etc/config files, /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow, SSH authorized keys and the router's SSH host keys. [4] The table separates what is documented from what you need to check yourself.
| Item | In the archive? | Evidence and what to do |
|---|---|---|
| Router configuration files in /etc/config | Yes | Listed in OpenWrt's example of saved files [4] |
| Login password hashes (/etc/passwd, /etc/shadow) | Yes | Listed in the same example [4] |
| SSH authorized keys and host keys | Yes | Listed in the same example [4] |
| Extra paths you add to /etc/sysupgrade.conf | Yes | Included by design [3] |
| Installed packages and plugins themselves | No | Configs are kept but not the packages; reinstall them [4]. GL.iNet also says to reinstall user-installed packages after a Keep Settings upgrade [5] |
| GL.iNet VPN client profiles | Not documented | Run sysupgrade -l and look. Keep the original .conf or .ovpn files from your provider regardless |
| The firmware | No | The archive is settings only. Download the matching firmware file separately [1] |
The rule that decides whether a restore works
GL.iNet states it plainly: a backup only applies to the firmware version it was made on, not to other versions. [1] A replacement unit may arrive on a different firmware than the router it replaces, so match versions before you restore anything.
GL.iNet's release notes show why the rule exists. The Beryl AX 4.9.0 notes say Parental Controls settings were not carried over because the feature was redesigned. They also say an upgrade that keeps configuration turns on the Kill Switch across all tunnels. [6] Settings formats change between versions, so an archive from one version can describe options that another version does not have.
Neither GL.iNet nor OpenWrt documents restoring an archive onto a different model, so treat that as unsupported. The hardware alone shows why. OpenWrt lists the Flint 2 with two 2.5 Gbit WAN ports and four 1 Gbit LAN ports. [7] The Beryl AX has one 2.5 Gbps WAN port and one 1 Gbps LAN port. [8] Network settings written for one port layout do not map onto the other.
| Situation | Restore the archive? | What to do instead or first |
|---|---|---|
| Same model, same firmware version | Yes | Restore in LuCI, reboot, test |
| Same model, different firmware version | Not until versions match | Flash the backup's version from the download center first, then restore [1] |
| Different model (for example Beryl AX to Flint 2) | No, not documented | Set up from scratch; open the .tar.gz and read the text config files as notes |
| After a factory reset | Yes, if the firmware version still matches | Reset clears all settings, applications and data [9]; check SYSTEM, Upgrade for the version first |
| After U-Boot recovery | Yes, if you flashed the backup's version | U-Boot recovery removes settings and installed plugins [10] |
Checklist: moving to a replacement unit of the same model
Work through these steps in order. They follow GL.iNet's upgrade guide and OpenWrt's backup and restore instructions. [1][3]
- On the old router, note the firmware version shown under SYSTEM, Upgrade.
- Generate the archive in LuCI, or with sysupgrade -b over SSH. Run sysupgrade -l and save the file list next to the archive.
- Write down the plugins you added under APPLICATIONS, Plug-ins. They will not come back on their own. [4][11]
- Save your VPN provider's original config files and any separate VPN credentials, such as OpenVPN usernames.
- On the new unit, finish first-time setup, then check its firmware version. If it differs, download the old router's version from dl.gl-inet.com and install it with Local Upgrade. Leave Keep Settings off when downgrading. [5][1]
- Restore in LuCI under System, Backup / Flash Firmware, Restore, Upload archive. Over SSH, the equivalent is sysupgrade -r with the archive path, then reboot. [3]
- Reinstall your plugins. GL.iNet warns not to update the plugins that ship with its firmware, such as AdGuard Home and Tailscale. [11]
- Test before you retire the old unit: admin password, Wi-Fi names and passwords, the VPN tunnel, the kill switch, and any port forwards.
- Once the new unit is running, upgrade it to current Stable if you want, then make a fresh backup. Your old archive only matches the old version.
Store the archive like a password
The archive holds your login password hashes, your SSH keys and the whole router configuration. [4] OpenWrt's own command sets umask go= before creating it, so other accounts on the router cannot read the file. [3] Treat the downloaded copy with the same care.
A practical routine: name each archive with the model, firmware version and date, for example flint2-4.11.0-2026-10-30.tar.gz, and keep it in an encrypted vault or encrypted disk, not in email or a shared folder. Keep the archive for the version you are running plus one older one. After you change the admin password or rotate VPN keys, make a new archive and delete the old ones, because they still hold the old secrets.
When a fresh setup beats a restore
A restore is not always the fastest route. With a different model, a jump across major firmware versions, or a configuration you have patched many times, setting up from scratch is often cleaner. Use the archive as a reference: it is a standard .tar.gz, and the files in its etc/config folder are plain text you can read while you rebuild.
Rebuilding also clears out settings you no longer need. If the new unit misbehaves after a restore, SYSTEM, Reset Firmware, Delete All and Reboot wipes all settings, applications and data in about 2 minutes. [9] If the unit will not boot at all, U-Boot recovery reinstalls the firmware. [10] After either one, set the router up by hand.
Questions before you decide
Can I restore a Beryl AX backup onto a Flint 2?
Neither GL.iNet nor OpenWrt documents restoring across models, and the two have different port layouts. Set the Flint 2 up from scratch and use the Beryl AX archive's text config files as notes.
Why did my restore fail on a new GL.iNet router?
Check the firmware version first. GL.iNet says a backup only applies to the firmware version it was made on. Install that exact version on the new unit first, then restore.
Does the backup include my plugins?
No. OpenWrt keeps configuration files but not the packages themselves. GL.iNet also says user-installed packages must be reinstalled after a Keep Settings upgrade. List your plugins before you migrate.
Is it safe to email the backup file to myself?
It is risky. The archive contains password hashes, SSH keys and the full router configuration. Keep it in encrypted storage and delete old copies after you change passwords or keys.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Upgrade or downgrade your router Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: What is LuCI Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- OpenWrt Docs: Backup and restore Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- OpenWrt Docs: Sysupgrade from the command line Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Upgrade (admin panel) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet firmware download center data: GL-MT3000 (Beryl AX) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- OpenWrt Table of Hardware: GL.iNet GL-MT6000 Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- OpenWrt Table of Hardware: GL.iNet GL-MT3000 Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Reset Firmware Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: U-Boot web recovery (debrick) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet Router Docs 4: Plug-ins Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.