Further ensure that your hardware is supported by the openwrt firmware. Using the firmware on an unsupported or work in progress hardware could render the hardware unusable! So make sure you check the Table of Hardware Supported.

The webif that come with the stock whiterussians firmware is really a no no. The only reason I could think of why people uses it is they don’t need the web interface.

Download the openwrt whiterussians firmware with x-wrt webif included from the x-wrt page. Then follow the Method #1 of the installation.

Just remember to hard-reset your hardware after all is done to remove unnecessary stuffs from the nvram.

Found out that DD-WRT V23 SP2 doesn’t really suit my purpose. The IPKG is buggy or rather most of the installed package doesn’t work, hence changed the firmware to openwrt. My aim of getting a WRT54G is not to use it as a router. It’s ultimate aim is to work as a dedicated unix box. Was amazed at how people do configuration or administration of servers using command line interface. This WRT54G provided me with a chance to toy with command line interfaces. Best of all, exploring the limits of these embedded devices (hopefully I don’t brick it). Currently installed packages are – nano (using nano as I yet to master VI or VIM), nmap, BitchX, kismet (client and server), and the list goes on.

Just incase you are wondering how come there is so much space on the router. I mapped a share over and did all the installations down there. Edited the startup script to do the mapping of samba share over automatically as well.

Just a piece of advise, after getting the openwrt firmware. Install the x-wrt webif package. It makes web administration easier. Need to allow remote administration through web or ssh or both and cant find the webif configuration page? Just edit the firewall rules to allow listening on the ports.