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Or just put OpenWRT[1] on it. It's a real Linux distribution with a package manager and everything. You can even disable the webinterface, if you don't trust it

Or just put OpenWRT[1] on it. It's a real Linux distribution with a package manager and everything. You can even disable the webinterface, if you don't trust it, and use SSH. EDIT: WRT54GL is pretty old and it won't run the default build of OpenWRT Attitude Adjustment (the newest release). It also probably won't have enough memory to operate the package manager or the webinterface. But I do have one running a custom build. The only downside is that you need to decide which software to include upfront. Their build tool is rather friendly[2]. EDIT2: You can have a VPN server and any routing you like on OpenWRT, same with Samba, radvd, vnstat... There are even webUI pluings (luci-app-whatever) so you can control those from the webinterface for ease of access. It is a real Linux distro that just happens to run on routers. [1] https://openwrt.org/ https://openwrt.org/ [2] http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/build http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/build

tobbez 14y ago
> It also probably won't have enough memory to operate [...] the webinterface. It does have enough memory for the web interface - at least for the one in KAMIKAZE (8.09.2, r18961), the version mine is running.
AnthonyMouse 14y ago
The trouble with the WRT54G series (and most of these little routers) is that they have ~200MHz CPUs and ~16MB of RAM. This is, incidentally, why they often crash when you open a lot of simultaneous connections -- memory exhaustion. I find that if you're interested in experimenting with a Linux router, old PCs are a much better choice. You can get a PowerPC G3 or G4 or a late model Pentium III for practically zero money (if not literally zero money out of a trash heap) and PCI NICs for secondary interfaces are similarly inexpensive. For only slightly more money the G4 Mac Mini is an excellent choice for a wireless router. Then you have a processor that is several times faster and can put arbitrarily much memory and storage in it to suit your needs and then put your favorite Linux router distribution (or Debian) on it and have at it.
- TylerE 14y ago
  You might be shocked by the power bill for running one of those older beasts 24/7.
  - davidroberts 14y ago
    Use more recent notebook with a bad display. Much less power needed, and you can get one for free or really cheap. Or use that three-year old notebook you've replaced, and turn off the display.
  - AnthonyMouse 14y ago
    Idle power consumption, measured at the plug by a watt meter: Dell Optiplex (1.4GHz Pentium III): 32W ($5.76/month @ $0.25/KWh) Mac Mini (1.25GHz G4): 17W ($3.06/month @ $0.25/KWh) Even if a WRT54G uses zero watts, you're still talking about a year before you even recover the $50 cost of one, and in any event ~$50/year is not a very expensive hobby.
    - justin66 14y ago
      It's interesting the way you drew the opposite conclusion that I would. I look at that and think "$50 a year to route a few packets? To heck with that." Part of that is surely that I don't see what makes having a very ordinary Linux box sitting around making noise a hobby. To each his own.
    - kragen 14y ago
      A one-year payback time means an IRR (hope I'm using that term right!) of 100%. If you're choosing between putting your money into paying down your mortgage at 6%, investing in the stock market at 3% (plus or minus enormous volatility), insulating your house at 20%, or replacing your old PC router with a cheap MIPS box at 100%, go for the cheap MIPS box!
      - TylerE 14y ago
        That's assuming you paid $0 for hardware, and your time is worth nothing.
bvdbijl 14y ago
Unfortunately, that doesn't really help normal customers because they can't be bothered with doing stuff like flashing an alternative firmware

tobbez 14y ago

> It also probably won't have enough memory to operate [...] the webinterface. It does have enough memory for the web interface - at least for the one in KAMIKAZE (8.09.2, r18961), the version mine is running.

AnthonyMouse 14y ago

The trouble with the WRT54G series (and most of these little routers) is that they have ~200MHz CPUs and ~16MB of RAM. This is, incidentally, why they often crash when you open a lot of simultaneous connections -- memory exhaustion. I find that if you're interested in experimenting with a Linux router, old PCs are a much better choice. You can get a PowerPC G3 or G4 or a late model Pentium III for practically zero money (if not literally zero money out of a trash heap) and PCI NICs for secondary interfaces are similarly inexpensive. For only slightly more money the G4 Mac Mini is an excellent choice for a wireless router. Then you have a processor that is several times faster and can put arbitrarily much memory and storage in it to suit your needs and then put your favorite Linux router distribution (or Debian) on it and have at it.

TylerE 14y ago
You might be shocked by the power bill for running one of those older beasts 24/7.
- davidroberts 14y ago
  Use more recent notebook with a bad display. Much less power needed, and you can get one for free or really cheap. Or use that three-year old notebook you've replaced, and turn off the display.
- AnthonyMouse 14y ago
  Idle power consumption, measured at the plug by a watt meter: Dell Optiplex (1.4GHz Pentium III): 32W ($5.76/month @ $0.25/KWh) Mac Mini (1.25GHz G4): 17W ($3.06/month @ $0.25/KWh) Even if a WRT54G uses zero watts, you're still talking about a year before you even recover the $50 cost of one, and in any event ~$50/year is not a very expensive hobby.
  - justin66 14y ago
    It's interesting the way you drew the opposite conclusion that I would. I look at that and think "$50 a year to route a few packets? To heck with that." Part of that is surely that I don't see what makes having a very ordinary Linux box sitting around making noise a hobby. To each his own.
  - kragen 14y ago
    A one-year payback time means an IRR (hope I'm using that term right!) of 100%. If you're choosing between putting your money into paying down your mortgage at 6%, investing in the stock market at 3% (plus or minus enormous volatility), insulating your house at 20%, or replacing your old PC router with a cheap MIPS box at 100%, go for the cheap MIPS box!
    - TylerE 14y ago
      That's assuming you paid $0 for hardware, and your time is worth nothing.

bvdbijl 14y ago

Unfortunately, that doesn't really help normal customers because they can't be bothered with doing stuff like flashing an alternative firmware