Joined: 05 Apr 2017 Posts: 981 Location: Louisiana, USA
Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 21:18 Post subject:
They are one in the same. The only difference between the WRT32X and the WRT3200ACM is the color and the custom Venom Firmware.
You can cross-flash a WRT3200ACM with the Venom Firmware so the only real difference is the black color.
If you're looking for a good DD-WRT router the WRT3200 will do nicely.
That being said, I really like the black. Asthetics are important to me and I personally think it's worth the extra $50, but I know to most that probably seems like a waste of money.
For you to decide... _________________ DD-WRT Installation & Setup TUTORIAL http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=311117
FIRMWARE:OpenWrt SNAPSHOT r8217-2cc821e / LuCI Master (git-18.276.41146-280dd33) MODEM:ARRIS SURFBoard SB8200 ROUTER:Linksys WRT32X USB NAS:Western Digital BLACK 1 TB Hardrive + Startech USB 3.0 External SATA III Enclosure
as spuriousoffspring posted, the wrt3200acm and wrt32x have the same hardware. they differ in firmware, and, importantly, in the uboot environment variables that control the mtd block allocation map and the name of the firmware image that the bootloader will accept for flashing. the result is that there is no dd-wrt image that can be flashed from the wrt32x factory firmware gui, or lede/openwrt for that matter. as far as i know, a wrt32x has to be low-level crossflashed to a wrt3200acm, or the dd-wrt image flashed form the uboot promp, both of which currently requires serial access.
if you want the router to run lede or dd-wrt, the wrt3200acm is the same hardware and so dont need to crossflash, so that route is more straightforward.
if anyone knows of a direct way to flash dd-wrt by gui on a wrt32x please point to it. many people would be happy.
Joined: 05 Apr 2017 Posts: 981 Location: Louisiana, USA
Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 21:52 Post subject:
I came very close to opening mine up and flashing via serial, but the thought of smoking the warranty so soon after purchase stopped me.
Hopefully in the next month or two I'll be a bit better off financially and able to buy a WRT32X again. If Brainslayer and/or Linksys hasn't come up with a solution by then I'll go ahead with the serial port flash.
FIRMWARE:OpenWrt SNAPSHOT r8217-2cc821e / LuCI Master (git-18.276.41146-280dd33) MODEM:ARRIS SURFBoard SB8200 ROUTER:Linksys WRT32X USB NAS:Western Digital BLACK 1 TB Hardrive + Startech USB 3.0 External SATA III Enclosure
Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 1608 Location: SE Michigan USA
Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 22:42 Post subject:
spuriousoffspring wrote:
That being said, I really like the black. Asthetics are important to me and I personally think it's worth the extra $50, but I know to most that probably seems like a waste of money.
For you to decide...
Oh I love black. So I seemed to understand that if I wanted to load DD-Wrt I have to do it at the moment only with the serial cable ... right? BS according to you will be dedicated to this router?
Joined: 05 Apr 2017 Posts: 981 Location: Louisiana, USA
Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2017 19:51 Post subject:
dance85 wrote:
Oh I love black. So I seemed to understand that if I wanted to load DD-Wrt I have to do it at the moment only with the serial cable ... right? BS according to you will be dedicated to this router?
Correct. As of right now the only way to get DD-WRT on a WRT32X is serial port firmware flash.
As far as I know no one has done this yet so it remains unverified.
According to Linksys, even though they advertise as 'Open Source Ready', once you install any 3rd party firmware you have voided your warranty.
Opening the case to access the serial port will definitely void the warranty so before you commit, make sure you plan to keep your WRT32X.
Also, while the dual-partition makes these routers almost unbrickable - accessing the serial port is entirely different so make sure you know what you're doing and be careful!
The last thing you want is a useless $300 router that you can't return. _________________ DD-WRT Installation & Setup TUTORIAL http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=311117
FIRMWARE:OpenWrt SNAPSHOT r8217-2cc821e / LuCI Master (git-18.276.41146-280dd33) MODEM:ARRIS SURFBoard SB8200 ROUTER:Linksys WRT32X USB NAS:Western Digital BLACK 1 TB Hardrive + Startech USB 3.0 External SATA III Enclosure
Oh I love black. So I seemed to understand that if I wanted to load DD-Wrt I have to do it at the moment only with the serial cable ... right? BS according to you will be dedicated to this router?
Correct. As of right now the only way to get DD-WRT on a WRT32X is serial port firmware flash.
As far as I know no one has done this yet so it remains unverified.
According to Linksys, even though they advertise as 'Open Source Ready', once you install any 3rd party firmware you have voided your warranty.
Opening the case to access the serial port will definitely void the warranty so before you commit, make sure you plan to keep your WRT32X.
Also, while the dual-partition makes these routers almost unbrickable - accessing the serial port is entirely different so make sure you know what you're doing and be careful!
The last thing you want is a useless $300 router that you can't return.
Clearer than that!!! Thanks for warning me. Thanks thanks thanks. We await the events !!!
i sent this to someone, but i didnt received an answer (he asked how to ssh into router) :
maybe it works on a real wrt32x (i tested on a converted wrt3200acm) :
- ensure that you are on partion 1, using ssh (putty) into your router :
#fw_printenv boot_part
if return is 2 then change it and reboot :
#fw_setenv boot_part 1
#reboot
- using winscp (use SCP as file protocol), copy downloaded fact-mod.bin to the /tmp folder on your router
- ssh into router (putty) :
#cd /tmp
#mtd erase kernel2
#mtd -f write fact-mod.bin kernel2
#fw_setenv verify 'no'
#fw_setenv altnandboot 'setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 root=/dev/mtdblock8 ro rootdelay=1 rootfstype=jffs2 earlyprintk $mtdparts;nand read $defaultLoadAddr $altKernAddr $altKernSize; bootm $defaultLoadAddr'
#fw_setenv boot_part 2
#reboot
done.
you allways can go back (to your stock fw), if something goes wrong using the 3 power method.
the reason to be on partion 1 i can explain in detail (if you want) another time.
EDIT: the fact-mod.bin is on page 9.
Last edited by adi-brasov on Sun Apr 29, 2018 15:05; edited 3 times in total
i sent this to someone, but i didnt received an answer (he asked how to ssh into router) :
maybe it works on a real wrt32x (i tested on a converted wrt3200acm) :
- ensure that you are on partion 1, using ssh (putty) into your router :
#fw_printenv boot_part
if return is 2 then change it and reboot :
#fw_setenv boot_part 1
#reboot
- using winscp (use SCP as file protocol), copy downloaded fact-mod.bin to the /tmp folder on your router
- ssh into router (putty) :
#cd /tmp
#mtd erase kernel2
#mtd -f write fact-mod.bin kernel2
#fw_setenv altnandboot "setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 root=/dev/mtdblock8 ro rootdelay=1 rootfstype=jffs2 earlyprintk mtdparts=armada-nand:2048K(uboot)ro,128K(u_env),256K(s_env),256K@8064K(devinfo),123m@9m(firmware1),123m@132m(firmware2);nand read 0x2000000 0x8400000 0x0600000; bootm 0x2000000"
#fw_setenv boot_part 2
#reboot
done.
you allways can go back (to your stock fw), if something goes wrong using the 3 power method.
the reason to be on partion 1 i can explain in detail (if you want) another time.
FIRMWARE:OpenWrt SNAPSHOT r8217-2cc821e / LuCI Master (git-18.276.41146-280dd33) MODEM:ARRIS SURFBoard SB8200 ROUTER:Linksys WRT32X USB NAS:Western Digital BLACK 1 TB Hardrive + Startech USB 3.0 External SATA III Enclosure
EDIT: i was lazy to use ddwrt for wrt32x and ubi-fy it. i flashed a time ago ddwrt wrt32x on my router and had some issues (like esata led, even i have no esata).
FIRMWARE:OpenWrt SNAPSHOT r8217-2cc821e / LuCI Master (git-18.276.41146-280dd33) MODEM:ARRIS SURFBoard SB8200 ROUTER:Linksys WRT32X USB NAS:Western Digital BLACK 1 TB Hardrive + Startech USB 3.0 External SATA III Enclosure