Tag Archives: wrt54g

CALLING ALL GEEKS: Linksys Firmware

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OK, it’s not often I ask questions and hope for replies.

I was given a WRT54GS a couple of weeks ago because it was acting up for it’s owners and they decided to rent one from comcast. I’ve had it here running as an access point (I already have a linux router!) and it’s going about perfectly.

Now, this is a big house, and I had similar problems with the existing WRT54G that is here (switched out for the GS) with it not reaching all the way back to the far corners. Moving the router isn’t an option, nor is running cable along the floor or through the ceiling (anywhere, really). I’m considering setting up the GS with an alternative firmware and using it as a repeater. I realise this will lose 50% speed for clients connected to it, this is not a problem.

I have questions for the geek community reading this:

1) Which firmware should I install? I’m looking at DD-WRT, possibly OpenWRT and Tomato. Any others I should consider?

2) Can I revert back to the original firmware if needed?

3) If I’m using it as a repeater, can I plug a PC into it and gain wireless access that way also?

4) Is there anything else I should consider before doing this?

Notes: WRT54G v8, not mine, would rather not update firmware on it unless I absolutely have to, in which case I’ll likely give up for now. WRT54GS v7.2, is mine, will do whatever with. I also have a Gigabyte BR-01N or something that I can’t update firmware on, and I can’t use with the current wireless key (to swap out the linksys ones) due to limitations on its WEP setup.

So please, geeks, comment me and give me suggestions!

I Love eBay. Perhaps a Little Too Much…

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Today I have a headache. It has been growing since Christmas day, but a sore throat emerged yesterday and I’ve spent most of today in bed pretending I didn’t exist. It didn’t make it go away 🙁

I’m growing to like eBay a lot. Having started in New Zealand with Trademe, eBay had a lot to live up to. Especially having used it once or twice from outside the US and not being able to buy anything useful – be it due to shipping costs, or sellers not willing to ship overseas.

That being said, I’ve bought 10 items in the last 6 months. The first was a power inverter, to take 110V current that is standard here, and convert it to 240V for my imported DVD player from New Zealand (I brought it with me). Surprisingly cheap, works really well. Now I just need to find a cheap PAL to NTSC converter so I can utilise it.

In the last week, however:

  • A Pentium 3 933MHz, due to arrive Tuesday. This will comprise a new firewall/router for this house, and will leave with me and Kelly when we move out. It also is physically identical to my P3/866MHz server, so they should look nice stacked together.
  • Two additional identical network cards to allow the router to route.
  • A CompactFlash -> IDE converter, to go in the above PC and allow the router information to be stored on a compact flash card instead of a hard disk. This will use less power and be quieter also.
  • A 1GB Compact Flash card, to use as described above.
  • A 4GB Compact Flash card, to use in my digital camera (upgrading from the current 1GB xD card – don’t worry, it supports both formats).
  • A capo for my guitars.
  • A small loop of Atlas N-scale settrack, to use in my coffee-table railroad project (probably some time this year).

I’m also trying desperately to get my hands on one of these (5 or 8 port), and one, possibly two of these (A G, a GL or a GS, just not a Gv7. Would take a WAP54G too, they’re just typically more expensive). I’m trying to get us to a point where when Kelly and I move out we can take the equipment we have and set up straight into an internet connection, not bothering with buying another wireless access point or anything on top of all our other expenses involved with moving – in addition to putting this house back the way it is now. Also wanting to utilise the 2 gigabit network cards I have (one in the Macbook and one in the desktop).

The last things I’m looking out for are a clip-on guitar tuner, a radio scanner, cheap video cameras (the tape isn’t important, so long as it can output composite/s-video), and a cheap video mixer.