Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:09 Post subject: DD-WRT Support for the Dynex DX-NRUTER Router
Hello,
I am currently running DD-WRT on my Microsoft MN-700 router. Recently I purchased a Dynex DX-NUTER to help speed up my internal lan but the firmware on it stinks. I would like to install DD-WRT but there is no support for this router yet. I am hoping that by providing the following information you can help me find a firmware that will work.
It looks like the J21 in the last photo on the bottom right side, is the serial connection spot. So you'll need to have a serial ttl converter to access a serial console. _________________
ASUS AC3200
Linksys WRT32X
Linksys WRT3200 ACM
Thanks for your answer. I'm kinda new at this so bare with me. I'm trying to get to the serial console to post a dump of it here. I purchased the following JTAG Adapter but from what you're saying it seems like it's not sufficient and that I need a Serial - TTL converter (like one of these).
So, if I buy one of the TTL-Serial converters, I do not need the JTAG? or does it work in conjunction with the JTAG cable?
Thanks in advance for any details... if you have a different suggestion on what I would need to procure to connect this router to the serial port, please share it :)
Those will work Boris. It's always better to have serial ttl and jtag it opens up your recovery options if you brick your router. I have a USB to TTL Serial converter and a very similar jtag cable. Good luck. _________________
ASUS AC3200
Linksys WRT32X
Linksys WRT3200 ACM
Let me make sure I understood. You're saying that I should be able to connect the JTAG cable directly to J21 and the DB25 connector to the computer's LPT port, correct?
Also, as far as I understand, the difference between a JTAG and a Serial cable is that the JTAG is used to connect to a JTAG "slot" on the circuit board and allows for writing directly to the EEPROM, bypassing the CPU, whereas the serial cable is supposed to be connected to a serial port slot on the circuit board and helps interface with the microcontroller and obtain console logs, among other things.
If this is correct, then the JTAG cable cannot be used to obtain a console output, right?
How would I be able to establish what kind of slot the J21 provides: serial or JTAG ? Is there anything I can measure with a multimeter that would conclusively distinguish the two?
If you happen to know the answers to these questions, please enlighten me
Thanks a bunch!
Boris
PS: Can you share where you got your USB-TTL serial converter from?
Let me make sure I understood. You're saying that I should be able to connect the JTAG cable directly to J21 and the DB25 connector to the computer's LPT port, correct?
Also, as far as I understand, the difference between a JTAG and a Serial cable is that the JTAG is used to connect to a JTAG "slot" on the circuit board and allows for writing directly to the EEPROM, bypassing the CPU, whereas the serial cable is supposed to be connected to a serial port slot on the circuit board and helps interface with the microcontroller and obtain console logs, among other things.
If this is correct, then the JTAG cable cannot be used to obtain a console output, right?
How would I be able to establish what kind of slot the J21 provides: serial or JTAG ? Is there anything I can measure with a multimeter that would conclusively distinguish the two?
If you happen to know the answers to these questions, please enlighten me
Thanks a bunch!
Boris
PS: Can you share where you got your USB-TTL serial converter from?
You will have to solder the header into the J21 slot. The J6 slot is for serial connection but I'm not sure which pins go to what.
And yes you will have to connect it (jtag) to the computers printer port. An d yeah you get console output through serial only. Jtag is always as far as I know 12 pins for these types of routers I have seen some with more ports but this looks just like jtag to me. _________________
ASUS AC3200
Linksys WRT32X
Linksys WRT3200 ACM
Hmm... I tried to back up the NVRAM and CFE, but it wouldn't work as the flash chip hasn't been properly detected. The closest approximate was to use the /fc:40 or /fc:41 but none of them worked... it seemed to work for a little bit, but then it would start giving:
Check your solder points and reflow the solder if needed. This is a common mistake I've done it myself. Also try tjtag -probeonly /noemw . Also review this article for more hints: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Jtag _________________
ASUS AC3200
Linksys WRT32X
Linksys WRT3200 ACM
Well - seems like I'm lucky... after trying the /fc:40 and /fc:41 without success, I decided to try a few others that seemed to match the specifications of my flash... so next I tried /fc:38 which seemed to work. I was able to use the /backup:cfe and subsequently nvram and kernel, and did it twice for each and results were consistent. I no longer got READ ERROR problems.
I guess the only way to know is to try and flash DD-WRT and see what happens, and use the backups to restore back to original if anything goes wrong