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Thread: Linksys wrt54g open source firmware

  1. #1

    Linksys wrt54g open source firmware

    I just purchased a new linksys wrt54g wireless router. The stock firmware seems pretty good, but then I came across this.
    third party linksys firmware Has any one used this third party firmware? Is it worth the trouble or risk as far as what options it enables on the router?

  2. #2
    Dissident 4dm1n brokencrow's Avatar
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    Haven't used the firmware myself, but it's well-reviewed. Worse you're going to do is brick your router and you're out $60.
    “Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.” — Will Rogers

  3. #3
    AO übergeek phishphreek's Avatar
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    I was using sveasoft firmware for quite a while. I found it to be very feature rich but also very unstable. It was constantly crashing due to bugs.

    There are far more OSS projects out there for the wrt54g(s).

    Just make sure you have a compatible version. The newest ones take a lot more work to get them loaded. wrt54g v2 and wrt54g v3 are my two favorite wrt54g versions. I also like the wrt54gs because they give you more flash storage.

    I'm currently using hyperwrt on one
    http://www.thibor.co.uk/#features

    I'm also using openwrt on another.
    http://openwrt.org/

    Openwrt was the most active project the last time I was fooling around with them.

    If you plan on messing with the custom firmware.... just be SURE you know what you're doing.

    I've already bricked one of them. The only way to "unbrick" it is to hack it to add a serial port.
    http://jdc.parodius.com/wrt54g/serial.html
    Quitmzilla is a firefox extension that gives you stats on how long you have quit smoking, how much money you\'ve saved, how much you haven\'t smoked and recent milestones. Very helpful for people who quit smoking and used to smoke at their computers... Helps out with the urges.

  4. #4
    You really can destroy one of these? I thought that the trusty ole' reset button was there in case you did anything really bad... Phishphreek80, how did you ruin yours?

  5. #5
    Dissident 4dm1n brokencrow's Avatar
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    Just bricked a WRT54GC last week running the factory firmware. My client wasn't very happy.

    Funny thing is the unit still acts as a switch, but the firmware, including the dhcp server, is gone. Resetting the thing does nothing for it. Spent a couple of hours on the phone to Linksys to no avail. I've had similar problems with Belkin and they sent me another router sight unseen. Can't say I'd ever consciously buy another Linksys.

    I try to pushing clients into higher end stuff like Sonicwalls or Smoothwall anymore for the sake of quality. $50-60 for a network gateway (router) puts you in a piece of junk, whatever brand.
    “Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.” — Will Rogers

  6. #6
    AO übergeek phishphreek's Avatar
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    infernon: I bricked mine by loading the wrong firmware on it.

    I try to pushing clients into higher end stuff like Sonicwalls or Smoothwall anymore for the sake of quality. $50-60 for a network gateway (router) puts you in a piece of junk, whatever brand.
    I couldn't agree more. I mine just for wifi access for my laptop(s). I don't use it as a border device.

    I do, however, prefer linksys to most of the other cheap routers out there.
    Quitmzilla is a firefox extension that gives you stats on how long you have quit smoking, how much money you\'ve saved, how much you haven\'t smoked and recent milestones. Very helpful for people who quit smoking and used to smoke at their computers... Helps out with the urges.

  7. #7
    Thanks for the input, I guess I will add a serial port to it before I attempt upgrading the firmware in any fashion. I happen to have the version 6 model, with less flash memory. So basically unless I plan to add a sd card to it as well theres not enough memory to add 3rd party firmware, at least not the version I was looking at. Thanks for all the input, as always it was quite helpful.

  8. #8
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    I loaded dd-wrt into a WRT54GL and it has been very solid. Their firmware is also quite feature rich. I'm looking forward to a pre-n router that we can upgrade.

  9. #9
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    the L version is the way to go with the new ones. It is just like the version 4 used to be and is easy as pie to load another firmware on to it.

    The new version 5 that is out is also pretty easy to upgrade now since there is an Open Source Micro Firmware out for them that does /not/ require a serial port hack. It was only a matter of time

    Clicky for Micro info


    As mentioned already, be sure you know what you are doing. You can very easily brick one... if you have a UPS handy then have the Linksys plugged in to that when you flash as even a power spike can kill the process and then they are toasted.

    Give a man a match and he will be warm for a while, light him on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.

  10. #10
    I'm using Fairuza from Hackerpimps also based on the OpenWRT Project.

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