Need help with installing on gl.inet router

I began installing the OpenWrt software to my GL.iNet router today and was successful, but after Step 1 of the Post-Installation, I could not figure out how to telnet into the router to continue setting up the PirateBox. (I'm using Windows 10. Was I supposed to type "ssh root@192.168.1.1" into PuTTY?)

I then decided to move to a MacBook to try and telnet into the device, which was successful in as much as it made contact, but it wouldn't accept the password I registered earlier. I tried every conceivable username from "admin" to "root", but nothing was working. I panicked and deleted all of the files from the USB to try and start over, but I wasn't able to access [192.168.8.1] to upload the new firmware again. That was hard enough to figure out how to connect to it the first time around (Chrome kept sending me error messages saying that the connection was refused- I can't remember how I solved it the first time)! I'm afraid that I might have bricked the router.

Clearly, I'm new to all of this and had only the slightest inkling of an idea of what I was doing. The PirateBox worked fine until I went back into it to try and set up the imageboard. The FAQs and troubleshooting page have not helped me at all.

Please help me. I really don't know what to do.

Hi,
yes, with deleting the USB content, you made it worse .

Try this howto: Recovery with auto_flash

best regards
Matthias

Thank you so much. I will try that as soon as I can. What a relief!