Linksys says I need a Windows machine to update my firmware

Bought a Linksys WRT54G wireless router, and I couldn't get it to work. When 192.168.1.1 did show up in Safari and I put my ISP's settings in, it wasn't able to connect to the ISP. Often, however, the settings panel won't even show up in Safari -- Safari tells me it can't open that page. The Linksys support guy says when the settings page is available only intermittently, 99 percent of the time it means you need new firmware, and for that -- he says -- I need a Windows machine because the firmware is a Windows file, not Mac-compatible.

Why doesn't the router have the right firmware? I've had Linksys routers for five years and never had this Windows issue. Does all this seem accurate? It implies that every Mac user on earth who uses a Linksys router has to find a friend with a Windows machine eventually.

Reply to
PAF Man
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On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 23:04:56 -0400, PAF Man wrote (in article ):

Because it shipped from the factory with the wrong firmware.

You've never had to update the firmware before.

Linksys says on the box that they ain't Mac-compatible. They ain't lying. So long as everything works properly, you can use a Linksys with a Mac, but if there's a problem you _must_ connect via Windows to fix it. IIRC you can't even use VPC.

I'd return the router and exchange it for a non-Linksys unit.

Reply to
J.J. O'Shea

On 24 Jun 2007, J.J. O'Shea posted some news: snipped-for-privacy@newsgroups.comcast.net:

Fucking absolute bullshit. That's a perfect example why most of you Mac morons have the well deserved reputations for technical incompetence and stupidity that you do.

Reply to
Szentes

Ahem - "most"? I think not. Or do you have some demographics to back that up?

Reply to
Jolly Roger

This is a well known issue with a solution. There is a work around for uploading firmware to this linksys systems from Unix-like systems.

First use the web browser to remove the admin password on the router.

Then you can use the tftp client from the command line to upload the new linksys firmware. The go back and reset the password (and best to set it to something other than "admin"). And be sure to use binary mode in tftp

Anyway, here is one of the many pages that describe this.

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Many of us Mac morons are also Unix experts who have a well deserved reputation of contempt for Windows people. Trolls like you make us feel more secure in our contempt.

Considering that he is talking about a reputation, the object of it doesn't need to be true, only the fact that the reputation exists. But does that reputation still exist? I don't know and I don't care. But I do feel that it is legitimate to return a piece of network gear that fails to work with systems that provide standards based networking tools.

However, in this case it is possible to perform a firmware upgrade on one of those linksys boxes from Unix-like systems.

-j

Reply to
Jeffrey Goldberg

I notice that you didn't bother to say why it is bullshit. Maybe if you actually provided information and support instead of frothing at the mouth with your anti-Mac tirade, you wouldn't look so foolish.

Reply to
Michelle Steiner

Jeffrey Goldberg wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.supernews.com:

I have never used a MAC, but can't the Linksys firmware be upgraded with a web browser? That's what I use on my Windows machine, and any browser that supports JavaScript(don't they all) should be able to do the flash upload to the router.

After all, the Linksys firmware as downloaded contains a BIN file and the Linksys web interface doesn't care if it's a Mac, Windows, Linux or whatever connected to it.

Reply to
John Gray

Earlier versions of the router didn't offer this option from what I understand. Some Linksys systems did have a firmware upgrade option in their menu. Some don't. The workaround is for those that don't.

Reply to
Michael Vilain

On 08 Jul 2007, Jolly Roger posted some news:2007070818364550073-jollyroger@REMOVEpoboxcom:

Who needs demographics? It's a basic fact of computing life.

Reply to
ºðº

That's a perfect example why most of you

There is truth in the saying, "If you want to LEARN about computers, buy a PC. If you want to USE a computer, buy a MAC." A corollary to this is that you can always tell a MAC from a PC. The PC is the one with the cover off.

Everyone knows you don't NEED a manual to use a MAC or get it started. The PC companies noticed that and simply stopped PRODUCING manuals. There's a difference. Now you have to buy the require manual. Admit it...how many PC books do you have in your library. It's a "teller".

I remember when there was always a strong argument about which processor was in the machine, an 8080 or a 6800. We've progressed to asking what can the machine do and how fast can it do it.

I also remember in my post teen days when I always had my hotrod torn down, fixing it up and making it faster. I now don't even want to look under the hood. Infact on the times that I do, I don't recognize anything under there anymore. Now I buy a car and use it for it's intended purpose. I've matured and progressed. Does that make me technically imcompetent about cars? Maybe, but you need to set your priorities.

The PC has gotten better and mimic the MACs better. I don't have any hope for the UNIX jocks. They will always be out of sync. I can always tell software produced by them...yuck! Reminds me of the old IBM days when they thought they were better than everyone else and wanted to make sure YOU knew it.

regards, Bob

>
Reply to
Bob F.

Newer versions of the linksys firmware do allow upgrades via a web browser and there is no difficulty with those from a Mac. But older versions didn't have the ability to upgrade via the web. Instead linksys produced a windows binary that unpacked the zip file and did the FTP.

That is correct. But as I said, older linksys boxes didn't have the upgrade option on their web interface.

-j

Reply to
Jeffrey Goldberg

Oh dear. Better not tell him that MAC OSX *IS* unix..

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Then that "truth" is based on a misinterpretation of the facts. Having the cover off has to do with the hardware, not the operating system. Duh! Changing video cards, adding new hard drives, replacing the power supply, adding memory, installing a sound card are NOT defects with the operating system. So basically Mac folks thinking PC users have the covers off their computers again illustrates how stupid are Mac users when it comes to their own operating system.

As far as using their computer and Mac users, anyone under any OS - Mac, Windows, Linux, MVS, OS/2, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, or whatever - can use software that is operative. I've had to be a sys admin for a company whose products were software (i.e., a developer) and we had Macs there, too. Yep, the Mac users knew how to use their SOFTWARE but they didn't know squat about their operating system (i.e., they knew less about their OS than did Windows users) but that was because Windows users were constantly tweaking and fixing their OS. As far as knowing the hardware, I'd say Mac and Windows users were about equally dumb or equally smart, however, you want to measure it.

Again another stupid "truth". Just because Apple didn't want to expose the workings of their OS doesn't mean that others would do the same. In fact, it was IBM's long standing practice of providing manuals because they were used to doing that for their main- and midframes. It allowed users to get into the OS whereas Apple want to hide all that; i.e., Apple wanted to keep their users stupid. The reason why the hardcopy manuals for the OS disappeared was due to marketing due to competitive pricing. Manuals were just too much overhead in cost that could not be recouped in the ever decreasing selling price of home computers. The help moved to the hard drive to be included with the OS so what would be the point of duplicating it on paper? Users don't read manuals before installing the OS. And with a pre-installed OS, like for Mac and Windows, on pre-built boxes then who the hell is wasting their time reading a manual before using their computer?

Having books about the software doesn't have to do anything with the OS being used. If someone wants to become an expert in a word processor, they will need to learn more than the included help within that program, so they get books. Are you saying that Mac software has less features than equivalent software for Windows so Mac users don't have much to investigate into their software because there isn't much there to find?

More likely it is because of the dearth of Mac software and documentation for it is why Mac users have less books on their software. Less selection in software. Less selection in documentation for it.

Yeah, right, like any company will waste their time trying to use a Mac as a web, file, or other server. Using Windows server versions is fraught with problems, mostly reliability. UNIX still rules. Just try to get a software QA job at any enterprise software developer and not know UNIX. You won't get hired. The only time we have to bounce the UNIX server is when the developers demand a kernel patch. Windows servers stay up for about 3 months. None of the servers are Macs. We use Windows on the workstations. We leave the Macs to the marketing folks (those farthest down the scale regarding technical prowess).

The point is that you should ALWAYS first decide on what are your required tasks, then decide which software best accomplishes those tasks, and then choose the OS on which that critical software can operate. Choosing an OS and then trying to find workable applications on it is like first buying tires and then deciding on what car to buy for them. If a Mac is what you need for the software that best does your job then use that. If Windows is it then use it. If its Linux or some other UNIX that does the job best then use that. With VMs, you can have them all.

And as for the cover being off, that's a hardware issue, not an OS issue.

Reply to
Vanguard

As I'm sure you're already aware, the underlying OS on the Mac is FreeBSD. Apache is the standard http server, and the whole package makes a great server, with terrific monitoring tools. The XServe line of rackmount servers is selling VERY well for a reason.

Reply to
Buck Murdock

Yes, I happen to know that but most people don't which is exactly my point. Keep this stuff away from the end user and provide them with an interface that they can handle and get THEIR job done, which is what MAC OSX does.

r, Bob

Reply to
Bob F.

And, for those users who need to, want to, and know how to manipulate aspects of the underlying UNIX O/S, the Mac provides a shell command line interface as well. As I see it, the best of both worlds.

-- Rich Seifert Networks and Communications Consulting 21885 Bear Creek Way (408) 395-5700 Los Gatos, CA 95033 (408) 228-0803 FAX

Send replies to: usenet at richseifert dot com

Reply to
Rich Seifert

I don't think Bob has ever tried the recent Linux distros with their oh-so-familiar desktop GUI (but, as you mentioned, he doesn't realize that he is now using one). Bob probably hasn't seen UNIX since before the days of the X desktop. If Bob decides to venture out of his self-imposed protective womb, he probably should start with Ubuntu since, at least, it keeps him from issuing root commands unless he specifically remembers to use su or sudo. The desktop and menus will help shield him from the OS as he is accustomed. Maybe PCLinuxOS would do for Bob but he should definitely stay away from Gentoo because that will be far beyond his technical abilities. I'm pretty sure Bob also never builds his own home computer but instead buys pre-builts (and still doesn't read any documentation that comes with them) along with a pre-installed OS. As Bob mentioned in using his car analogy, he leaves the expertise to others. Bob, like many users, want an appliance, like a washing machine or television, that always works the same way. Problem is that with computers and operating systems these users who self-elect to remain uneducated are always sticking their damn stupid fingers inside.

Reply to
Vanguard

Which is pretty much why I use Macs at all. They are nicely integrated Unix systems that I can just buy and use without having to do a lot of system integration work. I'm far from alone in that. So his neat little scheme of labelling people by their skin color (um, I mean their OS usage) has a bit of a problem with people that are simultaneously "Unix jocks" and Mac users.

But I don't have any hope for him anyway. Anyone who would write that is just a bigotted troll not worth responding to. And I won't do so any further.

Reply to
Richard Maine

Depends on your point of view.

We see but we don't see.

Never said it was a "defect" just an observation.

Let's see, I don't shine my own shoes. I have someone do it for me for two bucks and make much more per day with them work I do. Who's "stipid" ? (using your words)

Point I made just above. They got you to do it and focused on THEIR job task.

Same point as above...not focusing on their job and learning a system that has a half life of about 2 years...smart!

You missed the point. The former was a design criteria, the later was a response.

No, I am saying the intuitive operation usage was alway a design criteria.

...and more of it works. Way too much junk out there for PC and Unix machines and much more of it doesn't work properly.

I am talking about desktop computing, not back office applications. Which brings up a problem. It often happens that the IT people (living in the back office) try to inflict their thinking on the office people and causes this conflict.

Wow, you did great with the summary but your points didn't bring me to this conclusion, but good job! (except for your VMS point)

I didn't say it was either. I said it was a computer issue.

Reply to
Bob F.

Did to

Did not

did to

did not

.....

Reply to
DLR

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