[conspire] Router 4 Linux !!

[Paul Zander]

Now that I examine the labels, it is definitely Ver 6.0  

It might not be the best choice of routers, but for $20 it was not a bad deal either.

Based on your recommendations, I should proceed to follow the DD-WRT page for that model.
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_WRT54G_v5.0_%26_5.1_%26_6.0



--- On Sun, 3/13/11, Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> wrote:

> From: Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com>
> Subject: Re: [conspire] Router 4 Linux  !!
> To: conspire at linuxmafia.com
> Date: Sunday, March 13, 2011, 2:05 PM
> Quoting Paul Zander (paulz at ieee.org):
> 
> > The first events in a very long day was that I getting
> up at dawn to
> > go to the first Electronics Flea Mmarket of the
> season
> > www.electronicsfleamarket.com
> 
> Wow, spring is truly on us.
> 
> > One of my new "treasures" is a Linksys WRT-54G. 
> I took a chance based
> > on it being old enough that the antennas are removable
> and it had some
> > accumulation of dust.  Serial number begins with
> CDFD1.  According to
> > one web-site that makes it in the last of the original
> design that was
> > Linux compatible before there was an "L" model.
> 
> 
> Congratulations on acquiring a wireless router!  The
> S/N suggests this
> is a Linksys WRT54G v6 device.  (You should find a tag
> stating the FCC ID
> to be Q87-WT54GV60, if it is.)  That version of WRT54G
> had a Broadcom
> BCM5352 CPU / System on Chip (SoC) running at 200 MHz, 8 MB
> of RAM, and
> 2 MB of flash storage.  The antenna connector type is
> a reverse-polarity
> TNC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TNC_connector), just to
> jack around
> customers and make it difficult for them to interface to
> booster
> antennas, but this deliberate obstacle can be overcome with
> an adapter
> (http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-RP-TNC-RP-SMA-Adapter-TEW-AMBA/dp/B000NZNTVE).
> 
> The router does 802.11 b and g.  It lacks any miniPCI
> or USB connectors 
> (alas).  It has one serial port and one JTAG adapter
> port 
> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Test_Action_Group#JTAG_adapter_hardware)
> that can in theory be used for de-bricking such devices at
> some
> considerable extra expense and trouble.  As with the
> rest of the
> Cisco/Linksys WRT54 series, it has four LAN ethernet ports
> and one WAN
> (uplink) port.  It relies on a 12 volt, 1/2 amp power
> cube (provided).  
> 
> I'm sorry to report that the version 6 series (with S/N
> beginning CDFD)
> are among those called 'neutered' models, in that they are
> badly
> handicapped by having distressingly low amounts of RAM and
> flash storage.
> The WRT54G v2 that we use during CABAL meetings has twice
> the amount of
> each, and I still consider it more than a bit anaemic.
> 
> > So I am looking for advise on how to properly program
> it.  Numerous
> > web-sites make it sound very easy, and even explain
> how recover from a
> > "brick". ;-}
> 
> That's where the bad news is:  The v6's deficient
> hardware makes these
> ones more than a bit problematic.  Here's where the
> DD-WRT people
> explain matters:
> http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Version_5_And_6_Router_Information
> Notice that they say, if you are reflashing the v6 with
> DD-WRT, you
> should use the _micro_ DD-WRT image, and not the 'mini'
> one.
> 
> Here is the tutorial for installing the 'micro' image:
> http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys_WRT54G_v5.0_%26_5.1_%26_6.0
> 
> Additional comments:
> http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices#2MB_flash
> 
> Normally, I would have recommended OpenWRT (open source)
> over DD-WRT
> (proprietary), but I think this qualifies as an exception,
> as the DD-WRT
> instructions seem to give the best chance of a functional
> system
> resulting (and OpenWRT's table of hardware doesn't even
> list the v6
> variant at all).
> 
> I _would_ recommend that you give DD-WRT a try on the
> thing, but don't
> expect it to ever be very robust or have much
> functionality.  Then, if
> you get the bug for playing with such devices, occasionally
> drop in and
> skim-read the OpenWRT and DD-WRT Web forums: 
> Occasionally, you will see
> tips about some really _good_ open-source-friendly wireless
> router
> hitting the market.  The ideal router would have an
> Atheros chip, 64MB
> RAM, 16 MB flash, and USB.  (The USB port, missing
> from your router and 
> mine, permits you to connect arbitrary amounts of extra
> disk as router
> main storage, NFS/Samba shares, etc.) 
> 
> The Netgear WNDR3700 comes pretty close (64 MB RAM, 8 MB
> flash), and can
> be bought for about $100 on eBay.
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/NETGEAR-WNDR3700-WIRELESS-DUAL-BAND-GIGABIT-ROUTER-N600_W0QQitemZ280609281157QQcategoryZ170600QQcmdZViewItem
> 
> 
> 
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