Template:Dd-wrt54g8and82 flash

Flashing DD-WRT

 

• WRT54G v8.0 & v8.2

by clock

Background Preparation

1. Failing to prepare and do your background research can cause considerable frustration, loss of time, and render your modem absolutely useless (bricked). In other words, you may have to literally throw it away. With an hour or so of research, you'll save hours of time in frustration.
2. Before you begin, it is recommended that you look through the installation wiki Installation (particularly its precautions - not necessarily its implementation per se). Also, the notorious peacock thread [1], and basic techniques such as Hard reset or 30/30/30 and TFTP flash. These may have some sections in some pages that are not relevant, which you can skim.
3. You will need to review many of the recommended sites to download below. You'll want to save this page (see below) and come back here, but you will want to get the background first. Be careful about implementation on the wiki. Come back here for the best guide for your modem.
4. According to multiple sources (peacock, wiki), you are going to do almost everything offline with a LAN connection (how to Disable your wireless). The wiki recommends that you download everything you need before you start. Given the many types of problems you can encounter that can prohibit you from getting help, the process of reactivating and deactivating your security settings if you actually can get back online, and the likelihood for browser crashes if you try to just keep the pages up, this makes a lot of sense.
5. Make sure to save all webpages as HTML. Do not save as compressed html files (some computers default to that) or bookmarks. Do not skip the saving step.
6. Here are the websites to save:
   • This page.
   • The peacock thread [2].
   • The wiki Installation.
   • Recover from a Bad Flash.
   • FAQ's
   • Tftp Flash instruction TFTP flash. It describes how you may have to enable Tftp, which is very quick and easy (just one check box).
   • The wikipedia instructions for Compound TCP, if applicable [3].
7. In addition, you will probably also need:
   • The Tftp.exe file (execute it from the Tftp TFTP flash link above, and just leave it open.)
   • First ("killer") flash file vxworkskillerGv8-v3.bin.
   • Second (DD-WRT) flash file dd-wrt.v24_micro_generic.bin.

Before Implementation

1. Do not try to skimp on the Hard reset or 30/30/30 reset before or after each change to your router's firmware. The peacock thread goes into extensive justifications. (clock used a stopwatch.) Be sure to follow all power cycling and reset instructions as described.
2. The wiki recommends that you only use Internet Explorer as a browser for this process.
3. Log off your wireless (see the right way to do it).
4. Disable all firewalls and security (how to Disable Security. You should do this AFTER you are offline. Restore before you go back online, something your browser may automatically prompt you to do.

Implementation

1. Configure your computer's local lan ethernet address to 192.168.1.100, subnet 255.255.255.0, gateway 192.168.1.1 (this is for Linksys/most modems). (How to Change Ethernet Address). Then connect an Ethernet cable to your computer and port 1 of your router. (Do Not Use Wireless)
2. Power cycle (ie, unplug the power cord from the router).
3. Perform a Hard reset or 30/30/30 reset.
4. If you are using certain operating systems, such as Window's Vista, an additional step to Disable Compound TCP may be required.
5. Open your browser to http://192.168.1.1.
   • (Note: Some people, such as sth had problems with Firefox (in June 2008), while others, such as dennisn had no such problems with Firefox 3.0.3 in Dec 2008), with the next step (and later on when trying to save changes in dd-wrt's web gui). Sth had to Recover from a Bad Flash.)
6. Use the firmware upgrade dialog to flash vxworkskillerGv8-v3.bin. (clock found that this step did not necessarily go smoothly (browser error screen). Despite this, the next few steps did work. Please note below for the work-around and Pinging.). If a page opens that says "Management Mode", close your browser and try again. (It may take a couple times.)
7. WAIT for at least two minutes before you continue! (longer is better) Give vxworks killer plenty of time to do its magic! After the 2 minutes is up, if you notice a dialog asking you to reboot the router, go ahead and power cycle the router by unplugging the power cord and plugging it back in again.
8. You will not be able to browse the WRT54 at this point, but you should be able to ping 192.168.1.1. If the router doesn't reply you haven't set your computer's network settings correctly (on step 1)
9. Now it's time to flash the DD-WRT firmware using TFTP.
   • For Windows, enter tftp -i 192.168.1.1 put dd-wrt.v24_micro_generic.bin at your cmd shell (Vista users will need to install TFTP first) If you don't wish to use command line, follow the instructions for using the tftp.exe program (at note 11 of the peacock thread announcement [4]). (The peacock thread will redirect you to Tftp flash for more specific instructions based on your operating system. This is a good resource and may be all you need - clock).
   • For Linux (distros other than Debian or Ubuntu), enter tftp -m octet 192.168.1.1 -c put dd-wrt.v24_micro_generic.bin

Debian or Ubuntu -- The above instructions won't work. Open Terminal and run:

~$: tftp 192.168.1.1
tftp> mode binary
tftp> rexmt 1
tftp> timeout 60
tftp> put dd-wrt.v24_micro_generic.bin
.

1. • Alternatively for Linux (ie. if you get "error code 3" while trying to flash it), enter atftp --option "mode octet" --verbose -p -l dd-wrt.v24_micro_generic.bin 192.168.1.1
   • For OSX, enter tftp -e 192.168.1.1. At the tftp> prompt enter put dd-wrt.v24_micro_generic.bin at your shell
2. The file will now be transfered and flashed to your router. After this is done, dd-wrt will automatically boot. WAIT for at least two minutes before you continue! (longer is better) Give the router plenty of time to to boot. Make note (perhaps copy) any on-screen instructions.
3. Perform a Hard reset or 30/30/30 reset again.

After about a minute, you can browse dd-wrt on your router at http://192.168.1.1. According to the Peacock thread, if the hard reset was done correctly, you will be asked to change your password when you get to the webgui. (clock found this to be true.)

You may then go on to any of the other options you wish to pursue, such as linking routers. Please see the Peacock thread to make sure that you are pursuing the correct one - do not assume! clock.

If you had previously flashed your router with a beta/RC version of v24 and are currently experiencing issues with LAN port 4 and/or wireless, an upgrade to the CFE-Updater and v24 stable should fix it.

Be sure to use the webgui to update to a newer build such as 12548 Newd_Micro.bin once you have dd-wrt running. See the peacock thread announcement for further information. http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=51486 When selecting a build, do not use any build with NEWD2 in the name. NEWD Micro Only!

Check for recommended builds here.