There are so many neutered routers with decent cpu's so I am a bit surprised that we don't see more of these upgrades. _________________ Kernel panic: Aiee, killing interrupt handler!
Hello,
I have received a lot of questions from beginners.
Q 1. you should burn a CFE to it first using a 3rd-part programmer, because this PCB does not have JTAG pinout! {What is CFE}
A.1. CFE means Common Firmware Environment. One was issued by Broadcom and this is little bit like universal boot loader customized for different router of curse.
You can program first 256KB of flash memory in the 3rd party programmer or by jtag with CFE and than use tftp do download firmware or program whole flash memory (CFE + firmware). I saw somewhere file called 614v6 WHOLEFLASH DUMP. In our case whole flash memory dump consists of CFE (boot loader), main firmware (micro ,mini etc.), nvram (user settings)
WGR614v6 has JTAG connecor but by default one is not active bacause of lack of a few resistors.Currently my JTAG does not work but who knows...
Q 2. What is the purpose of "WGR614.V6.ddwrt.WHOLEFLASH.BIN" and what I am supposed to do with it ?
A.2. See above on A.1. Wholeflash.bin file contains direct dump of flash memory. One contains CFE+firmware+settings. When you put it into the flash memory the WGR614v6 will be working at once.
Q.3. How I can program the content into the new 2 MB Flash ROM - S29AL016D90TF102 ?
A.3. Generally the size is not important. I mean that flash memory size can be bigger than 2MB. CFE or WHOLEFLASH dump should be written from beginning of flash space. The smallest version of firmware (called micro) has nearly 2MB and that is the reason you have to posses minimum 2MB of flash.
Q.4. What is the problem with RESET ?
A.4 In the WGR614v6 the reset button is wired into different I/O port pin than in the wrt54G. So, it is necessary to make connection from RESET button to proper pin of I/O port or change something in CFE (I thing so) to support original WGR614v6 reset button. It is very inconvinient to use router without reset button. Let's say you do not remember password and you have a brick.
Q.5. Can I put more Flash rom chip so that I can burn mini version of DD-WRT ?
A.5. Yes, you can. Currently I use 4MB flash memory and 32MB ram and I use vpn firmware version
Q.6. Can I put more RAM if so what are the chip numbers I need to replace with what ?
A.6 Yes you can. See previous responses. Currently I use 32MB ram. 16MB ram you can use without any changes. To activate more than 16MB you have to change value of sdram_init variable in nvram (temporary) or cfe (default). See previous responses.
As a flash memory you should use equivalents of chips below:
- 29lv160 (2MB) - for micro
- 29lv320 (4MB) - for micro,mini, standard, vpn
- 29lv640 (8MB) - for micro,mini ,standard, vpn, mega
The bigger firmware in flash, the bigger ram necessary.
Last edited by pppp on Thu Jan 07, 2010 13:52; edited 1 time in total
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Added
In the cfe reset_gpio=7. By additional wiring the reset button is connected to gpio 6. It is necessary to edit in the cfe reset_gpio=6. One can change it in the hex editor.
Status led on front panel is not working. I see it is possible to switch one on and off by gpio 11. I added via web tab administrator/commands as a staring script "gpio enable 11" and as a shutdown script "gpio disable 11". The "ready" led lit when router is working.
I see that default IP when router do not boot is 192.168.1.245. I think that IP should be 192.168.1.1 so in the cfe it is necessary to edit lan_ipaddr=192.168.1.1
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The simplest way to resolve wan/Lan port replacement is .... to change description label on the front panel. ))
One should be WIFi, LAN4, LAN3, LAN2, LAN1, WAN. I cut the original label, changed figures and stick ones together by adhesive tape underneath.
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Added:
-Jtag works well! On main board lacking RP1 r-pack should be exactly 4x4,7k and r23 resistor should be 100 ohm.
jtag pinout on board like in attached image. I also attach images of jtag header in my solution.
In fact to get jtag working you need 5 peces of 25cm long wires and four 100 ohm resistors. You need TDI,TDO,TMS and TCK signals through 100 ohm resistors to LPT port and GND signal. On LPT port side you have signals as below:
The issue of changed wan/lan ports is resolved by modification of cfe. You DO NOT HAVE to change vlan settings anymore!
Here you have final cfe for wgr614v6 2MB rom/8MB ram.
Default IP is 192.168.1.1 for tftp
I attach GUI cfe editor too. See and compare variables with old cfe file.
I am still thinking about reset button issue. By default reset button is wired to gpio 14. So, it means that reset_gpio=14 variable should be in the cfe. I suspect that reset button will be working only whilst powering router on or whilst firmware failure. Whilst normal working I see that firmware changes reset button support onto gpio=6 and without additional wiring to gpio 6 the reset button does not work normally.
Has anyone any experience in that issue?
Q."Now i want to change both Flash chip and the RAM to 8 MB and 32 MB respectively. I will purchase Flash Chip - 29lv640 and for 32 MB RAM chip what i am supposed to purchase ? Please give me the chip number ?
These replacements what i do are whether direct pin compatible ? i mean can i replace the chip by noting down the pin configuration ?"
A. As a flash chip you should use one of listed when attached brjtag utility starts. It appears the newest version of wgr54g jtag utility (HairyDairyMaid). When you use one of listed flash types you will be able to program flash via jtag in the future. I mean flash support in the jtag utility in case of router memory contents failure. For example I found in my drawer some Fujitsu MBM29DL640 but the utility do not support one and .... I still use Spansion S29GL032 (new name of Intel???). Fortunately I have a good hotair station so I am able to remove chip a lot of time perfectly. Untill I got jtag running I had removed flash chip 15 times or more. . Assuming: use only chips you can reprogramm via jtag in the future.
My 32 MB ram chip is called Micron 48LC16M16. I suspect you can use 32MB ram called Hynix 57V561620 because I saw both of them on the same kind of mainboards.
Remeber, you can use sd ram chip only. Every chip should be JEDEC pin compatible so, it means that pins are identical.
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Currently I am thinking how to add SD card reader to WGR614v6. It is very easy because the newest dd-wrt firmware supports SD/MMC and it is necessary to define proper gpio pins via web. Problem is to find 4 pieces of gpio. SD/MMC needs only 4 signals: DI,D0, CLK and CS (chip select)
At the moment I know that on gpio=0 is WLAN led and on gpio=11 i ready led. We can also cut original path from reset button and in that way we get free gpio=14. gpio=0 is unusable because one blinks when wifi is active.
Last time, Eko sent me a compressed CFE with custimized MAC address which is only 128K; so that I can flash with a micro_plus_ssh version of dd-wrt into the 2M flash-chip. You know, SSH is so useful.
I wonder whether a similar "WRTCFE" GUI can be used to changed the MAC address within a compressed CFE.
pppp wrote:
The issue of changed wan/lan ports is resolved by modification of cfe. You DO NOT HAVE to change vlan settings anymore!
Here you have final cfe for wgr614v6 2MB rom/8MB ram.
Default IP is 192.168.1.1 for tftp
I attach GUI cfe editor too. See and compare variables with old cfe file.
I am still thinking about reset button issue. By default reset button is wired to gpio 14. So, it means that reset_gpio=14 variable should be in the cfe. I suspect that reset button will be working only whilst powering router on or whilst firmware failure. Whilst normal working I see that firmware changes reset button support onto gpio=6 and without additional wiring to gpio 6 the reset button does not work normally.
Has anyone any experience in that issue?
Probably gui cfe editor will not work with compressed cfe.
You can try to see and edit your cfe by means of some hex editor and then save one into your router by ssh/telnet method
I just traced the CPU pin to which the reset button is soldered and it seems to route to the TDI point on the other side of the board. Was dangerous grinding of the CPU really needed?
If any of you guys already attached a wire to the CPU, could you please double check this with a ohmtmeter. I don't feel like inserting a very thin conductor under the CPU to verify this. However, if no one responds, I will probably do it:) But lets hope somebody responds