Random Mod: LinkSys Router

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Aguiluz
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Post by Aguiluz » Sat Apr 19, 2008 8:38 pm

Thanks guys!
bicostp wrote:Okay, first off if this is a desktop PC, it's always better to run a wire. The connection will be at least twice as fast, and here's no way to get into it from the street. Even if it's a laptop, run a wire to a wall plug so you can plug a patch cable into that and plug your laptop in. I'm serious, WiFi is a horrible thing to use on a daily basis, especially when you don't have to. It's just way too insecure.
As much as I wanted to use wire, we use wireless. There is only one wired PC, which is the gutted laptop you can see on the first pic.

bicostp wrote:You might also want to turn the transmitter power down until you have about a 75% signal in your room. The fact that it froze
when you turned it up a little bit says that you're pushing that unit's limit. Runnin git that hard will most likely burn it out by the end of the year. Consumer grade APs aren't meant to do that much. If you really need more power, look into Cisco Aironet APs, which have a substantially larger range than anything you can buy at Circuit City (I could get about 600 feet down the road before the signal completely cut out), and have a 100 mw transmitter that was made to do that much. And turning it up way too much will only allow people farther away to break in.

The best place to put your AP is either the middle of the lower level with the antennas parallel to the ground, or at one end of the basement with the antennas at a 45 degree angle, projecting into the house. If the radio waves don't get to the street in the first place, people can't connect.
Burn it out!? :?

Luckily, the place I glued my router on is at one end, so I just have to walk to it and nudge the antenna to 45 degrees. When I did that, my signal increased even more, to 99%. I then toned down until I was at 50 milliwatts and my signal is at 90%. Is it ok?
bicostp wrote:As for other security, disable SSID broadcasting! It's a lot harder to break into your network when outsiders don't know the name. Also, WEP 1 is a joke and can be hacked in about 5 minutes. Use WEP 2. Also, enable MAC address filtering, only allowing your devices to connect. (MAC addresses can be faked, but they'll have to guess what MAC address to use.) While these kind of security measures can be compromised, the idea is to make it not worth the trouble to do so.
Right! *disables SSID broadcast* :lol:

I'm using WPA 2. I filtered the MACs to the devices I own. Thanks for the heads up.
bicostp wrote:The best thing to do is install a hardware firewall, and separate your AP from your hard-wired PCs, that way there's another level of security to get through.
Does the integrated Firewall in the modded router count?

Because I don't want my router's name to be changed to "Hello Aguiluz!" :lol:
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Black Six
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Post by Black Six » Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:11 pm

Disabling SSID broadcasting is a joke, any WiFi scanning tool out there has active scanning capabilities and will detect all access points whether or not they have SSID broadcasting enabled. All disabling it does is make it harder for you to find your own access point to connect to. WEP is also a joke and can be cracked in short order. MAC address filtering can also be cracked fairly quickly. WPA2 is fairly secure, my recommendation is to use it in conjunction with MAC address filtering.
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vomitsaw
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Post by vomitsaw » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:27 pm

I've got a V3 Linksys WRT54G flashed with DD-WRT and it's been running at 84mW for about 6 months now, no issues. Don't have any fans on it or anything, but... maybe I should. Hmm. Then again, it doesn't get too terribly hot over here. That probably helps.
Jongamer wrote:I think pretty much any fairly new Linksys router will take the modified firmware.

Though with this, I would turn off SSID broadcasting as people will be able to pick up your connection, so to avoid unwanted hackers, I would turn off that SSID broadcasting.
Actually, I believe many of the more recent ones are HARDER to flash. I tried it on a v6 WRT54G and it was HELL to get going. Had to wipe everything, put it in some kind of service mode, FINALLY got things running but I had to use the micro version of DD-WRT because the darn thing only had like 2MB of flash memory or something. Even still, the thing had to be constantly reset. I think anything V5 and lower is cake though. Hear the Buffalo routers are good for this too.
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Post by teraflop122 » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:27 pm

You could always use powerline networking. Every power outlet in your home becomes a connection point.

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nitro2k01
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Post by nitro2k01 » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:17 am

Aguiluz wrote:But would that mean my network will be hidden from anyone except who knows the SSID?
Yes and no. It won't be broadcasted on a regular basis (The rouoter won't send out beacons) but as soon as you connect to the router, your own computer will send out the SSID, effecively making it visible for anyone who happens to be nearby and have the right software. Kismet can do this, but not NetStumbler AFAIK.
But yes, obviously your network will be less visible to the world outside.
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bicostp
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Post by bicostp » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:35 am

Aguiluz wrote:Burn it out!? :?
Yep, burn it out. The transmitter in your AP isn't designed to pump that kind of power, and some have higher limits than others. Eventually, running it much harder than it was designed to run may cause it to prematurely fail. It's like extreme overclocking: you get more performance at the expense of stability and product life.
Luckily, the place I glued my router on is at one end, so I just have to walk to it and nudge the antenna to 45 degrees. When I did that, my signal increased even more, to 99%. I then toned down until I was at 50 milliwatts and my signal is at 90%. Is it ok?
That's better. Plus, less transmission power = smaller 'bubble' of access = more security because people don't have to be as close to attach to your network, and they're not inside that 'bubble' as long if they're just driving by.

Of course the most secure thing to use is a completely wired network... ;) :P

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Post by Black Six » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:48 am

nitro2k01 wrote:
Aguiluz wrote:But would that mean my network will be hidden from anyone except who knows the SSID?
Yes and no. It won't be broadcasted on a regular basis (The rouoter won't send out beacons) but as soon as you connect to the router, your own computer will send out the SSID, effecively making it visible for anyone who happens to be nearby and have the right software. Kismet can do this, but not NetStumbler AFAIK.
But yes, obviously your network will be less visible to the world outside.
NetStumbler can do active scanning of access points. No one even needs to be connected for you to see it.
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Post by johnbjuice » Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:36 pm

Well, I am sad. My router SUCKS but my parents won't let me mod it. It's even one of the linksys ones that can get custom firmware and up to 300% boosts in signal! Image

- Juice 8)

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Aguiluz
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Post by Aguiluz » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:10 pm

This router rocks now!

A few more adjustments, such as knocking it down to 45 milliwatts, it still works.
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Post by jdmlight » Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:02 pm

Sharp Sapphire wrote:
It's a lot harder to break into your network when outsiders don't know the name.
and when they don't know it exists. :)
You can see a network even if it doesn't have its SSID broadcasted. I found this out on my PSP (thanks vskid btw) - when I go to connect to my WiFi, it just lists the connection without a name. You still have to know the name to connect to the network though.

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Post by Kurt_ » Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:17 am

I found and have been meaning to try this. In my room I get 2-4 bars out of 5, and I'm directly above the router by two floor. I hear it's worse in other rooms.

So...with 5 minutes of time...

http://www.instructables.com/id/WIFI-An ... mments=all

No mods whatsoever, except desoldering and soldering one connection.
Hey, sup?

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Post by vskid » Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:06 pm

Kurt_ wrote:I found and have been meaning to try this. In my room I get 2-4 bars out of 5, and I'm directly above the router by two floor. I hear it's worse in other rooms.

So...with 5 minutes of time...
http://www.instructables.com/id/WIFI-A ... mments=all

No mods whatsoever, except desoldering and soldering one connection.
Have you tried it? I'll try it out if the gains are at least noticeable. I get 4-5 bars in my room (router is in the room next to mine), but in the other room I use my laptop in I only get 2 bars, 3 if I'm lucky.
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Aguiluz
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Post by Aguiluz » Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:43 pm

I'll try this when I get a soldering iron. I lost mine on the big move from Philippines to Canada.

Then I could, just maybe, dominate the airwaves! Muhahahahah! :lol:
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Re: Random Mod: LinkSys Router

Post by RouterMods » Tue Aug 24, 2010 2:03 pm

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http://www.routermods.com/wp-login.php?action=register


Thanks! :!:

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