Newbie question about firmware upgrading

[Jasman]

Hello.

I've just gotten a WL-500g Deluxe. After hesitating, I tried the latest non-beta firmware upgrade from this site. The upgrade went fine, as far as I could tell, but after changing a few default settings, I began having intermittent connection problems. Not being an expert in advanced settings, I decided to downgrade back to the latest ASUS firmware, which also seemed to go okay. I still had some intermittent disconnection problems, so I removed WPA encryption (which I had established again after the downgrade), and that seems to have helped.

Now I've seen that the latest beta firmware might address disconnection problems associated with P2P programs. I might want to try another upgrade when that firmware goes non-beta (thanks for all the firmware, BTW).

Questions:

1) In the firmware upgrade HOWTO, there is a suggestion to use the ASUS firmware restoration tool. However, the user's guide from ASUS says only to use this method of upgrading on a router with a previously botched upgrade - NOT one with current, working firmware. Anyone have any thoughts about this?

2) What, exactly, are the appropriate methods for clearing the memory prior to and/or after an upgrade? I've unplugged, waited 30 seconds, then held the reset button while replugging the router and held for 10-plus seconds, and still some settings seem to remain in memory. Should the reset button alone accomplish the same thing, and did I imagine it or is there some small program out there that actually wipes the router memory? Any suggestions?

3) The posts of beta firmware say to beware because downgrading can be difficult or impossible. Since I seem to have succeeded once downgrading from a non-beta firmware, I'm wondering about this warning. Is this only a potential problem when upgrading with beta firmware? Should anyone wishing to avoid disaster just stay away from the custom firmware upgrades, or can I feel somewhat safe in the notion that I could downgrade if necessary from a non-beta custom firmware?

Any comments are much appreciated. TIA

Josh

[int]

Hello.

I've just gotten a WL-500g Deluxe. After hesitating, I tried the latest non-beta firmware upgrade from this site. ...

First what fw you update the 500gx ?

[int]

I still had some intermittent disconnection problems, so I removed WPA encryption (which I had established again after the downgrade), and that seems to have helped.

Yes. Actualy the fw are an bug in WAP!! (i dont known if 500gx have too)

1) In the firmware upgrade HOWTO, there is a suggestion to use the ASUS firmware restoration tool. However, the user's guide from ASUS says only to use this method of upgrading on a router with a previously botched upgrade - NOT one with current, working firmware. Anyone have any thoughts about this?

The ASUS firmware restoration tool, is only when wl500gx dont work! (when we update bad, a fw)

2) What, exactly, are the appropriate methods for clearing the memory prior to and/or after an upgrade? I've unplugged, waited 30 seconds, then held the reset button while replugging the router and held for 10-plus seconds, and still some settings seem to remain in memory. Should the reset button alone accomplish the same thing, and did I imagine it or is there some small program out there that actually wipes the router memory? Any suggestions?

The best methods for clean the memory are to make a hard reset.
After a hw reset and software reset, and wait 10s (power off the 500gx) the 500gx are absolutly clear to default fw..

3) The posts of beta firmware say to beware because downgrading can be difficult or impossible. Since I seem to have succeeded once downgrading from a non-beta firmware, I'm wondering about this warning. Is this only a potential problem when upgrading with beta firmware? Should anyone wishing to avoid disaster just stay away from the custom firmware upgrades, or can I feel somewhat safe in the notion that I could downgrade if necessary from a non-beta custom firmware?

This warning are only for warning! I have test very Beta fw without any problem.

[Jasman]

I'm not sure if I understand your reset method, but everything else is clear, thanks. The firmware I had tried updating with was 1.9.2.7-c3, deluxe version. I think I'll try again when the 1.9.3.5 goes non-beta.