WRE54G Latest Firmware?

I have 3.01.01 on a version 3 router. Since I tried to flash with the latest on the LinkSys site I figured I must have the most up to date because it wouldn't install. I got the message: "Firmware install failed! Firmware too large!"

Am I right?

Reply to
The Walrus
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"The Walrus" hath wroth:

No, it's not. According to the Linksys web pile at:

2.01.12 is the latest firmware for the WRE54G.
Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Hi, Forget Linksys f/w. Load dd-wrt one.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Jeff Liebermann hath wroth:

This is weird. This article:

shows that 3.01.01 is the latest firmware for v3. The accompanying picture also shows 3.01.01 dated Jan 2006.

However, the 2.01.12 on the Linksys web pile is dated 3/30/2005.

Where did you find 3.01.01?

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Tony Hwang hath wroth:

Are you sure that it DD-WRT works on the WRE54G (various revisions)?

It doesn't seem to be on the shopping list of supported devices:

Linksys does have open source code available for the v1 mutation, but methinks the v2 and v3 versions use a different chipset and probably won't work:

OpenWRT lists the WRE54G v1 as using a Broadcom chipset, but that the firmware is "untested".

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Well, see how funny that is? Because on my WRE54G it clearly states the firmware version is 3.01.01, dated January 12, 2006. The 2.01.12 to which you refer is dated March of 2005. I made sure I chose the correct model and version number, which is 3.

Reply to
The Walrus

The thing is, I'm in a situation where I have to install these for other people, which is why I made myself the guinea pig. I really cannot afford to put myself in the position of having to take a return that has non-LinkSys firmware installed, or to have it not being replaceable under warranty if something goes wrong down the road.

I've learned enough that I could comfortably recommend the WRT54G and WRT54GS routers for people in small- to medium-sized one story homes or apartments. My house is a tad too long from one end to the other without help from a range extender. I can say that the boost you get from a WRE54G range extender is good only to within 15-20 of the PC, and it isn't worth a shit going through walls. There has to be something better.

Having said all of that, does the firmware you refer to actually improve throughput? And do they supply firmware for range extenders as well?

Thank you.

Reply to
The Walrus

Installed on my expander.

Reply to
The Walrus

"The Walrus" hath wroth:

Since you're apparently selling this problem as a solution, allow me to offer some free experience: RANGE EXTENDERS AND REPEATERS SUCK A marginal exception are WDS bridges (repeaters), which the WRE54G sorta emulates. I consider repeaters to be no better than jammers. I also consider store and forward (single channel) wi-fi mesh networks in the same class. They all double the amount of airtime used by a given system. This leaves less airtime for other users who have to share the same airspace and channel. In addition, the lack of sufficiently detailed standards and zero Wi-Fi certification for repeaters, results in some rather rotten implimentations. I've spent considerable effort trying to make them work including MAC level parameter hacking trying to get the timing correct and staring at a protocol analyzer all day. I could make it work for some configurations, with some access points, at some speeds, and during some phase of the moon, but there was no way I could conjur something that would work under all conditions.

There is also the not so minor problem of a 50% minimum slowdown of maximum thruput speed in such a repeater (or mesh system). Some light reading.... bug me if you want details:

Note that a repeater is just a two hop mesh network. Most users will not notice the speed loss unless they are running at fairly slow wireless speeds and have a fairly slow DSL connection. For example, a

1.5Mbit/sec DSL line will run without slowdown with a repeater down to a wireless connection speed of about 6Mbits/sec. However, the latest burstable cable modems running at 15Mbits/sec will require 60Mbits/sec through a repeater which just isn't possible with todays wireless devices.

In addition, there are alternatives that work well and can be sold without doing battle with repeaters. Those are power line, phone line, CATV coax, and fiber optics. Install one at the other end of the house and you're done.

Power Line networking:

Phone line networking:

CATV coax sharing:

(sorta, maybe)

If you can run CAT5, simply installing a 2nd access point at the other end of the house on a different channel is probably the best solution.

There are also aftermarket antennas, which will tailor the pattern to the shape of the house and coverage area. However, for multiple floors, I usually put one access point on each floor rather because antennas with sufficient horizontal pattern do so at the expense of vertical pattern. If you want to go cheap, there's also reflectors:

Anyway, given the problems and available alternatives, I suggest you give up on selling repeaters as solutions.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

"The Walrus" hath wroth:

Call Linksys support and ask for an explanation. It won't be the first time they either miscounted their revision numbering, or posted the wrong version firmware on their web pile. I would interested in what they have to offer. I tried looking all over their ftp site and found nothing.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Thanks for the message. It was very educational for me.

I have two CAT-5 runs going to the opposite end of the house. It's pretty clumsy. Six years ago I just strung CAT-5 cable through the attic and fed the runs through the closets and into the rooms straight into the machines. No punch downs or anything on either end -- just straight from the router into the PC's. I'm positive I'm in violation of some building code, but it's worked pretty effectively.

One of the runs has badly deteriorated, which is why I looked to wireless in the first place. I like the idea of CAT-fiving an access point into the one CAT-5 connection that is still solid and hasn't been eaten by creatures in the attic. You're right, repeaters are shit.

Thanks again.

Reply to
The Walrus

I posted a message in the forum about it. If I get a definitive reply I'll post here.

Reply to
The Walrus

"The Walrus" hath wroth:

No sense in you repeating my mistakes.

Ummm... That what most installions look like. There are those that do the nifty structured wiring installations, but for the typical home user, it's usually a much simpler installation. The only problems I've had with mice and rats eating wire is when we were eating potatoe chips while pulling wire. The rats just love the salty grease and sweat. The next install, I washed the cable with alcohol, and have had no problems. Same with squirrels and flooded CAT5 between the trees in the forest.

Try corrugated electrical flexible plastic conduit or PEX (Cross-linked Polyethylene) tubing/conduit with the CAT5e inside. The PEX is really made for plumbing, but works well. I use mostly 1" ID because I often have to drill through stud walls. If all else fails, just run Schedule 50 PVC conduit or armoured metal flex conduit.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

On Sun, 1 Apr 2007 23:18:15 -0400, "The Walrus" wrote in :

My personal favorite is the high-power Buffalo WHR-HP-G54, which has significantly better range.

Reply to
John Navas

Make sure your hitting the box with the right version. Linksys is notorious for having the same model name but changing chipsets between versions. The firmware for v1 will be different from ver 2.5. Look on the outside of the box for the right version number along with the modem number.

Doug

Reply to
Doug Simar

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