Maybe I'm just not nerdy enough, but that DD-WRT site is so cryptic as to not give much indication of what exactly DD-WRT is except for something to do with routers, and GPL software, and it had some screenshot of what looked to be a router control panel but no apparent explanation of what all this was. Only when I looked it up elsewhere did I figure out what the hell DD-WRT is.

 

i have a netgear router. works ok but i can't get encryption so i just used mac addresses instead :hsugh:

 

DD-WRT FTW

i went with a Buffalo WHR-G54S (i think that's the one), and replaced their shitty firmware with DD-WRT.

:goodjob:

 

The damn simple explination (which you have probably already come to the conclusion) is that DD-WRT takes the standard ability of some wireless routers, pumps up the features to have more flexability, more options and get your hands on some things (like signal strength) that the unit can physically do but the standard firmware doesn't allow you to.

It's able to do this and for free because it is made from Linux. Which is also used in routers, servers, workstations, desktops and many other things. It's free and has lots of features and options. Gives you much more freedom to tweak things. But it also is simple enough that it works, even if you don't need to tweak things.

 

DD-WRT also gets rid of alot of problems that come with shoddy WYSIWYG firmware.

one of the most major problems that my girlfriend runs into is having to power-cycle the router because both her and her brother use modified versions of firefox that have make many connections for the standard firmware in the linksys routers to understand.

basically the linksys routers keep stuff open for a few days on certain types of connections, resulting in an overflow if it gets pushed past it's limits. currently their BEFW11S4 needs to be powercycled about twice a week when she's home and on the computer. i am told other firmwares including DD-WRT get rid of this problem completely.

 

speaking of DD-WRT, which file do I download?

I have the wrt54g

 

http://www.buy.com/prod/Linksys_WRT5...tml?adid=17662

 

werd, i think i'm going to go to compUSA tommorrow and give the guy they talked to some lip. he didn't know anything and it was insulting to me and my girlfriend infront of her mother.

 

Basic Google search pulled this up, but it's pretty clear (step-by-step) for anyone who wants to switch to DD-WRT.

http://www.testmy.net/forum/t-12222

 

I think that the Linksys Wireless-G broadband I have is absolutely amazing- secure, easy to set up, easy to hook computers to. I bought it 6 or 7 months ago, so I'm sure there's something else on the market but I've had a lot of good times with the linksys, and it can handle four computers without a problem.