DD-WRT and the WRT54GL

In a vain attempt to eliminate Annalisa's wireless connectivity issues I flashed my Linksys WRT54GL with the DD-WRT firmware. I should say that "flashing" the router simply means loading a different operating system on it than the one provided by Linksys. The "L" in WRT54GL stands for Linux. The original WRT router ran a firmware based on Linux. A law professor pointed out that this required Linksys to release the firmware source code or violate the terms of the GPL. Hackers rejoiced and soon 3rd party firmwares began to pop up. Years later Linksys decides to base its firmware on the proprietary VxWorks and hinders "flashers" by slashing the amount of memory onboard the new version 5 of the WRT.

Enter the lovely little WRT54GL, with 4 megabytes of memory for flashing with whatever you like. There's one feature of DD-WRT that I think will end Annalilsa's wireless woes for good: wireless bridging. With a wireless bridge, there would be another router in her studio getting its connectivity via wireless from the router in the living room. Annalisa's computer would have good ol' ethernet running to it. As a bonus, all of our computers could share her printer as well. Why Linksys doesn't put this in the official firmware, I'll never know. Oh wait, that would deny them the money they make from print servers and shitty "range extenders" that aren't worth a dime.

There's so much more one can do with DD-WRT. You can crank the radio's transmit power, use channels that aren't intended for use in America (if you want the FCC to kick down the door ; o), and even set up your own wi-fi hotspot and charge people to browse. You can also choose which antennas transmit and receive and make the easy setup button on the front turn off the wireless radio.

PS Extra nerd points to DD-WRT for showing the router's uptime and load averages.