Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 7:47 Post subject: 100 pages of WRT160Nv3 posts condensed (Device thread)
Peabody inspired me to take the bloated WRT160N version 3 thread and condense its nearly 100 pages to start over, so here we go...
First of all, a lot of what was in the original thread was troubleshooting that is better explained in the Peacock Thread.
Don't post if you haven't read it. Also please search the Forums and the Wiki before asking something.
That said, here is some REQUIRED reading/important links to start things off:
The Peacock Thread - Everything You Need to Know. Really.
Firmware Recommendations Thead - Should always be taken over the Router DB.
Wiki Wireless-N Configuration - For best possible throughput use this information (especially Channel # and Width considering the WRT160Nv3 is a 2.4GHz router).
DD-WRT Firmware FTP - SVN Builds. Many are experimental so follow the build threads and use at your own risk.
Here are a few obvious things I'll mention anyway just so they're clear:
The WRT160N v3 uses K2.6 (kernel version 2.6) builds ONLY.
Use the "mini_wrt160nv3" trailed build for initial flashing, then any build ~3.7mb or under will work if you want an expanded featureset (currently mini, mini_hotspot, mini_usb, openvpn_small, std_nokaid_small, voip_small should fit).
For IPv6 you need to use std_nokaid_small, then follow the Wiki IPv6 Tutorial (use 6to4 if you don't have an IPv6 provider/tunnel broker).
Use the least popular wireless channel (with least overlap in accordance with the Wireless-N Config Wiki above) using Site Survey and/or inSSIDer; should be one of channels 1, 6 lower, 6 upper, or 11.
There are NO problems doing an initial flash from the default Linksys Firmware Upgrade page. Use it. Use it with Internet Explorer. After a 30/30/30 if you see the Management Mode, simply select Reboot. Remember to set an IPv4 static IP on your adapter while flashing since DHCP will be down (also remember to remove it again after DD-WRT is up).
If you run into trouble with a bad flash, THIS is where you can use the Management Mode Wiki Flash Instructions but go to http://192.168.1.1/f1.htm to flash a trailed build (or revert to default Linksys and start again); alternately you can use the Wiki TFTP Flash Instructions. For those having trouble triggering Management Mode on their device, here's another thread which may help.
To avoid Management Mode when upgrading builds use Reset To Defaults on the upgrade page; alternately it is safe on this router (if you know what you are doing) to use either of the "Erase NVRAM" methods on the Wiki Hard Reset or 30/30/30 Instructions.
After flash the EZ Setup button will go orange. This is normal. The post following this one contains both a script to tie it to Wireless security status, as well as commands to turn it permanantly blue if that is preferred.
It came up many, many times, so special mention must go to the Wiki Repeater Bridge Instructions. Read it carefully if you are trying to set one up and remember the Linksys section also applies.
The screenshot shows the correct CPU and frequency for the device, Broadcom BCM4716A chip rev 1 @ 300 MHz.
On some devices (CSE51 serial numbered) and certain builds the CPU may be misreported as Broadcom BCMB83A chip rev 0 @ 300 MHz.
This unit has trouble running in mixed modes containing N. This especially seems to be more of an issue on more recent serial numbered devices (CSE41 and CSE51). It presents with frequent wireless signal droppage, coming back ~15 seconds later without the actual router having rebooted. This is most likely an issue with the radio drivers (as Tomato does not have the issue). Switch to a single mode (N-Only or G-Only), or Mixed without N (BG-Mixed) if you need Mixed for legacy hardware. Overclocking the CSE41 is also reported to help.
Some dropping issues may occur with Atheros wireless adapters (often on HP laptops with Windows Vista/7). These can be resolved by upgrading to a more recent version 9.2.0.427 for 32/64bit XP/Win7/Vista (09/07/2011). Should work for most/all Atheros cards. Unpack then update from Device Manager's "Update Driver", pointing it to the appropriate OS subdirectory, if it updates then it found the right one, otherwise it won't bother.
Generally Used Tweaks/Builds/Tips (Read what each does to make sure it's right for your setup):
Basic Wireless Settings: Sensitivity Range (ACK Timing) to 0.
Advanced Wireless Settings: Beacon Interval to 75. Disable CTS Protection (unless you need it).
Services: Disable ttraff daemon.
Security: Uncheck Block Anonymous WAN Requests (ping)
Administration Management: TCP Timeout to 120. UDP Timeout to 90. These are for UDP-heavy P2P such as BitTorrent/µTP.
Increasing TX power (Advanced Wireless Settings) can improve broadcast area and signal strength; it can also decrease wireless speed incrementally, diminishing signal strength (due to excess noise), and potentially causes overheating. Good results and low heat have been achieved at a maximum of 119mW but start low (28mW) and never go higher than you need; the analogy of "someone shouting in your ear from 1 ft away makes it hard to understand what they're saying" tends to hold true if you're not talking about a large broadcast area. Do this at your own risk.
Overclocking can be achieved following the Wiki Overclocking Instructions. Best results for most have been reported using the timing 333,166,83 - duncanidaho also reports excellent results with 354,177,88 specifically for CSE41 serial numbered devices. Do this procedure at your own risk.
BS Test Build 15693 has been commonly reported as a very stable build for this router. BS 15506 was similarly favorable. duncanidaho also recommends BS 15778 and 15962, though it should be noted that builds 15760 and later will also require the manual loopback workaround unless/until it gets fixed.
For experts ONLY: It is possible to convert the WRT160Nv3 into an E1000v1 as they share the same hardware. There is NO known advantage to doing so at this point, but barryware has provided instructions and CFE for those interested.
And there we are! A lot, I know, but I wanted to be thorough to hopefully cut down on unnecessary troubleshooting in the future; as has been said before and I read someone say among the pages, "good advice bears repeating." Cheers.
P.S. Let me know if there's anything I should change.
MOD EDIT: POSTS IN THIS THREAD SHOULD BE ADDING INFORMATION THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE 160V3 ONLY. Posts that are about DD-WRT in general should not be posted in this thread, even if you happen to have a 160v3. If you have a question about how to set up your router, start a new thread. Don't tack your question on the end of this one just because you have a 160v3!
Last edited by on Wed Mar 13, 2013 2:36; edited 24 times in total
This startup script should change the EZ Setup light (default blue with Linksys, default amber with DD-WRT) to blue when Wireless Security is enabled, and to amber when it is not:
Code:
#
# Security LED fix
#
while sleep 1; do
if [ `nvram get wl0_security_mode` = "disabled" ]; then
gpio enable 4
gpio disable 2
else
gpio enable 2
gpio disable 4
fi
done &
For a more simple solution to the amber light, the following telnet/SSH commands should change it to blue permanently:
I just want to comment on the drop signal issue with this version - Thus far it is spuratic at least for me.
What I have done so far.
1)added a Penney to each chip with thermal compound (artic 5 non conductive) with a dab of hotglue in the event I turn the router for access to 30/30/30 also sanded the Penney down somewhat - My connections are short on top of the router shelf and I usually have to hold the router vertical to perform the 30/30/30 so this is the only reason for the hotglue.
2) drilled four small holes over the wireless chip for extra ventilation.
3)I just changed out the power adapter to a Linksys 1000ma in the hope the higher ma will help.
I am currently using DD-WRT v24-sp2 (12/24/10) std-nokaid-small - build 15962 with the loop back fix posted by phuzion in his sticky and over clocked to the same specs d.h posted in his reply (pg 92 or 93) of the old thread.
I will post back after several days with feed back on any results.
Magister - Just curious to what bit size the 5 min WEP key was generated at.
That statement should make one think twice before using any \POS at any retail location, since the C.C Co are only implementing WEP and clearly their mandate is way behind the times.
I did not mention my 160n v3 has cfe #51. The changes made in the above post have seemed to help but the power adapter might be the key.
I was thinking maybe clean power to this router would be a big benefit as well, that way there would be spikes ect as the ups would invert the ac to a smooth output. Maybe the best option here is to upgrade the power adapter to 1000ma instead of the 500ma and put the router on a ups power supply.
I do not have access to a ups here but would be curious if any of you could apply the suggested resolution and report back.
My signal does not appear to have dropped since I added the 1000ma Linksys power adapter. The cooling efforts were applied a while back but I think as a whole between the added heat-sink and extra ventilation along with the 1000ma power adapter have been beneficial.
This might resolve the issue driver-side. As LOM pointed out, the outdated drivers might be the culprit and Magister not having the drops on Tomato (newer drivers) seemed to support that as well. Once some stable builds with the new Broadcom drivers roll out I guess there'll be some testing in order and then hopefully I can remove a nice block of text from the first post here
Not a perfect solution but a "measurable improvement". My connection dropped at 1 day 20:05:35 and reconnected within a minute. I did check the connection status and Vista treated it as a continual connection. One would think the clock would reset if lost, with that said I am sure the pic will be questioned. O Well...
Yes I noticed the broadcom diver thread. I wonder what the time line will be for a stable build, using the new driver.
I usually weight until there has been feed back on the new builds before updating, at least a couple of pages.
About the thread will the mod's kill the old thread?
I came across a nice electronic url "Badcaps.com"? And posted the Cap Specs as well as, the signal issues,in the hope some one would have some feedback.
First the Capxon brand caps in the wrt-160n v3 are not quality caps and are listed on "badcaps.com" do not use list. Maybe they are poor performers?
Also there are better class of caps to use such a low ESR cap - Not sure if this would help but from my understanding they do a much better job of filtering.
some of the recommended caps were Nichicon HN, Panasonic FM, Rubycon MBZ. The specs on the Panasonic FM did not list them as being low esr, or ultra low esr, so maybe there is even a better choice.
The power adapter has a cheep General Purpose cap and could also benefit from an upgrade.
I check out Active and Sayal in Toronto and neither had any of the quality cap but only general duty.
Digicom or mouser seems to be the best option.
I did try to add or extend the filtering cap circuit by adding a second cap in the power cord. All I had was an old tv and parted out a working nec syncmaster? but had no luck at one point I noticed 30v "Glad I checked that before plugging it in!!! so the cords and such is back together lots of solder and tape.
I will weight till I can acquire the right caps before replacing them in the wrt-160n in the hope this will help this signal dropping issue.
IMO it act more like hardware issue then software. I did read the tomato fw resolves this but one post is not enough for me to give up on BS and Ekos efforts.
O while I had the router open I did add two 8 "in piece of wire to each antenna in the hope this might help as well.
No luck, however the posted specs on the wrt 160n v3 router at the above fcc url only had two capacitors and version 51 has four.
1)main cap by power jack KM 470Uf 25V
2)km 100Uf 10V
3)SM 100uF 16V
4)SD 470 uF 10V
5) CTC FC 090 9Y038 Not sure what this one is - I think it is a Ceramic Timer Circuit but have no idea of the specs on the cap - Google "Had Nothing Either" must be a Japanese cap - I saw a thread somewhere on how to read them - guess I should saved it or book marked it.
I do not have the names listed on me note sheet but I did some research and the caps in this specific router are not on the preferred to use list.
I guess when a co choose there components a .25$ to .60$ add up on several million.
My point if I have one is the cfe51 does have several more cap on the board then the model listed at the fcc, not sure if it was a 41,31 ect but curious to compare the boards on the different models and possibly the caps used for each.
Cheers
Thomas
O there was a Cisco phone number, e-mail and fax for the control manager submitting the specs to the fcc.
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 15:14 Post subject: Temperature and dropouts
thomas007: I have used all varieties of the Linksys/Cisco routers of the package like the WRT-160 and have found them to run hot unless I put spacers under them to lift them about 1/2" off what they are sitting on. With the spacers in place I have no drop-outs, etc.
Thanks for the feed back on the temp - I an not real sure how hot a router / personal router with no fan should run, but when compared to all the surrounding equipment it is measurably hotter.
I added little plastic pads some time ago, actually picked them up at the dollar store for the laptop.
I was able to add two ceramic cap in parallel to extend the filter circuit on the router. I added them just before the power jack on the router. Not sure of the uF rating they are Japanese caps, but the voltage is steady between 11.5 - 12.0 v.
From my understanding the ceramic caps do a great job of absorbing any noise, also by adding them in parallel any unwanted ESR will be divided.
It is my hope this addition is sending a cleaner power supply to the existing filter circuit on the router and will help to reduce / the signal issue, also a cleaner supply means less heat produced by the router internal filter circuit.
I have a cs31 running build 15693 that I keep having wireless dropping issues with. Would you recommend me upgrading to build 15778 or waiting for something newer?
I'd recommend waiting until some stable post-svn16540 builds come out. BS added the new Broadcom drivers, so hopefully the wireless drop problem will be gone as it is in Tomato. Watch for build threads.
I'd recommend waiting until some stable post-svn16540 builds come out. BS added the new Broadcom drivers, so hopefully the wireless drop problem will be gone as it is in Tomato. Watch for build threads.
