Styno
16-12-2004, 16:50
A lot of users are strugling with their router while trying to upgrade or downgrade their firmware. This HOWTO is all about getting the most pleasure out of your router by updating the firmware by following a few simple steps.
Some basic knowhow:
An Asus firmware is a single file with the extension TRX. This file contains everything the router needs (Linux kernel, applications and configuration files), so don't not change anything unless you absolutely know what you are doing. If you've downloaded a ZIP file from this forum, Oleg's website (wl500g.dyndns.org) or Asus website containing a TRX file, you'll have to unpack the ZIP file.
But first the legal stuff: Updating the firmware of your router is done at your own risk, there are NO warranties.
Now comes the fun stuff :) :
While a lot op people think firmware updating is a difficult, tedious and dangerous undertaking, I can assure you it is not. This does not mean you will get a warranty from me that it will not destroy your router, but if done right the chances on this to happen are very, very low. Don't let the red line scare you off.
If you follow the next few steps carefully you will be running a new firmware in just a few minutes:
BEFORE UPDATING:
- Download the firmware you want to install.
- Temporarily disable your firewall, PeerGuardian and other such software that can interfere with the update processes (like Firmware restoration tool/Device discovery).
- Allways use a wired connection to upload the firmware. Do NOT use wireless connection.
UPDATING:
These are the steps needed to perform a firmware update through the webinterface (which is the normal procedure). If you want to downgrade your firmware or upload a special firmware then use the firmware restoration tool, because the webinterface won't allow you to upload older firmware versions:
- Reboot your router (or do a power cycle). This is to ensure the router has enough free memory to complete the process.
- Use the webinterface to upload the correct firmware as shown in this image (http://wl500g.info/attachment.php?attachmentid=373). Double check if you're uploading the correct firmware before uploading!
- Wait for the upgrade process to finish. If it takes more then 10 minutes to finish then refresh the webinterface (Press F5 in IE).
- Upgrading should be finished.
If - for some reason - this does not work, or you want to upload a special or older firmware then you should try to upload the firmware using the firmware restoration tool. This needs the following steps:
- Disable all but one network interfaces on your PC. This is nessesary because the firmware restoration tool is not very intelligent in finding the correct interface to use for communicating with the router.
- Configure Windows TCP/IP networking to have static IP address 192.168.1.10 as shown in this image (http://wl500g.info/attachment.php?attachmentid=375).
- Disconnect the power cable.
- Press the reset button on the back of the router.
- Keep pressing the reset button while inserting the power cable again.
- Keep pressing the reset button until the power LED starts flashing every second.
- Start the firmware restoration tool on your PC (You can find this tool on the CD or download it from the Asus website).
- This tool should find the Asus router -> select it.
- Select the correct firmware file you want to upload. Double check again if it's the correct one!
- Press upload.
AFTER UPDATING:
- Once the firmware update process has completed (You may need to logon again), reset the router to factory defaults using the reset button on the back. Push the reset button for 10 seconds while the router is running to achieve that.
- Reconfigure the router using the webinterface. Do not restore your old settings by uploading an old configuration file, especially when there's a big version difference between the old and the new firmware. Your router might become very unstable if you do that!
TROUBLESHOOTING:
Below are some topics for you to read when something went wrong along the way and you are unable to upload a firmware using the firmware restoration utility. Read the topics VERY carefully because they probably contain the option for solving your problem.
- Upgraded to firmware v1.8.x.x or higher now I can not login anymore (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=1282) or Password ?!?! (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=759)
- No access to the router anymore - what to do? (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=1841) or Firmware upgrade failed (trying to restore) (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=801) or WL-HDD ready for thrashcan? (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=1451)
- Adding a serial port to the Asus WL-500g (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=587)
- Repair a dead unit (which does not boot after playing with NVRAM) (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=1606)
Please post here (http://wl500g.info/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=20917) or send me a Private Message (http://wl500g.info/private.php?do=newpm&userid=235) if you have additional info or suggestions for this HOWTO.
Some basic knowhow:
An Asus firmware is a single file with the extension TRX. This file contains everything the router needs (Linux kernel, applications and configuration files), so don't not change anything unless you absolutely know what you are doing. If you've downloaded a ZIP file from this forum, Oleg's website (wl500g.dyndns.org) or Asus website containing a TRX file, you'll have to unpack the ZIP file.
But first the legal stuff: Updating the firmware of your router is done at your own risk, there are NO warranties.
Now comes the fun stuff :) :
While a lot op people think firmware updating is a difficult, tedious and dangerous undertaking, I can assure you it is not. This does not mean you will get a warranty from me that it will not destroy your router, but if done right the chances on this to happen are very, very low. Don't let the red line scare you off.
If you follow the next few steps carefully you will be running a new firmware in just a few minutes:
BEFORE UPDATING:
- Download the firmware you want to install.
- Temporarily disable your firewall, PeerGuardian and other such software that can interfere with the update processes (like Firmware restoration tool/Device discovery).
- Allways use a wired connection to upload the firmware. Do NOT use wireless connection.
UPDATING:
These are the steps needed to perform a firmware update through the webinterface (which is the normal procedure). If you want to downgrade your firmware or upload a special firmware then use the firmware restoration tool, because the webinterface won't allow you to upload older firmware versions:
- Reboot your router (or do a power cycle). This is to ensure the router has enough free memory to complete the process.
- Use the webinterface to upload the correct firmware as shown in this image (http://wl500g.info/attachment.php?attachmentid=373). Double check if you're uploading the correct firmware before uploading!
- Wait for the upgrade process to finish. If it takes more then 10 minutes to finish then refresh the webinterface (Press F5 in IE).
- Upgrading should be finished.
If - for some reason - this does not work, or you want to upload a special or older firmware then you should try to upload the firmware using the firmware restoration tool. This needs the following steps:
- Disable all but one network interfaces on your PC. This is nessesary because the firmware restoration tool is not very intelligent in finding the correct interface to use for communicating with the router.
- Configure Windows TCP/IP networking to have static IP address 192.168.1.10 as shown in this image (http://wl500g.info/attachment.php?attachmentid=375).
- Disconnect the power cable.
- Press the reset button on the back of the router.
- Keep pressing the reset button while inserting the power cable again.
- Keep pressing the reset button until the power LED starts flashing every second.
- Start the firmware restoration tool on your PC (You can find this tool on the CD or download it from the Asus website).
- This tool should find the Asus router -> select it.
- Select the correct firmware file you want to upload. Double check again if it's the correct one!
- Press upload.
AFTER UPDATING:
- Once the firmware update process has completed (You may need to logon again), reset the router to factory defaults using the reset button on the back. Push the reset button for 10 seconds while the router is running to achieve that.
- Reconfigure the router using the webinterface. Do not restore your old settings by uploading an old configuration file, especially when there's a big version difference between the old and the new firmware. Your router might become very unstable if you do that!
TROUBLESHOOTING:
Below are some topics for you to read when something went wrong along the way and you are unable to upload a firmware using the firmware restoration utility. Read the topics VERY carefully because they probably contain the option for solving your problem.
- Upgraded to firmware v1.8.x.x or higher now I can not login anymore (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=1282) or Password ?!?! (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=759)
- No access to the router anymore - what to do? (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=1841) or Firmware upgrade failed (trying to restore) (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=801) or WL-HDD ready for thrashcan? (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=1451)
- Adding a serial port to the Asus WL-500g (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=587)
- Repair a dead unit (which does not boot after playing with NVRAM) (http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=1606)
Please post here (http://wl500g.info/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=20917) or send me a Private Message (http://wl500g.info/private.php?do=newpm&userid=235) if you have additional info or suggestions for this HOWTO.