+Heartripper Subscriber¹ Posted January 28, 2014 Subscriber¹ Share Posted January 28, 2014 A friend of mine has a Linksys WRT150N that bricked overnight. It has the power led blinking and reading here and there it means corrupted firmware. I can ping it, but no web interface and ssh/telnet. I also tried tftp but the device is not responding. So he's now looking for a replacement. Since I have little experience with network devices (I bought a netgear dgn2000 several years ago :rofl: ) I'd like some suggestions for a solid yet not so much expensive device from a good brand. Price range is about 40-50? (55-70$) Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Are you sure you cannot manage to get it working again with the reset button? Brands you should look at are Buffalo, Asus or the much cheaper Tp-link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Overlord Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Seconded, can you hold reset for 10 seconds and try to reboot it? Also, if in the offchance this actually works, you might be able to flash it's firmware if you can find the correct version for it from cisco's website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Heartripper Subscriber¹ Posted January 28, 2014 Author Subscriber¹ Share Posted January 28, 2014 Seconded, can you hold reset for 10 seconds and try to reboot it? Also, if in the offchance this actually works, you might be able to flash it's firmware if you can find the correct version for it from cisco's website I tried resetting but nothing, as soon as you power it on the power led starts blinking and you can only ping it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I tried resetting but nothing, as soon as you power it on the power led starts blinking and you can only ping it. If you can put your hands on 3V TTL USB serial adapter you can fix that (only use TX/RX and GND, no PWR). The WRT150N just like the WRT160N and other models has a defective bootloader that will download the flash file through TFTP but won't flash it. If you have a serial adapter however you can stop the boot and start the flashing manually with different parameters that work. You can find the adapter for a couple dollars on ebay or dealextreme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrobwx71 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I own a Buffalo router both at home and work and love its performance and it's many options. http://store.buffalotech.com/store/bufftech/en_US/pd/productID.285391200/quantity.1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Heartripper Subscriber¹ Posted January 28, 2014 Author Subscriber¹ Share Posted January 28, 2014 If you can put your hands on 3V TTL USB serial adapter you can fix that (only use TX/RX and GND, no PWR). The WRT150N just like the WRT160N and other models has a defective bootloader that will download the flash file through TFTP but won't flash it. If you have a serial adapter however you can stop the boot and start the flashing manually with different parameters that work. You can find the adapter for a couple dollars on ebay or dealextreme. Sadly i don't have the skills to do it I own a Buffalo router both at home and work and love its performance and it's many options. http://store.buffalotech.com/store/bufftech/en_US/pd/productID.285391200/quantity.1 It's slightly outside price range, is this good as well? http://store.buffalotech.com/store/bufftech/en_US/pd/productID.278999800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted January 28, 2014 MVC Share Posted January 28, 2014 How exactly did he brick it, or did it just stop working? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Sadly i don't have the skills to do it It's slightly outside price range, is this good as well? http://store.buffalotech.com/store/bufftech/en_US/pd/productID.278999800 Yes, that router has a pretty high transmit power (if your state/country allows that) plus it can run the official DD-WRT builds (it ships with a customized version) so if you are having any problem you can simply update to a newer firmware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Heartripper Subscriber¹ Posted January 28, 2014 Author Subscriber¹ Share Posted January 28, 2014 How exactly did he brick it, or did it just stop working? He said it just stopped working. He's not a technical so he doesn't know how to flash or do stuff like that. I tried the router myself and i was only able to ping it setting manually my pc's ip as the router's dhcp is not working. I got no response either trying to connect with ssh. Yes, that router has a pretty high transmit power (if your state/country allows that) plus it can run the official DD-WRT builds (it ships with a customized version) so if you are having any problem you can simply update to a newer firmware. Reading on amazon.com i saw that many are complaining about some flaw in wifi, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/review/RTOV3D857V4RD/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B002WBV2T8&nodeID=172282&store=electronics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Reading on amazon.com i saw that many are complaining about some flaw in wifi, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/review/RTOV3D857V4RD/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B002WBV2T8&nodeID=172282&store=electronics Aren't those reviews from another model? You linked the WHR-300HP above but those reviews are for the WHR-G300N-HP. Also remember that even when the model is the same there can be different revisions with completely different hardware (including different wifi chipsets/SoCs as well), a version can have stellar reviews while all the others despite having the same exact model name could be complete garbage. Router manufacturers really have no shame in selling cheaper and often worse hardware with the same exact name. An easy way to find a decent router is starting from the user reviews on Amazon like you did so you can rule out hardware with known issues, if the router also allows installing custom firmwares (dd-wrt/openwrt) it's an huge plus because most routers stock firmwares with only a few exceptions (AVM/Fritz!Box or some Dlink/Asus models) are often unreliable garbage. Another website to check is smallnetbuilders that has reviews and wireless coverage/price graphs of most recent/popular wireless routers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted January 28, 2014 MVC Share Posted January 28, 2014 "He said it just stopped working. He's not a technical so he doesn't know how to flash or do stuff like tha" Then its prob just dead and time to replace I agree, not like he flashed it with some bad firmware that could be fixed like with the cable mentioned, etc. I recently picked up a TPLINK TL-WDR3600 for $42 dual band 600N router, put dd-wrt on it and its been working great.. Very low budget device that has been stable with dd-wrt on it. The native firmware was a complete and utter joke - would replace within minutes of getting it to make it useful product.. I would think that should be in the price range your thinking.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 "He said it just stopped working. He's not a technical so he doesn't know how to flash or do stuff like tha" Then its prob just dead and time to replace I agree, not like he flashed it with some bad firmware that could be fixed like with the cable mentioned, etc. Sometimes router firmwares just become corrupted, when the router blinks like that it's because it can't boot. Reflashing the firmware could be a permanent fix if it's not an hardware issue, but the routers belonging to that series can't be reflashed in any way without a serial or jtag connection so it really becomes an huge problem. Too bad because Broadcom routers (the WRT150N is a true WRT model with a broadcom SoC) may have a poor range but they're the most compatible and usually the ones with the most stable wireless drivers, no wonder why Apple still uses Broadcoms in their airport access points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Heartripper Subscriber¹ Posted January 28, 2014 Author Subscriber¹ Share Posted January 28, 2014 Aren't those reviews from another model? You linked the WHR-300HP above but those reviews are for the WHR-G300N-HP. Also remember that even when the model is the same there can be different revisions with completely different hardware (including different wifi chipsets/SoCs as well), a version can have stellar reviews while all the others despite having the same exact model name could be complete garbage. Router manufacturers really have no shame in selling cheaper and often worse hardware with the same exact name. An easy way to find a decent router is starting from the user reviews on Amazon like you did so you can rule out hardware with known issues, if the router also allows installing custom firmwares (dd-wrt/openwrt) it's an huge plus because most routers stock firmwares with only a few exceptions (AVM/Fritz!Box or some Dlink/Asus models) are often unreliable garbage. Another website to check is smallnetbuilders that has reviews and wireless coverage/price graphs of most recent/popular wireless routers. Ops, I totally missed that difference. I'll check some reviews of that specific model to make sure it doesn't have flaws. "He said it just stopped working. He's not a technical so he doesn't know how to flash or do stuff like tha" Then its prob just dead and time to replace I agree, not like he flashed it with some bad firmware that could be fixed like with the cable mentioned, etc. I recently picked up a TPLINK TL-WDR3600 for $42 dual band 600N router, put dd-wrt on it and its been working great.. Very low budget device that has been stable with dd-wrt on it. The native firmware was a complete and utter joke - would replace within minutes of getting it to make it useful product.. I would think that should be in the price range your thinking.. Yes even tough it's sold for 60? (about 80$) here in Italy. However is it hard to flash dd-wrt on that device? Amazon reviews also says that the hardware is great but the firmware is junk... Also, does it void the warranty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted January 28, 2014 MVC Share Posted January 28, 2014 dd-wrt took all of couple of minutes to install, flash it once with special that dd-wrt provides and then using webgui flash it to the latest and greatest version. As to warranty - you can put the factory back on it if you had to send it back with RMA or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Ops, I totally missed that difference. I'll check some reviews of that specific model to make sure it doesn't have flaws. Yes even tough it's sold for 60? (about 80$) here in Italy. However is it hard to flash dd-wrt on that device? Amazon reviews also says that the hardware is great but the firmware is junk... Also, does it void the warranty? Italy? Then what about this one that also works as ADSL modem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrobwx71 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Sadly i don't have the skills to do it It's slightly outside price range, is this good as well? http://store.buffalotech.com/store/bufftech/en_US/pd/productID.278999800 It absolutely is a good choice and it comes with the DD-WRT firmware that Budman mentions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Heartripper Subscriber¹ Posted January 28, 2014 Author Subscriber¹ Share Posted January 28, 2014 Italy? Then what about this one that also works as ADSL modem?you're Italian too? He doesn't need a modem as he already has the one provided by Telco. This one will be used to extend wireless coverage and to hook up some wired devices.It absolutely is a good choice and it comes with the DD-WRT firmware that Budman mentions.thanks! I'll add in the list of possibilities I'll show him. dd-wrt took all of couple of minutes to install, flash it once with special that dd-wrt provides and then using webgui flash it to the latest and greatest version. As to warranty - you can put the factory back on it if you had to send it back with RMA or anything. . Thanks. Do you mind if I'll ask for help in case he buys this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riahc3 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Hello, Italy? Then what about this one that also works as ADSL modem?I think there is only ONE router that has a ADSL model that can run DD-WRT: Buffalo WBMR-HP-G300H And hey :) Here you go: http://www.monclick.it/schede/Buffalo+Technology/WBMR-HP-G300H/airstation-n-technology.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted January 28, 2014 MVC Share Posted January 28, 2014 oh he needs a ADSL gateway - yeah that changes everything for request.. But the 150N is not a adsl gateway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Hello, I think there is only ONE router that has a ADSL model that can run DD-WRT: Buffalo WBMR-HP-G300H And hey :) Here you go: http://www.monclick.it/schede/Buffalo+Technology/WBMR-HP-G300H/airstation-n-technology.htm I do have the WMBR-HP-G300H but the DD-WRT support is pretty mediocre, the webui often stops working and the wifi needs a reset every week or so (it works perfectly with OWRT though). That TP-link has the same platform (Lantiq) and is slowly getting OpenWRT support. Unfortunately the current official OWRT builds are extremely poor (same for the Buffalo, you always need to compile your own builds) but the stock firmware is pretty good, far better than the Buffalo stock firmware, also the hardware is much better than the Buffalo (VSDL modem, faster SoC, 2 USBs, etc.), all this at half the price, so there isn't really much to complain about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Heartripper Subscriber¹ Posted January 28, 2014 Author Subscriber¹ Share Posted January 28, 2014 oh he needs a ADSL gateway - yeah that changes everything for request.. But the 150N is not a adsl gateway. No he already has a router+gateway. the wrt150n was used to extend the wifi coverage and to connect an imac and other devices and was wired to the main router+gateway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted January 28, 2014 MVC Share Posted January 28, 2014 Oh so just a AP.. Yeah anything will work for that.. Whatever meets the wireless features you want, ie G or N or AC, dual band, etc. etc.. Something that supports 3rd party is what I would suggest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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