Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:05 Post subject: Netgear WNR2000 v2
I've decided to buy one of those walmart specials, which is abnormal for me because I really can't stand Wal-mart electronics....but I digress...
Luckily, I bought it and found that it was DD-WRT compatible.
I purchased the router back in August, and due to the extensive guides and resources, i didn't have to register to ask a question..I managed to get my router upgraded to DD-WRT without any trouble.
I then decided to help my neighbor out by letting him use my DSL, he found that he was diagnosed with cancer, and he likes just surfing web sites and reading...
So i bought yet the same router again from wal-mart to install DD-WRT on and was going to link the 2 routers.
Again, this was back in August, and I managed to create a repeater at his house of my DSL, then link it to my router and make a virtual rebroadcast there for him to connect to. And i managed to get this done again without registering because all my questions were thoroughly answered in guides and faqs here.
But now i have a question and I can't manage to find the answer.
My routers (I have more than one, but I use a Belkin "Surf" to broadcast his repeated signal to, which is directly plugged into my Netgear WNR2000v2 that is DD-WRT'd) are fine. I don't experience any drops in connection on my end of things.
However, my neighbor with the same exact DD-WRT'd netgear wnr2000v2 is getting randomly needed resets of the connection. Sometimes he just can unplug the USB dongle and plug it back in, essentially repairing IP on his desktop...but sometimes he has to reset the router.
I can't figure out what is causing this issue. The signal strengths are great, from my end and from his end. The belkin that's being repeated at his house is in a direct LOS of his Netgear WNR-2000.
I probably could connect HIS Netgear WNR2000 to MY WNR2000 and it may not have any problems, but my WNR2000 is in the middle of my house, and could be subject to interference...which is why I put that Belkin closer to him and use it to broadcast the repeated signal...the only other way I can do it is to move my phone line so that my DSL modem would be closer, essentially letting me put MY WNR2000 closer...but that's a lot of work and I'd like to keep things where they are.
Does anyone have any ideas? The settings are those of your basic repeater on his end, and I don't have anything specified in my WNR because it doesn't directly connect to him...he should be able to connect with his WNR2000 to me without much trouble or having these randomly needed resets. But when it IS connected, it surfs great.
He's not mentioned that it has done this while he's surfing, so I assume it only does it after so long a period of inactivity....like when he gets up from the computer for a couple hours and comes back. He's never told me of that happening while he's sitting at the computer surfing and his speeds are great for what he does...(my connection is only 6mb DSL)
let me further explain my connection as I've been trying to work on it, but couldn't do what I wanted so I put it back like i had it..(when it was working).
Out of Lan 1 on WNR2000 and cat5 to Netgear WPN824 (192.168.0.1) in my den, needed for TV, Sprint Airave, PS3.
Out of Lan 2 on WNR2000 and cat5 to Belkin Surf (F7D2301 v2)(192.168.2.1) which is outside my window, facing my neighbor. This router won't support DDWRT, although I think it has a BCM4718 Chip. The belkin is what "multiplies" my wireless, just getting it closer to him so his router picks it up better...
Out of Lan 3 on WNR2000 and cat5 into Vonage box.
Out of Lan 4 on WNR2000 and into my desktop for lined connection.
AT MY NEIGHBORS ---------> WNR2000 running DDWRT (above version as well)
I have his set up to be a static, and the WAN is configured to 192.168.5.1, 255.255.255.0, gateway is 192.168.2.1 (same as my belkin that is outside on my porch facing him.
Then his has a virtual interface set and I have a wireless adapter I use to connect his desktop to the WNR2000 wirelessly. It's working, but I'm sure I could make it work better.
Here's an update. Yesterday, I tried to put everything on the same subnet. I also tried to use the Belkin Surf as "access point only" since it has that mode. I apparently didn't set it right and couldn't get it working. I also failed at getting all my routers on the same subnet (setting my MAIN WNR2000 as the DHCP, and turning off DHCP on the others.) I finally just set it back to what I listed above...so that's current. It's how I am getting him internet right now, and it's working. I just don't have all on the same subnet.
I'd really like to have that Belkin F7D2301 on DDWRT. I could also be tempted to donate it for a working, usable router that supports DDWRT if someone wants to test it out -- as I said I think it has the BCM4718 chip, which is the same as a linksys (not sure of model).
It's a wireless-N 300. I'd LOVE to take it back to walmart and exchange it for a WNR2000v2, that's where I picked up both my current WNR's...and these routers are much awesomeness to me. They have a GREAT range (I can pick up the virtual interface that my neighbor is broadcasting -- the repeat of my own wireless, inside my house). I just haven't tried boosting power on the 2 netgears, as I read it will degrade the router over time.
I may have fixed 'some' of it, because the receiving netgear (at my neighbors) was located in his window, and the sun was heating this thing up to incredibly hot temps during the daylight...I moved it from the direct sunlight and put in a spot not heated by sun, and I think some of the repeater issues have gone, but still requires a reconnect of the wireless adapter now and then, because his connection just quits responding.
Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Posts: 7401 Location: Little Rock
Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 22:38 Post subject:
You may need to upgrade the build, i use 15230 to shoot my neighbor internet for a repeater setup at her house and do not have these problems. not to mention for her, is across the street about 40 yards away, clear LOS, and it holds steady, although i am not using those netgear's that you have, i am using a WRT54G v4 at my house and at hers i installed an Asus WL520gU both running 15230. Also must mention, i do this running no mixed modes, its set for B-only for better distance.
I also wanted to add, if that unit got to hot from the direct beams, it may be fubar'd, heat has a tendency to fry hardware, and especially so with the newer N routers, because they already get pretty warm even in a 72F house (which is what i keep it in here) _________________ Wireless N Config | Linking Routers | DD-WRT Wiki | DD-WRT Builds | Peacock - Broadcom FAQ
The router (that got hot) still works fine..but the random disconnects from it's repeated source aren't near as often...just once in a while it still does do the random disconnect. It doesn't disconnect the USB dongle from his computer, it's almost like the 2 routers that are talking to each other reset...or the netgear resets and doesn't release/renew for the computer to catch up.
Can you give me a link to the firmware you are using? I need the 3.4mb size firmwares for the 4mb flash.
Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Posts: 7401 Location: Little Rock
Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 3:51 Post subject:
jonathanm1978 wrote:
Can you give me a link to the firmware you are using? I need the 3.4mb size firmwares for the 4mb flash.
Since you already have dd-wrt on your unit, you can simply use the .bin files to upgrade, and it uses K2.6 Newd-2, i use the latest build of K2.6 which link is...
I did it with the Internet Explorer upgrade via the browser.
The router became unresponsive after this update.
I tried resetting it first, with the rear hard reset..wouldn't even acknowledge I pressed the button. No matter how long I held the button down, it wouldn't do squat.
I cycled the power, I had lights, but I had nothing else.
I'm currently taking the router back to swap for another since I don't have many options (No way to do a USB to serial connection) and I DESPERATELY need my router.
I tried manually assigning the IP to my computer, using my PC as 192.168.1.9 and the gateway as 192.168.1.1
Still no go...I could cycle the power while it was pinging 192.168.1.1 and I'd get a response, but even after trying the tool here,
I still had no luck in getting into my router, kept timing out. I tried all types of power cycling while hitting send on this tool, and they all gave me that same result...nothing. Timed out every time...no matter when I pressed send and hit the power (or hit power and pressed send.)
I'm going back to a version I KNOW works..because this version didn't do it for me.
Anyone? Just curious as to why the latest file bricked my WNR2000v2 and the last 2 or 3 (currently I'm on 15230, but used dd-wrt.v24-14853_NEWD-2_K2.6_std_nokaid_small and 15230 didn't brick it either. Only the latest one, 15396 bricked my Netgear to the point I had to take and exchange for another.
I still had lights, and it said I was connected to it according to the router lights, but I was getting no response from it when i tried to access it.
What methods are there to recover a bricked router when you don't have a usb to serial connector to hook up?
I tried that program that I listed above, and was trying to hit "Send" while cycling power on the router, but it failed every time....or was I doing something wrong?
(I went into a CMD prompt -- windows 7, I typed ping 192.168.1.1 and would cycle the power, then hit return and I'd get maybe 2-3 of the 4 ping attempts. Also, wondering if there's some tool to examine your network to tell you what IP's your routers and such are listed as? I was trying to find out if 192**1.1 was my router for sure, but Win 7 don't have anything that shows a definite list of IPs attached to it.
Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Posts: 7401 Location: Little Rock
Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 15:29 Post subject:
Your supposed to hard reset before and after the flash, why that file bricked your unit i have no idea, but you also have to remember, i do not have that unit as i said before, so i have not been able to test to see what builds work on it and which dont. On my RT-N16 and WRT320N that build worked fine, i have since upgraded though.
15230 is one of the best builds to date i have used, i found it so good that i even donated some to eko.
As far as the responses you got when you power cycled, you could use tftp to recover most likely.
So what do you do with those 2 pins? Short them while you power cycle, just short them without power? Not sure what you meant by that...I don't have much experience with routers, but I used to put phone jtags on old dishnetwork receivers for programming purposes..so I've had my hands on a PCB more than once.
I'm pretty sure you short them while you power cycle. I don't exactly remember now but if that doesn't work then short them after you've powered on. Remember though, you have to keep them shorted until the router gets a ping response.
