Get Linux running on your Linksys Router
Recently my router was giving me some problems, the worst type, dropped signal!
After hours of searching around in forums and such, I concluded that it must (hopefully) have something to do with Linksys's generally bad router software, you know, the page you goto to make all your settings and stuff... usually found at 192.168.1.1
Anyway, luckily for me, some crafty characters in interwebland already came up with a fix for this, DD-WRT. Basically Linux for you router, Yea! that's what I said... learn more here --> http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv3/
!! The following instructions are for LINKSYS WRT54G VERSION 8 routers only !!
!!!! MAKE SURE YOU ARE CONNECTED TO YOUR ROUTER VIA AN ETHERNET CORD FOR THIS PROCESS !!!!
Failure to follow these instructions correctly could possibly bring you the good fortune of owning a brand new, router shaped paperweight...
You've been warned, I am not responsible for your actions, etc etc....
Resolution
On to the good stuff...
It's all actually quite simple, and I've taken the liberty to get all you need and make it available for you right here... so, feel free to send me some beer money, or better yet, BEER! (keep in mind, I only drink quality micro and craft brews...)
Anyway, first things first, download the 3 files attached below.
they should be:
- vxworkskillerGv8-v3.bin
- dd-wrt.v24_micro_wrt54gv8.bin
- tftp
Now follow these steps
First flash vxworkskillerGv8-v3.bin from linksys webgui
You can do this by going to 192.168.1.1, click Administer, then goto Firmware Upgrade. Once there, point the form to vxworkskillerGv8-v3.bin and hit upgrade. When this is done a page that saying Rebooting.... will show (also with a Continue button) anyway, when you see this, WAIT ONE MINUTE, DO NOTHING! YES, for one whole minute, just in case...
Now unplug the power to the router, wait 30 seconds and plug it in again.
Now, open tftp, you'll see three fields, in the top one enter: 192.168.1.1
leave the password blank, and in the third, point it to dd-wrt.v24_micro_wrt54gv8.bin
Hit Go or Submit or whatever it is
Congratulations! You have just turned your 60$ linksys into a 600$ router
just goto 192.168.1.1 and behold the awesomeness of your new interface!
You can start things off by upping the Transmit Power to somewhere near 70mW. Default Xmit is set to 28, upping to 70 will increase your signal strength pretty nicely (as in you'll get full bars) any higher than that and you'll need to refer to the paperweight story above, or possibly find a fire extinguisher...
PLEASE NOTE : that your default username and password are : root, admin <--(user, password -- got it? )
also if you are having issues when trying to apply or save settings, clear your cache or better yet, use another browser...
and...
do it! the Agaric Way....
Searched words:
Linksys WRT54 Gv8 flashing instructions WRT54G version8 ver8 ver.8 version 8.0 8 dd-wrt dd wrt linux router v8 v.8 linux
Comments
I downloaded everything and
I downloaded everything and it all worked great but when I turn my power up I can't tell any difference. I've tried it all the way up to 200 and I still get a low signal inside the house with the router. Do you have any advice for me.
Try moving the router to a
Try moving the router to a different location. Listen, just upping the transmit voltage won't do anything if there is an electromagnetic field interfering with the router. So move it some place more central. if that doesn't work then grab another identical router (they are cheap now) do the dd-wrt flash, and bridge the the two together wirelessly, (one on each side of the house).
This is the best way to increase range, rather than having one all powerful access point, you set small ones up everywhere piggybacked to each other. Theoretically, you could bridge 50 routers all up and down your street and get everyone hooked up to the web thru one shared internet connection.
and finally, as I mentioned above, upping the TX Power to anything above 70 is NOT RECOMMENDED. if you do that you are doing it at your own risk, I take no responsibility for your router overheating and crapping out or causing an electrical fire... so if you've upped it to 200 BE VERY CAREFUL!
Also
You might want to consider some tweaks (Wireless Signal Tweaking): http://www.linksysinfo.org/forums/showthread.php?s=f11c2f39ae41eea172b1c09b3b043642&t=47284
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