[Soul_Est]

Disclaimer: DON'T DO THIS IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT HOW TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON ANY OF THE STEPS! YOU CAN EASILY BRICK YOUR ROUTER BY NOT FOLLOWING THESE STEPS FULLY!

This How-To is for anyone who wishes to install DD-WRT on their WRT54G2v1 without using any of the Linksys tftp programs. This would allow you to install DD-WRT from almost any OS as long as it's configured correctly and includes a tftp client and ping program.

I discovered how to do this thanks to dvs.

The How-To is based on the official instructions for installing DD-WRT on the WRT54G2 and my own experiences installing Eko's 13000 NEWD Micro Plus w/ SSH (Sept 30, 2009) which you can get here: ftp://dd-wrt.com/others/eko/V24_TNG/svn13000/dd-wrt.v24-13000_NEWD_micro-plus_ssh.bin

By following this - you will (with it disconnected from the computer)be:

1) Downloading the correct files needed to install DD-WRT to your computer
2) Hard resetting your router
3) Configuring your computer with a static IP address on the same subnet as the router
(after connecting the computer to one of the router's LAN ethernet ports)be:
4) Pinging the router at it's IP address CONTINUOUSLY and setting up tftp
5) Connecting the computer to the router and checking for issues
6) Putting the router in maintenance mode
7) tftp'ing VxWorksPrep-G2V1.bin to the router
8) tftp'ing VxWorksKiller-G2V1.bin to the router
9) tftp'ing a Micro build of DD-WRT to the router
10) After 5 minutes, power cycle the router and check for issues
11) Hard reset the router, wait 5 minutes and configure DD-WRT to suit

This How-To does not contain instructions on installing DD-WRT from any BSD or BSD-like operating system except for Mac OS X and assumes that you have: read the Peacock thread, read the official installation instructions for the WRT54G2 v1 and that you know how to use the OS you choose to install DD-WRT from; this includes the Command Prompt/Terminal.

IF THERE ARE ANY ERRORS IN THE INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE INFORM ME!

1) Download the the files needed for installing DD-WRT to the router. You'll need VxWorksPrep-G2V1.bin, VxWorksKiller-G2V1.bin, and one of the Micro builds of your choice.

2) BEFORE following through with the rest of these steps, make sure the computer is DISCONNECTED from your router and do a HARD RESET or 30/30/30! It is in the official installation instructions for ALL routers and is included in many install guides on these forums. Please, BEFORE following through with the rest of these steps, do a HARD RESET or 30/30/30!

3) Configure your computer with a static IP of 192.168.1.x (x can have any value from 2-254) and a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0.

4) Open 2 Command Prompt/Terminal windows or just work with the CLI if that's what you're using but be logged into at least 2 virtual terminals. On one of them issue the command:

Code:

ping (-t (for Windows only)) 192.168.1.1

(the router's IP address) which only give you multiple "Request timeouts" for now, while in the other Command Prompt/Terminal window setup tftp to upload the files to the router by issuing these commands:

Code:

tftp 192.168.1.1 binary rexmt 1 timeout 60 trace verbose



DO NOT EXIT AFTER THE LAST COMMAND IS ENTERED! Instead, type:

Code:

put VxWorksPrep-G2V1.bin


at the prompt. DO NOT PRESS ENTER YET!

5) Connect the computer the router making sure the plug the ethernet cable into one of the four ETHERNET ports, NOT THE INTERNET PORT. In the Command Prompt/Terminal window where ping is running you should see responses such as this:

Code:

64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3918 ttl=64 time=1.812 ms

This is good.

6) Put the router in maintenance mode by the doing the following:
1) Power off (unplug) the router and wait for 30 seconds. Make sure to hold the tip of a pointy object (a pen works best) so that it is just touching the reset button on the router. In the pinging Command Prompt/Terminal window, you'll see responses like this:

Code:

Request timeout for icmp_seq 3908



This is also good.

2) PAY ATTENTION THE COMMAND PROMPT/TERMINAL WINDOW WITH THE PING RUNNING. Also make sure that the window in which the tftp commands where entered is in focus. Power (plug in) the router and immediately after, press and hold the reset button for ~5 seconds. You'll then get these responses:

Code:

64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3967 ttl=100 time=5.971 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3968 ttl=100 time=1.695 ms




Now for the VxWorksPrep.

7) HIT THE ENTER KEY NOW AS THE RESPONSES ARE ONLY FOR 2 SECONDS! In the window with ping running you'll see these responses:

Code:

64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4003 ttl=100 time=5.646 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4004 ttl=100 time=1.654 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4005 ttl=100 time=2.850 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4006 ttl=100 time=3.148 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4007 ttl=100 time=2.328 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4008 ttl=100 time=3.510 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4009 ttl=100 time=2.469 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4010 ttl=100 time=2.803 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4011 ttl=100 time=1.987 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4012 ttl=100 time=4.074 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4013 ttl=100 time=2.356 ms



The VxWorksPrep-G2V1.bin will be tftp'ed to the router. Wait 1 minute for the router to reboot. If successful, the response to the pings will look like this:

Code:

64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3092 ttl=100 time=1.074 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3093 ttl=100 time=0.717 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3094 ttl=100 time=0.728 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3095 ttl=100 time=0.699 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3096 ttl=100 time=0.633 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3097 ttl=100 time=0.706 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3098 ttl=100 time=0.715 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3099 ttl=100 time=0.651 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3100 ttl=100 time=0.647 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3101 ttl=100 time=0.641 ms 64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3102 ttl=100 time=0.642 ms



The router is now ready for VxWorksKiller.

8) In the same window as where you entered the tftp commands run the command for tftp'ing VxWorksKiller-G2V1.bin to the router:

Code:

put VxWorksKiller-G2V1.bin

You'll get the same responses in the window running ping with as when you tftp'ed the VxWorksPrep-G2V1.bin to the router. Wait 2 minutes for the router to reboot. When the router reboots the responses from the pings will have a ttl of 100.

9) In the tftp window, run the command:

Code:

put dd-wrt.v24(rest of the file's name).bin



You'll get more ttl=100 responses from the pinging. Once the tftp has finished, the router WILL reboot. LEAVE THE ROUTER ALONE AND TAKE 5!


10) Power cycle the router (unplug and plug in the power cord), then hard reset the router again. When router fully boots up, open up a web browser (Firefox, Internet Explorer or Safari) and go to 192.168.1.1. If the you get a page asking you to enter a new username and password, success! If not go back to step 6 (provided that you didn't close any windows, if so go back to step 4) and try again.

11) Once you have succeeded in getting DD-WRT on the router, hard reset the router again, wait 5 minutes, go to 192.168.1.1 and go about configuring DD-WRT to suit.

YOU'RE DONE!

Thanks BrainSlayer for the generic and generic w/ oslrd Micro builds, Eko for the brilliant 13000 Micro Plus w/ SSH, Murrkf for the information rich Peacock thread, dvs who first discovered how to put a NEWD compatible router in maintenance mode, toolman667 for the tftp commands and everyone who worked on the wiki article for the WRT54G2.

[LLB]

This looks nicely written. How does it compare to the wiki material on installing dd-wrt onto this router? Perhaps some or all of this should be added to the wiki?

[Soul_Est]

[LLB]

I can't give you much, as I don't have that router...but looks good in looking at how it was written.

[DHC_DarkShadow]

NM, reread the thread.

EDIT: I took the liberty of adding the Alt inst to the all ready existing page.

[Soul_Est]

Thank you LLB for the kind comments.

Thank you DHC_DarkShadow for adding the instructions the wiki.

[montgomery]

@Soul_Est
I saw these instructions in the main page for this router, and came here eventually to ask a question...

I currently have this DD-WRT firmware on my WRT54G2v1 router...
dd-wrt.v24-10709_NEWD_micro.bin (DD-WRT v24-sp2 (10/30/0 micro - build 10709M NEWD Eko) as per the official instructions page.

In the Alt. instructions, I noticed that you mentioned getting the following firmware going on this router...

dd-wrt.v24-13000_NEWD_micro-plus_ssh.bin

I would like to get SSHd running on mine.

I have read a little about the CFE, but I'm not exactly sure whether or not it's something I need to do/make for this specific router, or if it already exists and I just need to download it or what.

I did manage to find and download the .bin file.

Is there any chance you'd be willing to point me in the correct direction to find the steps (or bits) I need?

[Murrkf]

[Soul_Est]

@montgomery
Sorry about that. phpBB ate what I had intended to post. As Murrkf had posted, my instructions were posted before CFEs became known so don't worry about them. Just follow the instructions to the letter.

@Murrkf
Thanks for stepping in and helping out.

[montgomery]

OK, great!
Thanks, guys.
I will follow instructions, read notes, and report back on how it went...

[montgomery]