WRT54G v1 Power and Diag light stay solid

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tab1293
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Joined: 03 Jul 2010
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 15:04    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ok I just got a volt meter but I'm not really sure where to put the pins to test the power. I'm new with this electrical stuff.
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joeschmuckatelli
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Joined: 30 May 2008
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Location: Virginia

PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 15:17    Post subject: Reply with quote
You will have to open the case of the router and where the power plugs in, you will see it's soldered to the board and there will be two obvious tabs that are soldered to this board. Connect the leads to that point while the router is plugged in.

Also, have you looked at this link http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=45024
tab1293
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 15:30    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ok I tested the power and the meter reads 5.08V so I don't think the power supply is the problem. And I did read that link but the LEDs in that situation is different than mine. Also a different router.
joeschmuckatelli
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 15:48    Post subject: Reply with quote
The link was grasping at straws. 5.08 VDC with it all connected to the router and the router taking a load, that's very good. I agree, not the power supply.

I'm out of ideas. Based on your answers I do think a JTAG is in your future. If you're not comfortable soldering, find a friend to help out that can solder. It's not difficult (soldering in a Play Station chip mod 6 years ago was difficult) but just takes about 30 minutes or less and double checking everything before you apply power. Check for solder balls (splatter), solder shorts between the pins or wires. Make sure you have everything hooked up properly.

-Joe
tab1293
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 15:52    Post subject: Reply with quote
According to this guide:

http://www.tiaowiki.com/w/Debrick_Routers_Using_JTAG_Cable

you can JTAG without soldering. I am now just looking for a JTAG router cable that comes with those solderless pin adapters. How does this look?

http://www.virtualvillage.com/linksys-router-debricker-006401-016.html?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=shcomp
joeschmuckatelli
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 16:23    Post subject: Reply with quote
There was nothing solderless there even though the description states it. Sure, you might be able to hold the connection on there by hand but who's operating the computer while you are holding it there? Also, whos hands are that steady to ensure a perfect connection, and for how long? If there was a clamp to hold it in place, maybe, but I didn't see one there. I suspect you will still have to solder the header (pins) to the router board. For the item you could purchase, it's just a single header molded in plastic just like what I used on my second header JTAG.

To be honest with you, the instructions you linked to, you can see how they are connecting individual pins, that is much easier than connecting an entire header at once. Doing single pins means you can install one at a time and not clean out the thru holes. My first one was using single pins, second one was a full header. Either will work fine.

I don't know if you can find a Radio Shack that has wire wrap pins (little bag of pins), but those work great for this purpose. You can also get the 25 pin printer connetor and a package of resistors. If ytou have an old printer cable laying around, you could cut it to an 18" length, identify your wires, cut those down to 12" (I like 6" Surprised , the shorter the better) length and solder some resistors to the JTAG port on the board, then connect the wires as appropriate. It's a hack job and I wouldn't do it, but it would work until you fixed your router, then unsolder the resistors from the board and call it a day.

Using the pins makes it easy to go back in should there be a problem in the future.

Good luck and please post your results.

-Joe
tab1293
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 16:39    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for all your help guys and when I do JTAG I'll post what happens.

@joeschmuckatelli i may just make my own cable and do it myself. But if I decide not to, can you link me to the cable that you bought?

Edit: also do you know of any guide that goes through making this cable. Like I said I am noob with this electrical stuff. Any useful reading links will be appreciated.
joeschmuckatelli
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Joined: 30 May 2008
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Location: Virginia

PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 17:26    Post subject: Reply with quote
tab1293 wrote:
Thanks for all your help guys and when I do JTAG I'll post what happens.

@joeschmuckatelli i may just make my own cable and do it myself. But if I decide not to, can you link me to the cable that you bought?

Edit: also do you know of any guide that goes through making this cable. Like I said I am noob with this electrical stuff. Any useful reading links will be appreciated.


I made my own cables, I've been doing electronics for over 40 years. Making the stuff is very easy. You already have a link above that referenced how to build and use the JTAG for the WRT54 but here is a link to a JTAG which does come with spring loaded pins so you can do a true solderless connection http://www.diygadget.com/10-pin-jtag-cable-for-fta.html and the cost seems reasonable (didn't check S/H charges). This is an unbuffered (using resistors only) version. They sell a better version that is "bufferd" but it cost's a bit more. Buffering the signals is great if you are running longer cable, but you should be fine with the unbuffered version.

Edit: Not sure this JTAG will work. Maybe someone has ordered this one?


Last edited by joeschmuckatelli on Sun Jul 04, 2010 17:40; edited 2 times in total
tab1293
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 17:31    Post subject: Reply with quote
Are you sure I can buy that cable because it says its for FTA and at the bottom it says

"Note: This cable will NOT work for routers nor cable modems."
fggs
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 18:06    Post subject: Reply with quote
Here: http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=64013&highlight=

This is the best jtag adapter you can get!
joeschmuckatelli
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Joined: 30 May 2008
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 18:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
You are correct. Im not sure what the difference would be but I guess you could build it yourself. It's very easy but if you don't have a soldering iron and solder, the project just got a little more costly. I think you need to ask yourself how much money you want to spend to attempt a repair of this router? Keep in mind, even if you do create the JTAG, you still may not be able to recover the router.

If you can lay you hands on a soldering iron and solder for free then you can get away for very little cost.

I don't know if you have any old computer parts/cables but you can also visit a computer repair shop (not best buy) and ask for a few items.

1. Old printer cable (25 pins) that has a centronics connector on the other end. I make that distinction because serial cables use to come in 25 pins but are the opposite pin connection. Or Radio Shack (Catalog #: 276-1547) and Cover (Catalog #: 276-1549) or similar.

2. 10 connector header with ribbon cable connected. These are often used for USB connections from the motherboard to a rear connected USB port and should be pleantiful as well at one of these old computer shops. (Could not locate anything at RadioShack.com)

3. Go to Radio Shack and buy a package of five 100 ohm resistors (Catalog #: 271-1311)

4. Some connecting wire (you can use wire from the printer cable).

So all you "Really Need" is the 25 pin connector, the resisitors, some wire to connect everything, and the soldering iron and solder to pull this off.
joeschmuckatelli
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Joined: 30 May 2008
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Location: Virginia

PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 18:13    Post subject: Reply with quote
fggs wrote:
Here: http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=64013&highlight=

This is the best jtag adapter you can get!


I saw that but noticed, even though it comes with spring loaded pins, it does not include a 10 pin header to put the pins into, like the other devices. This would make holding spring pins in your hand a bit tough to do.

And I'd love to have that JTAG in my back pocket.

-Joe
fggs
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Joined: 28 Jan 2008
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 18:18    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's easy to solder the header, I think any electronic hardware shop will do it for him.
tab1293
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 19:19    Post subject: Reply with quote
Is it worth it to get a $20 jtag adapter when I can probably get another router for $40? I don't want to buy this jtag and then not be able to unbrick my router.
fggs
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Joined: 28 Jan 2008
Posts: 1741

PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 19:37    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, that I don't know, but jtag adapter is always good to have, if you don't fix this router, you can fix others, just my opinion anyway.
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