Greetings,
These units are now ready for delivery/pickup! This post contains more information.
They are the following unit:
Mitsubishi Electric "Diamond Digital R100" AP.
Also known as a (rebadged) Asus WL500g
They are $90 ea which includes a small donation to Air-Stream for each unit.
Here is a summary of the main features that appealed to me:
+ OpenWRT support including client mode, bridged mode, AP mode, Monitor mode
+ rp-SMA antenna connector
+ 4-5 port switch/router
+ USB port (hard disk, flash disk, webcam, dialup modem?)
+ LPT port (someone mentioned remote reset device? Printer, etc)
+ Extensive manual and default firmware is easy to use
+ Mitsubishi 3 year warranty
+ Price is $90
+ Cheaper than Linksys WRT54G, same chipset
+ Power output can be 'hacked' with OpenWRT up to 84 mW
A few downsides are
- No universal repeater mode? (Unsure, depends if OpenWRT supports it?)
- OpenWRT may void warranty (only if it causes the problem I think)
- No AP client mode in default firmware
- Default power output not that great
Contact Name: Daniel
Email:
Phone: 0406 443 850
I am located in Athelstone. If you live in the southern suburbs they could be picked up from Happy Valley (where I work) during the week or I could make deliverys as I move to and from work. If you plan to pickup from my work email or call me and I will give details on how to proceed. I can also bring some to the next Air-stream meeting.
Edit: Looks like some good community support already below. As is being discussed many hacks/mods/guides etc for this device can be found at http://wl500g.info since this is the exact same unit as the WL500g.
Regards,
Shadey
Ready for delivery/pickup
Contact details put in including mobile number and pickup/delivery options.
Picked mine up this arvo,
So, I downloaded the latest
So, I downloaded the latest White Russian release of OpenWRT (RC4), set my IP to 192.168.1.2 (Anything in the 192.168.1.* range will work).
Open up command prompt and do a ping -t 192.168.1.1
Plug in the to the LAN (1-4, it doesnt matter), then open up the program that came with the unit called "Firmware Restoration" and locate the firmware you want to use (White Russian RC4 specifically openwrt-brcm-2.4-jffs2-4MB.trx).
Then pull the power out on the R100, hold down the restore button when reconnecting the power and keep it held for a second or two, long enuff to acknowledge that the power light will keep blinking.
Hit "Upload" in 'Firmware Restoration' as soon as you start seeing replies from the pings, and it should take a few seconds to upload and configure\install the firmware - and then if all went according to plan it will say it was completed successfully and the unit is restarting.
Regarding bricking...
Now, if when screwing around in openwrt you (Like I did) you manage to get the unit to ignore all connections or something, or set the IPs to something wrong\you cant recall then ive found a few firmwares which should help recover your unit.
Now assuming you've successfully bricked your unit; using the above procedure, upload the file wl500g-clear-nvram.trx
Repeat, this time uploading WL500g-1.9.2.7-7b.trx
And a third time, getting you back to OpenWRT, with openwrt-brcm-2.4-jffs2-4MB.trx
Doing this clears your NVRam, aka your IP settings etc, you then put on 'oleg's firmware', which is a linux based firmware too, which you could use - and it has a web interface, but I dont think its as good as openwrt.
The unit will then have a standard IP of 192.168.1.1, and will also be completly standard openwrt.
The standard OpenWRT bridges the LAN and WiFi interfaces, to get rid of this I perform the following commands:
nvram set lan_ifnames=eth0
nvram set lan_ifname=eth0
nvram commit
reboot
eth0 refers to LAN 1-4, eth1 the WAN and eth2 the WiFi
Firmwares I used\mentioned
Wl500g clear nvram
Olegs firmware
White Russian RC4
DeBricking the R100
So how did you brick yours? I did it the first time trying to 'activate' the afterburner stuff that the broadcom chip is supposed to supports. Interestingly, I found that I only needed to upload the 'nvram-clear' firmware, then reloading openwrt worked fine.
Has anyone got the afterburner working?
see http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=1029
I've followed the instructions and everything seems like its about to work but then when I 'wl gmode 6' I get an error.
Do not 'nvram set boardflags=0x0388'. after entering this and rebooting I had my first brick. Lucky the above 'nvram-clear' fixed it
> So how did you brick
> So how did you brick yours?
Routes, IPs and IP-Tables mostly :)
I tried the nvram-clear then openwrt and something went wrong the first time, shrug so long as it works no worries :)
Havnt tried the afterburner stuff, I dont have a supporting 125mbit\108mbit wifi device to test it out on so its of no interest personally :)
I have a linksys WMP54GS,
I have a linksys WMP54GS, and I just noticed that it states the connection is 125Mbps. So it looks like the speed hack does work. Just need to do some transfer tests but no time right now... Awesome little box, and well worth the cash.
I also noticed an 'add a 2nd USB port' guide on wl500g.info. When I loaded the the USB stuff for my printer, it stated there are 2 USB ports so it looks like that hack will work too.
That means you could put a 2.5" HDD, or a USB memory device inside the unit and wire it directly up thus gaining much greater storage capacity. very cool.....
Looks like Asus actually watch what their customers (moders) do; they're releasing a new model with all of this stuff already done.
trouble with tftp and "windows utility"
is there soem magic button press hold repower hold pinky in the air technique that i need to know about
ive done two linksys units before, so i am capable
what am I doing wrong
Member since 2002
Client/Admin of Ridleyton AP
Router: 10.121.0.2
LAN range: 10.104.0.0/27
lenny.hodge.wan 10.104.0.27
http://home.hodge.net.au
Yep, you need to have the
Yep, you need to have the router in 'reset' mode (or whatever it is called). Unplug the device from power, press the reset button in, plug power back in whilst holding the reset button in. When the PWR LED is flashing at regular intervals you can let go of the reset button.
Now go to your windows PC and use the utility on the CD to upload the TRX file to the unit.. done.
Sam eventually worked it
Sam eventually worked it out, you need to a) do normal reboots between the holding down restore boots and b) he disabled his 2nd NIC
in the end all that matters is he got RC4 running ;)
white russian 4 and quagga and wl installed == perfect client
its all good
I used ot be able to pick up ridleyton from inside my house with one of these installed
but that was before the mast went higher and the omni was replaced
so its not a pure comparison.
perhaps I can try it on the roof/front porch and see if I can get soem signal
the tx power is impressive
it picks up my other openwrt at 1m at -37dBm so it can pick up strong signals
sorry no time to do an extensive testing
also teh iwconfig commands kinda work which is amamzing I thought everything had to be doen via wl and nvram settings and reboot.
I coudl see some changes take effect by watching with netstumbler, but not 100% of the time, when changing from iwconfig eth2 mode managed to iwconfig mode master previous iwconfig statements that were queued up took place
but if you want to be certain make the changed via nv variables and reboot. AND have a known reliable meter handy ie netstumbler with a reliable card and a control signal.
Member since 2002
Client/Admin of Ridleyton AP
Router: 10.121.0.2
LAN range: 10.104.0.0/27
lenny.hodge.wan 10.104.0.27
http://home.hodge.net.au
quick tests indicate a rx sensitivity of around -85dBm
rough and ready tests with aluminum foils to create signal loss indicate that these unit dont have outstanding recieve sensitivity
nothing a well aligned antenna wont fix
Sam
Member since 2002
Client/Admin of Ridleyton AP
Router: 10.121.0.2
LAN range: 10.104.0.0/27
lenny.hodge.wan 10.104.0.27
http://home.hodge.net.au
Its a sign of the times...
Its a sign of the times... and it all started when 802.11g became popular, and the chipsets turned to crap.
Is it just me, or do you all wonder why 5 year old equipment still works better than anything else? And a 400mW card still is plagued with problems making the senao still a good choice?
All this technology and they still can't get the weather right!
HaQue
\\ ***************************************************************
\\ Q. How many geeks does it take to change a light bulb?
\\ A. 10 .. 1 to hold the ladder and the other to replace the bulb.
\\ ********************************************************
RX sensitivity
these new boxs sound good , has anyone done comparisons with other know units as far as rx sensitivity and tx performance yet?
Cougar
rubbish
Ive been told the included mini pci radio in them are rubbish but you can put a CM9 in and possibly Senao if someones smart enough to develop further.
Atheros SR chips wont work in them.
What is the MiniPCI radio in
What is the MiniPCI radio in them?
Broadcom
Broadcom.
Please google about them, there is a wealth of information. Start by looking at the Melbourne Wireless Wiki page on them.
Mini PCI in the R100: 802.11a possible
Has anybody tried to put a 802.11a mini pci into one of these units?
If so it would be the cheapest 802.11a cradle with operating system on the market.
The GPL stuff for the broadcom chipset is out there
Also im curious if a better minipci (100 or 200mW) would power up
anybody know where to start?
--edit--
Looks like someone else has had the same idea
http://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?pid=8448#p8448
Anybody with a R100 and a spare mini PCI wanna try it out?
http://wifi.ozo.com/airo/openwrt/firmware/hostap/stable/whiterussian-rc3/
http://wifi.ozo.com/airo/openwrt/firmware/madwifi/stable/whiterussian-rc3/
--edit--
Member since 2002
Client/Admin of Ridleyton AP
Router: 10.121.0.2
LAN range: 10.104.0.0/27
lenny.hodge.wan 10.104.0.27
http://home.hodge.net.au
What Didz said..
The specs say 12-15 dBm Tx power (16-32 mW) which you can supposedly hack to 19 dBm (84 mW.) Whether or not that actually improves your performance or not is another question. Rx Sensitivity supposedly -84 dBm @ 11 MBps. As far as actually comparing it to different units over long range, which someone else also asked about, I guess we could find out at the Open Day 4 AP shootout. I would actually like to compare it with and without the 84 mW hack and also see how the 84 mW output compares to other cards that are in spec at around that power level to test if signal is more degraded and such.
I suggest that it is good as a client connecting to an AP (with routing capabilities if required), as a small AP + router or as extra routing hardware as part of a large AP.
It would probably not be good as a backbone radio or a large AP radio.
remember to clap 3x and hop
remember to clap 3x and hop on your left foot while facing south
this may or may not please the wifi gods :P
has anyone got a pair of
has anyone got a pair of these units working over a distance ?
Interesting.
That would be interesting.
What would also be good is how well they work with CM9 and other cards under load and long distance.
Open Day 4
Just the kind of thing for Open Day can we organise some of these for testing on the day. I have some people lined up how are skilled in Open WRT so we could run a Help Desk as well.
I'll be bringing 2 of these
I'll be bringing 2 of these robert. I will pick them up in the next few days.
R100 FTP Server
I have a description of some of the stuff I have added and changed with one of my R100's here (local wireless access only).
On another of my R100's, I use a CM9 and a modified install to connect to the local Air-Stream AP.