Linksys WRT54G Router

This model by Linksys is special, in the sense that you can install Linux on it via a firmware upgrade.

DD-WRT

• This firmware, based on OpenWRT, has a nice web GUI. Simple and powerful.
• Multiple versions are provided, with different features per version.

Installation

• If upgrading from the original firmware, be sure to select the micro_generic.bin version. Use Opera to upload the firmware to the router; it was said on the Wiki that Firefox had problems. I tried with IE 7 under Windows XP (under VirtualBox) and it failed.

• The default username is root, and the default address for the Web GUI is at http://192.168.1.1.

Configuration

• To serve a static DNS server to DHCP clients, enter a static DNS address *and* be sure that the "Enable dnsmasq for DHCP" checkbox is unchecked.

Original OS

The original OS installed on the router is a real piece of crap. Here are however some hints to better cope with it:

• If the router seems crashed (due to a power failure), you can try to reactivate it by renewing the DHCP lease in the Status tab.