TechInfoDepot:DD-WRT/What is DD-WRT?

DD-WRT is a third party developed firmware released under the terms of the GPL for many IEEE 802.11a/b/g/h/n wireless routers based on a Broadcom or Atheros chip reference design.

The firmware is maintained by BrainSlayer and is hosted at dd-wrt.com. The first versions of DD-WRT were based on the Alchemy Firmware from Sveasoft Inc, which is in turn based on the original GPL'd Linksys firmware and a number of other open source projects. DD-WRT was created directly from Sveasoft's software decision to start charging for their firmware, closing the door to open source.

At present DD-WRT is available for free, although a different business model is being drafted by BrainSlayer in order to pay his salary, as this is his full time job.

The new version of DD-WRT (v24) is a completely new project. DD-WRT offers many advanced features not found in the OEM firmwares of these devices, or even the firmware available for purchase from Sveasoft. It is also free of the product activation or tracking found in the Sveasoft firmware.

Note: Beta firmware, by its very nature, will contain bugs. It is not recommended to install beta firmware on large networks that are used for businesses, etc. However, there is now a bugtracker in place for DD-WRT firmware located here:'' DD-WRT Bugtracker trac.

Among other features not found in the original Linksys firmware, DD-WRT adds the Kai Daemon for the Kai Console Gaming network, WDS wireless bridging/repeating protocol, Radius Authentication for more secure wireless communication, advanced Quality of Service controls for bandwidth allocation, and software support for the SD-Card hardware modification.

What does dd stand for in dd-wrt? Sash: its the german car numberplate code for Dresden.

=Requirements=
 * A computer (Windows, Linux, Mac, whatever)
 * A broadband internet connection (DSL, Cable, or similar)
 * A Linksys WRT54G/GL/GS router or other supported router.
 * The DD-WRT firmware image from The DD-WRT Project
 * Follow the instructions under Installation to install the new firmware on your router.

= Features = A list of new features, updates and bugfixes can be found in the Changelog. For a detailled view of code diffs see the SVN revisions at the timeline.

=Supported & Recommended Devices=

For a list of supported devices, check Supported Devices. For a list of recommended devices see Firmware FAQ.

=Which V24 build do I flash onto my router=

[NOTE] - ALWAYS do a Hard reset or 30/30/30 on the router BEFORE and AFTER flashing a firmware build.

[NOTE] - Do not use Backup/Restore anytime you change the firmware build even from one svn to another. Backup/Restore should only be used when the exact same build (same svn) is reloaded or if a hard reset is done and you wish to restore the configuration on that same build.

Check Supported Devices to see which chipset your router has and whether any special flashing procedures are required.

First check your wl0_corerev by issuing the following command in telnet. nvram get wl0_corerev

The following Broadcom chipsets require the VINT builds:


 * Any older routers using Broadcom 4702/4710 chipsets (125MHz) and have mini-PCI cards wl0_corerev < 5 (such as Belkin F5D7130-4 v1000 - v1112)
 * Linksys WRT54G v1
 * Linksys WAP54G v1
 * Sitecom WL-105b

The following Broadcom chipsets require the normal builds (sometimes referred to as NEWD):


 * Asus WL-520GU
 * Buffalo WHR-G125
 * Linksys WRT54G v8.0-8.2
 * Linksys WRT54GS v7.0
 * All newer routers using Broadcom 4704, 4785, 5354, 5365 chipsets

The following chipsets can run both the normal (recommended- sometimes referred to as NEWD) and VINT builds.


 * Buffalo WHR-HP-G54, WHR-G54S
 * Linksys WRT54G v4.0
 * Linksys WRT54GL 1.0 & 1.1
 * All routers using Broadcom 5352 chipset
 * All routers using Broadcom 4712 chipset (BCM4712) with wl0_corerev 5 or higher

The normal build (sometimes referred to as NEWD) uses a new wireless driver where the VINT (vintage build) uses an older one.

=File Versions= Different versions of the firmware have different features. The tables below attempt to outline the features of each version but sometimes the features of a specific version are changed. You can check the config files on the SVN server to verify exactly what features are in each specific version for official Brainslayer builds, but the config files for Eko's unofficial versions are not published.

Atheros Based Devices (incl. UBNT)
Atheros based devices typically only have one version of the firmware available per model. The feature set in Atheros builds are generally limited by the amount of flash memory that a unit has. So basically, Atheros 4MB flash units have features somewhat similar to a Broadcom K2.6 mini version while 8MB Atheros flash units have features more similar to a Broadcom K2.6 BIG version, but the features will vary. Atheros builds are still pre-baked and specific to its unit, so features in one unit's version may slightly differ from another unit's version. For this devices you need to buy an activation at the dd-wrt Shop.

Broadcom Based Devices
Broadcom based devices have several different versions available to choose from. Consult Note 4 in the Peacock Announcement from the Broadcom forum for information about which versions can run on your hardware.

V24_pre_sp2 K24
This consolidated chart is a WIP. If you spot something wrong or needed to be added, pm me. DarkShadow Need verification of pound and tcpdump

V24_pre_sp2 K26
'''  WARNING:   Do not use the K2.6 builds unless you are certain your device can support it! It will brick it!''' Forum thread about K26 build supported broadcom based router List

Special Versions
Currently brainslayer offers a special version of DD-WRT with extended QoS capabilities:
 * set maximum bandwidth available per netmask/MAC address (v.24-SP1: even for different vlans)
 * set a default rule for any unconfigured netmask/MAC address

This version is always based on the current sources and atm only available for kernel 2.4 based units. The version is available from the DD-WRT Shop. Updates for this special firmware version are provided in the special Customer Downloads & Updates forum.

Firmware releases customized to your corporate design are also available.

Ralink Based Devices
Ralink based devices typically only have one version of the firmware available per model.