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Unleash the Power of Your Router!

by NostalgicStone on May 9, 2010

Table of Contents

License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Intro: Unleash the Power of Your Router! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1: LEGAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 2: Do Not Run With Scissors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 3: Gather the Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 4: Dissect the Specimen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 5: Add Power Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

step 6: Aquire Heatsink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

step 7: Install Heatsink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

step 8: Mount the External Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

step 9: Wire It up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa)

Intro: Unleash the Power of Your Router!

In this Instructable, we will be adding fans, a heatsink, and 9dB antenna to the LINKSYS WRT54G series router for use with DD-WRT firmware upgrade!

These routers are…well…

awesome.

Before we begin I wanted to provide a rundown on the router to spark your interest, especially if you’ve never caught wind of its awesomeness! J

They have been implemented in more scenarios than almost any other router on the market due to cost, ease of use, and potential abilities. With the GL being
Newegg.com ‘s number one selling wireless router as well as on the sites Top Ten sold of ALL products (as of today 5/10/2010) and the GS reported in New York Times
Online Top 10 Most Popular Routers worldwide(as of today 5/10/2010) , you cannot go wrong with this little wolf in sheep’s clothing.

The $50 WRT54G with DD-WRT firmware in a parabolic dish setup helped to set the 2nd place world record for unamplified Wi-Fi distance in Venezuela @ 173miles!!!!
Second only to the $100 XR5 on a $190 PCEngine WRAP board at 189miles in Italy. Recap here Long Range Wi-Fi Wiki

Most versions of this router have the ability to upgrade its firmware to an open-source Linux build called DD-WRT downloadable from DD-WRT (free). If you decide to
upgrade to a firmware on this site, PLEASE read ALL the directions, FAQ, Wiki and Forum EXTREMELY THUROUGHLY, as improper firmware flashing can leave you with a very
expensive paperweight. I cannot stress this enough! You have been warned!

With a (somewhat) simple upgrade to the appropriate firmware, this $40 - $60 router can save you hundreds of dollars and open up a seemingly endless amount of
capabilities (and void the warranty). Chances are though, if you’re confident in performing these upgrades, you couldn’t give a darn about warranties. You’ve already
voided more of them than you care to keep track of. AmIright?

The purpose of upgrading this router is so that we can safely use the "DD-WRT" firmware "Overclocking" and "Increased Transmit" functions to their max without having
to worry about overheating issues!

Note: I’ve heard several people arguing that adding heatsinks is not necessary; that they have maxed theirs out without any problems. I have personally burned out 2 of
these units, and had serious stability issues in others due to overheating by maxing out without extra heatsinks at the very least. Please refrain from filling the comments
section with “You don’t need heatsinks or fans” comments or the likes. If you don’t want to install them, keep it to yourself. Thank you! J

This type of upgrade is most useful in very large households, businesses, neighborhood-Wi-Fi, trailer parks, RV parks, campsites, etc.

With this one I’ll be using it for an ad-supported neighborhood Wi-Fi which provides both an internet source for people who cannot afford it, but also a way to reduce
costs for the person who pays for the source connection- usually high speed cable service that a single household will never fully utilize; unless you have a pirate in the
midst. (YaaarRrRR, I cannot condone piracy, mateys!)

In this Instructable I will not be covering flashing the router with DD-WRT, nor will I covering its configuration. That is one thing that is far too router specific for me to want
to post. You can however find out all the information you need at the DD-WRT website.
!!WARNING!!
Do NOT buy antenna on ebay!
I have personally purchased a pair of "9dB Antenna" from a VERY reputable seller. They did not reach anywhere near 9dB. If you follow this instructable and use antenna you got from
ebay, don't complain when it doesnt work.

Having said everything I wanted to get out of the way: I hope you and all the wonderful Instructable enthusiasts enjoy this Instructable!

Comments, suggestions and questions are highly encouraged!

Without further ado, lets mod!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Image Notes
1. All done!

step 1: LEGAL
A community member has brought it to my attention that certain modifications to these and other routers can potentially cause the units to transmit at levels that may be
above legal limits.
Please read FCC Wireless Rules and Regulations before attempting any mods and adjust your power and transmit levels accordingly!!!!
Thanks Calis!
By continuing, the EU agrees that they have read the document, and comply with the rules listed within.

Personal Disclaimer:
By following any steps in this Instructable, the EU understand that I am not to be held responsible for anything you break, injuries inflicted, pets stolen, food spoiling or
any other damages done caused by following this guide, or while following this guide. Any digits, eyes, brain cells or the likes lost or damaged will have to be replaced at
your own expense and you will not be reimbursed for any of it. You have been warned. Again.

step 2: Do Not Run With Scissors

And always look both ways before crossing the street.

First and foremost, like all projects where small bits of plastic, glass, metal, wood or any fine particles could potentially leave you blind, or otherwise injured or uncomfortable - WEAR
YOUR FREAKING SAFETY GLASSES!

In this project we will be working with solder and flux fumes, both of which can cause cancer, so let’s not take any chances and wear a respirator that filters those fumes, or make
yourself a good fume extractor with carbon filter.

Lastly, put your favorite beanie on. If you get frustrated, your brains are likely to leak out your ear, and let’s face it, you’re just going to leave it for someone else to clean up.

It’s not shown in any of the pictures, but I am properly grounded when working with the unit powered off. If working with power, un-ground yourself or your likely to jump start your
heart, and that’s no good when it’s already doing its job.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Image Notes
1. Brains Protector
2. Box of Fig Newtons

step 3: Gather the Supplies

To get started, you’re going to need some supplies. One thing that makes the Instructables community so great is the members’ ability to improvise. In all reality were
like a bunch of real-life MacGyvers. Minus the explosions. Except for This guy. Not too many of those on here I’ve noticed. So if you don’t have some of the materials, and you
figure it out your own way, Make an Instructable and post the link in my comments! I’ll come check it out!

I don’t have one, been meaning to make one, but this is VERY handy. This one in particular is particularly impressive: Third Hand/ Helping Hands

Anywho, here’s what I used for the project:

1. WRT54G Series Router

· Click Here For DD-WRT compatible WRT54G routers
2. Vice Grip
3. Soldering Iron
4. Solder Wire
5. Soldering Flux
6. De-Soldering Braid
7. Thick stranded wire
· Approx 8 inch w/ ends exposed
8. Thin stranded wire
· Approx 4 inched w/ ends exposed
9. Electrical Tape & Packing Tape
10. Paint Brush
11. Isopropyl Alcohol
12. Cotton swabs
· 1 or 2
13. Old toothbrush
14. Wire Stripper/ Clipper
15. Sharpie
· Duh
16. Small Screwdriver
· Most likely Phillips
17. Very Short Screws
· 4
18. Needle-nose Pliers
19. Safety Pin
20. Dremel
· Bits and Cutting Tool: Varies on which ones you like most. lol
21. Fan for mounting on case: Whatever size you wish J

Extras that I recommend:

1. Dual 9dB Antenna

2. Small Fan-on-Heatsink
3. Small power switch for external fan (not shown in picture)
4. Hot-Glue-Gun
· For securing the power switch
5. Pringles Lid
· For mixing glues
6. Toothpicks
· For mixing glue
7. Arctic Alumina Ceramic Thermal Adhesive
· Newegg - $14
· You will use this on so many projects, it’s well worth the small investment

Go!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Image Notes
1. DeSoldering Braid
2. Thin Rosin Core Solder Wire
3. whattheflux?
4. Thin Speaker Wire
5. Alcohol in a spraybottle
6. Thick Speaker Wire
7. Dremel Bits Image Notes
8. Yes, theres only 2 here. You need 4. Not 2. 1. Old sticker fell off
9. Somone donate me a nice one please?
10. Wire Stripper/ Clipper
11. Paintbrush

Image Notes
1. Toothpick in Pringles Lid
2. Detailler Hot GlueGun
3. Mayan Artifact
4. Arctic Alumina Ceramic Thermal Adhesive. I love this stuff!
5. 9dB Antenna wewt!

step 4: Dissect the Specimen

After acquiring all the materials needed for this mod/upgrade, were going to have to take it apart. This is rather simple, but requires a decent amount of force.

Start by flipping it over, and placing your thumbs against the back of the two front legs. Press pretty hard on either side, and it will pop right off.

Grip the small lip on the back of the underside with one hand, and the base/ board with the other, and pull apart. They should come apart rather easily.

Take your small Phillips, and remove the 2 little screws holding the in place.

With your left hand, hold the plastic casing, and grip the board with your right. Slide the board away from you and it will slip right off the little placement pegs.

Flip the mainboard over.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Image Notes
1. Original antenna
2. Original antenna

Image Notes
1. aaaand warranty void

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Image Notes Image Notes
1. Remove these 1. Placement peg

Image Notes
1. Flip it over

step 5: Add Power Cable

Locate the solders thru-hole pins on the underside of the power jack. You’ll be applying a SMALL about of flux on them later, but the longer it sets there, better chance it has to corrode
your parts and can lead to dendrite growth. You’d be amazed at how fast stranded copper wire can corrode away with a tiny bit of flux left on it…

We’ll take our stranded wire, straighten it out, and strip both ends of it leaving about 1 - 1.5 cm exposed.

Now we’re going to take our paintbrushes, and dip JUST THE VERY TIP into the flux.

Twist the ends of the wire so the copper strands form a sort of spiral. I forgot to do this in this picture, but I corrected it later, and forgot to take a picture. Generations of selective OCD is
funny like that sometimes.

Gently apply the flux to JUST THE VERY TIP of the wire tips ON ONE END. If flux makes its way down past the wire shielding, you aren’t gonna be getting it out, and you might as
well get a new wire.

Press the side of the soldering iron tip to the speaker wire, and feed the solder wire through the other side. By doing this it heats more than just the point of solder contact which helps the
solder flow freely through the center of the wire strands.

Should look something like this when you’re done, except twisty. ( Because you aren’t going to forget that part :P )

Apply a minimal amount of flux to the two pins on the power jack.

Press your wire to the Jack, and press the side of the soldering iron tip to the top of the speaker wire until the bond, then remove the iron.

Do this to both wires.

Before we do anything else, we want to thoroughly clean the remaining flux from the board. For that we need to wash it several times with some isopropyl alcohol and a small (preferably
lintless) swab. I haven’t had any in a while, so I’m extra careful not to leave any particles on the board. Ive tried several methods for applying alcohol like eyedroppers, needle tipped

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
squirt tips and spray bottles. For this purpose, the spray bottle is the way to go. If I were removing tiny components, obviously I’d be using a needle tipped bottle, and a decent iron for
that matter.

Make sure the mainboard is THUROUGHLY cleaned!

Apply some electrical tape under the wires to protect it from the thru-hole solder tips that can slowly dig into the wire over time due to the vibration of the added fan(s).

Flip the mainboard over, and crease the wire along the side of the antenna plug. Since these edges are pretty sharp too, I also put electrical tape on them, buts it’s more than likely not
necessary.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Solder points 1. 12 guage stranded copper wire

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Image Notes
1. Needs to be twisted prior to tipping with solder

Image Notes
1. Just barely dab it on there

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 Image Notes
1. Remove ALL residue!

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Tape keeps through-hole solder points from piercing into wire 1. Bend here so the casing will fit back on

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
step 6: Aquire Heatsink
In this step, we will be adding the optional but recommended heatsink/ fan on the CPU. The best fan for this project in my opinion is a small but powerful heatsink mounted fan that you
can get off a bunch of old NVIDIA cards. I was lucky that a local computer shop had a box of the NVIDIA RIVA TNT 2 cards going for $2 a pop! I bought 15 in total and the guy gave
me a discount @ $20 total for the lot. I plan on modding many more of these routers in the future if anyone would like to buy a finished one, just let me know J

Flip the card over, and pinch the pins to release them.

Pull the heatsink off the chip; unplug it, and CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!

That abomination of a goop needs to be thoroughly cleaned off so the tiny particle silvers in the superior Arctic Silver Ceramic Adhesive can fit into the microscopic grooves on the
underside of the heatsink.

Clean with a lint-free cloth and rubbing alcohol over and over until no more residue rubs off and discolors the cloth.

Then clean it again.

Maybe once more.

That’s good.

Ok, stop.

Now we’re going to remove the pins and the fan. Save the screws cus were just gonna use em again.

This is a perfect opportunity to clean the topside of the heatsink. Take your old toothbrush, spray it with a bunch of alcohol and clean clean clean!

Now let’s break off the unnecessary metal brackets extending from the sides.
Grab your vice grips, clamp them on to the bracket nice and tight, and bend it back and forth till it snaps off.

Now take your wire clippers and trim the edges as much as you can.

If this is satisfactory for you, then you can skip the next part. I however love watching the sparks fly off metal objects I’m working on, so I rarely pass up the opportunity to grind out
sharp edges whenever I can :P

Grab your Dremel, attach your favorite spark-inducing grinding bit and enjoy the fireworks!

Once the edges are baby bottom smooth, it’s time to go ahead and work on that fan.
Now by default, the fan blows air AT the heatsink.
For this mod, we want the fan to blow heat up and out of the unit and away from the CPU.

It should be mentioned that it is a good idea to remove the sticker from this side, because heat, spin, and gravity will all be working against it when you flip the fan over.
I have only had it happen once, but the sticker came off and got jammed between the fan and heatsink, blocking the rotation. The router was not damaged, but the fan had to be replaced.

For added coolness, just flip the fan over and press it to the topside.
A dab of superglue might work if the adhesive doesn’t.

For this fan in particular, you’re going to need to drill larger openings on the other side of this fan for the screws to fit in.
I recommend using a cone shaped routing bit, but others can be used so long as you’re very cautious.
The cone shape helps keep you from drilling the holes TOO BIG all the way through, thus preventing you from accidentally making holes that the screws just falls through.

Also another perfect opportunity to clean something. Grab that old toothbrush and clean clean clean those fan blades if they need it, chances are they probably do!

Once you have drilled your holes large enough for the screws to drop in, but not all the way through, go ahead and mount it back to the heatsink.

To remove the white plug on the cord without cutting it, just slide your paperclip under the lip, grab the corresponding wire and give it a little pull.

Image Notes
1. Artifacts from the ayegeepee era

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Image Notes
1. Get this crap off there

Image Notes
1. Toothbrush 2: Light dust removal

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 Image Notes
1. Sharp edge
2. Sharp edge

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 Image Notes
1. Smooth edge :)

Image Notes
1. Flip over

Image Notes
1. Toothbrush 1: Heavy dust removal

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Image Notes
1. Dont go all the way through

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
step 7: Install Heatsink
In this step we will be mixing and applying theThermal Adhesive to the CPU, and mounting the heatsink/fan.
The ratio is equal 1A:1B. Mix them in the Pringles lid with the provided black mixing scraper wand thingy. This will become pretty thick and start setting in about 5 minutes, so keep it
movin quickly! J

Apply a THIN layer of the mixed thermal paste over the entire surface of the CPU.

Do not overdue it here, this is some extremely strong thermal glue that dries rock hard and will be holding onto that chip for years, even with minimal application. Chances are; once it
dries, you’re never going to get it that heatsink off unless you take the CPU with it.

Position your heatsink over the CPU at whatever orientation allows the entire chip to be covered, and WITHOUT letting the heatsink touch any other parts! (The arrangements of parts
varies with the different versions of this router), Press down firmly for about 30 seconds, and then find something heavy to set on top of it.

Let it dry for 2 hours.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Image Notes Image Notes
1. Mix in the pringles lid 1. This is where we mount the heatsink/ fan
2. Mix glue in pringles lid

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Apply THIN coat 1. Position over CPU, make sure surrounding parts will not be affected

Image Notes
1. This is how it fits best on the G. Each series/ revision will be different

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
step 8: Mount the External Fan
Take your fan, set it in the position you want it on top of your router, and tape it down.

Hook up your Dremel drilling tool; make your pilot holes for the screws.

Remove the tape and fan, attach your cutting tool to the Dremel and start cutting the pre-punched area on the top of the router.

Here I attached a switch on the large fan so it can be turned off if it gets too loud. I made a hole behind the fan for easy/ concealed access. Super glue on the bottom and a little Elmer’s
glue with ink from a Crayola marker mixed in on the top, and were good to go J

Image Notes Image Notes

1. On this particular mod, the user (Wardriver) wanted a switch to turn the fan on 1. This fan is just barely larger than the vent area
or off for noise control in public places

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Image Notes
1. Drilling pilot holes for screws

Image Notes
1. Hole cut out so the wires don't hit the fan blade

Image Notes
1. Hole for optional switch

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 Image Notes Image Notes
1. External fan power switch 1. Hot glue to hold switch and wires in place

step 9: Wire It up
The final step is to wire everything up.

The pictures for this section can sum it up much better than I can, so I’m going to leave it at that.

If you aren’t sure which large speaker wire to attach your little ones to, just plug it in, touch the wires together, and if it works, mark those wires. If it doesn’t, Mark the other wire.

I solder all the wire connections together, just follow the same steps as step 4 for wire soldering.

To put it back together, you follow the same directions as taking it apart, except backwards J

Now we can add the 9dB antenna, and this little puppy is primed and ready for some serious overclocking!

Again, this was my first Instructable so please be nice!

I really enjoyed working on this, and I’m glad I can finally give something back to the community.

You guys are awesome J

Image Notes Image Notes

1. These are split because there are two wires per end to connect 1. Heatsink attached

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 Image Notes Image Notes
1. Clip off protruding extra wire/ solder ends 1. Wrap electrical tape around the first wire once, then include the sedond wire on
the second pass

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Briefly pass electrical-tape-wrap over fire to shrink it around the wire 1. Pinch and roll between fingers while stil hot from lighter

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Should look like this 1. Everything back together

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 Image Notes
1. All done!

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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 66 comments

wlohsen says: May 12, 2010. 3:17 PM REPLY

The reason commercially available antennas don't exceed 6dBi is because it is illegal. You can transmit a max of 1 watt with a max antenna gain of 6dBi in
this band by FCC rules. By increasing your antenna gain and not scaling back your output power, you are technically breaking the law. just an FYI

NostalgicStone says: May 13, 2010. 1:27 AM REPLY

Linksys must be breaking the law on a massive scale then :/
Read the FCC rules under step1 "Legal" in the Instructable.
Thanks for the input!

Lance Mt. says: May 12, 2010. 11:14 PM REPLY

I'm under the impression that i could use this to run a server in my neighbour without the use of a isp? Useful.

wlohsen says: May 12, 2010. 3:07 PM

(removed by author or community request)

NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 3:14 PM REPLY

Interesting!
I was not aware of such laws!
I'm going to have to look into that, do you have any links available for me so I can start my research?
If this is the case, I will change this Instructable and use my personal 7dBi antenna so that I am not encouraging people to do something that could
potentially get them into any trouble!
Thank you for bringing this to my attention!

Calis says: May 12, 2010. 8:38 PM REPLY

http://www.wlanantennas.com/faq.php

There is some info on legal power limits. You may use a higher gain antenna, but you have to cut back on your power.

Here's a nice pdf file that gives you a chart.

NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 9:59 PM REPLY

Thanks Calis!
I have added an additional step to this process labeled “LEGAL” With a link to this PDF for users to DL so that everyone will know the limitations
when modding these routers!
Again, Thanks!

WIFIENGINEER says: May 12, 2010. 9:44 AM REPLY

Good info

However, the 9dbi antennas may create more drop outs and dead spots than the factory antennas.

Remember, when it comes to omni directional antennas, more gain does not mean better performance.

In order to achieve 9dbi, the beamwidth of the pattern has been squashed flat thus all signals that are coming from high angles will be much worse than
lower gain antennas.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 7:17 PM REPLY
Ooops! Did not mean too delete my response
(Thank goodness for Lazarus)

Thanks for the info!

If I put the stock antenna back on, fewer neighbors are able to connect to the network. With the 7dbi attached a couple of them (5 or 6 houses down)
report being able to connect sometimes, but not others. I assume this is because of the problem you are speaking of? I would love to learn more about
this!

beej2001 says: May 12, 2010. 6:34 PM REPLY

I modded my router quite similar to yours. Heatsinks on all the chips, and a small fan inside the case. I drilled all the holes top and bottom bigger, and called
it good.

It sat outside on my balcony for an entire Las Vegas summer with temps over 110 with no problems.

oh, and I painted my case yellow

NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 7:10 PM REPLY

Very cool man!
I like the color, reminds me of Bumblebee!
One thing I haven't done is drill the holes larger on the bottom
(seeing as I how I no longer have holes on the top lol)
I love it

Tachyon says: May 12, 2010. 2:19 PM REPLY

Good job on this instructable. Well put together and lots of photos.

I just have a question and a few comments.

- Question: Why the heatsinks?
I have half a dozen of these running DD-WRT. Most used as WDS bridges using external antennas. I have not had any problems with them that I can
relate to overheating. I think this is a common misconception about these routers. That they have heat related stability issues. If you have them in a
reasonably well ventilated area without stacking things on them or putting them in a hot area (ie sun) then they should run pretty solid. In fact mine have run
for months without a reboot.
-power issues. These units are however sensitive to unclean power and power spikes. If you plug them into a decent (ie APC) UPS that filters power they will
run stable for months at a time.
- Antenna. For indoor use, upgrading both antenna's may make sense as dual antennas can overcome some indoor obstacle related issues. However in
most cases, you only need to upgrade one antenna. This can not only save you the cost of two antennas, but you can put a little more into one really good
antenna.
The unit normally operates in diversity mode which means it will only use the best signal from the two antenna ports anyway. Therefore two matching
antennas are not necessary.
- TX power etc. I tested these units extensively before going production with them as WDS WAN bridges and I found that there was no benefit to monkeying
with most of the default settings. For example, upping the TXpower setting didn't increase range but did increase error rates and caused heat/crashing.
You're much better off upgrading the antenna than messing with the TXpower setting.
- Clock speed. Same as with TXPower. You can increase the clock rate on some models, but why? It runs DD-WRT fine at the default speed and the trade-
http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 off is increased heat and instability. In fact I've had to use an icepack on the CPU to get one to boot long enough to set the clock speed back to factory as a
minimal increase was instantly fatal. Causing the unit to not even boot long enough to be able to change it back.
-DD-WRT. Installing DD-WRT (or any other firmware replacement) is NOT for beginners or the impatient. You MUST read through all the info on the DD-
WRT site and know exactly how to upgrade your exact model router properly and with the correct firmware version. Failure to do so may brick the router.

Anyway, if you keep it simple, and treat these units right, add a good antenna and UPS, they can do awesome things. In fact I wish they still made them. The
new UFO type Linksys routers pretty much suck and are much less capable when running DD-WRT as they have small FLASH memories and can only run
the mini DD-WRT version. On top of all that, no external antenna or antenna port.

Thanks for the instructable and good luck with your WRT's.

NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 3:08 PM REPLY

Some great info there!
I am sure that many users will benefit from your comment here!
Thanks!
This is not for the common everyday user by any means!
Like I wrote about in the Instructable:
“Most versions of this router have the ability to upgrade its firmware to an open-source Linux build called DD-WRT downloadable from DD-WRT (free). If
you decide to upgrade to a firmware on this site, PLEASE read ALL the directions, FAQ, Wiki and Forum EXTREMELY THUROUGHLY, as improper
firmware flashing can leave you with a very expensive paperweight. I cannot stress this enough! You have been warned!”
Again, to EVERYONE: THIS IS NOT ABOUT DDWRT FLASHING, IT’S A HOW-TO FOR ADDING COOLING ELEMENTS!
We could spend days and days debating on whether or not the fans/heatsink/overclocking etc is necessary, but there are tons of forums online devoted
to that specific issue!
This is Instructables, and I encourage everyone to improve on each others concepts, EVEN IF IT IS OVERKILL LOL!
As posted in the original instructable, I ask that you do not fill this section with "you don’t need heatsinks" type of comments.
This is for the people who have obviously demonstrated overheating issues, and would like to install fan/s on their unit!
If people want to add them, they will.
If they don't, then they won’t!
It is always a good idea for users to do lots of research for themselves, and trial and error is one of my favorite types of said research.
As I have stated before, I have burned out 2 of these units without using the heatsinks, and stability issues with others. (especially with heavy torrenting)
Were talking at least one reboot needed every day to regain stability.
After adding an internal heatsink/ fan, I, as well as many others have seen a huge increase in the stability of the router.
If you believe that it doesn't need them, or you think that every single other user who has reported overheating issues (especially with heavy torrenting) is
just making up stories then don't do it!! No one is telling you that you have to!
I am not the only one who has had issues with this unit overheating, so I am not alone when I say that it DOES make a big difference.

Wardrivers are my largest advocates of these modifications, as it was a group of them who brought up the issue to me in the first place. They rarely have
a "reasonably well ventilated area” and most of them in fact DO use them out in the open sun!

Also, when turning the TX down, I lose about 5 connections from neighbors, maybe its just a huge coincidence every time I do it.
But, again, this is not an Instructable about DDWRT!
I have a great idea! You should make an Instructable about all the settings in DDWRT, their benefits and possible downfalls! I would love to learn more
about the subject, and I’m sure that almost every user who is interested in this page would be more than excited to learn about all the cool features that
DDWRT provides and the possible side effects of each of them from a knowledgeable Instructables community member!
Let me know when you have it up and I will be more than happy to post the link in this Instructable!

If your studies have brought you to understand that it makes no difference whatsoever, then do it how you think it should be done!
This Instructable is in response to an overwhelming amount of users who tell me about overheating issues, and I simple cannot afford the time to mod
them all myself :/
I am not advocating that every user needs to do this, as the majority of home users will never benefit from such mods at all!
I agree about the newer models, they are way nerfed in comparison.
Bring back the ram!!
Thank you for the educational and experienced input!

Tachyon says: May 12, 2010. 3:55 PM REPLY

Overheating is a symptom. It is not a root problem. It has one of three causes, which I already mentioned.
- Overclocking. It causes heat, and instability. You heatsink fan DOES help with this cause. But I haven't seen a real use for overclocking one of
these routers. RAM becomes a limitation before CPU power does.
- Overpowering. Upping the TXPower causes the RF section to overheat, causing failures and crashes.
- Bad power. For example, in your wardriving scenario. How is the unit being powered? Likely it's an Inverter plugged into the vehicle and the wall
wart plugged into that. Very few of these have pure sinewave output and the combination with the wall wart causes problems.
Or it's a direct rigup to the 12v of the vehicle which people assume is OK since the WRT's run at 12v as well. However, in reality, vehicle DC tends to
run from 12.5v to over 15v. The WRT's onboard regulator has to do something with the extra volts. So it dumps them as heat. The unit is not
designed for that. And that doesn't include the noise in the power coming from a vehicle.

As for the TXPower issue, there are two types of users. wardriver type users and regular or normal users. Wardrivers are interested in different
results than normal users. Wardrivers want the most connections over the most distance. Normal users want the best speed with the least errors.
These are opposite goals.

Upping the TXpower WILL get you more connections and at longer distances, but it's a trade off. The unit will see more packet errors. To
compensate it will step down the connection speed. For 'normal' users this trade off is not worth it given their goal is not to reach every AP in the
neighbourhood. They just want fast, clean network connections throughout their house. For them, an external antenna upgrade will always give better
results than uppping TXpower IF error rate and link speed are a priority.

All that said, my comments were not meant to disparage your instructable, but to add info that 'normal' users might find useful to help them decide
what route to take with their WRT based on their usage. Wardrivers will likely be all over this instructable as it's great for that type of use.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 4:01 PM REPLY
Agreed.
Most everyday household users will not need to use any external mods of any kind.
This mod is not for everyday household users.
Thanks again for the input buddy!

iamthejae says: May 12, 2010. 2:07 PM REPLY

i like the work you have done, great job!
i have one of these routers as well but only have a customizable version of tomato linux running. i would love to have expandable options, but dont think i
would be upto doing this myself.

how much are you thinking of selilng the modded routers for? and what if i were to give you my WR54Gts in exchange?

ynns1 says: May 12, 2010. 12:12 AM REPLY

OK I see now. It was the 'spiral' thing that threw me. Twisting multistrand wire to avoid fraying before soldering is second nature to me, so I assumed that
something more than that was required :-)
Thanks for the clarification and the great tutorial.

NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 1:58 PM REPLY

Thanks man!
I added the extra umph to that step because in all honesty, I forgot to do it in the picture! XD
Thanks for the imput!

meh301 says: May 12, 2010. 5:08 AM REPLY

warranty well voided :p

NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 1:56 PM REPLY

Thanks :P

davidglinski says: May 11, 2010. 4:14 PM REPLY

OK well first let me say that the instructable is great!!!! and that i will be attempting this mod soon!!!!!! but one (might turn in to a few) questions? first one for
now is ... if not eBay for the dual 9db antenna then where might one acquire one of these?

davidglinski says: May 11, 2010. 4:21 PM REPLY

and would these same steps work for a wireless b router of linksys? and what effect would it be for a B router?
thanks again

NostalgicStone says: May 11, 2010. 6:19 PM REPLY

Yep, same process. Cisco makes some amazing antennas, but they can be kinda pricey. Their 7dB omnidirectional antenna seem to work better
than some off-brand 9dB antenna that I've tried

davidglinski says: May 12, 2010. 12:26 PM REPLY

thanks ... but one last question ... i tried finding my linksys wireless B broadband router in the link above to see if its compatible but i cant find
mine on there does that mean i cant do this? btw my model number is BEFW11S4
thanks

NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 12:54 PM REPLY

Oh no!
If the router is not listed, then unfortunately it is not compatible with the DD-WRT firmware.
Try typing in your router model on this page DDWRT CHECK

Drewbaccaa says: May 11, 2010. 1:56 PM REPLY

With this modification combined with the firmware would it be able to capture a signal from a nearby scource and rebroadcast it in to your house... thereby
capturing unprotected wifi?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 MRedmon says: May 12, 2010. 6:38 AM REPLY
That's exactly what I do... I can only pick up the signal in one part of my house so I put my DD-WRT router (Linksys WRT610N) there and have it
configured as both an access point and a client. I had it set up at first as just a repeater but decided I prefer it this way so that I can have secure access
to the wired devices hooked into the router (Wii, NAS, etc).

MRedmon says: May 12, 2010. 7:01 AM REPLY

Oh, and I don't notice a degradation in speeds vs connecting directly to the host wifi signal (but I haven't run actual tests).

NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 12:26 PM REPLY

You know, I have only tried it on one network before with this set up, and I got poor speeds. It is possible that I didn't set it up correctly! Someday
I'll have to do some actual tests lol!

NostalgicStone says: May 11, 2010. 3:45 PM REPLY

Yep. You can use it as a repeater. It will be much slower than the host connection speed tho. If you try it out, let me know what kind of results you have!

kronflux says: May 12, 2010. 9:54 AM REPLY

didnt take the time to read all the comments, so I'm sorry if this is a repeated comment. but it seems to me that the external fan would interfere with proper
airflow with the internal one. the combination of the two would wear out the internal fan a lot quicker, and the reality is, the external fan wouldn't even really
provide any benefit whatsoever. the only thing I could see being useful is to add some form of a tiny tube above the internal fan, so that it grabs its air directly
from outside of the case(several PC cases have this on the side panel for the CPU fan to grab air externally)
I think this is what I'll end up doing. the external fan is definitely overkill, and will make the router sound like a jet engine.

NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 12:15 PM REPLY

Yep, it sure is loud! You are right about that!
This is not a mod to add to the router you use right next to your desk.
Try your way for yourself!
This Instructable is not a "the-only-way-it-can-be-done" kind of Instructable.
If you only need the interior fan, have at it!
I just know that the ones I have worked with, when overclocking to its max, still tend to overheat after a day or so of heavy torrenting with just the interior
fan installed.
When JUST using the exterior fan, I get the same results.
Each scenario is a case-by-case and everyone’s needs are unique, so do some experimentation for yourself and find out what your specific needs are,
then do it!
This build was actually requested by multiple people, so I started making them and never looked back J
I've had 2 routers running with these mods for over a year now.
Router 1 is a WRT54G with JUST the internal fan, and stock antenna for the home network.
Router 2 is a WRT54GL with BOTH Fans and a 7dB antenna for the neighborhood WiFi.
Neither one is showing any signs of wearing out whatsoever!

As described in the main post “This type of upgrade is most useful in very large households, businesses, neighborhood-Wi-Fi, trailer parks, RV parks,
campsites, etc.”

For home use, yea it’s definitely overkill!

Thank you for your interest!

showup says: May 12, 2010. 9:04 AM REPLY

Very useful instructable. What is your opinion on this antenna? Also can you post a link to the antenna that you are using? That will certainly benefit many of
us. Thanks in advance.

azega says: May 12, 2010. 7:51 AM REPLY

So, if you didn't use the ebay antennas, what antennas DID you use? Do you know if they actually perform better than the stock antennas?

With the addition of fans and boosting the transmit power, you're putting a lot of load on the built in power supply. Have you thought about bypassing it with a
better supply? This might also fix the issues you were having with stability.

ynns1 says: May 12, 2010. 12:15 AM REPLY

Given the fact that you added an active cooler to the CPU in the previous step, isn't the addition of this fan an overkill?
I'm asking because I'd hate to cut up the case of my router (I'm really attached to the thing!)
Cheers

NostalgicStone says: May 12, 2010. 1:07 AM REPLY

I hear ya man.
Do some experiments with JUST the internal heatsink/ fan and find out what setup works best for you!
If you don't feel that You need an external fan, then don't install one.
I recommend trial and error personally, so give it a shot and let me know what your results are :)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 Jason91887 says: May 12, 2010. 12:21 AM REPLY
Great job! I am using a Buffalo Router that is DD-WRT flashed and I was wondering how it was done. I love the options I have.

Zorink says: May 11, 2010. 6:47 PM REPLY

Excellent instructions!

Are there any hacked firmware variations for faster routers (like wireless N 100-300 Mbps)? If I understand this correctly, this will only boost the range, not
the speed?

NostalgicStone says: May 11, 2010. 7:10 PM REPLY

I haven’t tried on any other routers, but there are tons!
Check this out:
Compatible Routers List
The firmware upgrade unlocks a HUGE amounts of enhancements including overclocking (Speed) and TX rate (Transmit area). If your router
bottlenecked before, DD-WRT could possibly provide the solution for you.
Do some research!
DD-WRT HomePage

Zorink says: May 11, 2010. 11:07 PM REPLY

Thanks for the links!

SinAmos says: May 11, 2010. 10:53 PM REPLY

The problem with dd-wrt and onion is there lack of IP refreshing. They just don't refresh, so i can't chang my IP to save my life on these suckers. Plus, their
repeater mode sucks, which doesn't let you expand your network to wired boxes via wireless. I hacked a t-mobile freebie with a jtag cable years ago, but I
don't use it. I think I put tomato on it, which was cleaner than dd-wrt. I might revisit the router and check out the upgrades on the soft. I think I have two of
these just sitting.:)

ynns1 says: May 11, 2010. 3:59 PM REPLY

Can you please explain the need to twist the ends of the wire to create a spiral? So far it seems a 'straitforward' soldering of a wire to two pre-existing solder
points so what's the need for it?
Cheers

tysonscott2002 says: May 11, 2010. 8:52 PM REPLY

Personally, ive found that twisting the wire prevents it from "fraying" or spreading apart during soldering, when solder is applied, and heated, the wire
seems to spread apart easy, ive always done it to, it just seems to keep it cleaner.

NostalgicStone says: May 11, 2010. 10:05 PM REPLY

Yes thats true!
When you press a non-twisted wire down on a through-hole solder point, once the solder melts, the wire does tend to "fray" as you put it, and has a
nasty tenancy to slide around.
Thanks for pointing that out tysonscott2002!

NostalgicStone says: May 11, 2010. 6:30 PM REPLY

Great question!
It's a trick I learned when training for either my J-STD-001 or the
IPC-A-610, can't remember. Basically it ensures a stronger connection between the two, especially over long periods of time in units that have much
vibration.
Im sure that NOT twisting the wire would work just fine, but I've been in the habit so its not really any trouble to do so.

wiiman8 says: May 11, 2010. 9:28 PM REPLY

Did you make or buy the antenna? If you made it, have you thought about an instructable on it?
great 'ible btw!

NostalgicStone says: May 11, 2010. 10:04 PM REPLY

I did not make the antenna.
I have made some in the past, but they don't even nearly match up to the professionally made ones. lol

MotaBoi says: May 11, 2010. 6:41 PM REPLY

How far can this amplify the range to?

NostalgicStone says: May 11, 2010. 7:08 PM REPLY

Good question!
Read below, a couple other people had the same question :)
Thanks for the interest!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/
 tieguy says: May 11, 2010. 4:44 PM REPLY
I've gotta say, I've been visiting this site for about 3 years now and have seen a lot of great instructables; but this has to be one of the best. It's well detailed,
done neatly, and actually serves a purpose.

I recently upgraded to DD-WRT so I could use it as a wireless adapter for my xbox and a server I'll be putting together in the future, I'm loving all the
options on it and I'm totally gonna do this mod once I have the cash(I'm broke). What kind of range does it have?

Seriously outstanding job.

view all 66 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/Unleash-the-Power-of-Your-Router/