Flashing linux on to the WRT54G/GS v5, v6 without hardware modifications - Rehashed by Myself and Ictinike
This will work on the WRT54G v5 - v6, WRT54G-D2, WRT54GL, WAP54G v3 CFE, WRT54GS v5 - v5.1, and possibly the WRT54GS v6 - Currently untested.
*The WRT54G v7 is not supported due to a different chipset*
*Myself, Ictinike, nor Overclock.net will be held resposible if you brick your router* Please pay attention to compatibility and instructions
All Information contained here is merely restated from this Wiki (http://www.bitsum.com/openwiking/owb...T54G5%5FCFE#h7)
Also refer to this for trouble shooting
Ok, so you want to install Linux on your Linksys router, well heres the scoop:
Ok, first step, gather the files you will need to begin:
For converting your router to linux, first step:
vxworks prep v03.zip
vxworks killer g v06.zip
dd-wrt.v23 SP1 micro
You will need this program to TFTP your router:
tftp.exe
This is for the finalization of the installation:
vxworks prep gs v03.zip
vxworks killer gs v07.zip
Select the type of firmaware you want to install, there are several options, please check the Wiki to see what your router supports - Link
For the WRT54G v5, v5.1, and v6 ONLY
You will want to assign your network adaptor a manual IP address, since you may loose your automatically configured one and have trouble TFTP'ing the firmware. To do this see the troubleshooting section or google it. It's done at the properties dialog of your network connection, in the 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)' properties.
Go to your router's web based interface and enter the 'Administration' tab. Then select 'Firmware Upgrade' and choose the vxworks_prep_v03.bin file. Hit apply. After a minute, your browser window will go blank. At this point, power cycle your router.
Again point your web browser (preferrably Internet Explorer, other may not work in this step) to http://192.168.1.1. You'll see a different sort of firmware upgrade screen. This is the Management Mode. Select and apply the vxworks_killer_g_v06.bin firmware upgrade. WAIT for your browser window to turn to report 'Success'.
Now unplug the power cord of your router, then plug it back in. The power LED should now be blinking.
TFTP transfer DD-WRT micro generic (re: not mini) to your router, whose IP will be 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.1.245 if you used an older vxworks_killer. There are two ways to do the TFTP transfer. One is using Linksys's TFTP Windows program, which you may have downloaded in step 3, the other is at the console/terminal:
Console tool: Example: TFTP -i 192.168.1.1 PUT dd-wrt.v23_micro_generic.bin
GUI tool: Simply enter the router's IP address, select the DD-WRT micro generic image, then initiate the transfer. The password field can be left blank. Don't unplug your router when it finishes (see below).
Do NOT reboot your router after TFTP'ing, this will happen automatically. It takes a couple minutes after the TFTP transfer finishes for the firmware to actually be flashed.
Skip to 'finalizing' below, or 'troubleshooting' Wiki if you've run into problems.
For the WRT54GS v5, v5.1 (and v6?) ONLY
You will want to assign your network adaptor a manual IP address, since you may loose your automatically configured one and have trouble TFTP'ing the firmware. To do this see the troubleshooting section or google it. It's done at the properties dialog of your network connection, in the 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)' properties.
Go to your router's web based interface and enter the 'Administration' tab. Then select 'Firmware Upgrade' and choose the vxworks_prep_gs_v03.bin file. Hit apply. After a minute, your browser window will go blank. At this point, power cycle your router.
Again point your web browser (preferrably Internet Explorer, other may not work in this step) to http://192.168.1.1. You'll see a different sort of firmware upgrade screen. This is the Management Mode. Select and apply the vxworks_killer_gs_v07.bin firmware upgrade. WAIT for your browser window to turn to report 'Success'.
Now unplug the power cord of your router, then plug it back in. The power LED should now be blinking.
TFTP transfer DD-WRT micro generic (re: not mini) to your router, whose IP will be 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.1.245 if you used an older vxworks_killer. There are two ways to do the TFTP transfer. One is using Linksys's TFTP Windows program, which you may have downloaded in step 3, the other is at the console/terminal:
Console tool: Example: TFTP -i 192.168.1.1 PUT dd-wrt.v23_micro_generic.bin
GUI tool: Simply enter the router's IP address, select the DD-WRT micro generic image, then initiate the transfer. The password field can be left blank. Don't unplug your router when it finishes (see below).
Do NOT reboot your router after TFTP'ing, this will happen automatically. It takes a couple minutes after the TFTP transfer finishes for the firmware to actually be flashed.
Finalizing
As mentioned in step 8, your router should reboot itself after the TFTP transfer. After your router boots (give it a minute), you should have access to the DD-WRT's HTTP interface at 192.168.1.1.
If the unit does not boot for some reason, you may want to try resetting to factory defaults by holding down the reset button on the back while powering on the router.
If you have problems, please visit an appropriate user forum to get aid from your fellow users. There are many common problems, and common solutions.There is always the forums at Linksys for more support and help
Congratulations, you're now running DD-WRT micro! Future firmware updates do not require this process.
Remember, the default username and password for a new DD-WRT flash is:
username: root
password: admin
Now if you have run into problems, Ictinike has also provided this info to help recover your 'bricked' router:
Now I've bricked this before using official LinkSys firmware so I had to call then and they have a backout procedure to restart and restore the built in ROM flash it shipped with. Basically set your NIC down to 10mbit 1/2 duplex and establish direct to the 192.168.1.1 IP. There you can over-flash the correct firmware to get it back...
More revisions in the future
Here are a couple screen shots -


This will work on the WRT54G v5 - v6, WRT54G-D2, WRT54GL, WAP54G v3 CFE, WRT54GS v5 - v5.1, and possibly the WRT54GS v6 - Currently untested.
*The WRT54G v7 is not supported due to a different chipset*
*Myself, Ictinike, nor Overclock.net will be held resposible if you brick your router* Please pay attention to compatibility and instructions
All Information contained here is merely restated from this Wiki (http://www.bitsum.com/openwiking/owb...T54G5%5FCFE#h7)
Also refer to this for trouble shooting
Ok, so you want to install Linux on your Linksys router, well heres the scoop:
Ok, first step, gather the files you will need to begin:
For converting your router to linux, first step:
vxworks prep v03.zip
vxworks killer g v06.zip
dd-wrt.v23 SP1 micro
You will need this program to TFTP your router:
tftp.exe
This is for the finalization of the installation:
vxworks prep gs v03.zip
vxworks killer gs v07.zip
Select the type of firmaware you want to install, there are several options, please check the Wiki to see what your router supports - Link
For the WRT54G v5, v5.1, and v6 ONLY
You will want to assign your network adaptor a manual IP address, since you may loose your automatically configured one and have trouble TFTP'ing the firmware. To do this see the troubleshooting section or google it. It's done at the properties dialog of your network connection, in the 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)' properties.
Go to your router's web based interface and enter the 'Administration' tab. Then select 'Firmware Upgrade' and choose the vxworks_prep_v03.bin file. Hit apply. After a minute, your browser window will go blank. At this point, power cycle your router.
Again point your web browser (preferrably Internet Explorer, other may not work in this step) to http://192.168.1.1. You'll see a different sort of firmware upgrade screen. This is the Management Mode. Select and apply the vxworks_killer_g_v06.bin firmware upgrade. WAIT for your browser window to turn to report 'Success'.
Now unplug the power cord of your router, then plug it back in. The power LED should now be blinking.
TFTP transfer DD-WRT micro generic (re: not mini) to your router, whose IP will be 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.1.245 if you used an older vxworks_killer. There are two ways to do the TFTP transfer. One is using Linksys's TFTP Windows program, which you may have downloaded in step 3, the other is at the console/terminal:
Console tool: Example: TFTP -i 192.168.1.1 PUT dd-wrt.v23_micro_generic.bin
GUI tool: Simply enter the router's IP address, select the DD-WRT micro generic image, then initiate the transfer. The password field can be left blank. Don't unplug your router when it finishes (see below).
Do NOT reboot your router after TFTP'ing, this will happen automatically. It takes a couple minutes after the TFTP transfer finishes for the firmware to actually be flashed.
Skip to 'finalizing' below, or 'troubleshooting' Wiki if you've run into problems.
For the WRT54GS v5, v5.1 (and v6?) ONLY
You will want to assign your network adaptor a manual IP address, since you may loose your automatically configured one and have trouble TFTP'ing the firmware. To do this see the troubleshooting section or google it. It's done at the properties dialog of your network connection, in the 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)' properties.
Go to your router's web based interface and enter the 'Administration' tab. Then select 'Firmware Upgrade' and choose the vxworks_prep_gs_v03.bin file. Hit apply. After a minute, your browser window will go blank. At this point, power cycle your router.
Again point your web browser (preferrably Internet Explorer, other may not work in this step) to http://192.168.1.1. You'll see a different sort of firmware upgrade screen. This is the Management Mode. Select and apply the vxworks_killer_gs_v07.bin firmware upgrade. WAIT for your browser window to turn to report 'Success'.
Now unplug the power cord of your router, then plug it back in. The power LED should now be blinking.
TFTP transfer DD-WRT micro generic (re: not mini) to your router, whose IP will be 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.1.245 if you used an older vxworks_killer. There are two ways to do the TFTP transfer. One is using Linksys's TFTP Windows program, which you may have downloaded in step 3, the other is at the console/terminal:
Console tool: Example: TFTP -i 192.168.1.1 PUT dd-wrt.v23_micro_generic.bin
GUI tool: Simply enter the router's IP address, select the DD-WRT micro generic image, then initiate the transfer. The password field can be left blank. Don't unplug your router when it finishes (see below).
Do NOT reboot your router after TFTP'ing, this will happen automatically. It takes a couple minutes after the TFTP transfer finishes for the firmware to actually be flashed.
Finalizing
As mentioned in step 8, your router should reboot itself after the TFTP transfer. After your router boots (give it a minute), you should have access to the DD-WRT's HTTP interface at 192.168.1.1.
If the unit does not boot for some reason, you may want to try resetting to factory defaults by holding down the reset button on the back while powering on the router.
If you have problems, please visit an appropriate user forum to get aid from your fellow users. There are many common problems, and common solutions.There is always the forums at Linksys for more support and help
Congratulations, you're now running DD-WRT micro! Future firmware updates do not require this process.
Remember, the default username and password for a new DD-WRT flash is:
username: root
password: admin
Now if you have run into problems, Ictinike has also provided this info to help recover your 'bricked' router:
Now I've bricked this before using official LinkSys firmware so I had to call then and they have a backout procedure to restart and restore the built in ROM flash it shipped with. Basically set your NIC down to 10mbit 1/2 duplex and establish direct to the 192.168.1.1 IP. There you can over-flash the correct firmware to get it back...
More revisions in the future
Here are a couple screen shots -








Great FAQ! +Rep