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Topic: WRT54GC Information

The content of this topic has been archived on 3 Apr 2018. There are no obvious gaps in this topic, but there may still be some posts missing at the end.

Hi, I'm a newbie here, but I've got a WRT54GC I'd like to see if I can get Linux on. I've read the hardware wiki page for it, but it was slightly lacking, so I did a bit of digging.

I've opened it up, and it appears to have both a Marvell processor and wireless chipset. From searching the Marvell site I've found out that is is apparently the Libertas AP-52 reference design, only lacking some pin headers. The datasheet is here: http://www.marvell.com/files//products/ … -52-RD.pdf, and it appears that is can run uCLinux and eCos. Actually, I think the wireless chipset is an 88W8010 (the reference design says 88W8030), but I can't read it clearly enough. It's supposed to support a/b/g I think. The processor is a Libertas 88W8510H, which is supposed to be an ARM9 SoC with onboard memory. It's the same model as the processor in the WL-530G I think. It looks like that one has JTAG and Serial as shown here: http://www.bitsum.com/openwiking/owbase … L-530G#h14 so it seem that it has those capabilities. It does in fact only have 1MB Flash and 4MB memory (off chip). But what does "-1x16 8 Mbit (1MB) FLASH (90ns or faster) with stuff option for up to 64Mbit" mean? Could it potentially be upgraded? It also says that it has a "-RS232 DTE interface" but it's not obvious where it is located, or if it is even connected to anything.

Is there anything that can be done with 1MB of flash? Is there a version of OpenWRT that supports ARM9 that I could mess around with to try to cut the size down? Anyone have any idea where the RS232 could be found? I heard something about it not having an MMU, so that uCLinux must be used, but I'm not sure. If that's the case, where should I start go to try that?

Thanks ahead of time.

EDIT: It just occurred to me that the Marvell pdf doesn't actually say that it was designed to run VxWorks, so it might already be running uCLinux. That would be kinda cool, if I could get to the serial connection.

(Last edited by technik733 on 20 Mar 2009, 17:55)

hello there
I know, old thread, nobody replied, I might not even have it
Unboxed my unit, even removed heatsink from CPU  >> 88W8510-BAN
there is an unused 2 x 8 pin connection at the bottom of the board (labelled 1 to 15) , which has lines going towards the CPU or toward some "missing" resistors around the CPU
I think , this is for JTAG or even maybe for serial connection
If a WL--530G uses same CPU and has JTAG+serial connection, would be interesting to take a close look, how it was done ( which CPU pins used?)
Then identify the pins+functions  here and with some really good soldering skills , replace the missing resistors, and do some testing !

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