Loading Firmware on the WRT54GL Wireless Router

There are a couple of third party firmware options for various home routers. These firmwares allow for increased functionality, including Increasing the transmit power. In this episode I walk through an installation on a WRT54GL and give you a few tips.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• TechAnvil
• WiFi
• Firmware
• WRT54G
• Linksys
• WRT54GL
• 802.11
• DD-WRT
• hack
• Wireless
• open
• source
• OpenWRT

[ozling2]

wow the middle of the day lol i thought the night would be worse!!?!

[TechAnvil]

I hadn't considered that, it would have gotten ugly...:)

[TechAnvil]

Actually it was a pretty rookie mistake I made. I reset the router to the default configuration for the video, and forgot that the IP was reset also. As a result I had two access points giving out the same set of IP addresses. My wife saw the change and turned off the security on her machine to get the connection to work. This resulted in the routers giving out the same sets of IP addresses, one wasn't connected to the internet! I laugh now, but wasn't funny then. :)

[aviers]

I have the same 54GL and I just readed that first I have to upgradet with the mini version, due to a maximum of 3mb of uploading. After that, I can upgrade with any version isn it?

[TechAnvil]

You got it! A lot of people seem to make that mistake, that's why I wanted everyone to read the directions.

[dr07828]

No router is un brickable ....

[psycofloyd]

DD-WRT FTW!!!1

[katakisLives]

All I ever see is videos and how to's about custom firmware updates! where can I find any info about just updating the firmware of a router to the latest version without bricking it! even the vids that claim to be the fool proof method still make a whole load of assumptions about what you know! all I want is a method of updating thats as simple as Windows OS updates and after all these years they still can't manage that?

[bfr0d]

First you're telling people how risky a firmware update can be, then you continue by recommending an OPEN SOURCE firmware....now that's what I call funny.

Linksys has a reputation to lose, the open source community has not.

[pcfix411]

TechAnvil, Another point to consider. I like the video.

[hentaiseeker]

WRT54GL is only worth it because it's the only currently manufactured router under the Linksys brand that fully supports DD-WRT. Really old versions of WRT54G also have the same hardware but as cost cutting measures the memory has been cut down and it makes the router as stable as surfing the web on a Wii (read unstable). Lack of memory makes the cheaper alternatives unsuitable for torrenting or any type of p2p filesharing. GL is also obviously much more stable than the newer G models.

[macbroadcast]

would you do this for openwrt too ? ;)

[Brealu]

Looks like Firefox to me.

[TemplarKnight777]

well done, but not very informative

[meesterhoward]

He's using IE, he fails.

[opalmirror]

Well, that would be nice, but it would mean paying a few more dollars for the unit, which means you probably would have bought the competitor's firmware-using device that does the same thing but costs less and doesn't have space for a backup image.

[realisticHomeboy]

I don't get why ALL flashable devices are not made, so that it for example always have a hardcoded firmvare version that it can always revert to, if you make a flashing mistake.

Or a functionality that lets you flash it, even with a messed up firmware, like some motherboards actually do.

That way you wouldn't have to be so scared and careful with flashing firmware! :)