[TriLUG] No more Linux on WRT54G???

[Mike Parkhurst]

Isn't it just possible that the V.5 change is not an attack on Linux, just
running a business the way it needs to be run to be successful?  It seems to
me they have been able to reduce costs in three ways:

1.  Cut the amount of ram in half.

2.  Cut the amount of flash in half.

3.  Re-using VxWORKS cuts down on the number of OSes that need to be
maintained and supported.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: trilug-bounces at trilug.org [mailto:trilug-bounces at trilug.org] On Behalf
Of Greg Brown
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 2:43 PM
To: Triangle Linux Users Group discussion list
Subject: Re: [TriLUG] No more Linux on WRT54G???

You read it right.. here is my battle to load OpenWRT on a v4 box that
is still running Linux (and my revelation that V.5 is a lost battle
before it began):

http://tbcorp.homeip.net/blog/?q=node/view/464

And yes, Phil is correct.. VxWORKS (the same OS as is on the AP-1200
Cisco line) is now in the V.5 WRT54G.  I believe it has 8 megs of ram
and 2 of flash.  There's no way OpenWRT is going to fit into that. 
Even if it did compile.

As for "Cisco's loss" I'm starting to get worried.  Most of the
replacements have serious drawbacks:

Buffalo Airstation: MC external antenna connection.  Exceptionally
fragile.  Plus the cost is around the $100.00 mark.

Motorola WR850G: Looked like a winner.  Low cost, external antenna
with SMA connector but I hear the latest incarnation has an soldered
antenna that would require cracking the case, soldering on a N
connector, etc, etc.  Customers see that and all they think is "cheap
hack job".

ASUS WL-500G: Looks like the current horse to beat - IF I can get
OpenWRT to load.  I can do without the printer port, but it does have
an antenna connection (sma) so I can amp it should I need to.

Still though, I want my old WRT54G back.  Diversity antenna, strong
antenna connectors, OpenWRT.. they were so sweet.  And I need a few
more of them (or something else I can load OpenWRT on, guess I'll
order an Asus).

Greg



On 11/10/05, Phillip Rhodes <motley.crue.fan at gmail.com> wrote:
> Ok, so I saw this blog post:
>
> <http://weblog.infoworld.com/smbit/archives/2005/11/diy_cutting_edg.html>
>
> which states that newer WRT54G's have a "different operating system, not
> subject to the new open source add-ons."
>
> Does anybody know anything about this? Have they abandoned Linux
completely,
> or is this guy misinformed, or what? It seems
> like changing OS's would be a pretty major change while keeping the same
> model number... I also wonder what OS they might
> have switched to, and why they would switch?
>
> Ok, the "why" question is indirectly addressed in his entry, but I kinda
> doubt that most businesses that would
> otherwise be buying $1000+ Cisco routers are instead using WRT54G's with
> open-source firmware. Or are they?
>
>
> TTYL,
>
> Phil
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