OpenWRT Firmware for WRT54G3G- New Aug. 25th

choppers4life · EVDO Newbie Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 6

Yeah, I'm definitely not holding my breath. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware of the OpenWRT firmware prior to going back to the sprint store. I'm not sure how to tell what firmware is on the card either. Especially sice my router doesn't see the card. Well, maybe the EVDO Gods will smile on me & it will automagically work when the new router shows up...undoubtedly with 2.00.09 loaded.

itb44 · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 16

The r82 release has been running well with my Verizon AirCard 595 rev A. I just tried to test an AT&T/Cingular AirCard 860. The US Cingular parameters are already in r82 to switch from CDMA/EVDO to GSM/3G. I tried it, but it wouldn't connect (blue light never solid). Not sure what that problem was, but ran into another when I tried to switch the WRT54G3G back to US Verizon and the AC595: now that one wouldn't connect either!

After trying an unsuccessful restore from a previous configuration backup (are the WWAN settings really getting backed up?), I was finally able to get it working without anything too drastic just by changing the WWAN Network Settings to Manual/GSM, then again to Manual/CDMA, and then finally back to US Verizon. Fortunately, that cleared it up and the AC595 is now working again. So, I think there's a minor issue with the NVRAM variables for the WWAN Network Settings.

Back to the GSM issue, has anyone made this work with US Cingular or other GSM, and if so, are the settings the same as r82 includes? Also, is the AC860 supported (I did update it's firmware but no improvement)?

itb44 · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 16

itb44 · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 16

Two questions:

1) In r82, the AirCard 860 is not recognized under status usb, so I guess it's not supported. How can I add support for it using the above-quoted settings?

2) I'm thinking of setting up a Linux box mainly for compiling OpenWRT. I've got a few unused PCs (and an old Mac) here (although they might all be too old/slow/limited). Which release of Linux should I try? Is Ubuntu a good one? I don't have much experience with Linux, and would prefer to get most of the needed components at the same time/place. If my extra PCs are too old, would it be very dangerous to set up a dual boot Linux partition on a needed WinXP machine?

itb44 · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 16

I had/solved a wwan disconnect issue today where wwan would disconnect after only 1-2 minutes after connecting via the webif GUI's status/mobile_network/connect soft button. The problem turned out to be that if you disconnect the data card with the physical button on the router and then connect with the webif button, it just doesn't hold for some reason. All is well if you reconnect with the physical button, and then you can disconnect and connect at will from webif.

jfarris · EVDO Junkie Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 173

Is there a file I can access where I can set the MTU? There's no interface to change it in the firmware that I can find, and mine is set to 1492. I really would like to try this at 1500.

TIA.

choppers4life · EVDO Newbie Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 6

New WRT54G3G-ST router received. Still a pc. of crap. Running 2.0.12. Downloaded the openwrt from the initial post & can't load to router, getting error stating "Incorrect image file". Please, I've been screwing around with this for entirely too long now. If anyone can walk me through getting my router to work with the 597e air card, I would be very grateful. If I need to return my router & purchase a different one...fine. If I need to return my express card & purchase a different one...fine. I just really need this to work.

o2bad455 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 4

o2bad455 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 4

Does anyone know why my WRT54G3G with R82 reflash seems to block VoIP (Broadvoice) registration, even if connected to WAN rather than WWAN? I don't see any reason for it, but it's a fact. I assume it's blocking port 5060, but not positive.

o2bad455 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 4

tarken · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

Hi all,

Firstly thanks for all the effort which has gone into this firmware. Very much appreciated.

I am in New Zealand and wanted to get a Vodafone (which has pathetic hspa/3g coverage) branded (and data-card restricted) WRT54G3G up and running on Telecom NZ's much superior EVDO network (full network Rev A with Rev B coming soon...) using a Telecom/Sierra Aircard 595.

I first tried simply editing the header of the Linksys supplied firmware .bin so that I could install the US/Sprint firmware (which in theory has drivers for the AC595). Header editing and install worked fine, but the card wasn't detected. I presume there are some messy nvram variables left over which stop it happening, but without the functionality of OpenWRT it is hard (impossible?) to check.

So onto OpenWRT and am now up and running. It was NOT quite as straightforward as it could be - mostly due to a very minor (but critical in my case) bug in the /sbin/ifup.3g script.

This is mostly so I can find the instructions again myself but if it helps others, great:

1. Download the appropriate firmware .bin file for your router (in my case it was the Sprint version as I had already flashed the router with the stock Sprint/Linksys firmware). Upgrade the router to the OpenWRT firmware. Firmware available from www dot assembla dot com/spaces/files/openwrt-3g
2. Download the .trx version of the firmware (I am not sure whether the version I used is r80 or r82. It was labeled r80, October 3rd 2007 modified date). Install the .trx version through the web upgrade on the router.
3. Login to the router (info.sh permissions are wrong, so go to other url like 192.168.1.1/cgi-bin/webif/system-settings.sh). Set the password.
4. SSH into the router (Putty or other) and 'chmod a+x /www/cgi-bin/webif/info.sh'.
5. In terminal (Putty etc) edit /sbin/ifup.3g. Look for the line 'passwd=$(nvram get wwan_passwd)'. This needs to be changed to 'password=$(nvram get wwan_passwd)'. That is 'passwd' becomes 'password'. This is because when the pppd call is made (in /sbin/ifup.3g script), the variable used is $password for the password. For many people this doesn't matter, but Telecom NZ needs a password for access to be granted. While we're in here set baud rate in pppd call to 460800 rather than 115200 (on the theory that faster is better).
6. Comment out 'OK $APN' in /etc/chatscripts/3g-generic.chat. Not sure if this matters at all, but works reliably commented out.
7. Execute 'mtd -r erase nvram' to delete all the crap Linksys NVRAM variables that are littered throughout. Don't think will work without deleting the Linksys rubbish.
8. 'nvram set boot_wait=on' (Just in case...)
9. 'nvram commit'

Okay, that is the changes made to the firmware through SSH. Once all files have been edited and saved, reboot the router.

Next, setup the card/interfaces in the web admin. Login to the web admin at 192.168.1.1. (These are my settings, may be suitable for others).

1. Click on 'Network'
2. WAN Configuration -> Connection Type -> 'None'
3. WWAN Configuration -> Connection Type -> '3G Data Card'
4. WWAN Connection Settings -> Connection Mode -> 'Connect Manually'
5. WWAN Connection Settings -> Utilize Keepalive -> 'No'
6. WWAN Network Settings -> Network -> 'Manual'
7. WWAN Network Settings -> Network Type -> 'CDMA Based'
8. WWAN Network Settings -> Username -> 'mobile@jamamobile'
9. WWAN Network Settings -> Password -> 'telecom'
10. WWAN Network Settings -> Dialup Number -> '#777'
11. OpenDNS Service -> Utilize OpenDNS -> 'No'
12. LAN Configuration -> Ip Address -> '192.168.1.1'
13. LAN Configuration -> Netmask -> '255.255.255.0'
14. LAN Configuration -> Default Gateway -> '192.168.1.1'

Okay, that should be it. With the data card inserted, click on 'Status' -> 'Mobile Network' -> 'Connect'. Et Voila.

On the Status page you should see an ip address, a couple of DNS Servers and how much data has been Received and Transmitted.

Once again, thanks all for the effort involved with getting the scripts and web admin for the 3g running on OpenWRT.

jfarris · EVDO Junkie Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 173

In looking at the file mentioned in tarken's post, I also found the MTU setting for the router. When I'd go to speedguide.net and check the TCP/IP analyzer, it would report an MTU of 1492. To fix this, change this line in ifup.3g:

mtu=${mtu:-1492}

to:

mtu=${mtu:-1500}

and it will change the MTU to 1500. You can double check it on the TCP/IP analyzer at Speedguide.net.

Also, I would bump the baud rate in the pppd call that tarken mentioned up to 921600 to mirror the highest rate that you can change the baud rate to in modem properties in Windows.

After making tarken's changes and what I have in this post to /sbin/ifup.3g, everything is working really well with my pc5750 on Alltel. Speeds are back up in the 1200-1700 range, and reliability is much better - Alltel seems to be touchy if that MTU isn't at 1500.

kennyb123 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 4

First, I have an Alltel 5750 aircard.

Can anyone here possibly help me figure out why I'm getting an "ifconfig: ppp0: error fetching interface information: Device not found" error listed in the webif, and thus keeping me from connecting to the alltel towers.

The router began with Linksys 2.00.9 (never got it to work there), flashed to r75, set the router settings, flashed it to r82, fixed webif, #'d out the proper line out of info.sh, etc etc etc...just as the instructions I've seen in this thread.

RangerW had this same ppp0 error, and I followed his instructions:

I reflashed it to linksys 2.00.9, went to r75, ERASED THE NVRAM, set the router settings, flashed it to r82, fixed webif, #'d out the proper line out of info.sh. Rebooted, etc.

Same error again.

What the heck is causing this? The alltel card is functional, and the webif gives an updating wireless signal between 85 and 95% signal strength!

Daverup has given me great help to get to this point, but we're both stumped, since this error SHOULD go away after an NVRAM erase to clean up the router.

Any advice is welcome. Thanks a lot!

jfarris · EVDO Junkie Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 173

Make sure you put a # in front of the line OK $APN in /etc/chatscripts/3g-generic.chat if you haven't done so. That's the only thing I can think of that may be causing that.

kennyb123 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 4

Yeah, I did that. Thanks, though.

Someone should really put a document together detailing all the things that we have to do to make r82 work best... it would have been impossible to find everything without the help of someone who had it all figured out.

I'd offer to do it, but I'm sure I've missed stuff!

Is an r83 enroute to fix all the edits? Broken webif from the start is kind of unforgivable... but then again... nobody's getting paid for this stuff... so it's definitely appreciated.