CFE compressors available for some neutered Linksys units

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barryware
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 23:50    Post subject: Reply with quote
leouch wrote:
I don't have the TJTAG cable, but backed up the cfe file as was recommended.
I have a WRT54Gv8, but haven't used it agressively with the Linksys firmware, but quickly jumped to dd-wrt micro as it has some extra features (though I've read that third party firmwares are more stable). I currently have dd-wrt v24-sp2 ( 12/06/08 ) micro-plus-ssh installed. I'm assuming that it isn't normal that the load increases to the point where the web gui freezes when connecting a 2nd computer connected on the LAN port. Using the top command shows that none of the processes are using above 1% of the CPU, yet the load is at 100% Confused .


Nope... 100% usage is not normal. I can not believe I am about to say this... (Drum Roll)....

Read the Peacock Sticky.

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leouch
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 0:10    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes I've read the instructions in that thread and the wiki before making firmware upgrades to my router. I've installed sp1 micro, and made the necessary modifications to install micro plus and few SVN versions in between. I've followed the necessary reset steps each time I made the upgrade. I'm just looking for alternate steps that would allow me to have the option to use the vxworks firmware without having the TJTAG cable. However, step 9 of that thread seems to hint at why the cable may be necessary Sad
barryware
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 0:16    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you have not compressed your cfe, then you can follow the reversion instructions. If you have compressed your cfe, the only way to go back is the jtag a non compressed cfe, then revert.
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leouch
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 0:29    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, I thought so. That is why my original question was if anyone was developing a method of reverting back to the original 256K CFE (using the web gui or tftp). Simply a reversal of the steps needed to compress the CFE in the first place.
jmh9072
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:15    Post subject: Reply with quote
barryware wrote:
leouch wrote:
I was assuming that this operation involved lossy compression, whereby information that was unneeded by dd-wrt (but might have been for the original Linksys firmware e.g. MAC address) was discarded to help decrease the size. Thus the reason for backing up the file in the first place and needing the TJTAG cable.


First.. To compress the cfe, it must be running dd-wrt. Meaning that the device has to have been through the "killer" & "prep" process. You can not compress the stock linksys vxworks cfe (or bsp in this case).

The vxworks is vxworks, and dd-wrt runs under linux. Two totally different worlds.

If you were to try to compress the vxworks cfe, I am sure it would result in a brick. However that makes me wonder if it has been tried.

Give it a try and report back Razz .

(note: this is directed toward you both)
The unit must be running linux for the compression image to take. You won't be able to load it while the VxWorks BSP is on the unit. (CFEs can only boot Linux images, and BSPs can only boot VxWorks images)

When you load the image, your CFE is not directly compressed. What happens is the image extracts values (such as the MAC Addresses) and inserts them into an already compressed CFE, then it flashes that CFE.

Now... I don't see any reason that the VxWorks revision firmware wouldn't work under a compressed CFE. Ask Tornado or redhawk to confirm, but I'm fairly certain that it will work fine. Then (if you so choose), you could use the killer again and get your 256KB CFE back.

LATE EDIT: I was referring to the v5... This will most likely NOT work on the v8. I was a bit confused as to which router we were discussing.

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Last edited by jmh9072 on Fri Dec 12, 2008 23:29; edited 1 time in total
leouch
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 13:05    Post subject: Reply with quote
Are you saying that vxworksrevert does not use information in CFE.bin when recreating/restoring BSP for the Linksys firmware?
If that is the case, then I can safely use the revert procedure at the end of the WRT54Gv8 installation instructions.
barryware
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 13:12    Post subject: Reply with quote
After thinking about what he posted and how the bins work when flashed, I think he is right.

Just to be safe, wait till redhawk or eko or tornado chimes in. Maybe pm redhawk. He may not have seen this thread.

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jmh9072
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 20:45    Post subject: Reply with quote
I just realized you were talking about the WRT54G v8. I thought we were talking about the v5.

The v8 revision file is automatic, so it probably won't be able to correctly extract the correct information. The v5 revision file is manual, so it will work because you provide it will all the information it needs.

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barryware
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 0:12    Post subject: Reply with quote
http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=43922
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demonizer
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:32    Post subject: WRT54G V 5.1 Reply with quote
Hi,

I would like to ask your help how to repair my Linksys WRT54G V5.1 router.

I tried to update its firmware which failed and the router became unusable. I already soldered the 12-pin connector to reload the firmware using the JTAG cable. It works fine, but I don't have the necessary image BIN file. Please could you give me a hint what and in which order shall I load to the router?

I really appreciate your help.

Many Thanks,
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 16:04    Post subject: Reply with quote
barryware wrote:
After thinking about what he posted and how the bins work when flashed, I think he is right.

Just to be safe, wait till redhawk or eko or tornado chimes in. Maybe pm redhawk. He may not have seen this thread.


OK....I finally got around to this.

I have the compressed CFE 128K on my V8.2 unit. I did a complete reversion back to Linksys firmware using the reversion tool provided in the Tornado directory for the Gv8 unit. (loaded the V8.2 Linksys firmware instead of the posted V8.0 firmware)

It works just fine...with one exception....it does not pull the correct MAC address from the CFE. It goes to a default MAC address so you will be stuck with a default MAC if you revert from the compressed CFE.

Other than that...It appears to be working normally.

Now....for me to go back...I'll need to JTAG my CFE back on...otherwise this default MAC will propagate to the dd-wrt CFE. (oh well...anything for the project)

redhawk

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barryware
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 16:18    Post subject: Reply with quote
redhawk0 wrote:
barryware wrote:
After thinking about what he posted and how the bins work when flashed, I think he is right.

Just to be safe, wait till redhawk or eko or tornado chimes in. Maybe pm redhawk. He may not have seen this thread.


OK....I finally got around to this.

I have the compressed CFE 128K on my V8.2 unit. I did a complete reversion back to Linksys firmware using the reversion tool provided in the Tornado directory for the Gv8 unit. (loaded the V8.2 Linksys firmware instead of the posted V8.0 firmware)

It works just fine...with one exception....it does not pull the correct MAC address from the CFE. It goes to a default MAC address so you will be stuck with a default MAC if you revert from the compressed CFE.

Other than that...It appears to be working normally.

Now....for me to go back...I'll need to JTAG my CFE back on...otherwise this default MAC will propagate to the dd-wrt CFE. (oh well...anything for the project)

redhawk


I did it a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=43922&highlight=

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redhawk0
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 16:32    Post subject: Reply with quote
barryware wrote:


I did it a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=43922&highlight=


Dude....my apologies....I was out of touch for a few weeks and didn't see that this was already tested.

I guess my test is just a confirmation then.

redhawk

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barryware
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 16:45    Post subject: Reply with quote
redhawk0 wrote:
barryware wrote:


I did it a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=43922&highlight=


Dude....my apologies....I was out of touch for a few weeks and didn't see that this was already tested.

I guess my test is just a confirmation then.

redhawk


No need to apologize. The V8 I used is a spare and I was curious. I have all my routers backed up so if I bricked it, no big deal. I did have a "hell of a time" jtaging the router though. It kept crapping out in the middle of the flash. I have never had that problem before.

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redhawk0
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 16:53    Post subject: Reply with quote
barryware...by any chance do you have the original BSP from your V8 unit. Tornado is in need of it....let me know.

redhawk

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