Modded my WRT54G router [pics]

[Theorie]

I did this to another router back in 2005 or 2006.

Finally had a chance to do it to my current router. I tapped into the router's 12v power with a resistor to slow down the fan speed. Might think about adding an adjustable controller later.

Running the latest DD-WRT firmware. So far I've increased the Wireless Xmit power from 28mW up to 112mW. Also increased the Broadcom chip from 200MHz up to 216MHz.

Attached heatsink w/ Arctic Alumina thermal adhesive:

Dremmeled the cover, attached a low-profile 70mm fan & fan grill:

Going back together:

All done!

 

[Trap05]

Nicely done!

 

[Diddyu]

Needs some lighting now
Do you have anything on your other mods?

 

[jason4207]

Nice work!

Just don't sit it in your lap when it's powered on...unless you don't want anymore kids! j/k

I would also like to see how you accomplished the OCing and the Tx power mods.

 

[Theorie]

I would also like to see how you accomplished the OCing and the Tx power mods.

if you load the DD-WRT firmware it allows you to overclock the router and also increase the broadcast signal.

i just stepped them up until i found what was stable

 

[d94]

so what differences did you see in performance going from 28mW to 112mW? and ocing the chip?

 

[majinwar]

so what differences did you see in performance going from 28mW to 112mW? and ocing the chip?

I would also like to know this. I am going to be buying the WRT54GL very soon and I need the signal to go as far as I can get it.

Ocing the chip I'm not as interested in, as they only have 2 wireless computers, but the 28 to 112mW I'm very interested in!

Nice work btw!

 

[Jolly-Swagman]

Nicely done! What type of Fan did you use?

 

[Th3 F4ll3n P1mp]

Thats a ballin' router man...gotta do it to mine now lol!

 

[Moto7451]

I did this at work with a DSL modem/router combo unit. Mine wasn't nearly as pretty lol.

 

[terran2k]

does that router have vents other than the top where u put the fan? otherwise, the air would have no place to go.

 

[silencer51]

Incredibly awesome mod!

Definitely the coolest router I have ever seen

If only I could run DD-WRT on my WAG200G

 

[nd4spdbh2]

Very VERY CLEANLY done!

But you realize that outputting more than ~ 75mw will actually degrade your signal quality thus making your wifi connection worse than if you had it at 68-75mw... signal quality is SO much more important than signal strength (this is not to say a weak signal is good but if you have 25% or above signal already, there is NO use in trying to make your signal strength greater by outputting more than 75mw as signal quality will greatly degrade)

I mean i can take my wrt54gl with a cantenna and an output of 50mw (up from the stock 23-28) and go a mile and a half up to the pond in the farmland and get signal from my house. with a parabolic antenna on the laptop end.

 

[Dassassin]

Very VERY CLEANLY done!

[...]and go a mile and a half up to the pond in the farmland and get signal from my house. with a parabolic antenna on the laptop end.

Where does one get a parabolic antenna for receiving wireless signal?

 

[BLHealthy4life]

very nice mod! I think I may do the same to mine now!

GREAT idea.

BL

 

[Theorie]

so what differences did you see in performance going from 28mW to 112mW? and ocing the chip?

haha i'll probably never notice. i rarely use wireless, my desktop is directly connected.

Nicely done! What type of Fan did you use?

70mm x 10mm off off an old AMD XP heatsink

does that router have vents other than the top where u put the fan? otherwise, the air would have no place to go.

there are vents in the bottom of the router

Very VERY CLEANLY done!

But you realize that outputting more than ~ 75mw will actually degrade your signal quality thus making your wifi connection worse than if you had it at 68-75mw... signal quality is SO much more important than signal strength (this is not to say a weak signal is good but if you have 25% or above signal already, there is NO use in trying to make your signal strength greater by outputting more than 75mw as signal quality will greatly degrade)

hmmm, i'll have to play with the output to see what works best then. thanks for the tip

 

[nd4spdbh2]

the parabolic dish was made from a template online, just search google for something of the sort

 

[Theorie]

little update...

i replaced the resistor with a speed adjustable knob at the front of the router. i used this fan speed controller after removed it form the PCI bracket. i also switched out the fan (it started to make a lot of noice, i think the bearings were going bad).

here are the results:

 

[JamesXP]

You should paint the blue, black

 

[Theorie]

You should paint the blue, black

hmmm i like that idea...