Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 16:55 Post subject: WRT (1200AC, 1900AC/V2 & WRT1900ACS) hardware tweaks
Hiya everybody!
I have found the area to mod on the main boards to make each model into region specific WiFi compatible devices. So your router can use more bands if needed.
Plus if anyone can post an image and region (US, AU, EU, UK), device model and version. I can make a data base of what toggles need to be done.
To help, all you need to do is to power off and disconnect your router, and unscrew the 4 bottom screws in the feet.
Pull the blue front cover off.
Carefully with a small pocket knife carefully pry directly under the lip at the top from the back side. If you have the unit on its back you will see the seam. The bulky leg sections are part of the cover and slide over the bottom frame. So the unit looks one piece but once you get a corner started, you will pop off the top fairly painless.
Remove the antenna cables from the main board.
Remove the two small screws holding the main board to the plastic bottom, and left out and away.
Flip the main board over and remove the heat sink, by unscrewing the 4 screws that hold it in place. You may have to pull on the heat sink, while lightly twisting back and forth. The heat sink has alignment rings that keep secure in the circuit board mounting holes, and limit screw mounting pressure from cracking the board.
Once you have the heat sink off. The area needed is seen to the right above the 4 lan connections on the printed circuit. It has a white boarder with Boot Device Mode Options written along the top.
Here is my WRT1900AC/V2 US version.
Last edited by Tweakster on Sat Jan 20, 2018 0:47; edited 3 times in total
Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 17:49 Post subject: Boot Device Mode Options US version WRT1900AC/V2
To read the switch options, there are two blocks of 3 bits used for model and region. LSB (least significant bit) block of 3, starts left, with two rows (top is off, bottom is on). Only one chip resistor is used per column.
Example: On Off Off would be bottom location would be populated and top location is left open. The next two would have a chip populated on the top two remaining columns.
Mine reads... Off On Off for the LSB block, and On Off Off for the MSN block.
Last edited by Tweakster on Fri Jan 19, 2018 20:09; edited 1 time in total