Linksys Ultimate Guide to HyperWRT, Thibor Firmware, and WRT54G Firmware Compatibility

Linksys WRT54G series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRT54G#WRT54GL

triggers, scripts, telnet, etc.

HyperWRT +tofu (http://www.polarcloud.com/tofu) - Based on stock WRT54GS firmware, HyperWRT and some additions. Rupan HyperWRT - Based on stock WRT54G firmware and HyperWRT.

Hardware versions affect firmware compatibility

As of January 2006, most third-party firmware is no longer compatible with version 5 of both the WRT54G and the WRT54GS. The amount of flash memory in the version 5 devices has been reduced to 2 MB, too small for current Linux-based third-party firmware. (See table above for info rmation on identifying the version based on the serial number printed on the bottom of the unit, and on the outside of the shrink-wrapped retail box.)

Some users have succeeded in flashing and running a stripped down but fully functional version of DD-WRT ca lled 'micro' on a version 5 WRT54G.[13][14] An easier method not requiring any disassembly of the device has since been devised for flashing v5-v8 to DD-WRT. [15][16]

To support third-party firmware, Linksys has re-released the WRT54G v4, under the new model name WRT54GL (the 'L' in this name allegedly stands for 'Linux').

CPU

According to OpenWrt,[17] the Linksys WRT54G series use several different processors, all of them 32-bit MIPS architecture processors manufactured by Broadcom.

Performance

The WRT54G CPU can be overclocked using a third-party firmware, such as DD-WRT. Overheating may accompany overclocking since the CPU does not have a heatsink. The

router temperature can be lowered by adding a fan to the WRT54G casing [18]

which can be powered externally or wired into the router's main power. Attaching a small heatsink, such as a video card heatsink, to the router's CPU will also help dissipate the heat. The CPU can be identified from its Broadcom label.

Some performance issues have been encountered with the Linksys firmware which may cause sluggish or total n etwork failure. This is usually caused by a large amount of

connections clogging the router[19]. Installing a third party firmware and increasing the maximum ports setting to allow more connections is t he usual solution(in DD-WRT found under Administration->Management->Maximum Ports).

Case fan wired into WRT54G power.

Front view of case fan mod.

Bottom of motherboard with red and black wires from fan soldered to router's power.

References

1.	^ Linksys WRT54G (http://www.speedguide.net/broadband-view.php?hw=36) . Speed Guide	11.	^ Tarifa (http://tarifa.sourceforge.net/)
	(2006-02-03). Retrieved on 2007-04-27.	12.	^ WifiTastic (http://www.wifitastic.com/)
2.	^ EzPlanet Load Balancer (http://www.ezplanetone.com/xwiki/bin/view/Router/) . EzPlanet.	13.	^ V5 possibilities (http://forum.bsr-clan.de/ftopic5643-60.html) . Berliner Quakeforen
3.	^ WRTSL54GS, Wireless-G Media Storage Link Router with SpeedBooster		(2006-03-31). Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
	(http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1137028967848&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper)14. ^ Flash your WRT54G or WRT54GS v5 series (v5, v5.1, v6)
	. Linksys. Retrieved on 2007-04-27.		(http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Flash_your_WRT54G_or_WRT54GS_v5_series_%28
4.	^ Linux hacked onto $20 wireless 802.11b/g router		. DD-WRT (2006-04-04). Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
	(http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS7186776945.html) . Linux Devices (2006-08-11). Retrieved	15.	^ WRT54G5 CFE (http://www.bitsum.com/openwiking/owbase/ow.asp?WRT54G5%5FCFE)
	on 2007-04-27.		. Bitsum Technologies (2007-02-13). Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
5.	^ DD-WRT project site (http://www.dd-wrt.com/)	16.	^ How To Flash the WRT54G v8 / WRT54GS v7
6.	^ HyperWRT Thibor (http://www.thibor.co.uk/) , a GPL project for the Linksys WRT54G		(http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/release%20candidates/DD-WRT%20v24%20RC
	series routers		. dd-wrt.com (2007-09-13). Retrieved on 2007-10-24.
7.	^ OpenWrt - Wireless Freedom (http://openwrt.org/)	17.	^ OpenWrt - TableOfHardware (http://wiki.openwrt.org/TableOfHardware?action=show)
8.	^ X-Wrt - End-user adaption of OpenWrt (http://x-wrt.org)	18.	^ Linksys WRT54G Cooling Hack (http://www.daleholley.com/linksys/linksys.htm)
9.	^ Sveasoft Inc. (http://www.sveasoft.com/) Stockton, California USA	19.	^ [1] (http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Router_Slowdown)
10.	^ WIFI-BOX - WRT54G(s) (http://sourceforge.net/projects/wifi-box/) , GPL Firmware

See also

WRT150N/WRT300N

WRTP54G

External links

Official WRT54G description (http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1149562300349&pagenam e=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper) page at the Linksys website

Official WRT54GC description (http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1115416825655&pagenam e=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid= page at the Linksys website

Official WRT54GL description (http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1133202177241&pagenam e=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid= page at the Linksys website

Official WRT54GS description (http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1148435315453&pagenam e=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid= page at the Linksys website

Official WRT54GX4 description

(http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1130279435381&pagenam e=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid= page at the Linksys website

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