Netgear WNDR3300 v1

Wikidevi Notes
The device has multiple FCC IDs.. but the router with the FCC ID of PY308100078 has an IC ID of 4054A-07300072. There does not appear to be any obvious difference between the filings.

The power adapter included with the device is a NETGEAR P/N: 332-10114-01 Model: AD661F (12V, 1.5A). ID/OD/Len measurements are approximate.

Links of Interest
This is a work in progress! Credits to many posters in the various WNDR3300 threads as some material here is cut and pasted. Note that most of the information posted here is valid as of 02/01/2010.


 * New Netgear WNDR3300 support - one of the original main support threads.
 * It is locked and is available for historical reference.
 * Please start a new thread for any support requests not already active.
 * Peacock Thread READ THIS FIRST - YES IT IS OVER EMPHASIZED FOR A REASON
 * Firmware Recommendations - look here for the most recent and reasonably known stable release information
 * OpenWRT wiki information about this router - (note: external link) additional hardware level information about the router
 * WLAN available channels - (note: external link) list of channels for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands along with country availability
 * 2.4 GHz Wireless-N Configuration
 * Netgear WNDR3300 5 GHz Support
 * WNDR 3300 - how to get max speed on 5 GHz?
 * Wireless-N Throughput Testing
 * How to add external. ant
 * WNDR3300 specific K26 k2.6
 * WNDR3300 Brick - Will not take tftp flash (SOLVED!!)
 * Commands WNDR3300
 * VLAN trunk question

Can I use NEWD or NEWD2 builds?

 * 1) In general it has been recommended to stay with NEWD builds for most users as of Feb 2010.
 * 2) Both builds can support 802.11n on the routers.
 * 3) If you need to use both radios (wl0 and wl1), you should stay with NEWD builds.
 * 4) NEWD2 has newer wireless drivers for Broadcom based routers that support 11n and posts on the forum indicate a performance advantage when using N. However, it appears you lose the ability to use the wl1 radio on these builds:
 * 5) * reference wiki entry: dd-wrt-wiki:NEWD2 Support on some models NEWD2 Support on some models (if this changes, someone should update this item)
 * 6) * be sure to research if it is still appropriate to use NEWD2 releases as DD-WRT is constantly evolving with updates

There are a gazillion different build versions. Which ones can I use?

 * 1) Remember this router has a 4mbit flash chip. You can use most of the "std" (standard/generic) or "mini" builds and most of their sub variants from brainslayer or eko. *NEVER* use any of the micro or mega builds on this router - you will either neuter or brick it.
 * 2) It is now being reported that .bin files must be smaller than approximately 3648kb (3735552 bytes) in size, otherwise they will fail to flash. This means that Brainslayer builds released since about Dec 2009 will likely be too large.
 * 3) if you are still using the factory Netgear firmware, there really is only one initial firmware you can load first. After that you can load other certain versions. See the separate section on flashing the WNDR3300 further down in this wiki entry.
 * 4) WARNING! Even though the builds listed are classified as known to work, some versions (old and new) may not load due to the actual firmware bin file size. Please see the FLASHING section of this entry for more information.
 * 5) if you like the brainslayer builds (search the wiki about the specific differences)
 * 6) dd-wrt.v24_std_generic.bin
 * 7) * suggested for most users as it has all the standard options included
 * 8) dd-wrt.v24_nokaid_generic.bin
 * 9) * for those that do not need xbox/kaid support and to save a little space on the flash
 * 10) if you like eko builds, suggestions are:
 * 11) NEWD_std-nokaid.bin
 * 12) * NEWD builds for users who do not need xbox/kaid but like to have all of the other standard options. This will also save some space on your flash if you want to use jffs
 * 13) NEWD_std-nokaid_nohotspot_nostor.bin
 * 14) * NEWD builds for users who do not need xbox, hotspot or external/CIFS storage options to save space on your flash. This build leaves the most free flash space for JFFS in standard releases without having to step down to mini builds.
 * 15) NEWD_openvpn_jffs_small.bin
 * 16) * similar to the std nokaid_nohotspot_nostor version but with JFFS and OpenVPN support

I see builds for K24 and K26. What are the differences?

 * 1) Basically that means builds are using the Linux kernals v2.4 (aka K24) or v2.6 (K26).
 * 2) DD-WRT has been built on the K24 platform for many years and is proven quite stable. It is recommended that general users stay with these builds for the immediate future.
 * 3) There is a movement to get DD-WRT on the more modern and supported 2.6 kernal recently - starting around late 2009. This will take some to get it fully stable. Note that only certain recent routers will be able to support these versions.
 * 4)  If you have time and are will to help test these K26 versions, please do!
 * 5) * WARNING! Note that you should be an "advanced user" of DD-WRT if you plan to try K26 builds. Meaning, you know how to handle the router if you brick it.
 * 6) * As of Feb 2010, the possibility exists that some K26 builds may brick your router and require serial console access to recover. If you do not know what that means, DO NOT TRY the K26 builds.
 * 7)  You can follow these threads for additional information:
 * 8) K26 Build Supported Router List
 * 9) WNDR3300 13575M NEWD-2 K2.6 Eko

The router is advertised as having dual radio support. What are my options on using them?

 * 1) the main wireless radio dubbed "wl0" in DD-WRT supports two wireless bands: 2.4 GHz *or* 5 GHz (or disable it). You can pick from the following configuration for the wl0 radio:
 * 2) Disabled: radio is powered off
 * 3) Mixed: supporting 802.11b/g (11mpbs and 54Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band)
 * 4) B only: supporting 802.11b (11Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band)
 * 5) G only: supporting 802.11g (54Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band)
 * 6) N only-2.4: supporting 802.11n (up to 130Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band depending on the channel and width you pick)
 * 7) A only: supporting 802.11a (54Mbps on the 5 GHz band)
 * 8) NA-Mixed: supporting 802.11a and 802.11n (standard 54Mbps *and* up to 270Mbps on the 5 GHz band depending on the channel and width you pick)
 * 9) N only-5: supporting 802.11n (up to 270Mbps on the 5 GHz band depending on the channel and width you pick)
 * 10) secondary wireless radio dubbed "wl1" in DD-WRT supports only one band: 2.4 GHz (or disable it)
 * 11) Disabled: radio is powered off
 * 12) Mixed: supporting 802.11b/g (11mpbs and 54Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band)
 * 13) B only: supporting 802.11g (11Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band)
 * 14) G only: supporting 802.11g (54Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band)

There are many posts about stability. What about it?

 * 1) There are MANY users running this router in a variety of different environments and most have no or minimal issues. To be fair, some versions of DD-WRT have been better than others. However, the most recent firmware revisions have been stable in most typical setups. Exotic setups, like using WDS and client bridging, require additional care that may be discussed in other sections of this wiki entry.
 * 2) Many posts with problems can be traced to not fully completing the flashing procedures - specifically the reset handling.
 * 3) If your WAN port is dropping connections - this is not normal and would require troubleshooting that may generally apply to any router running DD-WRT
 * 4) If the wireless connections are not stable (eg, regularly drops connections), there are any number of reasons for this that MAY NOT BE related to this router or DD-WRT itself.
 * 5) I've tried all sorts of things and it still is not "stable"! This does not mean the refurb unit you bought from a link on a deal site is bad. Please review potential sections like power supply information, spend time and read through the various forum posts as someone may have had your issue before asking for help.

What kind of performance can I get from N on this router?

 * 1) Some users have performed iperf testing. Results indicate N over 5 GHz looks very reasonable depending on the configuration and surrounding environment. Watch for future separate section in this wiki entry for benchmark information.
 * 2) Remember that this router, by default, has internal antennas and that affects performance greatly for either band, but especially for N over 5 GHz.

IMPORTANT FLASHING PREREQUISITES

 * 1) DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE BLINDLY FLASHING WITH ANY VERSION OF DD-WRT. THIS WIKI ENTRY IS JUST A STARTING POINT.
 * 2) STOP! If you have not read the Peacock Thread, do so now before reading the rest of the wiki entry or asking for help in the forums.
 * 3) WARNING! Confirm the file size of the *.bin file you are planning to use.
 * 4) * Although router has 4mb of flash, but no one has exactly listed what the approx threshold was for the firmware size you can use. Based on the OpenWRT wiki flash ROM partition sizing for this router, the max size bin firmware you can load should be:
 * 5) * 3735552 bytes or about 3648kb (the available partition size for linux and rootfs combined which equal what the firmware is)
 * 6) * If you try to load a *.bin file larger than this, the flash will fail and the router will remain in TFTP recovery mode. You can then load another smaller bin file.
 * 7) ** eg, recent std-generic.bin files from Dec 2009 to Feb 2010 are over 30k too large to load
 * 8) * Some routers may have larger flashable space for firmware, however, this router has slightly reduced space then other 4mbit Broadcom units due to the flash partitioning the manufacturer is using

If you are running the factory Netgear firmware

 * 1) you need to download a special dd-wrt "trailed" firmware package for this router: the *.chk file.
 * 2) * DO NOT USE THE 12-28-09 r13525 brainslayer chk build. This has been found by a user to have a bad checksum and will leave your router in recovery/tftp mode - see page 71 in the main support thread. Note that the regular (std/mini/generic/etc) *.bin files for this release appear to be fine though.
 * 3) * A known confirmed flashable version as of Feb 2010: 01-16-10-r13637/broadcom/dd-wrt.v24_std-wndr3300.chk
 * 4) it is recommended you perform a reset to factory defaults (eg, 30/30/30 reset)
 * 5) be sure to perform all firmware updates from a wired ethernet connection. Do not perform a firmware upgrade over the wireless.
 * 6) hook up the router from one of the four available ethernet ports (do NOT use the WAN port) and connect the ethernet cable to a NIC (fast ethernet or gigabit) port on your computer.
 * 7) if you have reset the Netgear firmware to factory settings, it is recommended you use a static IP address on the NIC:
 * 8) * IP address: 192.168.1.2
 * 9) * subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
 * 10) * gateway: 192.168.1.1
 * 11) log in to the Netgear Web GUI. If you are running a Microsoft Windows OS, it is recommended you use Internet Explorer to perform the initial firmware upgrade to DD-WRT. You can use any other browser there after. Once you log in...
 * 12) * Click on "Router Upgrade" in the LEFT navigation side bar
 * 13) * Click on "Browse..." and select the .chk file firmware you wish to load or manually type in the filename
 * 14) * Click on "Upload"
 * 15) * You will get a prompt to "Continue? All existing Internet connections will be terminated"
 * 16) * Click on "OK" to proceed.
 * 17) * You will see the following screen appear: --- Router Upgrade Warning! You are trying to upload a world wide firmware which is different from the NA firmware you had. Do you still want to continue? Current Version V1.0.XX_1.0.XXNA Uploaded Version V1.0.14_1.0.14 ---
 * 18) * Where "XX" is a version number. Typically 29 for most refurbs or 45 for fresh retail models.
 * 19) * Ignore the Uploaded Version "V1.0.14_1.0.14" string, this is just the version the original DD-WRT chk file uses so the Netgear firmware will accept the file.
 * 20) * Click on "Yes" to initiate the update.
 * 21) * You will see the following message: Note:It will take about 1.5 minutes for firmware upgrade. Please don't turn off the power or press reset button.
 * 22) WAIT until the Power LED stops flashing and allow the router to reboot. BE SURE YOU ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE PROCESS TO COMPLETE. Follow appropriate recommendations in the Peacock thread.
 * 23) If the Power LED flashes for more than 10–15 minutes, something is probably wrong. Check on how to revert back to factory firmware and try and other .chk file.
 * 24) Check for recommended builds here.

If you are running dd-wrt

 * See Upgrading

After flashing

 * 1) ABSOLUTELY RECOMMENDED: perform the 30/30/30 reset per the Peacock thread
 * 2) HIGHLY SUGGESTED: to ALSO do a full power cycle after the 30/30/30 reset
 * 3) these steps are important to help clear old settings and provide some level of stability
 * 4) if you just upgraded from the Netgear original firmware, you can now re-flash with any specific DD-WRT version/variant you require

Flashing OpenWRT
Firmware: http://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/trunk/brcm47xx/openwrt-wndr3300_v1-squashfs.chk

Steps to flash:
 * 1: Do a 30/30/30 reset.
 * 2: Flash the build from the web interface. TFTP will also work.
 * 3: Do a 30/30/30 reset.

Reverting to OEM Firmware from DD-WRT

 * Reported by buddee: The reversion guide in the wiki will apply if you are running CFE 1.3, if they sent you a 1.5, the wiki method will not work, or at least for some, giving problems due to an improper board_id.

If you have DD-WRT installed and need to re-install the Netgear firmware for some reason, or just put the router in to tftp acceptance mode...
 * 1) ssh or telnet to the router
 * 2) enter the following command at the shell prompt (this effectively deletes the OS causing the router to go in to recovery mode on the next reboot/power cycle):
 * 3) * "erase linux"
 * 4) you should see a message similar to:
 * 5) * Unlocking linux ... Erasing linux ...
 * 6) wait until you are returned back to the shell prompt
 * 7) power cycle the router
 * 8) allow the router to finish booting (the Power LED will be lit solid for 10–15 seconds)
 * 9) there after the Power LED should be flashing
 * 10) you should be able to ping the router IP, generally 192.168.1.1
 * 11) if you get a ping response the router is in tftp recovery mode
 * 12) you should now be able to tftp an appropriate *.chk file to the router
 * 13) * you can upload either an original Netgear firmware OR a known working DD-WRT chk file for this router


 * This wiki entry does NOT cover how to use tftp.
 * There are plenty of other entries and forum posts that cover this topic.
 * A good reference: TFTP Flash for information about this tool.

Also on a side note, i would suggest instead of "mtd erase linux" that you use "erase linux" (no quotes) as the mtd is leaving the 3300 in a perpetual state of tftp mode -buddee

Does this router support serial TTL console?

 * 1) Yes
 * 2) Do not hook up your serial cable/wiring to the header used for the dome LEDs
 * 3) The serial connectors (JP1) are next to the dome LED header. Most production/refurb units will not have a pin header mounted on the PCB for the serial connections (probably to save manufacturing costs)
 * 4) The FCC photos of the internals show a header for both the dome LED and serial port
 * 5) Reference: OpenWRT WNDR3300 wiki
 * 6) Reference thread for a photo with the pin outs: WNDR3300 serial pinouts

Serial Pinouts
JP1 = 3.3v TTL Serial, 115200/8/N, 1 row of six pins  GND 6 o TX 5 o N/C 4 o N/C 3 o  RX 2 o VCC 1 o

Serial Recovery
Modified Redhawk0 instructions
 * 1) Connect Serial cable
 * 2) Start one of the programs from above
 * 3) Get TFTP ready with file selected
 * 4) Use dd-wrt.v24_std-wndr3300.chk
 * 5) Connect power to the router
 * 6) start a rapid fire Cntl-C as you plug the router to power
 * 7) type "nvram erase" w/o quotes
 * 8) type "tftpd" w/o quotes, this starts the tftp daemon
 * 9) but have tftp.exe ready
 * 10) Click go or start on TFTP
 * 11) give it 5 minutes after it finishes
 * 12) then power cycle....hard reset...then config
 * 13) when it stops spitting out txt in the serial consol....hit the enter key...you should get a login prompt...at that point, power cycle it, hard reset...then config
 * 14) you'll see it boot up


 * WNDR3300 Brick - Will not take tftp flash (SOLVED!!)


 * A good reference thread is: Everything you Ever Wanted to know about Serial - TTL

Does this router support JTAG?

 * No
 * 1) The mounted pin header on the PCB is for the dome LEDs. Do not use this for JTAG or serial TTL.
 * 2) If your unit has another header mounted next to the right of the dome LED header, that is for serial TTL console.

MTD Flash RAM partitions
 Flash device: 0x400000 at 0x1c000000 Boot partition size = 131072 (0x20000)

0x00000000-0x00020000 : "boot" 0x00020000-0x003b0000 : "linux" 0x000927f8-0x003b0000 : "rootfs" 0x003b0000-0x003c0000 : "T_Meter1" 0x003c0000-0x003d0000 : "T_Meter2" 0x003d0000-0x003e0000 : "POT" 0x003e0000-0x003f0000 : "board_data" 0x003f0000-0x00400000 : "nvram"

DD-WRT Configuration suggestions
For now here are some threads that discuss possible configuration settings for new users:
 * 1) Netgear WNDR3300 HELP
 * 2) How to set up wireless WNDR3300?
 * 3) Netgear Wndr3300 CPU loading problems slow wireless

For more advanced users, we will be posting more information shortly. eg, WDS and client bridge concerns

DD-WRT vlan Info

 * DD-WRT:VLAN Support

WNDR3300's ports are mapped like this:  4 3 2 1 | case labels 3 2 1 0 | nvram port numbers The VLAN GUI page should show up if you've enabled it. With the test build(15042_NEWD_mini) you need to run these commands.  nvram set force_vlan_supp=enabled nvram commit reboot

Pin Short Recovery
Works—short pins 16 & 17 while plugging in the power cable. Ping constantly with 'ping -t -w 1 192.168.1.1', and when you start to see TTL=100, remove the short and tftp a basic *.chk file to the router. Give it a few mins to figure out what happened, and hopefully the WLAN lights should come back on. If you're still pinging, things are good if you see a TTL=64, DD-WRT's signature.

Per usual, please read the Peacock Thread before attempting this.

Model and Revision Differences

 * 1) WNDR3300 vs WNDR3300-100NAR? The latter is just a refurbished model with the serial number removed from the bottom label on the unit.
 * 2) There is only one known version of this model.
 * 3) * If anyone has any confirmed revision information, please update this thread.
 * 4) * As of 2/1/2010, units bought in 2009 and 2010 opened up by one user has "Rev 1" etched on the PCB.

Power supply information
Initial refurbs sold in 2008 and early 2009 had potential issues with their power supplies. This caused stability issues with the routers.

Most recent models (new and refurbs from mid 2009 on wards) come with a switching power supply:
 * voltage: 12 vDC
 * amp: 1500mA
 * plug size:
 * 2.1mm ID (confirmed with digital caliper)
 * 5.5mm OD (confirmed with digital caliper)
 * Center=Positive (center pin)
 * Shield=Negative


 * kill-a-watt reported power usage:
 * 3 watts on initial boot up or with all radios disabled (idle)
 * 5 watts with just one radio (with default TX power) - idle
 * 6 watts with both radios (with default TX power on each radio) - idle

Power supplies for this router are manufactured by two vendors (according to FCC information and based on purchases from 2009 and 2010):
 * DVE - units from this manufacturer have been known to be bad or inconsistent from the early batches of routers sold in 2008 to mid 2009. Please read the main support thread for more information about this.
 * ITE

It has been recommended to go with a non-switching transformer for those wanting to increase the power to the radios beyond the default mW per radio. However, some have found it difficult to find such power supplies (transformer based above 1500mA). A suggestion is to use a *quality* regulated 12vdc 2000mA (or higher amperage) switching power supply. If you believe to have stability issues that a 30/30/30 reset + full power cycle may not be not solving... try another power supply if you have one available.

Be sure to review the additional discussions links in the Peacock and main support thread regarding power supplies and bad capacitors. There have been no known reports regarding the router itself suffering from bad capacitors.

Internal antennas

 * 1) Netgear advertises the router with 8 internal antennas. While this is true in the sense there are eight antennas etched on the PCB, even the official FCC information lists only 5 active antennas.
 * 2) three of the five active antennas are for the wl0 radio (supporting 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bands)
 * 3) the remaining two of the five active antennas are used for the wl1 radio (supporting only the 2.4 GHz band)

External antennas

 * 1) the router does not have any external antennas without performing some kind of modification that would result in voiding your factory warranty
 * 2) Current thread topic: How to add external. ant
 * 3) How to: Netgear WNDR3300 Antenna Mod
 * 4) Some users have parts on order from digikey.com to follow twinmos on adding external antennas. We will update this section with the specific part numbers (it is buried in the topic thread) later.
 * 5) The Hirose connectors on the PCB are MS-156 RF test switches. There are NO CHEAP solutions currently available to convert/adapt to SMA type cabling and antennas. According to digikey.com, the cheapest solution is a locking MS-156 to SMA adapter which is about $29USD per switch. You need at least 3 of these for the WL0 radio and 2 more for the WL1 radio.
 * 6) *It is recommended to either do the pigtail mod or install Hirose u.fl pads like twinmos did in the thread.

5 GHz (and N over 5 GHz) information
(work in progress)

The primary advantage some users of this router believe is the ability to use 802.11n over the less crowded 5 GHz band. However, there are many considerations. We will try to list some of those here over time.


 * 1) from a forum post, read this article about Improve Wi-Fi Performance in the 5 GHz Band
 * 2) as noted several times in this wiki entry, the internal antennas reduce the potential range of using the 5 GHz band on this router. It is still usable for many depending on router placement and possible usage requirements.

How do I get "270 mpbs" 802.11n?
 * 1) you can only obtain this advertised connection speed on the wl0 radio through the 5 GHz band (N only-5). The 2.4 GHz band on this specific router only supports 20MHz wide for a maximum of "130 Mbps" connection speeds.
 * 2) you need to set your channel width to 40MHz. If you set to 20MHz you'll get the 130 mpbs rated connection speed.
 * 3) it is recommended to NOT set the channel and/or channel width to AUTO as it may not guarantee that the router will select a channel or width your wireless NIC or WDS/bridge may support.
 * 4) note that although the router and/or your wireless NIC may say connected at 270 Mbps (for 40MHz channel width users) or 130 mpbs (for 20MHz users on either the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band)... THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU WILL GET THOSE ACTUAL TRANSFER SPEEDS IN REAL WORLD USAGE. If you doubt that, read the article above about 5 GHz performance and use google to learn why.

2.4 GHz (and N over 2.4 GHz) information

 * 2.4 GHz Wireless-N Configuration

Front LEDs

 * 1) Can I control the front LEDs?
 * 2) it does not appear that end user gpio LED access is allowed via the /sbin/gpio binary
 * 3) see separate section on known GPIO information
 * 4) What do the front LEDs mean and how do they indicate status?
 * 5) reference WNDR3300 one activity LED flashes infrequently (credit for partial paste for below)
 * 6) * Power (not directly labeled) - The power light blinks when it is starting up or the restore factory settings button is pressed.
 * 7) * 2.4 GHz Mode - This light will blink if there are data transmitted wirelessly in this mode
 * 8) * 5 GHz Mode - This light will blink if there are data transmitted wirelessly in this mode
 * 9) * Internet (not directly labeled, looks like an lower case "i")- This light will blink if an IP address has been received and data is being transmitted and received
 * 10) * LAN 1-4 (labeled with actual numbers "1" "2" "3" and "4") - This will blink if there is traffic or data passing on this port.

Dome LEDs

 * 1) How are the dome LEDs handled?
 * 2) the original Netgear firmware flashed the dome lights based on various activities on the wireless radios, etc.
 * 3) DD-WRT automatically turns off the dome lights on boot up with code changes since builds around Nov 2008
 * 4) reference Changeset 10994
 * 5) Can I control the dome LEDs?
 * 6) it does not appear that access to the dome lights are easily exposed to end users
 * 7) reference thread: WNDR3300 Dome Lights
 * 8) What if the dome LEDs come back on after I've flashed with a good known version of DD-WRT?
 * 9) * back up your settings using the hardware independent backup script (search the wiki and forums)
 * 10) * try performing a full 30/30/30 reset per Peacock, and do a full power cycle
 * 11) * if the dome does not turn off, either your unit is going bad or you can physically unplug the ribbon cable inside the unit to permanently disable it

GPIO information
(credit to original poster from main support thread: rafale12)

Known GPIO pin support:


 * gpio 0: using it crashes router
 * gpio 1: 01, cannot change it with disable. Suspect WPS (top orb related)
 * gpio 2: constantly changing: 00/01/00 so WAN or LAN
 * gpio 3: 00 ??
 * gpio 4: 00 ??
 * gpio 5: powerled
 * gpio 6: 01 disabling seems to be a reset to default.
 * gpio 7: 01 ??
 * gpio 8: 00 ??

Hardware information

 * 1) Official FCC information

Pictures
DarkShadow's Unit

Hardware Modification

 * Netgear WNDR3300 USB Port