os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com Messaggio archiviato #389

Da: "Lewis G Rosenthal" <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com> Intestazioni complete
Messaggio non codificato
Oggetto: Re: [OS2Wireless] Linksys Wireless Router Firmware Replacement
Data: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:21:45 -0500
A: OS/2 Wireless Users Mailing List <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com>

Sorry I didn't get to this yesterday...what an afternoon...

On 02/25/09 04:15 pm, Carl Gehr thus wrote :
[Primarily to Lewis R., but anyone should feel free to jump in.]

I have seen comments in the past about replacing the firmware provided
in Linksys Router/APs.  I've never felt a real need to do so in the
past, but after installing the latest/last level available for my:
  
 Firmware Date    : April 7, 2005
 Current Firmware : Version 1.52.02
 Product PartNo   : BEFW11S4 ver.4
    
... I'm not convinced it is not causing more problems than I had with
the 1.50.14 level.

So, I have some questions about the replacements that have been
mentioned here.

1)  Where would I get the replacement?
  
First, it is entirely possible that your BEFW11S4 is actually suffering a hardware failure, and it will likely stop handling wireless traffic entirely in the near future. This has been my experience with these (they don't brick entirely; typically, the wireless goes first). None of the available open (or closed) source third party firmware works with this model, so a new router is your best bet.

Next, you should probably look at the LinkSys WRT54GL, which is available from Amazon (<shameless plug>through the search link on the Warpstock home page </shameless plug>):

http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-Cisco-WRT54GL-Wireless-G-Broadband-Compatible/dp/B000BTL0OA%3FSubscriptionId%3D1M17J4TZNSDYTRSTAZ82%26tag%3Dwarpstockcorp-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB000BTL0OA

If the above link wraps, try this tinyurl:

http://tinyurl.com/byllnf

Anyway, they show 3 in stock for $59.99, and qualifying for free shipping. If they happen to be out of stock, let me know, as I have three or four brand new units in stock & ready to flash.

(The reason for the GL version is that these have more RAM and are more easily flashed. That said, this latest round of DD-WRT firmware versions and hardware revisions seem to have some odd quirks when flashing, and I have had similar experiences to what Jeff has described. Best advice is to flash with the micro version of the DD-WRT firmware first, then upgrade from there to the standard one.)
2)  Is there a charge for the replacement?  If so, how much?
  
Only the hardware cost. DD-WRT is free, as is OpenWRT. There are "subscription" firmwares available, such as the Talisman firmware from SVEASOFT, but I canceled my subscription some time ago (they automatically charge your PayPal account $25 every year, which is most annoying). There are others, I'm sure, both free and subscription-based.
3)  Probably most important:  Why would I want to do the
    upgrade (?) versus what Linksys provides?
  
DD-WRT provides more functionality and flexibility than what LinkSys offers. In addition, for LinkSys, the WRT54GL is a dead issue. They are still manufacturing them (I believe), but they haven't upgraded the firmware in a dog's age. With DD-WRT, you get a host of new features, including the ability to do a site survey form the router itself, which is very handy when selecting a good channel. You get included bridging and WDS functionality, in the event of having to add another AP to your environment. There are other reasons (good user-to-user support, and the developer actually answers questions - and takes suggestions - in the forum, just to name a couple). Read more at http://www.dd-wrt.com .
4)  Are there any downside issues to consider?

  
Bricking the router during the upgrade process can be a pain. By "bricking" we mean rendering the router unresponsive on any and all ports. Ugh. It *does* happen. you need to read the docs on the Wiki very carefully before starting the procedure or you'll likely run into trouble. I would also suggest trimming your output power if you don't need the additional signal to accomplish two goals:

  1. Less signal "leakage" outside your desired area (more secure: what
     people can't see, they can't reach); and
  2. Lower heat, which means longer life. Unfortunately (as you're
     probably seeing now with your BEFW11S4), these little buggers have
     no fans, so they literally cook themselves alive over time. The
     cooler you can keep them, the longer they'll live.

HTH!!

--
Lewis
-------------------------------------------------------------
Lewis G Rosenthal, CNA, CLP, CLE
Rosenthal & Rosenthal, LLC                www.2rosenthals.com
Need a managed Wi-Fi hotspot?                www.hautspot.com
Treasurer, Warpstock Corporation            www.warpstock.org
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