Hi all,
As I have the idea that the D-Link DIR-510L is pretty the same as the D-Link DIR-518L I wonder if I can build a version so it's accepted by the D-Link DIR-518L for flashing it.
I hope someone can help out!
I'm trying to; but what if the platform is the same ? I think we don't need much further investigation; only need the device to accept the .bin file.
Enjoy your semi functional device, in worst case, soft brick.
If platform would have been close enough, we wouldn't have one image per device?
Unless proven wrong, assume devices aren't identical.
Yes I understand; again I'm checking out but I also see that some devices are just not supported as they are not popular enough.
I'm curious; I used binwalk to extract the original firmware and wonder if I can't simply enable/start telnetd on this device in some way ? I have tried the bootloader or see if there is an shell.asp like other do have but there is not. That Alphanetworks user is there as well for telnetd to be used. So if anyone can help me further; I don't want to waste this device as it's perfect for what I need 
If you roll the dice on an incorrect .bin file, and it turns on a GPIO that drives +3.3V directly into a grounded connection, that might destroy your device.
That can be the difference between one board and another, even with exactly the same platform and devices... just one GPIO pin connected differently.. driving an LED on one board, and shorted to ground on another.
So as suggested, you're better off going from first principles and validating as much of the board as you can. Check that your board does actually match the configuration of the other board in OpenWrt..
It's unlikely that D-Link would have two devices that are identical, but with different model numbers though. So there's almost certainly something different about them... will that difference result in fire?!?... who knows... that sounds like your job to work out.
A minor difference in the OEM partitioning and its expectation can already be a fatal killer.
Yes I'm trying to get onto the bootloader by telnet, pumpkin kinda ways but no luck yet.
Tip without opening it are welcome!
Consider confirming your impression by
- Checking online databases Wikidevi D-Link DIR-518L_rev_A1
- Check the fccid - the FCC usually has photo’s of the main board. The photos ofter are poor quality but realtek’s logo can often be made out
- Open the device up and look your self.
If it is RTL8881AQ based, realtek does not opensource much of their wireless code and, with the exception of ethernet switches, are generally avoided by the OpenWRT community.
Here we go already; I checked to find their Opensource firmwares already but they are pretty gone.
What a waste of hardware; but we won't give up that easy do we ?
It's 12 years old, with 8MB flash and 64MB RAM...
Great as client; nothing more needed.