Installing DD-WRT in Linksys WRT54G versions 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 8.0 Part II

Installing DD-WRT in Linksys WRT54G versions 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 8.0

1. First download VxWorks Killer {vxworkskillerGv8-v3.bin}.
2. Download DD-WRT micro generic v24 RC6.2 {dd-wrt.v24_mini_generic.bin}.
3. Download TFTP2 {tftp2.exe}.
4. Reset the router to factory defaults
   • Login to the router interface at http://192.168.1.1
   • Go to Administration → Factory Defaults and reset it
5. Update your firmware with VxWorks Killer
   • Go to Administration → Firmware Upgrade
   • Select vxworkskillerGv8-v3.bin and click on the Upgrade button.
   • Wait for a couple of minutes till it resets and then move to the next step.
6. Upgrade to dd-wrt micro
   • Double-click on tftp2.exe and enter these details.
     Server: 192.168.1.1
     Password: admin
     File: path to dd-wrt.v24_micro_generic.bin
   • Click on Upgrade

     

   • Wait for it to upgrade. If you get this message Upgrade are successful login to the new DD-WRT firmware.

If everything is alright, you may log in now. The default username is root and default password is admin.

Configuring DD-WRT

Enable SSH

Go to Administration » Management and select Enable for SSH Management
Set any other settings that you would like. Then, click on the Save Settings button.

Increase transmit power

The default transmit power is only 28 mW! You can increase it upto more than 200 mW, but lets keep it below 70.
Go to Wireless » Advanced Settings and enter a decent value (below 70) for Xmit Power.
Federal regulations prevent increasing your wireless signal beyond a point because the signals may kick out other signals (your poor neighbours').

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Shell commands

DD-WRT comes with a built-in shell called ash. Lets play around with the commands. Connect to your router via SSH using PuTTY (if you use Windows) or any remote terminal software. Login as "root" and type in your password. You should get something like this

Display CPU information of your router

~ # cat /proc/cpuinfo
system type             : Broadcom BCM4712 chip rev 1
processor               : 0
cpu model               : BCM3302 V0.7
BogoMIPS                : 199.06
wait instruction        : no
microsecond timers      : yes
tlb_entries             : 32
extra interrupt vector  : no
hardware watchpoint     : no
VCED exceptions         : not available
VCEI exceptions         : not available

Display time the router has been up

~ # uptime
08:49:30 up 7 days, 11:56, load average: 0.03, 0.02, 0.00

Display Linux version

~ # cat /proc/version
Linux version 2.4.33-pre2 (root@linux) (gcc version 4.1.0) #775 Tue May 16 20:13:17 CEST 2006

Scan for wireless networks nearby

~ # wl ap 0
~ # wl scanresults
~ # wl ap 1

Next in series... Wireless Bridge with Linksys WRT54G and Buffalo WHR-G125 routers

Posted in: Network