# #dhcpcd and Linksys WRT54GS Router

## Verted

Normally I have a cable modem which plugs straight into my PC, and #dhcpcd picks up the IP address regular as clockwork. However the other day I bought a Linksys WRT54GS Router. The modem plugs into my router, and the router plugs into the PC, whilst also broadcasting my connection so that I can pickup wireless. The first time I plugged it in, it worked as normal, and #dhcpcd picked up the IP address. Now, however, it doesnt seem to have it anymore. dhcpcd times out waiting for a server response. I find it a little strange how it worked the first time and not anymore.

Is there any compatibility issues with dhcpcd and the router? If so, is there any solutions? Is there anything anyone can suggest to get this working, because I really dont want to have a buy a new router. Could it be that I have altered something in the routers settings which prevent it from working?

Also, I would have thought that the router would have picked up the IP address regardless of whether dhcpcd had run, because the router should pick up an IP address through the modem even if the PC is turned off.

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## KWhat

I have had alot of issues with Linksys routers on the cable modem side.  For some reason every time the lease on the ip would expire the Linksys router would not release the ip address.  Sometimes this was ok, however the isp i was using started to ban the mac address of my modem for 4 hour intervals because the router would not give up the address.  I thought this to be a bug on the routers firmware so I decided to upgrade it.  Worst idea ever.  Apparently Linksys and Netgear don't know how to QA the firmware they get back from India and subsequently all their firmware upgrades have more bugs than a rain forest.

Anyway the only way i was able to fix the issue was to build a Linux router out of an old pc i had laying around and plug a wireless AP in into the switch for wifi.  (Dont by linksys or netgear here eather!)

I'm sorry i cant offer a solution but I hope what not to do can help =P

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## Zepp

I upgraded the firmware on my linksys wrt54g because i was having some problems where i kept having to reset it and my dhcp in gentoo stopped working too. Ended up just setting a static ip, never figured out what was causing it.

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## Verted

Ahhh yes... thats probably it. I have upgraded the firmware. Erm, so does that mean my router is now completely buggered... since the router cant get the IP address from my modem, and therefore I cannot log into http://192.168.1.1/ to downgrade it? Shall I just take it back to the shop?

Are Belkin routers better compatible with my cable modem (and dhcpcd), and my laptop (Macbook running OSX)?

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## wynn

Would converting your WRT54G router to Linux solve your problem?

Here's one link Linux hackers re-claim the Linksys WRT54G and  Google shows plenty of others for the search string "wrt54g linux"

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## Verted

Whats involved in converting it to Linux? Are there no other solutions?

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## gouranga

I have a Linksys AG241 (EU version - v2.0) router. Worst choice ever!!!! 

I can confirm the DCHP bug. 

I have to beg to get an IP from the router. 

The second problem is that there are no updates for this router.

The latest released firmware version is v 1.x... I'm not going to downgrade.

I'm not pleased at all with the router interface, the available functions,...

I constantly get "hacker attack" e-mails from my router. The sender id is still 'test'.

When I access the router the firewall log is empty.

I can conclude that the interface and the router is very poorly coded...

I expected better from Linksys.

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## wynn

 *Verted wrote:*   

> Whats involved in converting it to Linux? Are there no other solutions?

 I haven't got a WRT54G still less converted it to Linux but going on what Upgrading to Linux from a VX Works Router says *Quote:*   

> Linksys' decision to move to VxWorks was not a good one. Among the biggest selling points for WRTs was the option of changing firmware. So when Linksys released the WRT54G version 5, many Linksys fans were disappointed. If you had a JTAG/ serial interface on your version 5, a way was found to upgrade to Linux-based firmware. Adding another interface to a WRT was too difficult for many. Thus, they either needed to buy a WRT54GL or stick with the buggy VxWorks firmware.

 However, they also say *Quote:*   

> WARNING: This Process May "Brick" Your Router!

 If your only other solution is to buy another router then this may be worth considering. From the other posts, it appears that expecting good working firmware from VxWorks is pie-in-the-sky.

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## Zepp

 *Verted wrote:*   

> Ahhh yes... thats probably it. I have upgraded the firmware. Erm, so does that mean my router is now completely buggered... since the router cant get the IP address from my modem, and therefore I cannot log into http://192.168.1.1/ to downgrade it? Shall I just take it back to the shop?
> 
> Are Belkin routers better compatible with my cable modem (and dhcpcd), and my laptop (Macbook running OSX)?

 

My router is still able to grab the WAN IP fine, and DHCP works in windows, and as far as I know for friend downstairs who is using ubuntu and wireless.

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## Verted

 *Zepp wrote:*   

> 
> 
> My router is still able to grab the WAN IP fine, and DHCP works in windows, and as far as I know for friend downstairs who is using ubuntu and wireless.

 

What firmware are you using?

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## Zepp

Firmware Version:  	v1.01.0, Sep. 14, 2006

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## P J

Damn!

I just upgraded my WRT-54G v5 to 1.01.0 and dhcpcd doesn't work any more in Gentoo. Great work Linksys!

Edit: I downgraded it back to 1.00.6 and dhcpcd works again. I found that firmware from http://www-fi.linksys.com.

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## Zepp

 *P J wrote:*   

> Damn!
> 
> I just upgraded my WRT-54G v5 to 1.01.0 and dhcpcd doesn't work any more in Gentoo. Great work Linksys!
> 
> Edit: I downgraded it back to 1.00.6 and dhcpcd works again. I found that firmware from http://www-fi.linksys.com.

 

I grew tired of linksys' crap so I replaced my router's firmware with dd-wrt, dhcp now works and I have added functionality. No thanks to you linksys  :Razz: .

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## P J

I did same trick (installed dd-wrt). Even dd-wrt micro has more functions and works better than Linksys' default firmware.

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## Zepp

 *P J wrote:*   

> I did same trick (installed dd-wrt). Even dd-wrt micro has more functions and works better than Linksys' default firmware.

 

Yes I am using dd-wrt micro build as well (I have a crappy WRT54G v6)

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## withinboredom

My question is: If say, I don't have access to my router's lovely firmware (because it belong's to my dad's company and if he [or I - found out the hard way] changes even a single setting, he can't VPN to work -- weird but true) is there any way, other than internet sharing through another computer, to connect to the bloody network?

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## Zepp

 *withinboredom wrote:*   

> My question is: If say, I don't have access to my router's lovely firmware (because it belong's to my dad's company and if he [or I - found out the hard way] changes even a single setting, he can't VPN to work -- weird but true) is there any way, other than internet sharing through another computer, to connect to the bloody network?

 

This router is at your house but you don't own it? why can't you just connect a wire to it and use it? (or even the wireless). Anyway if it is at your house you could connect another router to it (or just a switch if you need more ports).

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## UberLord

If anyone can test a new version of dhcpcd against the buggy linksys firmware, please email me (uberlord@gentoo.org) and I'll reply with the new dhcpcd version as an attachment to test.

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## withinboredom

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> This router is at your house but you don't own it? 
> 
> 

 

It's one of the side effects of my dad being VP of a internet company

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> why can't you just connect a wire to it and use it? (or even the wireless). 
> 
> 

 '

read above, I obviously don't have the password to the router.  And if I did, I couldn't change anything because I can't connect at all, which is what this post is about.

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> Anyway if it is at your house you could connect another router to it (or just a switch if you need more ports).

 

This is my parent's house, I'm home for the holidays.  Buying a new router just to use while I'm here, sounds pretty dump and I would have a lot of explaining if my parents can't VPN to work on monday.

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## Zepp

 *withinboredom wrote:*   

>  *Quote:*   
> 
> This router is at your house but you don't own it? 
> 
>  
> ...

 

Well if the router won't auto assign you an ip and/or let you use the net then the only was is to setup one of your parents machines as a router/gateway (aka internet connection sharing)

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## UberLord

dhcpcd-3 is now in portage. Enjoy  :Smile: 

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