Alternative Linksys WRT54GS firmware (update 1)

I’ve mentioned the Sveasoft firmware for the Linksys WRT54GS access point / wireless router, but now I’ve come across another alternative called OpenWRT which appeals to my UNIX sensitivities.

Rather than give you one big distribution it says:

OpenWrt provides only a minimal firmware with support for add-on packages. For users this means the ability to custom tune features, removing unwanted packages to make room for other packages and for developers this means being able to focus on packages without having to test and release an entire firmware“.

A refreshing application of the UNIX philosophy of joining small tools that do a single task well to firmware – Create a small but easily extendable base system and make many packages available for it. The OpenWRT website is well worth browsing, it’s all out in the open including a CVS repository and forums.

Update: I’m now playing around with a version of the Freifunk Firmware (also based on OpenWRT) that has been customised for Melbourne Wireless – I’ve got two Linksys WRT54GS’s up and linked with it as a test in my back garden.

2 thoughts on “Alternative Linksys WRT54GS firmware (update 1)

  1. Glad to see there is an alternative to Sveasoft. I can’t quite see the difference (at least looking at their documentation) between the current LinkSys firwmare and their own.

    As for OpenWRT, seems like the site is down or being reinstalled. I’ll keep hunting.

    I’ve been looking for better port forwarding but so far no luck.

    l.

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