OpenWrt Forum Archive

Topic: Asus WL-500GP - One Router 6 Hacks

The content of this topic has been archived on 13 Apr 2018. There are no obvious gaps in this topic, but there may still be some posts missing at the end.

This post will show what the router Asus WL500GP v 1 can be capable of.

1º hack - cpu, usb, network Ic's cooler with little heat links, and a 50x50x10 cooler.
2º hack - internal usb to join a hard 320G d2.5 disk with 2.0 usb to sata adaptor
3º hack - dual antenna wifi hack
4º hack - wifi power and sensitive increase +35/40DB!
5º hack - ram from 32m to 128M
6º hack - over clock from 264mhz to 300mhz


Hardware hacks you must see hight quality pictures with all hacks: http://www.vslinux.net/openwrt/asushacks/



little heat links hack:
I buy some graphic cooler mod, and he have it.
buy some 50x50x10 or bigger cooler at 12v to don't listen the noise.


Internal usb hack:

The usb ic's have 4 ports but only 2 have out, so two inside.

scsi 0:0:0:0: Direct-Access     ST932042 3AS                   PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
sd 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] 625142448 512-byte logical blocks: (320 GB/298 GiB)
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 03 00 00 00
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
usb-storage: device scan complete

In power you must add a capacitor of like 10v/12v with 1000uf to 5v circuit the handle the hdd power pic.
With hdd the tension drops to 4.7v and must be like 5.10, so this may cause usb problems, so a 5v 3.5/4 amperes is required do add a hdd.


to maintain the hdd on use "sdparm --command=start /dev/sda" without this usb hdd goes to usb sleep.
Add it to crontabs to run itch five minutes.

dual antenna hack

you must by a wifi antenna with sma connector and a panel sma female connector with cable.
Connect it to ground and to c70 capacitor in wifi module.


wifi power and sensitive hack:

change the capacitor position's inside the wifi mini pci module
c94 to c21
c93 to c20


ram hack to 128MB

when solder job is done active the 128M

nvram set sdram_init=0x0011
nvram set sdram_config=0x0062
nvram set sdram_ncdl=0x0000
nvram commit
reboot

root@OpenWrt:~# free
              total         used         free       shared      buffers
  Mem:       127124        17072       110052            0         1424
Swap:            0            0            0
Total:       127124        17072       110052



I used Samsung M470L6524DU0-CB3 PC2700 SO-DIMM: it has Samsung K4H511638D-UCB3 chips
and a 33ohms resistor in r43 to active the U4 chip line.

This Ic's can be used 64 ram ic's:


    * Hynix HYMD532646CP6J-D43 PC3200 DIMM: it has Hynix HY5DU121622CTP-D43 chips
    * Samsung M470L6524BT0-CB3 PC2700 SO-DIMM: it has Samsung K4H511638B-TCB3 chips
    * Samsung M470L6524DU0-CB3 PC2700 SO-DIMM: it has Samsung K4H511638D-UCB3 chips
    * Transcend TS32MSD64V3M PC2700 SO-DIMM: it has Elpida D5116AFTA-5B-E chips


Cpu over clock hack

cpu hack to activate the 300mhz

nvram set clkfreq=300,150
nvram commit
reboot


root@OpenWrt:/# cat /proc/cpuinfo
system type             : Broadcom BCM47XX
processor               : 0
cpu model               : Broadcom BCM3302 V0.6
BogoMIPS                : 299.00
wait instruction        : yes
microsecond timers      : yes
tlb_entries             : 32
extra interrupt vector  : yes
hardware watchpoint     : no
ASEs implemented        :
shadow register sets    : 1
core                    : 0
VCED exceptions         : not available
VCEI exceptions         : not available


Hardware hacks you must see hight quality pictures with all hacks: http://www.vslinux.net/openwrt/asushacks/

tested in Backfire (10.03.1-rc1, r22556)

now in Backfire (10.03.1-rc2, r22752)

only detects 100mb of ram because nvram var was write incorrectly  the 0x0000 was write 0 (bad) then originate a random write of sdram_ncdl var.
To solve this you must go to CFE boot in router safe mode by press reset and them type ctrl+c to allow you to typing characters.

CFE>nvram set sdram_ncdl=0x0000
CFE>nvram commit
CFE>reboot

That's all for now folks tongue

OpenSys


http://www.vslinux.net/openwrt/asushacks/inside2_small.jpg

(Last edited by opensys on 27 Aug 2010, 11:10)

Dear Opensys,

sincerely thanks for this hacks.

It is what I really was looking for.
But I just have one big problem and some questions.

The problem is that I am not an electronical guy (I never studyed it). Do you think that with your pictures and the explaination you let here I am able to do it ? Sincerely.

The questions :
1) I know I have an ASUS WL-500g Premium version 1 because I just discovered many month later that a version 2 was sold (arrived on the market).
Then you say this can be done on a version 1.1. Can you please tell me how can I know which version I have to see if I can do it.

2) if I just overclock my the ASUS CPU does it need to get some fan due to the fact the CPU will work hardly and then will certainly warm. Is it why you installed a fan? Or is it just due to the HDD ? If you see here below you will see I automatically get 263Mhz. It is not so far your 299 Mhz. Then does it really need an overclocking. I means does you overclocking given really differences for all the router will do ? It is just a question.

3) how do you fixed the internal HDD on the inside top of the router ?

4) the capacitor you talk about (capacitor of like 10v/12v with 1000uf to 5v) is certainly the green big one on your pictures. But I presume it has two legs. I presume the is one leg connected to the red cable (USB cable). But which one ? Where the second leg must be connected to ?

5) on the final we can see you have a hub. Is it connected to the external availabl USB connector or to the fourth internal USB ? If it is on the fourth, may be can you give us some explanations ?

But if you answer or not I sincerely appreciate this so good hacks. I will try to do my best to get it work. Because for me this is a real good router and certainly the best one with all it can give.

Seriously thanks and have a nice day,

P.S. : I installed the last backfire (kernel 2.6.32.10) that works great.

Miguipda ;-)

=================
My CPU give :
# cat /proc/cpuinfo
system type             : Broadcom BCM47XX
processor               : 0
cpu model               : Broadcom BCM3302 V0.6
BogoMIPS                : 263.16
wait instruction        : yes
microsecond timers      : yes
tlb_entries             : 32
extra interrupt vector  : yes
hardware watchpoint     : no
ASEs implemented        :
shadow register sets    : 1
core                    : 0
VCED exceptions         : not available
VCEI exceptions         : not available

===================
My USB situation is well :
Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
USB Mass Storage support registered.
usb-storage: device found at 2
usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
scsi 0:0:0:0: Direct-Access     (here is my external HDD)       PQ: 0 ANSI: 2 CCS
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] 625142448 512-byte logical blocks: (320 GB/298 GiB)
usb-storage: device scan complete
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 34 00 00 00
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
sda: sda3
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI disk

Hi,

I still have two interresting questions :
1) on the inside picture we can see your fan is connected with a red and black cable. Where are they connected to ? To be able to see the black and red connection on the motherboard component.

2) between the picture usb5 we can see there is a small cable just under the end of the white cable. It seems to be connected to three points. Is this necessary for all your 6 hacks ? Which one is concerned with it ? And what are the connections in fact because it is not so visible on the picture.

Sincerely thanks and have a nice day.

Miguipda ;-)

miguipda wrote:

Dear Opensys,

sincerely thanks for this hacks.

It is what I really was looking for.
But I just have one big problem and some questions.

The problem is that I am not an electronical guy (I never studyed it). Do you think that with your pictures and the explaination you let here I am able to do it ? Sincerely.

The questions :
1) I know I have an ASUS WL-500g Premium version 1 because I just discovered many month later that a version 2 was sold (arrived on the market).
Then you say this can be done on a version 1.1. Can you please tell me how can I know which version I have to see if I can do it.

2) if I just overclock my the ASUS CPU does it need to get some fan due to the fact the CPU will work hardly and then will certainly warm. Is it why you installed a fan? Or is it just due to the HDD ? If you see here below you will see I automatically get 263Mhz. It is not so far your 299 Mhz. Then does it really need an overclocking. I means does you overclocking given really differences for all the router will do ? It is just a question.

3) how do you fixed the internal HDD on the inside top of the router ?

4) the capacitor you talk about (capacitor of like 10v/12v with 1000uf to 5v) is certainly the green big one on your pictures. But I presume it has two legs. I presume the is one leg connected to the red cable (USB cable). But which one ? Where the second leg must be connected to ?

5) on the final we can see you have a hub. Is it connected to the external availabl USB connector or to the fourth internal USB ? If it is on the fourth, may be can you give us some explanations ?

But if you answer or not I sincerely appreciate this so good hacks. I will try to do my best to get it work. Because for me this is a real good router and certainly the best one with all it can give.

Seriously thanks and have a nice day,

P.S. : I installed the last backfire (kernel 2.6.32.10) that works great.

Miguipda ;-)

=================
My CPU give :
# cat /proc/cpuinfo
system type             : Broadcom BCM47XX
processor               : 0
cpu model               : Broadcom BCM3302 V0.6
BogoMIPS                : 263.16
wait instruction        : yes
microsecond timers      : yes
tlb_entries             : 32
extra interrupt vector  : yes
hardware watchpoint     : no
ASEs implemented        :
shadow register sets    : 1
core                    : 0
VCED exceptions         : not available
VCEI exceptions         : not available

===================
My USB situation is well :
Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
USB Mass Storage support registered.
usb-storage: device found at 2
usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
scsi 0:0:0:0: Direct-Access     (here is my external HDD)       PQ: 0 ANSI: 2 CCS
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] 625142448 512-byte logical blocks: (320 GB/298 GiB)
usb-storage: device scan complete
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 34 00 00 00
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
sda: sda3
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI disk

hi miguipda,

i will try to help you the better that i can.
First of all what hack you are interested ?

you don't are a electronical guy, so there are some hacks a little hard to do, that require some knowledges.
Frist of all you need a multimeter to do some of the jobs.

Responding to your questions:

1) Is my mistaken, is just version 1.

2) OC only do a liitle more speed transfer in usb, because is low so OC is better. No the cpu fan is not for the OC or hdd, is just to cooling all hardware just a little bit.
for cpu i have a small heat link.

3) The hdd is up sided down and is fixed with two screws on the top router body.

4) the capacitor is 12v/1000uf and is connected to +5v and gnd (ground). the +5 is not fron usb, is from the power supply (5.20v) and is 4.99 or less.

5) no the usb is is on one external port, i need to handle the usb 1.1 problem, when i connect the usb-serial pl2303 and my ups usb cable.

I don't understand what is your usb problem is.

Regards,

OpenSys

miguipda wrote:

Hi,

I still have two interresting questions :
1) on the inside picture we can see your fan is connected with a red and black cable. Where are they connected to ? To be able to see the black and red connection on the motherboard component.

2) between the picture usb5 we can see there is a small cable just under the end of the white cable. It seems to be connected to three points. Is this necessary for all your 6 hacks ? Which one is concerned with it ? And what are the connections in fact because it is not so visible on the picture.

Sincerely thanks and have a nice day.

Miguipda ;-)

1) the fan is connected to the +5.20v from the master power supply and the gnd.

2) the usb show a ground wire to the 2 smd resistors of 15k the connected to +usb data and -usb data. If you don´t use it you have problems with usb just incorrect handle ports assigns.
this is just for the 3 internal usb port. the version 2 of this router the ic just have 2 usb ports sad

Regards,

OpenSys

can i attach a usb hub to one of the usb port? it has to be 1.0.1.1 2.0, external powered? will the firmware detect the hub?

can i just attach a sma pigtail to the second connector on the wireless minipci card for the second antenna? there are many of those connector available in ebay, will it work that way?

edgararriaza wrote:

can i attach a usb hub to one of the usb port? it has to be 1.0.1.1 2.0, external powered? will the firmware detect the hub?

can i just attach a sma pigtail to the second connector on the wireless minipci card for the second antenna? there are many of those connector available in ebay, will it work that way?

No all usb ports is usb 2.0 in this router, to do the job with 1.1 you need to have a usb hub to handle the conversion from 1.1 to 2.0.
Not all usb 2.0 hub will work, i tested allot of them, one thats works is 4 ports hub from vivanco.
Yes, if is right connect the wifi will work.

Regards,

OpenSys

wow, fascinating. got a wl500gp right next to me - but with my lacking solder skills, it will be destroyed before i got the first memory module unsoldered.

still, awsome work.

Dear Opensys,

I am actually busy to upgrade my WL-500g Premium I functionalities.

Then I come back to your hacks.

First of all I though to grow up the number of USB ports.

Following your hacks (2º hack - internal usb to join a hard 320G d2.5 disk with 2.0 usb to sata adaptor) you just added an USB port for your internal HDD (where I currently use an external USB HDD. Then it can help me). But what about the fourth USB port ? You didn't exlpain how to get it. Do you have any idea ?

And for your current third USB port. AS I explained I am not an electronic guy (but I already solder when I was young then I presume I can still do it now ... hihi ...) what about the green capacitor. I means, the dark red cable is solder on a components but I forgot how many foot has a capacitor and how must I solder this capacitor ? I can orientate it as you show us on the picture but I don't know which arm are soldered on the shown black component. Sorry to be so stupid but a better picture with the base of this green capacitor can help me.
In fact if I put it as shown on the picture and can see the base of the capacitor I just need to put it like you and solder it and it will work without knowing anything else in electronic.

Sincerely thanks for your help and have a nice day.

Miguipda ;-)

Dear Opensys,

since I did not get some answer to my last question I will repeat it more clearly because I still discovered some difference between your picture usb4 and usb5.

As I asked the situation of the green capacitor. (A picture from the other side to see the soldering you made can help).
I presume one foot of the capacitor is soldered to the brown cable and the other to the black component (left foot) just behind it.
But as requested I presume the left foot is soldered to the left foot of the black component that is soldered on the board and the capacitor right foot to the brown cable. Is it right ? About the signs (+ and - of the capacitor if it is important which foot of the capacitor must be soldered to the left foot of the black component soldered on the board ?).

And finally what is the soldering you made from the L23 C19? just at the right of the white cable ? It is soldered to the top of a component but where does it goes for those two next small soldering ?

Sincerely thanks if you may help me to make this first hack.

Have a nice day.

Miguipda ;-)

Hello miguida,

Sorry about your last post, but i don't receive any mail alert about it.
So i will answer your questions:

About usb host and pin out connections you must see the via usb host controller VT6212L chip datasheet: http://www.missingremote.com/legacy/img … T6212L.pdf
I sold two 19k smd resistors in usb to gnd to make same pull up resistance, i just copy the resistance in the one of the two usb ports that exists in router.
The green electronic capacitor is just connect to the main 5v already existing capacitor,  to support the pics from the hard disk. And yes the + and - poles must be right.

Regards,

OpenSys

Well done.
I have couple questions.
1)Do you still using standart power supply?(you've got built-in HDD, which takes power)
2)Was there any overheating problems?(HDD releasing some heat and memory microchips should so)
Thanks in advance

Hello cybernoid,

Yes i use a 5V 4AMP transformer.
No problems with overheating, i have a fun, and this HDD don't get very hot, just all normal, with wan adsl bridge, i get up times more then one month.

OpenSys

Dear Opensys,

here is also a guy who made some modifications to his WL-500g Premium.
In the part 2 and 4 he shows how to add an audio USB key to get this router able to play sounds:
http://www.equinoxefr.org/post/tag/wl500g/

Have a nice day, and I feel I will soon hack my same router.
I am a little a bit worry about this (I hope I will not destroy it) but I think it could be great to have more functionalities.

Have a nice day and with pleasure to read you back.

Miguipda ;-)

Short question:
Why you didn't wired hdd power directly to main power?
To be honest, I hasve some electronics skills left in me...but I don't want to wire directly to mother board integrates.
My goal is to wire one rack to usb connector.
I just want to make from this old retired router a nice low power torrent client (I don't use the router for anything else...)

The usb hdd is connected to 5v directed to router power supply.
I what to do it all inside the router, not a cable getting outside the router and connecting again from inside to usb female port.
You need a Power supply with 5V 4A to be safe, check the consume of the hard disk and make the math. The big capacitor was to absorbs the voltage pic's that the disk provoke. If you use a SSD may be better smile

Regards

The discussion might have continued from here.