[guaximim_jasso]

I have a WRT54G v2.0 with Linksys original firmware (v4.21.1) that I wasn't using for a while.

As I successfully flashed another router I have (ASUS 520GC)with your dd-wrt 3 months ago and I was pretty happy with the result, I thought it would be better to flash the WRT54G too.

After reading (again) all the important topics and even reading some WRT54GS could be bricked after a hard reset, I had all things I needed to get started.

After doing a hard reset for the first time, on the WRT54G and prior to flashing, I now have a flashing power light and no other lights. If I connect a pc to one of the ports, I get a light on that port. A connected pc does report that it has a LAN connection. The LAN port light will blink like there is some network activity.

I cannot ping the router from a connected pc with the default 192.168.1.1, which was the same IP I had just before the reset. I set up the connected pc ip address to 192.168.1.10, 255.255.255.0 and did a ping -t 192.168.1.1 and do not get any TTL replies when router is power cycled.
As soon as I unplug it, the response is (my OS is in Portuguese, but I think these are the correct translations for the messages)
"hardware error"
During the power cycle they change to
"destination host unreachable"
and then to
"request timeout".

After this initial reset, I tried to do another hard reset for 3 times now and the result is the same.

Can someone help me? Give some suggestion? Point me in any direction?

Thanks in advance for any help,
Manuel

[DoesItMatter]

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Recover_from_a_Bad_Flash#WRT54G.2FGL.2FGS

Have you tried that procedure?

Also - what computer OS are you running?

I recently had to recover a WRT54G-TM that had the power light blinking.

I could NOT do it on Windows 7

I attached it to a Windows XP machine and was able to recover

Try the recovery procedure from a Win XP machine.

[BasCom]

if now other way is left, short the flash pins 15 & 16 on the flash module and power the device up. the router should start in TFTP mode to flash a new FW.

I guess the boot wait option is disabled ( it is with stock firmware ) so you get no TTL 100 replies within the first 5 seconds.

or sell the unit to me i am serching for a WRT54G 2.X unit.

[guaximim_jasso]

@ DoesItMatter: Thanks for the reply. I haven't done the procedure explained in that thread, but have done multiple hard resets trying to "wake" the router.

I've done all these steps in a XP machine. I have Win7 at home, but I was not certain if it would be a good idea to do it with 7 and tried flashing it at work with XP.

But as I mentioned in my message, I didn't even tried to flash the router, because the hard reset is the first step, right? So after the reset I couldn't do anything else.

Even so, I'm going to test it again tomorrow in another computer, just to make sure. As I work in the IT department of a School and we're reformatting many computers now, I'll use a fresh XP install with no AV installed and with the firewall turned off.

@ BasCom: I would gladly sell you the router, but I'm working in Mozambique for some time and the router is here also, so I think it's not possible to send it to you ...

[BasCom]

this was just a joke. try the shorten pon method..worked on many routers for me wrt54gl, wap54g and wrt54gs v1.0

[Peabody]

Don't pin short. That is foolish. It sounds like you are just needing to flash firmware. Follow the steps at note 11 of the peacock thread, starting with the original linksys firmware for that router. Double check the label and make SURE you have the right model number, and firmware for it. Once you get it working, follow the wiki install guide.

[guaximim_jasso]

[DoesItMatter]

guaximim,

You're connected from the Windows XP machine to a LAN port on router correct?

Not the WAN port?

also, try setting a gateway of 192.168.1.1

its not always needed, but sometimes it is required for some strange reason.

you are certain the router had an IP of 192.168.1.1 ?

I recently had to TFTP recover a WRT54G-TM, and I actually
had to TFTP to 192.168.2.1 - I forgot, I had changed the IP address.

Yea, if you can't ping after trying multiple times,
you are either looking at Serial connect or JTAG recovery.

[guaximim_jasso]

At this point I've tried everything written in the peacock thread and also in the article you mentioned (DoesItMatter) and I still can't ping the router...

As I'm in Mozambique working, I don't think I'll be able to get a jtag cable for the router :(

Any other suggestions? (not including pin short)

I'm absolute sure that I'm not connected to the WAN.
I'm also sure that the IP was 192.168.1.1 before the hard reset, because I had made a normal reset just before, because I had forgotten the password. Then I opened the webGUI and saw everithing was ok. That page was even open before starting the hard reset, so I was able to recheck that IP.

[DoesItMatter]

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/WRT54GL_MAX232_Serial#Serial_port_on_a_Linksys_WRT54G.2FGL_router_using_a_MAX232_interface_IC

Check that thread

and also see about looking for one of these:

http://wiki.gnokii.org/index.php/Cables

You can pickup those CA-42 cables on e-bay for under $5

All you do is cut off the ends (not the USB end) and attach them to the serial port on the router

You usually need a multimeter to find the ground wire, and then its
just a matter of trial/error to see which is TX and which is RX

[guaximim_jasso]

Thanks again for your replies.

I've tried setting the gateway, but no luck again

Regarding the 2 options I have left (before doing the short pin, that I'm almost tempted to do...) witch one do you think it's simpler to mount on the router?
The jtag or the serial?

Reading both methods I think setting up the CA-42 cable must be the easiest, but I don't understand how can the computer detect something connected to the USB port. How is it going to send the controls?

As I mentioned earlier, I'm in Mozambique so I can't count on ebay items. I'm almost sure I have to set up a cable with someone here, but I'm a big noob in electronics... so I don't know if I'm capable of doing that...

[BasCom]

short it short it. that takes less then 5 minutes :-)

does it matter: you have a T-mobile wrt54g edition..
argh sell it :O)

[Peabody]

See the links in note 6 of the peacock. There should be one for jtag and one for serial. Those links will answer most of your questions. I use putty to control serial. There is also a place in china that will ship a nokia cable that works anywhere in the world for about 3.00. I think the link to it is in the serial link.

[guaximim_jasso]

I managed to get a friend of mine to bring me a jtag cable. She's coming next week, so I'll try to use the cable as soon as it arrives (tuesday, the 24th).
If i have any trouble then, I'll ask here again.

Thanks again everyone, for all your replies.

@BasCom: If with jtag I don't recover the router, I'll do as you want and short it

[barryware]