ASUS wl-500gP - which firmware?

[Bezan]

Hello,
I`ve just bought new ASUS wl-500gP. I`m wondering which firmware should I install. Originall is too basic. There are no options like bandwich manager. Is there something more or only ddwrt and openwrt?

[mihi32]

Hi!

There are 4 generally used firmwares:
1)Asus original firmware and their revisions;
2)OpenWRT;
3)Oleg;
4)DD-WRT.

I like DD-WRT.
If you want custom options and have the time and the skills required, you can get the source code and modify it to your need!

[newbiefan]

I like it too, but olegs firmware is much better, its simply focused to asus!
And everything is possible with Olegs firmware.
Anyhow, I would suggest to try it, just to allow a comparision between the different firmwares.
I tried so far:
Packetprotector - excellent firmware, focus is security, based on openwrt - disadvantage is a lack of support except openwrt wikis. But they started now a wiki, this should change all a bit in the future.
Openwrt - fits perfect if you wanna read a lot to get knowledge for a continuous installation of different packages. Or the better way is to be a linux guy or to become one - then its one of the best firmware.
Freewrt - is just a openwrt-fork, nothing real new, very good is the online firmware image builder, provided you know what you want to do and what you need. If you wanna brick your router and you are newbie, you get a high chance for it.
DD-WRT - very good firmware, but has too many bugs. And it is really bothersome, that for instance a WDS connection between V23 and V24 on the same routers does not work. Wiki is good, but too much splitted - you have to know for what you are searching or you are not able to find it.

Well and now I'm back to Olegs, because it contains everything from the beginning what the others can do after long searching, reading and hacking.
Different howtos available for a start from scratch. And all crosscompiled packages are available from nslu.org. Yeah, if you want you can compile and install everything whatever is available in the world of our penguin (linux) - welcome!!

[EddieZ]

Don't forget about Tomato (v1.10)

[newbiefan]

Well, just to complete the list:

Talisman goes public!
(I would be very, very careful)

http://www.linksysinfo.org/forums/sh...ad.php?t=54630
http://www.sveasoft.com/

Funny, goes public - what does it mean? From where? From GNU GPL to public?
I think, I've to learn again reading!!
Never heard such nonsens.

[ondrous]

Hello everyone.

Is there any hassle-free way how to have a mediaserver function with the Oleg firmware? (I mean not installing any Twonkymedia or so on it).

Also, is there any "trottlefest" way how to have the USB disk in Network Neighborhood mode, instead of that configuring Samba (which is complicated for users with no Linux eperience)?

Don't kill me please for my "stupid" questions. I'm just a BFU

Thanks O.

[newbiefan]

Hello everyone.

Is there any hassle-free way how to have a mediaserver function with the Oleg firmware? (I mean not installing any Twonkymedia or so on it).

Also, is there any "trottlefest" way how to have the USB disk in Network Neighborhood mode, instead of that configuring Samba (which is complicated for users with no Linux eperience)?

Don't kill me please for my "stupid" questions. I'm just a BFU

Thanks O.

Well, hopefully you've recognized that we are talking about a router.
But you can expect an embedded linux system with olegs fw, hence you can install an unbelievable amount of software. It is normal, that you have to read manuals (howtos) in order to install wanted/needed software. I would say it is hassle free in any case, as long as you are willing to read something.
Further you've to determine what you want - just search for mediaserver and decide which mediaserver will fit your needs.

As we are talking about a router with network and server capabilities, you have to use samba. Even a simple NAS storage device is using samba, maybe preinstalled, but with samba!

Therefore I suggest you read this, just to see how you can install something.
http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=10307
And then you should have a look at this:
http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/Optware/Packages
and have a closer look - it's impressive how many packages are available.

[cmge]

hi

i just got my wl-500gp and have been contemplating whcih firmware is good for me...

ive tried DD-WRT v23 SP2 and SP3 and it worked for a bit... SP2 had a power LED bug where it was turned off.. so i tried SP3 and well after my router rebooted... it never worked again... so i ended up using the short 9pin trick... -_- ... my router is back to normal using hte latest asus firmware...

tho the asus firmware is basic i would like to be able to use the full potential of my router.. ive been suggested OLEG's or OpenWRT... but am i even able to use it even tho im using windows?... i have very little to no knowledge of linux commands and am afraid to try either OLEG or OpenWRT... but i wouldnt mind learning either...

ive read that OLEG is very close to asus firmware with OpenWRT capabilites.. all i really want to use the router for is torrent download, QoS, and use the usb ports as well for webcams and portable hdds

any help and insight would be appreciated.. thanks in advance

[newbiefan]

Well, everything is possible with Olegs FW.
The only point is, that you must read/follow some tutorials.
I use 2 WL500gP, one as AP with a complete webserver, FTP-server, fileserver (samba2), torrent, and automatic backup-server as well as several USB-Sticks and HDDs.
The second is used for a mobile wireless INET-connection in my car or elsewhere with USB HDD 2".
Have fun...

[pitsch]

openwrt
only white russian (kernel 2.4)
needs new mini-pci atheros card (25€) to work with kamikaze (krnl. 2.6)
http://wiki.openwrt.org/OpenWrtDocs/...e/Asus/WL500GP

dd-wrt
fork of openwrt, works better out of the box than openwrt. router focused.
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php...L-500g_Premium (german)
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Optware
http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downl..._mini_asus.trx

Packetprotector
router, security, vpn and firewall focused, based on openwrt
http://packetprotector.org/

x-wrt
webinterface for openwrt
http://wiki.x-wrt.org/index.php/Installation_Guide

freewrt
fork of openwrt, not many updates lately
http://www.freewrt.org/trac/

freifunk
urban meshwork focused (OLSR & batman)
http://download.berlin.freifunk.net/ipkg/_trx/
http://wiki.leipzig.freifunk.net/Asus_WL-500GP

Tomato
based on linksys firmware, focuses on router functionality
http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato

hivenet
for asus wl hdd , art projects, microradio
http://downloads.hivenet.org/firmware/


CONCLUSION

if you need the choice of many precompiled packages, optware is the way to go. a more detailed comparision with the current install of dd-wrt would be interesting. while dd-wrt has a professionalist approach and a nice web interface, olegs firmware is well maintained, works out of the box and has a bigger and more supportive active user community. all other solutions are focused on specific usage scenarios. they are less easy to be upgraded with tested audio streaming, media server, p2p, NAS, webcam and other extra functionality. you can do that with openwrt on your own, or go with the unified efforts of the optware and oleg community.

if asus only would come out with an new "black" 500gp, 128 MB of ram and 4 usb ports... they would set up a new standard. then it only would need a reimplementation of the old asf-webinterface based on extendable standard solutions (perl/php/python..). oleg´s firmware would be certainly the best basis for such a wonderful box.