Re: WRT54GS v2 good enough, or v4 better?

At 11:32 AM 1/11/2006 -0800, Tim Maher wrote:
>I just bought a Linksys WRT54GS-BP "Wireless-G Broadband Router
>with SpeedBooster" from Sam's Club on Aurora in Seattle. It's
>marked as a v2, with a CGN30* serial number.
>
>I understand that this means it's a Linux-based, hackable one,
>which is good. But, assuming that v2 is a /hardware/ rev, should I
>try to find a v4 instead, which seems to be the last one that ran
>Linux? (Maybe it has better antennae or something.) 
>
>-Tim

The caveat with later hardware versions is you tend to have fewer firmware
options.  That said, I think you've found a fine router and shouldn't need
to worry about hunting down a different revision.  (The CGN40 I mentioned
was v2.1, almost the same as what you found.)

listed in order of what I think are the best versions (based on what I've
seen in the forums and personal experience):
KEY: serial, version, comment

WRT54G
1.) CDF5, v2.0 -> preferred version, most compatible with older and newer
firmwares
2.) CDF7, v2.2
3.) CDF8, v3.0
4.) CDF9, v3.1
5.) CDFA, v4 -> new motherboard design like GS v3
6.) CDF1, v1.0 -> avoid because it is harder than later versions to
de-brick should a firmware flash fail, and has a slower CPU.  Choose if you
want a swappable mini-pci card/slot, and want extra diagnostics LEDs.
7.) CDF2 or CDF3, v1.1 -> avoid because it is harder than later versions to
de-brick should a firmware flash fail, and has a slower CPU.
8.) CDFB, v5 -> do NOT buy this one, it has 2mb flash/8mb RAM (half the
previous amounts), does NOT run Linux (runs VxWorks), firmware problem
reports in numerous forums

WRT54GS
1.) CGN40, v2.1 -> preferred version, based on various forum posts I read
2.) CGN00 or CGN10, v1 -> this is the original WRT54GS version and is
nearly identical to the WRT54G v2.0 which is my preferred version for the
WRT54G
3.) CGN30, v2.0
4.) CGN20, v1.1
5.) CGN50, v3.0 -> new motherboard design like G v4
6.) CGN60, v4.0 -> avoid this one, it has 4mb flash/16mb RAM (half the
previous amounts), at least it still runs Linux

WRT54GL
-look for an early version WRT54G or WRT54GS before paying the premium on
this model (or ignore the premium, knowing that it runs Linux and is
basically the same as the WRT54G v4)

G vs GS: I suggest the GS for the extra flash and RAM space.  The
'SpeedBooster' capability is enable-able on most of the regular 'G'
versions when you install new 3rd party firmware.

Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrt54g

-Haudy
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