LinkSys courts Linux hackers with WRT54GL (LinuxDevices) [LWN.net]

LinkSys courts Linux hackers with WRT54GL (LinuxDevices)

Posted Dec 2, 2005 17:56 UTC (Fri) by citibob (guest, #34285)
Parent article: LinkSys courts Linux hackers with WRT54GL (LinuxDevices)

Look, if I buy the Linksys from the store, plug it in and use it, I really don't care what OS it uses --- at long as it interoperates with my other equipment, which it does. Linksys routers don't force me into any particular brand computer or desktop OS or printer or anything else.

If I'm not satisfied with the features of the firmware, then I will install my own OS. The fact is that Linksys is building open boxes, in contrast to most video game consoles these days (for example). So they are the good guys. It doesn't really matter what OS they choose to pre-install, you can always run Linux on it if you like.

As for the memory requirements --- no one is being stopped from making a Linux that will fit into the new, smaller Flash ROM. Is Linux really so bloated it can't run on the new Linksys? And if so, is it really something we should be supporting? Rather than complaining, we should be making a Linux (or related OS) that CAN run productively on the new hardware.

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LinkSys courts Linux hackers with WRT54GL (LinuxDevices)

Posted Dec 2, 2005 19:17 UTC (Fri) by brouhaha (guest, #1698) [Link] (2 responses)

If I'm not satisfied with the features of the firmware, then I will install my own OS.

And if you buy a WRT54G thinking that it has enough memory to install your own OS (because the rev 4 and earlier did), but you get a rev 5 that does not, won't you be somewhat annoyed?

Besides which, new hardware revs of consumer products are sometimes almost completely different internally, so there's no way to be sure when you buy a new revision that it's even capable of running the software you want to install on it. The vendor normally only guarantees that the device will run the firmware initially installed on it, and updates from the vendor's own web site.

That's what makes the WRT54GL interesting; they're specifically targetting people who want to install their own firmware.

Disclaimer: I work for a company that develops chips and software for competing wireless router products, though my comments here are my own opinions and do not necesssarily reflect the position of my employer.

LinkSys courts Linux hackers with WRT54GL (LinuxDevices)

Posted Dec 2, 2005 21:56 UTC (Fri) by citibob (guest, #34285) [Link] (1 responses)

Yes, it annoys me terribly that hardware revs keep changing and it's almost impossible to tell what you're buying unless you have the box in your hand. And that's not just a problem if you're hacking the boxes: I bought a Linksys product, expecting it would have features I would need out-of-the-box. But it didn't, it was rev1.1 and I needed rev2.0. There's no way to know which rev you're getting if you mail order. I finally had to go to a number of Staples stores and find the one I needed, looking at the miniscule print on the bottom.

Would I be disappointed to buy a box to find it had only 1/2 the memory I thought it did? Yes, of course! But before the new "L" designation, Linksys never guaranteed anything specific about the hardware.

LinkSys courts Linux hackers with WRT54GL (LinuxDevices)

Posted Dec 10, 2005 3:21 UTC (Sat) by leon_dague (guest, #9701) [Link]

Thanks for all the comments here, I read them all and they
are helpful to a newbie on the topic.

> There's no way to know which rev you're getting if you mail order.

Not quite true. I searched for WRT54G on ebay and found a few items
where prospective buyers asked for, and got, the first four digits
of the serial number. Googling for "WRT54G versions serial number"
then led me to www.dslreports.com where someone has posted a list
of 10 four-character serial number prefixes and the product
version indicated by each.