On Mon, Sep 1, 2008 at 1:40 AM, Andrew Robinson <awrobinson-ml@nc.rr.com> wrote:
Rich Emberson wrote:
I run Fedora 9 (only, no windows or macs). I recently was given a Linksys WRT54G2
Wireless-G broadband router with its installation CD (which according to the
terse instructions has a windows and mac modes - of course no Linux).

I want to use this as simply a wireless access point to my existing LAN. I
already have a router and DSL internet connection.

The wireless router is self-contained. You do not need any software to work with it. The software on the CD gives Windows (and maybe Macs) utilities to measure wireless signal strength and stuff like that.

The router is configured by its internal web server. Others have noted that you access that at 192.168.1.1, no userid, and a password of "admin". That is if the subnet and password weren't changed by the previous owner. Others suggested ways around this. I do recommend using a wired connection to the router to configure it.

The one issue I think you will run into is that with the Linksys software, the WRT54G2 will want to act as a router. It will perform its own NAT. You can cable it to the existing router, but then any wireless connections will be on a different network segment than your wired boxes. The two solutions I see are 1. replace the existing router with the WRT54G2, or 2. install alternate firmware that gives more functionality, like simply providing a wireless access point on an existing network segment.

I think it is possible to disable its router functionality and make it use an IP
supplied by another router on the network. I have a Linksys WRT54G, and
it is working fine for me, as just an access point.

Please, consult the link below:

http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=358&p_created=1084209764&p_sid=Bu9Mbw*h&p_accessibility=0&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NDMxJnBfcHJvZHM9MCZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9JnBfY3Y9JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9YW5zd2Vycy5zZWFyY2hfbmwmcF9zY2ZfbGFuZz0xJnBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9Y29ubmVjdCB0d28gcm91dGVycyB0b2dldGhlcg**&p_li=&p_topview=1

 


The two most popular replacement firmwares are dd-WRT and OpenWRT. One or both have versions intended to fit on a smaller memory router. I have installed one or the other on a WRT54GS. I don't have any experience with a WRT54G2. You could look at both websites and see what they say about your model.



--
Paulo Roma Cavalcanti
LCG - UFRJ