Essential Firmware Questions

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10-04-2009, 14:59
vladk2k

Essential Firmware Questions
Hello
First of all, if this has been discussed in another topic (I have tried searching without success) please send me a PM and delete this thread.

I have a WL-500g Premium box.

I am looking forward to using Oleg's firmware, but I have a few questions before I use it. I want to use the router as a storage server (with an external hard drive on USB), print server and a few other goodies (detailed below). Some of the functionalities are already present in the original firmware, and I fear that I might loose them if I use Oleg's firmware.
1. The first and foremost question: Does Oleg's firmware have anything in common with the original firmware, other than the Web interface? Is the original firmware also a linux, but without the posibility of SSH access & such?
2. I see that there is a 'hack' to get 32 MB of RAM instead of 16 MB. Does this apply only to the Oleg Firmware, or the original firmware also has this limitation?
3. I plan to have an HDD permanently attached to the router. Is only ext3 supported on the attached HDD?
4. I plan to use a USB hub - I see some models work, some don't (I currently have a USB 1.1 hub). Will services be available to all the new ports, or are there known limitations?
5. I plan to use the router as a print server (USB printer). I've read somewhere on the forum that only the RAW mode of communication is supported. Is that correct? Should I expect problems in operation? (I plan to use an HP printer)
6. I am also keen on using the webcam motion detection and e-mail feature. Are webcams supported in Oleg's firmware? Also, the motion detection featureis still there? (I have a Creative LiveCam Vista! IM VF0260 - any idea with compatibility, both the original and Oleg's firmware)
7. I also plan to use it as a multimedia (movies, music, pictures) storage, which can be retrieved by a PS3 (which I plan to buy) or an Xbox 360 through DLNA. The original firmware can stream to Xbox 360, and probably the PS3.
8. I'd also use DDNS, but it's not "mandatory" (I can live without it, since I'd probably not change my WAN IP address that often). Is it still supported?
9. Are there any known issues with PPPoE?
10. Are FTP and HTTP (personal webpage) enabled by default? (i.e. no other packages required to be installed)
11. I've read that NFS is better than SMB, but the first needs some work to be done on Windows PCs connecting to it. Which of them is enabled by default in Oleg's firmware?
Now, some feature questions
1. Can I create different users with deifferent access rights to folders and configuration options?
2. Is there a console web browser (like lynx or links) available to install?
Thank you in advance
10-04-2009, 15:04
Lesiuk

1. Everything from orginal fw but fixed and in newest versions.

2. WL-500g Premium have 32 mb without any hacks.

3. Ext3, Ext4 is the best filesystem for linux but you can use other filesystems.

7. I use ushare and it works perfect with my xbox. There is only one limitation, ushare dont see more than 1000 files in one folder.

8. Yeah

9. No

10. Yes

~~~
2. Yes

http://code.google.com/p/wl500g/
16-04-2009, 14:12
vladk2k

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lesiuk

...

Thanks. I'm keen on finding out the answers to 5 & 6 (esp. 5)
As far as I understand, going back to original firmware is a trivial operation
16-04-2009, 14:53
al37919

5. depends on printer you wish to use. Read these:
http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=4092
http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=58
28-04-2009, 11:28
vladk2k

Quote:

Originally Posted by al37919

5. depends on printer you wish to use. Read these:
http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=4092
http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=58

So what you're saying is that I should stay away from printers that use host-based printing.

My current HP LJ 1022 works fine through my Linux Server, but once I move out Iţll have to buy another and compatibility with WL-500G P is an important issue.
28-04-2009, 15:07
al37919

as far as I remember hplj1022 supports pcl5. If so it will work with router with no hassle.

P.S. http://wl500g.info/search.php?searchid=2974679
05-10-2009, 08:09
vladk2k

Finally got my box, using Oleg's 1.9.2.7-10 fw, with a 1TB WD MyBook external hdd permanently attached.

One question, though - how do i use the "personal webpage" feature?
I don't seem to find it in the web interface.

Do I have to install lighttpd for this to work, or is that only necessary only if I use PHP, MySQL etc. ?
12-10-2009, 23:04
avberk

If you want to have your own website on the asus you need to install one of the available webserver packages.

Lighttpd is a good choice.

Be aware that you need to set the port to another port than 80, because that one is used by the admin pages of the asus.

Search the forum for instructions.
13-10-2009, 01:35
wpte

Quote:

Originally Posted by vladk2k

Finally got my box, using Oleg's 1.9.2.7-10 fw, with a 1TB WD MyBook external hdd permanently attached.

One question, though - how do i use the "personal webpage" feature?
I don't seem to find it in the web interface.

Do I have to install lighttpd for this to work, or is that only necessary only if I use PHP, MySQL etc. ?

lighttpd is a good choice for a webserver, it can be combined together with php and mysql... it has lot's of options, just like apache, only a bit more simplified imo.

if you don't need any php or mysql it might be easier to install thttpd...

I made a nice how-to for lighttpd with php, mysql and eaccelerator: http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=20306
:)
14-10-2009, 11:10
vladk2k

Thanks for your messages

I've installed thttpd, since I only need it for static webpages and readonly access to some file by symlinking them in the /var/www folder (ok, so it's not /var/www but I'm used to that value on Linux)

Is there any way to tell the WL500g that traffic from the outside should be redirected to port 8080, so that if I access it from ouside via http://external_ip I get the thttpd contents, but if I access it from the inside, by http://router or http://192.168.1.1 , I get the Asus web ui?