Linksys WRT54GL

[nitroshift]

I went through updating the original software but power went off during update process and now the router is unusable. The power LED is blinking, but not even the reset button works Any way I can revive it? It's urgent. Thanks.

nitroshift

[CoffeeFiend]

If you're handy with electronics, you could solder the header on the JTAG port and use that to reflash it (i.e. CFE.BIN, then you should be able to tftp the firmware over -- I'd use Tomato or DD-WRT instead).

Often TFTP works (assuming you have boot delay on), but not with the factory firmware...

[nitroshift]

I am handy with electronics (it was my hobby before pc's came around). Which one is the JTAG port? The router does NOT start at all and no connection can be made to it.

[CoffeeFiend]

Which one is the JTAG port?

First pic found using Google (plenty more of them around)

The router does NOT start at all and no connection can be made to it.

Not a problem.

[nitroshift]

Which contacts should i solder in the JTAG port?

[CoffeeFiend]

I'd just solder a full pin header in there. Then use a IDC connector on it (part of your JTAG cable). If you're in a hurry and don't have some parts on hand, look at typical JTAG cable schematics, you'll see what you need.

Now's a good time to solder the other pin header as well (for serial ports -- 3.3v though!)

[nitroshift]

Thanks! I owe you a coffee

[UCyborg]

Wow, the legendary WRT54GL! Introduced in 2003, Linksys still sells it in 2023! Anyone here still uses it? I got a used one a long time ago (hardware version 1.1), it's at least 13 years old by now. Back then my ISP only gave plain cable modem, these days they give modems with wireless access point built-in.

Today, I use it to connect one and only desktop computer (that doesn't do wireless) to the home network, really just compensating for the lack of wiring in the new house (which isn't really new anymore), but I'd rather not talk about the house and related issues here. Surely wired would be better, even with new standards, the speeds the ISP offers aren't reached, it's especially bad with such an old dinosaur that is WRT54GL. Well, the speed for me at least would only be an issue if I wanted to download many gigabytes over the internet in a short time period, but at least with wire, there'd be one less radio wave in the air.

The router currently runs Tomato by Shibby firmware version from 2016:

Quote

Tomato Firmware 1.28.0000 MIPSR1-137 K26 Mini

Linux kernel 2.6.22.19 and Broadcom Wireless Driver 5.10.147.0 updates,
support for additional router models, dual-band and Wireless-N mode.
Copyright (C) 2008-2011 Fedor Kozhevnikov, Ray Van Tassle, Wes Campaigne
http://www.tomatousb.org

---

Based on Tomato Firmware v1.28
Copyright (C) 2006-2010 Jonathan Zarate
http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato/

Built on nie, 26 cze 2016 18:10:23 +0200 by Shibby, http://openlinksys.info

Edited July 1, 2023 by UCyborg

[UCyborg]

So, the world has come to an end. Part of my world at least...I returned home today and there were no lights on the router. There was a power outage earlier in my area, I'm assuming it coming back was a shock that wasn't taken well. Unsure what to do now, what to try first. The thing is, it's behaving in a way that I didn't find about online. You plug it in, then "Power", "Internet" and "4" (it indicates the number of LAN port) lights light up and stay on for several seconds, then it's all dark again.

The usual sequence starts with "Power" light blinking and most often when something is wrong, it just blinks forever. I wonder if it could be that the power supply is broken. My workplace happens to have this model, maybe I could bring the router with me and try it with that power supply. The other idea is hard reset, but due to weird behavior, I'm sceptical about either different power supply or hard reset helping, have a feeling something's cooked in there.

[D.Draker]

Replace capacitors. Use only good ones like Philips, Rubycon (be aware that Ebay is flooded with fakes). I had a similar problem with my monitor (weird response to commands from the front panel). Replaced caps - all went back to normal.

[UCyborg]

As suspected, reset button doesn't budge, Capacitors, more and more often I read about them. Guess I've been pretty lucky with them so far, the only problem is that I'm useless at soldering.

[Saxon]

14 hours ago, UCyborg said:

As suspected, reset button doesn't budge, Capacitors, more and more often I read about them. Guess I've been pretty lucky with them so far, the only problem is that I'm useless at soldering.

It's not that hard in the hardware that old, they made much bigger caps and boards then, also many videos exist. In such 2024-made hardware, it's obviously a no-go for a beginner.

[UCyborg]

Some of us are impractical and clumsy beyond help.

I figured I can borrow another device's power supply as it's compatible (cable modem in my case), output voltage and polarity are the same, only modem's supply is able to deliver 1,5A more than the router's. Using that supply for the router seems to result in all lights blinking forever. I wonder if it's possible that some data got scrambled and would continue to work with a surely working power supply if data corruption was fixed.

If bootloader still works, there are chances recovery would be on the easier side. But in any case, this device is hopelessly outdated at this point and any investment seems to come close or exceeding the bother of buying a new cheap router or better for my use case just a wireless USB network adapter. So from economical stand point, specific electronics work might make more sense for someone who is really into electronics.

Edited February 26 by UCyborg

[jaclaz]

Well, you don't really *need* a router at all for your use.

Besides the "obvious" solution of a wireless card, or even a USB stick/adapter with wireless capabilities[1], what you need is a device that works as client, usually they are "access points" that can be configured in various modes:

Access Point
Client
Repeater
Wireless Bridge

Some routers can be configured as well in those modes, but if you want to run OpenWRT or similar, you will need a (relatively) high end devices, as OpenWRT has grown in size and devices with 4 Mb storage/32 Mb memory are not anymore supported, and 8/64 devices cannot use latest versions:

https://openwrt.org/supported_devices

If you want an easy life, you can have a TP-Link TL-WAxxx for 30-50 Euro, if you want a nice little thingy that can also run OpenWRT, there are some nice devices from GL-INET around the same prices, if you are a little masochistic (or you simply want to try and learn new things) you can have a Mikrotik, there are end of line devices with AC (300 Mbit/s "target" speed) wireless (which are likely fast enough for your use) that are sold for around 20-25 Euro, whilst modern, small AX devices are in the 50- 60 Euro+ range [2].

jaclaz

 

 

 

 

[1] that can be a PITA with drivers depending on the OS you are running

[2] and that can do *almost anything*, learning how to make them do what you want will however be a challenge

[UCyborg]

On 2/26/2024 at 1:53 PM, jaclaz said:

Well, you don't really *need* a router at all for your use.

Indeed, it's just that that router was the simplest device at hand for the job. Then I also have the smartphone (USB tethering) and the laptop (bridging wired and wireless interface). Router and laptop can both make the PC equal party on the network (could port forward to it if needed) while the smartphone acts as another NAT point. So technically both overkill for enabling simple network access for the PC, phone maybe less, but there isn't any option to stop it from charging to 100% (laptop has it) and I don't like to keep it plugged in at 100% for extended periods of time for battery's health sake. The 9+ years old battery is still holding up. And laptop...well it's a full-blown laptop.

Router was the slowest option, supporting only 802.11g, but it's not much of an issue for my usual usage not involving big downloads most of the time.

I do have an old TP-LINK wireless card in the basement, it's been years since I've used it, again only 802.11g. I remember that it worked on Windows 7 x64. Thank you for suggestions, I'm not sure yet what I'm going to use at this point. Well right now, I've plugged in the laptop, it could use a bit of exercise since I don't use it often otherwise.

BTW, I opened the router. With the definitely good power supply, EasySetup button LED, Power, 1, 2, 3, 4 and Internet LEDs are blinking. No life on either WAN or LAN ports. Nothing looks visually off to me, apart from one LED (Power) which could be turned more straight.

Edited March 1 by UCyborg