Linksys WRT54G series

The WRT54G is a router (10/ 100) by Linksys (since 2013 a subsidiary of Belkin ), which consists of an integrated four- port switch and a wireless access point. The device is suitable, 802.11b and 802.11g to share an Internet connection with multiple clients both Ethernet 802.3 and wireless internet access.

Firmware

What makes the WRT54G is that the source code of the firmware, at least until version 4.0 of the router, is under the GPL. Linksys was founded in 2004 moved under the threat of legal means to release the code, because it contains iptables. This is one of the most prominent cases in which the GPL is enforced.

Since the end of 2005 sets the Linksys firmware VxWorks from Wind River Systems, both on the WRT54G and the WRT54GS. Since it requires significantly less resources than the previous Linux firmware, and the hardware has been adapted accordingly. To still deliver devices that can be equipped with its own firmware, Linksys is now marketing the previous version as a WRT54GL. The L stands for Linux here.

Due to the free availability of the source code, a variety of alternative firmwares like OpenWRT, DD -WRT, FreeWRT, HyperWRT, Tomato, Talisman, Alchemy or WiFi - Box was developed. These allow the WRT54G * models features that go far beyond the functionality of the original firmware, and were reserved to date far more expensive routers.

Hardware

The ingenuity within the large developer community, however, is not limited to modifications to the firmware of the WRT54G, and the hardware itself was partially modified. Adding a serial port or a slot for an SD card is just as possible as the connection of a sound card or graphics card - the latter two being more exotic exceptions.

Almost identical is the model WRT54GS. In the first hardware versions it had more RAM and flash memory, and was in addition to a technology called " Speed ​​Booster " extended, which should improve the speed of your wireless network. This is compatible with the IEEE 802.11 standard. Therefore, even devices that do not have a " speed booster" feature extension, be operated with the WRT54GS. According to Linksys, even the bring a small increase in speed, but is not so comparable if both routers and clients have " SpeedBooster ". The latter will bring up to 35 percent more speed. The need to WLAN cards are proprietary and are exclusively offered by Linksys.

The two antennas are connected by a RP- TNC connector to the router.

Errors / changes

The Linksys routers were subjected to changes in the software or firmware, but also the hardware during the production period.

Large-File-Copy-Bug/200 MHz → 216 MHz

First, an error that occurred when copying large files from the WLAN to the LAN. Particularly affected was version 2.2 but version 3.0 and 4.0. The community that has developed around the product, quickly realized that this error can be fixed by overclocking the chip from 200 MHz to 216 MHz = Fast Ethernet clock. This solution was then initially adopted by some third-party vendors firmware (see below ), and finally found himself in the next official Linksys firmware. Therefore, the information on the frequency differ with the same model on various sites between 200 MHz and 216 MHz. The overclocking has little noticeable effect on the heat and is therefore harmless.

System change

As already described above, the complete firmware to another system ( VxWorks) was changed. This has the consequence that you have to watch very closely what firmware you can flash on their device, as it can be destroyed. In particular, pay attention to the hardware revision. Below is an overview of the hardware changes.

Hardware revisions

Serial.

CDF1

The wireless connection is via a mini - PCI card. CPU: Broadcom BCM4702KPB.

CDF3

Serial.

Serial.

CGN1

Serial.

Serial.

Some of unexplained additions to names used by the manufacturer. So currently the sub-versions WRT54GL -DE and WRT54GL -EU offered by the WRT54GL. According to an Austrian trader, the difference lies only in the Linksys firmware, so the use of DE- firmware should be problematic with Austrian ADSL access. Also, for example, in the USA firmware some channels of the WLAN is not available, as these are not released there. However, these are only limitations of the software. The hardware is identical, too. In addition, there are in the United States also WRTSL54GS with additional USB port. There are two versions: V1.0 (32 MB RAM, 8 MB Flash) and version 2.00.5 (32 MB RAM, 4 MB Flash).

Linux distributions for the WRT54G

  • DD -WRT
  • OpenWrt FreeWRT
  • Freifunk Firmware
  • Ewrt currently no active development
  • HyperWRT
  • Sveasoft ( only old versions for free)
  • X - Wrt extension for OpenWrt provides a web interface for the end user
  • Gargoyle is based on OpenWRT and complements it by a web interface with many features
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