[laserfan]

Thanks for posting captainK. The implementation of DD-WRT for the AR430W is definitely not "ready for prime time", or at least should not be tried for its "Client Bridge" mode, which appears not to work properly.

[Sash]

[nttcar]

Follow the instruction but the issue is when plug in the power the local area network will try to renew the ip address, it find conflict ip address, ,once manually click repair then all the time has pass the time to hit the putty to get into the prompt. any idea ?

[johnnydigit]

SUCCESS! flashing with v24 sp1 from windows xp. just spent all day trying to follow all the directions, but found http://micront.com/howto/routers/airlink101-ar430w/flashing-ar430w-with-dd-wrt.html to be the most accurate, but with a few updates and some possible solutions.

forgive me if my reasoning is not correct as i am not too familiar with *nix and just stumbled on the answers through trial and error.

============================

PROBLEM: no ping response from router, even after a few minutes.

SOLUTION:
1. plug your ethernet cable back into the LAN port on the router.
2. set your pc network back to autoconfig (retrieve ip automatically).
3. go to cmd window and type "ipconfig /all".
4. if the gateway is 192.168.1.1 and it gave you an ip (192.168.1.100), continue to next step. if not, type "ipconfig /renew". when it's done, type "ipconfig /all". if nothing still, unplug and plug in power. wait 30 seconds or so, then repeat step 3.
3.log into the airlink admin page in your browser at http://192.168.1.1. username/pass: admin/admin.
4. enter region (North America).
5. continue with regular process where you change your ip to 192.168.20.80, plug into WAN port, etc..

-my speculation is that the airlink software needs to save this data and configure itself in order to let you telnet into it.

-question: when i reset with an ethernet cable plugged in, the status led blinks rapidly after 8 seconds of the reset button being held down. when there is no ethernet cable, the status led does not blink. i wonder if this matters?

============================

PROBLEM: included tftpd doesn't start. it just shows the options for it.

SOLUTION:
1. use "tftp desktop" (http://www.download.com/TFTP-Desktop/3000-2085_4-10073951.html).
2. put the firmware files in the installation directory ("C:\Program Files\TFTP Desktop").

-it includes the server and client you can use to test the server. make sure you turn the server off and on (there's a button under the File menu) after you make any ip changes so it registers the new ip. check by uploading or downloading a file with the included tftp client. if it isn't working, the "load" command from the router won't be able to connect and get the file.

============================

PROBLEM: "load -r -v -h 192.168.1.23 -b 0x80041000 linux.bin" causes putty to stop and you can't reconnect with putty unless you disconnect the power again. will that brick the router?

SOLUTION:
1. no it won't. in cmd window, start ping 192.168.1.1 -t
2. unplug router power and plug back in.
3. when you get ping response, start putty again.

-they said "load" would take a long time, even 5 minutes, so i kept waiting because it just sat there. apparently mine only took 9 seconds to load. i went to the next step and it's working fine.

============================

PROBLEM: "fis create linux" just shows the options for fis and not the results posted in the directions.

SOLUTION:
1. skip it. it's already there. i checked using "fis list" and it was in the flash already (maybe i already did it among the confusion, i dunno). just start the next step, "fconfig".

=============================

hope this helps. spent many hours today trying to get it to work. got 3 more units i got from frys for $14.99 to flash. there are so many options, thanks dd-wrt.com!

[gg.heato]

ok so i played with this ar430w so much that i managed to mess it up. i cant access redboot at 192.168.20.81:9000 nor dd-wrt at 192.168.1.1:9000. i used to be able to until one night where i dont know what i did. is there a way to reset everything like on the wrr54gs where you can short out pin 15-16 of the intel flash? if now what can i do? i cant telnet the damn box at all. doesnt reply to pings nor anything.

[ftusa2]

I was using this post http://micront.com/howto/routers/airlink101-ar430w/flashing-ar430w-with-dd-wrt.html, which is so clear and easy to follow, everything is fine, but now the PuttyTel died out at bellow step.

DD-WRT> load -r -v -h 192.168.1.23 -b 0x80041000 linux.binÅ

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raw file loaded 0x80041000-0x803cffff, assumed entry at 0x80041000--------------

DD-WRT> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Because after I run the command, I found it need to set a 5 sec keep alive option, however, I tried, but the pannel does NOT have "Apply" botton, but still is "Open" instead.....

Now the router is a brick ? How can I get it back on track?

[justdave2]

Using windows to get into redboot was really annoying, multiple systems and still no luck.

Finally realized why. Windows was dropping the IP stack with the connection link dropping and being reconnected while the AR430W boots.

Super simple fix, don't drop the link.

Plugged in a little switch between my PC and the AR430W so the links stay active.

Got it the first try after.

Hope this helps others.

David

[pdp76]

I used the Beta Router Database to search for AR430W and clicked on the search result to take me to the links for the AR430W files. The linux.bin which I downloaded from the search result links DID NOT WORK. I had to explicitly goto the Downloads page and drill down to /v24-sp1/Consumer/Airlink 101/AR430W to get a linux.bin that worked for me. The .ram and .rom files from the search result links seemed to work fine though. This is true as of 03/15/09, so maybe they've fixed the link by now.

Anyway, after successfully flashing the AR430W, wireless performance was horrendous. I was only 3-4 feet away from the router with my Dell 802.11g client and the link speed fluctuated between 1 - 12Mbps, peaking occasionally at 38Mbps. I had the transmit power on the router set to the default of 20mW, but I figured at 4 feet away, this should be plenty. What kind of TX power settings are typical for this router and was is the max it can take?

At this point I was tempted to futz with it some more and try some different TX power settings, but by then the annoying high pitched whine from the AR430W LAN ports was driving me nuts. Anyone else experience this whine? Maybe only certain people can hear it.

Needless to say, I reflashed it with the stock Airlink101 firmware and returned it to Fry's.

Overall it was a fun and quick project, even though the initial linux.bin I got wasn't the right one. If anyone can point me to some tips or example settings for DD-WRT with the AR430W, maybe I'll try again sometime. But assuming that I didn't just get a lemon and that high pitched whine exists on all AR430Ws then I think I'll just pass on this router with DD-WRT for good.

[bradtem]

I'm not getting nearly as far as you nice folks. I have no problem getting into redboot. When I say "load ap61.ram" that appears to succeed, and reports: Entry point: 0x800410bc, address range: 0x80041000-0x800680d8

All as it should. However, when I say "go" it just hangs. I can no longer ping the box at .20.81, nor at .1.1 or any other such address. I can't putty/telnet to it at any of these addresses either. It's just hung. Power and WAN lights on solid.

I can power it off and get into redboot again, and have repeated the procedure. I am using binaries from v24-sp1.

Note that before it was configured with an address other than 1.1 in the stock firmware, I've forgotten that address and can dig it out, but could this be the issue?

[pdp76]

[bradtem]

[bradtem]

I reset the ar430w by holding down the reset button while booting. I was able to connect to it over the lan at .1.1, and reset to factory defaults again. So it should be clean.

But still no joy. I power it on, connect to redboot, load ap61.ram, and it confirms successful tftp, but after "go" it is unreachable at .20.81 or .1.1 by both ping and telnet.

Any other commands I might type to see what's going wrong?

[jack2551]

After lots of effort to get into DD-WRT> root was finally able to do so and restore my ar430w back to factory. Thanks for your good instructions. Getting into the root was difficult. Finally did it running script but it was more like five minutes after powering it up not five seconds.

[useful]

Hi guys,

I am so close to flashing the airlink ar430w. Yet still not getting it to work.

I've been following these directions on Windows XP and seems flawless.

http://sites.google.com/site/megaconglomerate/ar430w

I've done the following commands in order:

ip_address -l 192.168.20.80 -h 192.168.20.81
load ap61.ram
go
(This caused putty to close/stop working)
(changed my ip to 192.168.1.23)
(telnet to 192.168.1.1:9000)
fconfig -i (hit enter for all to chose the defaults)
fconfig bootp false
fis init
(closed telnet)
(opened telnet to 192.168.1.1:9000)
ip_address -l 192.168.1.1 -h 192.168.1.23
load -r -b %{FREEMEMLO} ap61.rom
fis create -l 0x30000 -e 0xbfc00000 RedBoot
reset
telnet again to 192.168.1.1 9000
ip_address -l 192.168.1.1 -h 192.168.1.23
load -r -b 0x80041000 linux.bin
fis create linux
fconfig boot_script true (update? yes)
fconfig boot_script_timeout 3 (update? yes)
fconfig
fis load -l linux (enter)
exec
(telnet session closes)

I completed everything in that walk through yet. I cant access the web interface.
I suspect that the values for fconfig arent set correctly.

After I type the command, fconfig, what values do I enter for the following:
Boot script: This seems way complicated.
Gateway IP address:
Local IP address:
Local IP address mask:
Default server IP address:

Thanks in advance,

- U

[useful]

An Update:

After a lot of tinkering, trial and error and about 5 hours of placing random IP addresses for the fconfig fields, these are the settings that worked for me.

As far as I can tell, in the Boot Script field,
you also leave this blank.


Gateway IP address: 192.168.1.1
Local IP address: 192.168.1.1
Local IP address mask: 255.255.255.0
Default server IP address:

Its important to leave the Default server IP address
empty. If you give it any kind of IP address,
you wont be able to access the dd wrt setup page on 192.168.1.1.

Now with that said, you can reach the dd wrt setup page in the browser on 192.168.1.1.

Just because you reach the dd wrt setup page, doesnt mean success. Because there are some serious problems here.

Anytime you turn off the airlink 430w via pulling the power cord, or a power outage, you wont be able to to access the setup page anymore. In fact, after turning off the power anytime or hitting the reset button, basically turns the router into a hunk of useless trash.

Now, there is a work around to get it back to working status. You have to telnet back into the router at 192.168.1.1. And youll be rewarded with the DD-WRT> command prompt. From there, you have time type the last 2 commands of the installation process.
You have to enter:

fis load -l linux (enter)
exec

After, you execute those two commands, the router is up and working again. Seriously, I think its *** that it only works after telneting in and running the 2 install commands to get it work.

Mind you, this is install was done on windows XP.

I attempted to do this on a Windows 7 Machine.
Forget it. All my attempts to plug the router near the Windows 7 machine and telneting in through putty
ended in failure. Why? Because when I unplug it, it turns into a useless brick. You can only access it via Windows XP through putty and not through Win 7.

I'd be glad if someone could help resolve this problem with me on Windows 7.

Right now, its 50% working on the Windows XP box, praying that i dont get an power outage.

- U