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Thread: Connecting 2 extra USB ports (Asus 500gx)

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  1. #1

    Thumbs up Connecting 2 extra USB ports (Asus 500gx)

    Hi everyone,
    Asus WL-500gx has 2 more USB ports "hidden inside". Here are some pictures of my 500gx now with 3 USB connectors - feel free to get inspired

    I took a USB extension bracket for PC motherboards and unmounted one of the connectors. Some shuffling was needed to create the correct pinhead pinout. The on-board pinhead has only 2xDATA+, 2xDATA- (there are 2 ports) and GND. To make the USB complete, +5V is required. There's a spot prepared for a capacitor nearby - an ideal candidate for +5V and another GND for shielding. However this needs some soldering

    Cable colors in my case are as follows:
    DATA+ - green
    DATA- - white
    GND - black
    shielding - black

    DATA+ and DATA- are marked on the board as USB_3P/USB_4P and USB_3N/USB_4N respectively.

    Mounting the USB connector on the back of the box is just a matter of handicraft. A drill and a sharp knife should suffice to do it nicely.
    Attached Images Attached Images   

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
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    Russian Federation
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    8,356
    Good job, but keep in mind, that extra USB devices will require extra power from your power supply.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Netherlands
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    Hehe, one can make a software RAID5 array consisting 3 active and one hot-backup HDD's using 4 USB ports on the WL500gx. It sure can use the extra CPU power the gx has to offer.

  4. Nice little trick

    Very nice!

    I just did this and it works like a charm - I had this shitty USB 2 stick - which always fell apart - so why not put it to proper use and mount in inside of this nice router.

    So this was what i did - and now i have a permanent 128mb disk to store my /opt and ipkg systems on

    Here are some pics of the job I did.

    Pic1
    Pic2


    //EoniX
    Last edited by Mr.EoniX; 19-04-2005 at 21:04.

  5. #5

    Harddisk in WL500g Deluxe

    Hi!

    Thanks for your hints! I managed to add a 10 GB 2,5" Harddrive to my WL500g Deluxe

    56k warning: all images ~500k

    I used the IDE-USB-adapter from an external USB-HD-case, which I got from ebay for 10 EUR.
    HD with IDE-USB-adaptor
    All other parts can be found in the heaps of computer junk any geek has lying around.
    But I also heard rumors of shops were you actually by that stuff.

    I had to remove the connector from the board and solder the USB cable directly onto it to fit it in the case of the router.
    USB-adapter with soldered USB-cable
    I did not solder the +5V (red cable) and shielding directly to the board, but instead used a strip. I had to bend the pins a little bit, to be able to push them in.
    Strip for +5V and shielding (sorry, a little bit blurry)

    Attaching the connectors to the USB-cable took me years.
    The two pin connector is from a computer power switch, the 8 pin connector is from a PS/2 port.
    +5V/Shielding Connector (Warning: the USB pinout is wrong)
    USB Connector (right pinout)
    WARNING: make sure you don't mess up the polarity!

    A test run. YES! It works!
    Code:
    $ ssh root@192.168.0.25
    root@192.168.0.25's password:
    
    
    BusyBox v1.00 (2005.06.25-07:50+0000) Built-in shell (ash)
    Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.
    
      _______                     ________        __
     |       |.-----.-----.-----.|  |  |  |.----.|  |_
     |   -   ||  _  |  -__|     ||  |  |  ||   _||   _|
     |_______||   __|_____|__|__||________||__|  |____|
              |__| W I R E L E S S   F R E E D O M
     WHITE RUSSIAN (RC1) -------------------------------
      * 2 oz Vodka   Mix the Vodka and Kahlua together
      * 1 oz Kahlua  over ice, then float the cream or
      * 1/2oz cream  milk on the top.
     ---------------------------------------------------
    root@OpenWrt:~# cat /proc/partitions
    major minor  #blocks  name
    
       8     0    9820440 scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/disc
       8     1    9820144 scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1
    root@OpenWrt:~# insmod ext2
    Using /lib/modules/2.4.30/ext2.o
    root@OpenWrt:~# insmod jbd
    Using /lib/modules/2.4.30/jbd.o
    root@OpenWrt:~# insmod ext3
    Using /lib/modules/2.4.30/ext3.o
    root@OpenWrt:~# mount -t ext3 /dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1  /mnt/
    root@OpenWrt:~# df -h
    Filesystem                Size      Used Available Use% Mounted on
    /dev/root                 3.2M      2.2M      1.0M  68% /
    none                     14.9M     16.0k     14.9M   0% /tmp
    /dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1     9.2G     34.6M      8.7G   0% /mnt
    Ok, but I wanted it nice and clean => closed case
    A test fit
    Well, it didn't work this way. The harddrive touched the tall IC next to the switch.
    I used the cover of a cable duct to mount the harddisk.
    Mounting 1
    Mounting 2
    And some hot glue art...
    As you can see, I've cut out a window to improve ventilation.
    Fits like a second skin.

    Case closed, without bezels:
    Back 1
    Back 2
    Front 1
    Front 2
    Hope you can recognize anything.


    Finished!

    I have not installed the rear bezel for better ventilation. I think I will make one from a piece of mesh or something like that.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Russian Federation
    Posts
    8,356
    Nice work. Perhaps you should replace power supply with more powerful.

  7. #7
    hi,
    one question is it not more smart and easy to use a usb hub?
    BIG Thx

    PhanToMiC

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Austria
    Posts
    125
    Quote Originally Posted by PHanToMiC
    one question is it not more smart and easy to use a usb hub?
    Easy? Probably.
    But it is certainly more fun to use the hidden powers contained in this simple grey case. (Just kidding ) IMHO including a storage device inside the router looks much better (because you can't see it from the outside); it's also rather difficult to get it disconnected by accident.

  9. #9
    Heya..

    i own also a ASUS WL-500g Deluxe and found an old additonal USB Part for my of my old ASUS A7V Board

    Pics added..

    Question: Can i use one of them to install a usb flash device hard into the router?



  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    377
    Hi

    This looks promissing, you have large caps for the voltage rail and the series resistors in the rata lines. The other two small parts may be caps aswell, duno (are there on each port two smd parts with numbers on it and two without ?).

    It may be simpler to solder cables direktly to your usb flash pen after removing it from his housing other then fitting it with the relative large usb-slot pcb into the router.

    greets
    My Stuff: WL-500g, Mapower H31x 10GB HD, Philips Webcam Vesta PRO, TerraTec Webcam PRO, USB Hub

  11. #11
    I'm new to the world of WL-500 ownership and have picked up a WL-500G Premium. With one USB port now housing a memory stick and the other connecting to my Topfield TF5800, I'd like to add another USB port for NAS.

    How different should I expect the innards of the WL-500GP to be from the Gx ? Is there a final/recommended configuration/set of parts for those considering adding a port ?

    From various searches of this forum I'm unclear as to whether additional componentry is recommended over and above a basic USB motherboard connector plus a 5V connector soldered in.

    TIA

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by CraigB View Post
    How different should I expect the innards of the WL-500GP to be from the Gx ? Is there a final/recommended configuration/set of parts for those considering adding a port ?

    ...
    from the posted pics of Premium innards I can't spot the equivalent pcb connector to this:
    http://www.rtg-party.dk/~eonix/P1010043.jpg
    of the deluxe, so you're probably out of luck.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    74
    Unfortunately many of the photos in this post are no longer available online.
    Any chance of hosting them elsewhere?

  14. #14

    right PIN for GND ?

    Hi everyone,
    I'm trying to connect an extra usb-port but I'm wondering why you all use the pin called "GPI01" on the lower left for GND (not the shielding one) and not the pin above it called "GND"... i thought you need 5V+ for the usb-port and i just measured it: + from capacitor against GPI01 and it's only ~1.7V... (ok, against GND-capacitor it's +5V and against GND-pin it's also +5V... but you use GPI01 ;-) )
    Anyone who can help me? just want to be sure that i use the right pins and soldering points and want my router to stay alive...
    Thanks.

    So long,
    Djongambo

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