Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 2:04 Post subject: 350n + WPC600n Update
My 350n arrived today.. Sweet router for being used. Factory seal still intact (not any more), not a scratch on it.
After plowing dd-wrt on it, I removed the stock radio card and put in a wpc600n dual band card.
The G side of the card worked no problem. Showed up is a site survey, saw other AP's and vwiz worked.
The led's on the front of the unit in regards to the radio gpio are off. Under G band, there are no working wireless lights.
Now for the NA (5ghz band)...
1st... The wpc600n pc card is NOT a dual radio card.. It is a dual band card. Meaning, either or.. not both (I think)..
Enabling the 5ghz band by changing the network mode to NA only, the security light on the device lit up orange. According to the gui, the radio was enabled with correct mac, I was able to select the channels, wide, upper, etc. Problem is that the only 5ghz card I have was in the router so I really can't test an association.
Vwiz does not work on the 5ghz band on any router so I can't use that to test the functionality.
So.. So far, the results are inconclusive as to if this card will really work in this device.. The G band is no problem, it worked except for the led's. Without having a way to test the 5ghz band, I can't say for sure if it actually works. It looks like it does in the gui.
I bought this router just to test this.. I don't know how much farther I want to go. I don't want the router so I have to make sure that it is sellable when I am done. I was thinking about dumping a 600n cfe on it and see where that gets me. Probably nowhere as a 600 really does have two radios.
Anyone know if a macbook pro has a 5ghz radio in it? My nephew has one. I could ask my nephew but he wouldn't know Maybe I can try to associate his rig to the 5ghz radio. _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 181 Location: /Earth/USA/OH/Zville
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 5:35 Post subject:
I was hoping that someone else tested the 5Ghz range. I only have one other 5Ghz device that can see the signal. I knew something was not working right when I could not see a thing. Anything 2.4Ghz(BGN) works rather nicly though for me.
I've been hoping that the NEWD2\610 build would work on this router, and see test to see if that works. (Can the 610 or 600 CFE be flashed on this router? Anyone have a link for me to try )?
You are correct that the Wireless LED will not work with this card. I soldered a wire from the activity LED on the card to the wireless LED on the router board. That seems to work just fine.
I also know that the stock antennas probably will not supply the best 5GHz signal. I upgraded my WRT350N with TERK WF-R antennas(Dual band) and soldered TNC pigtails to the card. Hopefully if 5Ghz range works, this will provide a nice strong signal.
With all the mods that I've done to this router, a 500GB attached, and DD-WRT support. I love this router and I plan on keeping it for a very long time... _________________ WRT-350N v1.0; 128MB RAM, WPC600N, Dual USB, Mini+USB+FTP NEWD, CPU@330Mhz, Terk WF-R x3, Serial, external jtag, and working on SD Mod. Running Samba3, Lighttpd, and some Python apps.
WRT-300N v1.1; 128MB Ram, USB1.1, Bricked
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 17:02 Post subject:
I dumped a 600n cfe on this box (350n).. Didn't quite work out.. The only switch port that worked was #3 and the #2 led was lit.
It took the firmware but never ran... Looking at the led's.. It looked like it was booting. Pinging it would show only one response of ttl=100 once in a while.. The it would go to hardware failure, request time out, another ttl=100 (only one), then back to hardware failure, etc...
Back to the drawing board. _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 181 Location: /Earth/USA/OH/Zville
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 17:20 Post subject:
@berryware, What you say about the switch makes sence since it is controlled by GPIOs and most other use a differnt configuration. But I would think that would be handled via the kernel. Were you able to see what the serial output said?
Almost willing to do anything the get the 5Ghz working, 2.4Ghz is so freaking full were I'm at.... _________________ WRT-350N v1.0; 128MB RAM, WPC600N, Dual USB, Mini+USB+FTP NEWD, CPU@330Mhz, Terk WF-R x3, Serial, external jtag, and working on SD Mod. Running Samba3, Lighttpd, and some Python apps.
WRT-300N v1.1; 128MB Ram, USB1.1, Bricked
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 17:25 Post subject:
kjbuente wrote:
@berryware, What you say about the switch makes sence since it is controlled by GPIOs and most other use a differnt configuration. But I would think that would be handled via the kernel. Were you able to see what the serial output said?
Almost willing to do anything the get the 5Ghz working, 2.4Ghz is so freaking full were I'm at....
No serial.. It took two hours to clean out the jtag holes without risking messing up the board.. I took my time.. It is perfect though.. Brand new I didn't clean out the serial port holes.. Lemme just get it running again 1st, then i'll heat up the soldering iron again for the serial _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
Do you really need to replace the CFE for running a dual band radio?
I believe that the CFE doesn't care about the radio at all but dd-wrt would be able to identify the card and use the correct drivers for it.
I would have tested if 5GHz was working before doing any CFE patches/replacements. _________________ Kernel panic: Aiee, killing interrupt handler!
Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 181 Location: /Earth/USA/OH/Zville
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 17:33 Post subject:
Yea, I damaged my jtag when I installed the header. I ended up soldering fine wire to the traces and then to the header. What a PITA!
After that I bought a complete solder stations and a SMD reflow station. (Well, the SMD relow station is actually for work. Just don't tell them I'm using it for personal use ).
Quote:
I believe that the CFE doesn't care about the radio at all but dd-wrt would be able to identify the card and use the correct drivers for it.
I don't think anyone has the 5Ghz working. And NEWD2 will brick this router. I'm hoping that flashing a CFE on that will run a NEWD2 build will allow use to test the newer drivers. _________________ WRT-350N v1.0; 128MB RAM, WPC600N, Dual USB, Mini+USB+FTP NEWD, CPU@330Mhz, Terk WF-R x3, Serial, external jtag, and working on SD Mod. Running Samba3, Lighttpd, and some Python apps.
WRT-300N v1.1; 128MB Ram, USB1.1, Bricked
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 17:37 Post subject:
LOM wrote:
barryware wrote:
not yet.. working on cfe's now..
Do you really need to replace the CFE for running a dual band radio?
I believe that the CFE doesn't care about the radio at all but dd-wrt would be able to identify the card and use the correct drivers for it.
I would have tested if 5GHz was working before doing any CFE patches/replacements.
Yea.. your right.. I get ahead of myself when I am on a mission.. almost back to stock... _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
Thinking of it, you may have to change the boardflags for the radio but that is something you can do via the GUI or telnet when the firmware is running.
Check for differences between radio boardflags in a WRT600N and WRT350N. _________________ Kernel panic: Aiee, killing interrupt handler!
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 18:19 Post subject: Woot...
It works.. 5ghz band using a wpc600n pcmcia card in a 350.
I didn't configure as a repeater bridge as earlier suggested. I configured as a client bridge associating to the NA only band on my 600n.
All that is wrong is the radio light on the front of the router doesn't light.. That should be an easy gpio fix.. _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
The wpc600n has 2 radios as well
thats what i have in one of my wrt300n's
and the 5ghz works just fine.
other than the wpc600n is VERRY low power ALOT lower than the wpc300n card that was in it.
and as for the Radio LED i just added one in back of the smoked plastic just under the radio led that is there it was faster than playing the gpio game every time ya update the firmware.
Last edited by Radioman193 on Sat Aug 29, 2009 18:30; edited 1 time in total