[Starscreamious]

I'm trying to flash DDWRT onto a virgin Netgear WNR3500L version 1.

I tried downloading the files listed here (http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Netgear_WNR3500L) but the CHK file listed under "Installation of DD-WRT" is no longer available.

Can someone please point me towards a stable CHK file and stable BIN file?

[BakCompat]

It's been a couple months, so you have probably moved on, but for others' reference, I will reply.

Easy directions for flashing the WNR3500L v1 model can be found at http://lowtek.ca/roo/2012/how-to-dd-wrt-on-the-netgear-wnr3500l/ and work. My searches on the forum don't pull up too many hits for this model router, and the ones that I do find have people using dd-wrt.v24-14929_NEWD-2_K2.6_mini-WNR3500L.chk for the initial flash, and then upgrading to dd-wrt.v24-14929_NEWD-2_K2.6_big.bin as the final firmware. That's all well and good to get dd-wrt loaded, but build 14929 is really old - it's from 2010!

I grabbed this router out of service (with stock Netgear firmware on it) and loaded 14929 on it with no problem. I tried to upgrade to dd-wrt version 29218 but couldn't do it without a 30-30-30 reset. Now it's running 29218, which is the current build as of 03-07-2016. The direct file link is ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/2016/03-07-2016-r29218/broadcom_K26/dd-wrt.v24-29218_NEWD-2_K2.6_big.bin

I plan on using it primarily as an additional AP that will probably just act as a wireless switch and do DHCP forwarding back to the primary router, so I won't likely use very many "advanced" features on this unit. There are some reported issues with wireless speeds and drops and disconnects on versions post-14929, but hey.. that's why we have so darn many firmware versions to try right?