Hi, I see this thread has the right set of people who might be able to help me. I have read here that WRT54G v8 might have 16MB ram stock on some units. First I would like to know if this is true. Second how can I know which ones will have 16MB? Can you tell from the serial number? Of course when I get one I will open it up and check the ram chip but I want to know if there is a way to know before I buy? I am looking around on ebay so please help me out if you guys know anything. Thanks.
yes, you can tell by the serial number's prefix.
it would be WRT54G v1-4.
anything later has 8 megs of ram
in that table, there is a column with "serial number prefix", just match those up and you will find the version.
If you really want 16 megs of ram without having to mod the router, you can go for the WRT54GS or even the WRT54GL, which comes with 16 megs of ram and 4 megs of flash.
I did it! The 8mb RAM was unacceptable for me, with nothing running it was already using 94% of my memory. When using torrents with multiple connections, I could not even log in to the web gui for the router. I wanted to experiment with QOS too and that was out the of the picture.
This thread is exactly what I was looking for to upgrade my v8. I looked high and low and finally found a chip that I thought would work, an MT48LC16M16A2P-75D 16MX16 SDRAM PLASTIC PBF TSOP from Micron Semiconductor Products. I ordered a module from Arrow electronics, desoldered the old 8mb chip and soldered in the new one.
I actually had a mishap - I knocked off a tiny surface mount capacitor , CB7. Checking the datasheet, this is on PIN 43, VDDq. Pin 3 is also VDDq, so I was fine as long as the pads weren't bridged. Here is the chip removed.
Hmm, Awesome hack. Have you thought about a flash upgrade as well? That looks like a NAND flash on that board which have a standardized pinout that does not need more pins for more memory. Though i'll have to look up the part number, when i go to upgrade mine, to be sure, could be a NOR flash.
I already have suitable replacement flash if that is indeed a NAND flash, a 1GByte chip i can remove from one of my CVS OTU Camcorders.
BTW, you said there were 4 of those chips on the SO-DIMM you got it from. Would you happen to have any left? I am searching for a suitable ram chip, but i have limited means.
Yeah, i've thought about the flash upgrade, and figured it wasnt worth it.
i should still havea chip or two left. the question is where is it? its been so long and i've cleaned up my place so i have no idea where it is right now, but i never throw my stuff out, so i still have it.
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:43 Post subject: Help me out here! :)
PS: Seems like I'm bringing a topic from the graveyard!
Hi guys.
Just got my fresh new V8 :)
I've just dug among my old Memory Modules and found this part which seems to be what i nedd: TSOP II 54-pin VDS8616A8A-75.
My question is : the original RAM datasheet (SAMSUNG K4S641632K-UC75) describes 2 operation modes:
2M x 8Bit x 4Banks / 1M x 16Bit x 4Banks
AND the VDATA only this operation mode described:
4M x 16 Bit x 4 Banks
I've just read Textbook's post with the model he used: MT48LC16M16A2P-75D, and according to it's datasheet (that's a terrific 77 pages datasheet!), it's mode is 4x16x4 also.
BUT:
I noticed that MT48LC16M16A2P's 4x16x4 = 4banks x 16Mbit x 4,
My VDS8616A8A is 4M x 16 Bit x 4 Banks
The original one K4S641632K is 2M x 8Bit x 4Banks / 1M x 16Bit x 4Banks SDRAM
Both the K4S641632K (original) and the VDS8616A8A (the one i would like to use as replacement) have PIN36 as NC, not the so famous A12.
I'm *a bit* confused!! :?
So... the question is : Am I really good to go, or shall I try to find other modules ?
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 7:32 Post subject: Re: Help me out here! :)
msilveira wrote:
BUT:
I noticed that MT48LC16M16A2P's 4x16x4 = 4banks x 16Mbit x 4,
My VDS8616A8A is 4M x 16 Bit x 4 Banks
The original one K4S641632K is 2M x 8Bit x 4Banks / 1M x 16Bit x 4Banks SDRAM
MT48LC16M16A2P is 4M x 16 bit x 4 banks.
K4S641632K is 1M x 16 bit x 4 banks only, no 2M x 8 bit x 4 banks.
Don't know where you get your figures from.
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 15:06 Post subject: Re: Help me out here! :)
LOM wrote:
MT48LC16M16A2P is 4M x 16 bit x 4 banks.
K4S641632K is 1M x 16 bit x 4 banks only, no 2M x 8 bit x 4 banks.
Don't know where you get your figures from.
You're correct. I had too much data to handle when I wrote that.
MT48LC16M16A2P is indeed 4M x 16 bit x 4 banks.
The one I wish I could use, the VDS8616A8A is 4M x 16 bit x 4 banks as well. BUT it's datasheet shows PIN 36 as NC, not A12 as the datasheet for MT48LC16M16A2P.
That got me confused.
Anyway, I just bought an old SDRAM card with the K4S561632D chips from our local e-bay. I'm just waiting for the delivery.
The datasheet for K4S561632D shows PIN 36 as A12 gate, like the ones used successfully by Dragon-fly and TextBook.
Textbook - just wondering if you had to reset the nvram or did your chip version just update to 32 mb.
dragon-fly wrote:
if you don't run these commands:
nvram set sdram_init=0x000a
nvram set sdram_ncdl=0x000
nvram commit
it will show up as 16 mb of ram. which is also find. i've found that upgrading to 32 mb of ram serves not much purpose.
For example, after 28 days straight of up time on DD-WRT V24 SP1, its still using only 10 MB of ram.
This is true. After installing my chip the router booted up just fine and showed up as 16mb. Running those commands allowed all 32mb to be used. (Administration > Commands).
Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 21:54 Post subject: Weee \o/
Just to let you know, the damn thing just booted up, with the original firmware.
After trying to solder 2 chips, and the second chip twice, I gave a try at the video tutorials from dragon-fly's first post. Geez, SMT soldering is *TRICKY* (It's been more than 2 years since I last used my hot air pencil. The pencil alone does not do the job. You have to use the soldering iron as well; and LOTS, *LOTS* of flux (still coughing).
I'll use the opportunity to solder the JTAG pins, and the JP1 ones too (Serial?)
As soon as I flash the ddwrt firmware, I'll let you know.
BTW: the memory modules I used, confirmed: SAMSUNG K4S561632D-TC75
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 0:23 Post subject: News :)
Hi all!
Success!!! "DD-WRT v24-sp1 (07/28/0 micro - build 10015" Up and running.
PS: Not testes yet :)
As of the image: 32Mb running well. I just wonder if the router performs some sort of memory test, 'cause I had no Motherboard new enough to run tests on the DIMM module I bought to take the memory chips from.
If someone ever asks if the firmware must be updated with dd-wrt before soldering in the new memory module, the answer is : NO.
micro - build 10015" Up and running.
