Introduction

Linksys WRT54GX Version 2.0

The Linksys WRT54GXv2 is now a whole new animal from what the LinksysWRT54GX originally was. The new version 2 now supports detachable SMA antennas and QoS by port and MAC address (with 4 different levels; High, Medium, Normal, and Low). It is a solid unit with good stability and great range. There may now be a worthy successor to the throne of the LinksysWRT54GS for a home/home office wireless router.

"Linksys WRT54Gv2 Downloads Page"

Specifications

Firmware

Version 2.00.08: Jul 19, 2005

1. Fixed where all ports were scanned as closed, not stealth
2. DMZ LED was not turning on and off when enabled and disabled.
3. Fixed security hole were the router's web interface can be access through
4. Fixed Static DNS does not work in DHCP and PPPoE mode.
5. Added TKIP+AES configuratioin for both PSK/Radius webpage.
6. Added Status Router page will update every 10 seconds.
7. Fixed Timezone had no effect in PPPoE, unless it was rebooted.
8. Fixed issue with associating when in a noise environment.

*First release to work with Mac

Version 2.00.05: May 27, 2005

First release

*The web interface only works through Internet Explorer on a PC. If you are unfortunate like I was to have a Mac as your main computer you have to switch to a PC, download the new firmware and upgrade through IE on the PC. Once the upgrade is performed to the newest firmware version it should work in Mozilla/K, or what ever you use.

FAQ (Incompatibilities/fixes)

Notes

August 11, 2005 - "aaronmarks"

I just set one of these up for the first time today with Vonage and was happy to see that there is now the addition of QoS on the WRT54GXv2. The firewall on these seems to behave much differently than the WRT54G(S). It actually blocked the voice traffic using a Linksys PAP2 behind the firewall which never was an issue with the Linksys wireless routers that I had used before. To get past this I dialed into the PAP2's config menu's by pressing **** and changed it to have a static IP address and then forwarded ports 5060-5061 UDP and 10k-20k UDP to that Static IP.

I have a few gripes though with this new Router:

1. Why would Linksys lower the amount of RAM from the WRT54GS to this new WRT54GXv2 from 32MB/8MB to 16MB/4MB (same as the old WRT54G).
2. There is now no WDS options and although I understand where this is coming from it would have made more sense to make it backwards compatible with the older G stuff so that it could be used to either expand the network or bridge to a cool devices like an Airport Express.
3. The wireless performance does not seem to be that much better when used with wireless-G equipment; you really have to have the new MIMO cards which isn't an option for people like me who are using Apple laptops.
4. There was a great parental controls features in the WRT54GS that I sold to a bunch of my clients (I'm an IT Consultant), that is now no longer present in the WRT54GXv2. It was a subscription service that seemed to work very well.

I just don't understand how it could be beneficial to Linksys and the end user to be taking steps backwards like this. And I don't believe that the "You must take one step back before taking two steps forward" analogy applies here. Case in point