djdanb
join:2002-02-20
Philadelphia, PA
| Success with WRT54GX Firmware on Belkin Pre-N!
After reading the other threads about the similarities I decided to be brave and attempt this.
I took a look at the Belkin 1.01.03 and 1.01.04 firmware and noted that the first 4 bytes were the same (002F 0102), so I assumed that must be the signature it uses to determine valid firmware images.
I then used a hex editor and modified the Linksys 1.02.06 firmware so that the first 4 bytes matched those of the Belkin. Next I did a firmware upgrade using the Belkin web interface. It actually worked! Just to be safe I then did a factory reset and upgraded the firmware again (via Linksys web interface) with the unmodified Linksys version.
So far everything has worked fine and the interface seems vastly superior -- but the one catch is that I am only using the Pre-N as a wireless access point so I don't know if all of the other features will work correctly after doing this. And of course you always run the risk of bricking your router when attempting this sort of thing.
But I am so happy to be rid of the Belkin substandard firmware! |
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cman2005
join:2005-02-26
1 edit | does wpa2 work on it now?
also which linksys firmware did you use the eu one? called:
WRT54GX_EU_1.02.06_ETSI
or a different one?
thanks |
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djdanb
join:2002-02-20
Philadelphia, PA | I don't use WPA so I don't know whether it actually works or not. And I used the U.S. version of 1.02.06 |
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mozerd
Light Will Pierce The Darkness
Premium,MVM
join:2004-04-23
Nepean, ON
| reply to djdanb
said by djdanb  :the first 4 bytes were the same (002F 0102), so I assumed that must be the signature it uses to determine valid firmware images. I then used a hex editor and modified the Linksys 1.02.06 firmware so that the first 4 bytes matched those of the Belkin. Next I did a firmware upgrade using the Belkin web interface. It actually worked! Just to be safe I then did a factory reset and upgraded the firmware again (via Linksys web interface) with the unmodified Linksys version. But I am so happy to be rid of the Belkin substandard firmware! Very good work --- and your work confirms that the motherboards seem to be identical. I strongly suspect that all the features that the Linksys Firmware has incorporated will work just fine on the Belkin Hardware. 
--
David Mozer
IT-Expert on Call
Information Technology for Home and Business |
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jonazen
Be Like Water My Friend
Premium
join:2004-02-18
Princeton Junction, NJ
 ·T-Mobile VoIP
| Now THAT is intriguing news!
I know that the firmware controls various settings in the hardware, and various combinations of parameters will, without a doubt, affect various aspects of performance, e.g., throughput at a distance, resistance to interference, range, stability, etc. I wonder how the Linksys settings in their firmware compare to those that Belkin chose?
Also of interest -- I'd love to see if the firewall logging is actually usable now with the Linksys firmware. Have you tried this?
--
Jon
Jonathan Strong
The Strong Group
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djdanb
join:2002-02-20
Philadelphia, PA
| 
Firewall |
But here is a screen shot of the firewall -- it certainly looks like it would be much better than with the Belkin firmware! |
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jsimmons
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-24
Falls Church, VA
| reply to djdanb
Congrats! This is very interesting. Brings back fond memories of my first venerable Netgear rt314 router which I flashed with the ZyXEL p314 firmware (the Netgear rt314 was a ZyXEL p314 in Netgear clothes  ). Eventually ZyXEL got wind of what people were doing and modified their firmware so it only ran on ZyXEL branded hardware.
I use my Belkin Pre-N strictly as an access point too. I will probably try the WRT54GX firmware soon... I believe Linksys will be far ahead of Belkin in terms of firmware quality and features for some time.
If the WRT54GX firmware is fully functional on the Belkin, this means that Sveasoft will have very little to do to make any Pre-N firmware they produce work on both Linksys and belkin units. Should be exciting.
--
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler."- Albert Einstein |
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cman2005
join:2005-02-26
| I done the modification to the eu linksys firmware and flashed it onto my belkin pre n router - great it worked and all seems to work fine at the moment.
If you do this flash make sure you double check your settings as it seemed to take everything accross ok but the dhcp scope I was leasing it have 192.168.2. 192.168.2.2
when it should have just been 192.168.2.2 interesting but easily corrected.
 :D:D:D |
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cman2005
join:2005-02-26
1 edit | wpa is working fine as that's what I use
I too do not use it as a main router - however I do not use it as an AP so I guess it will work for anyone who uses it as a main router as it is working fine for the way I am using it.
The other major benefit is that if someone goes to the routers ip address in a browser they do not see all the info like the belkin one showed - this is how it should be secure!! :):) |
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jsimmons
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-24
Falls Church, VA
| reply to cman2005
Maybe if Belkin hears that customers are turning their Pre-N routers into Linksys devices, they'll step up their efforts to fix their firmware. One could only hope.
--
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler."- Albert Einstein |
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cman2005
join:2005-02-26
| reply to cman2005
doubt belkin will speed up.
anyway heres a little update WPA2 works great - obviously you need the WPA2 patch for XP
»www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta···ylang=en
not sure if there is anything special that needs to be tested for WPA2 but I'm happy.
Does anyone know if there is a patch to allow W2K to work with WPA2?? |
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jsimmons
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-24
Falls Church, VA
| I'm not sure about Win2K.
Can you do a quick check to see if the WRT54GX firmware supports Radius authentication? If it does, I'm sold. I'll be flashing this baby in short order.
--
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler."- Albert Einstein |
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cman2005
join:2005-02-26
3 edits | 
deleted and reattached to prevent margin blowout -nozero |
sorry about the bad quality but saved it as a gif as the forum doesn't want bmps.
anyway time to sleep now as it is 2:00am in uk let me know if there is anything else. |
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mozerd
Light Will Pierce The Darkness
Premium,MVM
join:2004-04-23
Nepean, ON
| reply to jsimmons
said by jsimmons :Can you do a quick check to see if the WRT54GX firmware supports Radius authentication? Yes, the WRT54GX firmware does support Radius authentication And logging info is very superior.
--
David Mozer
IT-Expert on Call
Information Technology for Home and Business |
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jsimmons
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-24
Falls Church, VA
| Strange... I gave up my old WRT54GS to get better wireless range and speed with the Belkin Pre-N. Did this before Linksys released the WRT54GX. The Linksys firmware (and 3rd party derivatives) were very feature rich and my first impression was that the Belkin firmware was a bit "thin" in comparison. Made me wish I had waited longer and gotten WRT54GX instead.
Now it looks like I can have my Linksys in a stylish Belkin package.
Time to break out my hex editor and do some flashin.
--
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler."- Albert Einstein |
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jsimmons
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-24
Falls Church, VA
| Interesting that embedded in the Linksys firmware is a text string mentioning Belkin. See Screenshot. Not sure what thats all about.
--
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler."- Albert Einstein |
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jonazen
Be Like Water My Friend
Premium
join:2004-02-18
Princeton Junction, NJ
·T-Mobile VoIP
| reply to djdanb
A question:
Once you're flashed the modified Linksys firmware, is it just as happy to let you flash Belkin firmware back to the box?
I was wondering where the code that examines those first couple of bytes resides, and whether it remains unchanged when you load up Belkin or Linksys firmware.
I've got my modified copy of the Linksys firmware -- just didn't want to try it until I knew I could go back pretty easily in case I needed to...
--
Jon
Jonathan Strong
The Strong Group
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akaBruno
join:2002-04-06
Sioux City, IA
| Will they bridge now?
I just picked up a 9230 @ Best buy for $80, hoping to use it as an AP to the 8230 pre-n.
Still in a quandry. I'm new at this.
I could give you an abundunce of advice on tuning your pooters, ... for a little help here. |
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akaBruno
join:2002-04-06
Sioux City, IA | BTW, sorry to be such a beggar. |
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akaBruno
join:2002-04-06
Sioux City, IA | I know...
Figure it out the hard way like the rest of us had to. |
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