Comments on: DD-WRT running on WRT54G version 5

By: Yvette

Yvette — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:40:23 +0000

Fortunately enough, I discovered your blog DD-WRT running on WRT54G version 5 – Hack a Day , while surfing the net. Congratulations on your helpful article. Looks good to me. I have checked out a few of your other posts and found some great information too. Just wanted to say that it is so much garbage out there and it is nice to know some people still put time into managing their sites. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

By: Marc

Marc — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 21:15:21 +0000

They have found a way to get the micro version of the DD-WRT firmware onto the V5′s without using the JTAG cable. http://www.bitsum.com/openwiking/owbase/ow.asp?WRT54G5%5FCFE

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 20:25:32 +0000

You can do alot with these routers.

I’ve got one running as an IPTables firewall, as well as providing free wireless access.

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 08:51:28 +0000

Hey, shameless plug here but I have a WRT54GS version 1 (fully firmware upgradeable and everything) on ebay now, item 9710971308 — just in case anybody is interested… Sorry about the plug I am just a poor hack-a-day reader that happened upon this article relating to my auction!

By: Liam

Liam — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 16:57:39 +0000

>I understand that 2MB flash/8 MB RAM chips
>are somewhat cheaper than their 4/16
>counterparts, but at the volume Linksys
>purchases, I doubt it really makes a
>difference.

I think you answered your own question there, mate…. if LS manufacture a run of tens, even hundreds of thousands of these routers and gain a net saving of, say, a dollar on each one, then that amounts to a saving that could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide a product that will be essentially identical to 90% of their customer base. It may seem petty, but tiny amounts of cost-shaving can make or break a company.

By: Tillin9

Tillin9 — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 00:27:27 +0000

I understand that 2MB flash/8 MB RAM chips are somewhat cheaper than their 4/16 counterparts, but at the volume Linksys purchases, I doubt it really makes a difference.

I run OpenWRT(RC3) on my GS and am currently using 1.5MB flash, and 4MB of RAM, with many user programs and admin tools installed. A build without such things could be even smaller. There is no reason the V5 couldn’t run Linux and have the 2/8 configuration. DD-WRT proved this.

My guess is that it isn’t about preventing hacks, or even the cost of chips, but maintaining the Linux branch for the routers. The official firmware was always behind (i.e. security patches not applied) main tree releases and that paying VxWorks to maintain the OS is probably cheaper than doing it in house. Plus, since its closed source, nobody sees their screw-ups.

By: henry

henry — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 01:41:11 +0000

For the vast majority (>99.9%) of consumers the new WRT54G performs identically to the others. It is significantly cheaper for linksys to produce, therefore it’s a sound business decision for them. This isn’t some conspiracy to stop hacks.

By: _max_

_max_ — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 15:50:05 +0000

the -L version costs 1/5′th less in sweden, and has the old v.2 specs with 16/32 ram.

By: tiuk

tiuk — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 10:12:12 +0000

#4 – Of course they won’t reduce the price! In fact, they’ve released the WRT54GL, which still has linux (hence the “l” in the name), but costs MORE.

By: mac cody

mac cody — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 07:28:10 +0000

Seems to me it would be better to make something that more people will buy, even if some (a small minority) will hack it, rather than make something that can’t be hacked that fewer people will buy. I guess Linksys figures that people will buy “the brand name” even if the new version is an inferior product. I’m sure that they won’t reduce the price of the product even though they’ve reduced the performance and features.

By: nbd

nbd — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 06:55:34 +0000

CRAP! CRAP! CRAP!
When are people going to stop buying this overpriced underpowered shit?

By: t3h

t3h — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 03:26:06 +0000

Yeah, the v5 is underpowered. Only 2MB of storage (others had 4 and 8)…

By: joel

joel — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 21:16:34 +0000

very interesting, might help future mods.