Time to try DDWRT

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ZollyMonsta

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#27562 30-Oct-2008 16:22

Hi Guys (and gals)

I've decided to flash my WRT54GS with DDWRT tonight. It appears to be having lockups of late so worth trying some different
firmware.

A couple of questions

Are settings retained when flashing with DDWRT (I gather not, and I'll have to do some screenshots so I can re-enter)
If I'm not happy with DDWRT, can I load an original Linksys firmware over top to return it to the standard firmware?
My router is a WRT54GS (V1.1 from memory).. Which would be the right bin file to download and instructions to follow?
What are the do's and dont's so I don't brick the router (apart from the obvious 'dont reboot it while flashing) ;)

Hopefully my port forwarding will still be able to be done as it's crucial to my home network enviroment.

Cheers,
Grant

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

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AmooMan

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#174671 30-Oct-2008 17:04

DDWRT is great !! you will love it

Ragnor

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#174677 30-Oct-2008 17:14

I prefer the Tomato firmware myself
http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato

blakamin

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#174681 30-Oct-2008 17:24

ZollyMonsta: Hi Guys (and gals)

Are settings retained when flashing with DDWRT (I gather not, and I'll have to do some screenshots so I can re-enter)

Nope

ZollyMonsta:
If I'm not happy with DDWRT, can I load an original Linksys firmware over top to return it to the standard firmware?

Yup

ZollyMonsta:
What are the do's and dont's so I don't brick the router (apart from the obvious 'dont reboot it while flashing) ;)

Can be reset inside if need be.

ZollyMonsta:
Hopefully my port forwarding will still be able to be done as it's crucial to my home network enviroment.

That and much, much more!

ZollyMonsta

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#174686 30-Oct-2008 17:41

Ok, it's definately a ver 1.1 WRT54GS.

So, which file do I download? One page on the DDWRT website refers to vintage firmware at:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/down.php?path=downloads%2Fv24%2FBroadcom%2FBroadcom+Generic%2Fvintage/

..according to the chart under 'supported hardware'.

However under 'download' there seems to be the latest version available (V24)

http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/stable/dd-wrt.v24 SP1/Consumer/Linksys/WRT54GS_v1.1

I understand I need to install the 'mini' version first, then the 'standard' version.

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

AmooMan

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#174703 30-Oct-2008 18:19

Looking at

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices

&

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linksys_WRT54G_series

Sounds like you dont need to load mini or macro first.. but it wouldnt hurt..
It would be safer to load mini on first.. then if you need the extra features upgrade to standard.

But.. i also recommend Tomoto firmware.
I use it on my WRT54G v3.1 here at my flat..
Its alittle more (user friendly/dumb down) than DD-WRT
and it has a really nice QOS system & port forwarding is a easy as..

You can find it here.
http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato

ZollyMonsta

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#174711 30-Oct-2008 18:55

I considered Tomato, but want to use DDWRT :)

dd-wrt.v24_mini_wrt54gs.bin

dd-wrt.v24_std_generic.bin

Hmm.. wonder if these are the right ones?

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

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ZollyMonsta

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#174734 30-Oct-2008 20:56

Ok.. took the plunge and it worked... after a few tricky moments..

Firmware: //DD-WRT v24-sp1 (07/27/08) mega"); //]]> DD-WRT v24-sp1 (07/27/08) mega Capture(share.time) Time: 20:55:10 up 40 min, load average: 0.52, 0.40, 0.19
I'm not sure if this is the latest software (I think it might be though). Many cool features (especially the bandwidth monitoring!).
I didn't realise the router was so fast (216mhz) with over 30mb of ram!

Cheers,
Grant

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

sbiddle

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#174738 30-Oct-2008 21:30

I've become a DD-WRT convert now. I used to use Sveasoft Talisman but found it was starting to fall behind feature wise.

ZollyMonsta

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#174739 30-Oct-2008 21:36

Yeah it looks pretty cool... A lot of features I have no idea what they are :) All set up now with port forwarding and secure. :)

I note you can schedule it to reboot the router automagically too.. shame it doesn't have a monthly option.

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

rphenix

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#178530 18-Nov-2008 10:47

I prefer openwrt but I like a good GUI so a nice compromise:
http://x-wrt.org/

openwrt with webif2 pre loaded into the packages. What I like about X-WRT is its open source, and will remain that way with no "activation" or other dodgy practices. I realise the base firwmare of DD-WRT is distributed under GNU license but considering some of the most important parts of it arent distributed under GNU I dont consider it opensource.

Athlonite

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#179349 22-Nov-2008 05:04

hmmm i wonder if there's a firmware for a Huawei SmartAX MT882 out there anywhere

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ZollyMonsta

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#179360 22-Nov-2008 08:42

Been on DD-WRT for a few weeks now... Haven't had any problems since :) (up 22 days, 12:27)

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

dolsen

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#179367 22-Nov-2008 09:30

ZollyMonsta: Been on DD-WRT for a few weeks now... Haven't had any problems since :) (up 22 days, 12:27)

Yes - it's very good, lots of cool (stable) features. I was having a few problems with the standard firmware, but once I moved to dd-wrt, all of the problems disapeared.

Unfortunatly, I wanted to move to fusion, so, I had to get a new router with ata ports, however, the dd-wrt router is still on my network - now acting as a wireless bridge to a network printer and spare computer I can't be bothered puting network ports close to.

I don't think the standard firmware supported running the router as (just) a wireless bridge - but I'm not sure.

rphenix

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#179598 23-Nov-2008 12:12

dolsen: [
Unfortunatly, I wanted to move to fusion, so, I had to get a new router with ata ports,

Why didnt you just buy an ATA and keep using the openwrt router? I have a linksys SPA ata it works great.