Reverting WRT54G2 to vxworks WITHOUT jTag

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ridley
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 15

PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 4:05    Post subject: Reverting WRT54G2 to vxworks WITHOUT jTag Reply with quote
I successfully reverted my WRT54G2 v1 to the original vxworks firmware using the steps outlined below. The CFE will be changed, so you wont have the original mac address - maybe someone will find a way around that in the future.
cybermiguel wrote:

Here is the guide to revert to VXWorks WITHOUT USING JTAG.

Preface.

As stated by Wikipedia, the WRT54G2 router has exactly the same hardware the WRT54GS v7 has, so I searched through the internet (specifically this forum) for a way to revert those routers to the original firmware they had.

Fortunately, THERE IS a method to return those routers to their proprietary firmware (VXWorks), so I thought that maybe...just maybe, the methond AND files would be the same for my router (WRT54G2 v1.0), so I followed the instructions below:

Method:
Tornado wrote:
The reversion tool V3 for the Gv8 & GSv7 is located in the Download section, under others/tornado. Remember this is TEST firmware. I have tested this as completly as I can on a Gv8 & GSv7, with success every time. Below I will also include my Recommended procedure to revert to the original Linksys firmware.

Thank you BrainSlayer, for this reversion tool, nice job.

1. Reset to defaults.
2. Open your browser to the Administration -> firmware upgrade screen.
3. Browse for and choose the reversion firmware. "vxworksrevert.bin" and click apply.
Wait aprox 2 "two" min after hitting apply.
4. Power off the router and back on.
5. Go to 192.168.1.1 in your browser, you should be at the mgmt mode screen.
6. Browse to and locate the Linksys original firmware, etc WRT54Gv8_v8.00.0_fw.bin or the GSv7 firmware for your router - and click apply. - wait for upgrade success screen, and then wait an additional 45 seconds after powering on the router.
7. Go to 192.168.1.1, you should have the original Linksys firmware installed.

I timed these procedures...and they are aprox., any additional will not hurt.


The method above works for WRT54G v8.0, which has 2mb flash and 8mb RAM (which would be like WRT54G2 v1.3), so I used the files for the WRT54GS v7.0, which has 2mb flash and 16mb RAM (which would be like WRT54G2 v1.0).

Downloaded the files, done everything stated above, step-by-step and....voilá, router reverted to VXWorks.

Obviously it will say "WRT54G" or "WRT54G2", but that's a minor issue.

Now, the vxworks firmware stored at the Tornado folder is old, so I recommend you to go to Cisco's website and download the latest version.

For the 8mb RAM (which are WRT54G v8.0 or WRT54G2 v1.3) version

For the 16mb RAM (which are WRT54GS v7.0 or WRT54G2 v1.0) version.

I hope you find this guide useful. DD-WRT is a wonderful firmware, but wi-fi works like hell on these crappy routers (come on guys, admit it: these routers are not worthy of such awesomeness as the dd-wrt firmware).

Thanks:

To Tornado, for his method and tools to make this revert possible.

To Eko and Brainslayer, because we wouldn't exist as a community and wouldn't have the wonderful software dd-wrt is if they haven't created it.


cybermiguel also clued me in on how to get the WRT54G2v1 firmware onto the router.
cybermiguel wrote:

1.- Download the WRT54G2 v1.0 firmware from http://homesupport.cisco.com/en-us/wireless/lbc/WRT54G2

2.- With a hex editor (in my case, I used xvi32) open one window with the WRT54GS v7.0 firmware and one window with the WRT54G2 v1.0 firmware.

3.- At the beginning of the firmware, there are some characters and some hex info that I call it "firmware check id". It's everything BEFORE the "Linksys WRT54G bla bla bla" part. You must replicate in the WRT54G2 firmware what you see in that part on the WRT54GS v7.0 firmware.

4.- Once you made those changes (not much in my opinion) on the WRT54G2 v1.0 firmware, save the file.

5.- Go to the router's firmware webpage and click the "administration" link. Now click "Firmware update" and choose the WRT54G2 v1.0 firmware you just saved (the one you edited). Click "upgrade".

6.- That's it. After waiting for around 4 or 5 minutes, you have the original WRT54G2 firmware. Obviously you won't have the original MAC address, but I think that's a minor drawback.


This is what I did via wired connection to the router:
0: Back up your CFE (for possible future use)
1: download vxworksrevert from http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/support/other-downloads?path=others/tornado/GSv7/
2: download latest firmware for WRT54GS from the Cisco website
3: load vxworksrevert via dd-wrt web interface
3a: wait 2 minutes
4: load WRT54GS firmware once it reboots
5: Edit your WRT54G2v1 firmware to replace the headers
6: Update load the edited WRT54G2v1 firmware via the web interface
6b: I then loaded the unedited WRT54G2v1 firmware; I don't know if that makes a difference.

So far my router performance is better and more stable.


Last edited by ridley on Sat Jul 03, 2010 3:15; edited 1 time in total
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Dark_Shadow
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 5:52    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice. Cool
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rodgui
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Joined: 10 Jan 2010
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 1:38    Post subject: Re: Reverting WRT54G2 to vxworks WITHOUT jTag Reply with quote
ridley wrote:
I successfully reverted my WRT54G2 v1 to the original vxworks firmware using the steps outlined below. The CFE will be changed, so you wont have the original mac address - maybe someone will find a way around that in the future.
cybermiguel wrote:

Here is the guide to revert to VXWorks WITHOUT USING JTAG.

Preface.

As stated by Wikipedia, the WRT54G2 router has exactly the same hardware the WRT54GS v7 has, so I searched through the internet (specifically this forum) for a way to revert those routers to the original firmware they had.

Fortunately, THERE IS a method to return those routers to their proprietary firmware (VXWorks), so I thought that maybe...just maybe, the methond AND files would be the same for my router (WRT54G2 v1.0), so I followed the instructions below:

Method:
Tornado wrote:
The reversion tool V3 for the Gv8 & GSv7 is located in the Download section, under others/tornado. Remember this is TEST firmware. I have tested this as completly as I can on a Gv8 & GSv7, with success every time. Below I will also include my Recommended procedure to revert to the original Linksys firmware.

Thank you BrainSlayer, for this reversion tool, nice job.

1. Reset to defaults.
2. Open your browser to the Administration -> firmware upgrade screen.
3. Browse for and choose the reversion firmware. "vxworksrevert.bin" and click apply.
Wait aprox 2 "two" min after hitting apply.
4. Power off the router and back on.
5. Go to 192.168.1.1 in your browser, you should be at the mgmt mode screen.
6. Browse to and locate the Linksys original firmware, etc WRT54Gv8_v8.00.0_fw.bin or the GSv7 firmware for your router - and click apply. - wait for upgrade success screen, and then wait an additional 45 seconds after powering on the router.
7. Go to 192.168.1.1, you should have the original Linksys firmware installed.

I timed these procedures...and they are aprox., any additional will not hurt.


The method above works for WRT54G v8.0, which has 2mb flash and 8mb RAM (which would be like WRT54G2 v1.3), so I used the files for the WRT54GS v7.0, which has 2mb flash and 16mb RAM (which would be like WRT54G2 v1.0).

Downloaded the files, done everything stated above, step-by-step and....voilá, router reverted to VXWorks.

Obviously it will say "WRT54G" or "WRT54G2", but that's a minor issue.

Now, the vxworks firmware stored at the Tornado folder is old, so I recommend you to go to Cisco's website and download the latest version.

For the 8mb RAM (which are WRT54G v8.0 or WRT54G2 v1.3) version

For the 16mb RAM (which are WRT54GS v7.0 or WRT54G2 v1.0) version.

I hope you find this guide useful. DD-WRT is a wonderful firmware, but wi-fi works like hell on these crappy routers (come on guys, admit it: these routers are not worthy of such awesomeness as the dd-wrt firmware).

Thanks:

To Tornado, for his method and tools to make this revert possible.

To Eko and Brainslayer, because we wouldn't exist as a community and wouldn't have the wonderful software dd-wrt is if they haven't created it.


cybermiguel also clued me in on how to get the WRT54G2v1 firmware onto the router.
cybermiguel wrote:

1.- Download the WRT54G2 v1.0 firmware from http://homesupport.cisco.com/en-us/wireless/lbc/WRT54G2

2.- With a hex editor (in my case, I used xvi32) open one window with the WRT54GS v7.0 firmware and one window with the WRT54G2 v1.0 firmware.

3.- At the beginning of the firmware, there are some characters and some hex info that I call it "firmware check id". It's everything BEFORE the "Linksys WRT54G bla bla bla" part. You must replicate in the WRT54G2 firmware what you see in that part on the WRT54GS v7.0 firmware.

4.- Once you made those changes (not much in my opinion) on the WRT54G2 v1.0 firmware, save the file.

5.- Go to the router's firmware webpage and click the "administration" link. Now click "Firmware update" and choose the WRT54G2 v1.0 firmware you just saved (the one you edited). Click "upgrade".

6.- That's it. After waiting for around 4 or 5 minutes, you have the original WRT54G2 firmware. Obviously you won't have the original MAC address, but I think that's a minor drawback.


This is what I did via wired connection to the router:
0: Back up your CFE (for possible future use)
1: download vxworksrevert from http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/support/other-downloads?path=others/tornado/GSv7/
2: download latest firmware for WRT54GS from the Cisco website
3: load vxworksrevert via dd-wrt web interface
3a: wait 2 minutes
4: load WRT54GS firmware once it reboots
5: Edit your WRT54G2v1 firmware to replace the headers
6: Update load the edited WRT54G2v1 firmware via the web interface
6b: I then loaded the unedited WRT54G2v1 firmware; I don't know if that makes a difference.

So far my router performance is better and more stable.


Hi,

You could post the links to the edited files?
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