Linksys WRT54G

The Linksys WRT54G series of wireless routers, that includes variants: WRT54GS, WRT54GL, and WRTSL54GS, is an extremely popular among computer enthusiasts because of it's ability to run third-party open-source firmware such as DD-WRT and Tomato Firmware as it's firmware source code was released publicly under the GNU GPL. The first version was released in December 2002, but many different versions with hardware/firmware variations have subsequently been released. All feature two external antennas, 4 LAN ports, 1 WAN ports, and 802.11b/g support. The most recent version in the series is the WRT54GL, which returns to a Linux-based firmware, allowing for upgrades from third-party firmwares. It retails for around $65.

Linksys WRT54G
MSRP $65.00
Release date December, 2002
Brand Linksys
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Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
11 reviews
67
negative
mixed
positive
7 positive
4 mixed
0 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

show me!

Pros:
Do you agree?
•
Firmware can be upgraded to third-party open-source software like DD-WRT, Tomato Firmware, or OpenWRT
+10agreedisagree

•
External antennas provide greater range
+10agreedisagree

•
Upgradeable antennas
+5agreedisagree

•
Rock-solid operation
+4agreedisagree

•
Device includes 4-port switch and Wireless-G (802.11g) access point
+4agreedisagree

•
Backlit SES-button on the front that can be programmed to run scripts using 3rd party firmware
+3agreedisagree

•
Device is downward (or backwards) compatible to 802.11b clients at 11 Mbps
+3agreedisagree

•
GUI is relatively easy to work through.
+2agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
•
More expensive because it can be modded
+3agreedisagree

•
Some versions use VxWorks stock firmware that cannot be upgraded to third-party
+3agreedisagree

•
"Low or limited connectivity"
+2agreedisagree

•
Factory firmware does not allow for user bandwidth customization aka QoS (Quality of Service)
+2agreedisagree

•
slower than the latest Gigabit / 802.11N options
+2agreedisagree

•
can be bricked easily while upgrading firmware
+2agreedisagree

•
Device has trouble provisioning new IP address under heavy use
+1agreedisagree

•
Not as "pretty" as newer routers
0agreedisagree

•
No tech support for Mac
0agreedisagree


12 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!
See individual votes »

Details

Upgraded Third-party firmware

The popularity of this router is largely due to the ability to unlock advanced features, tweak power settings, and view advanced QoS statistics by running third-party firmware. By flashing the firmware, you void all warranties, and likely cannot return the router for any store refund if you inadvertently damage it.

Note: Most WRT54G and WRT54GS models (not WRT54GL) sold in stores right now are the v5.0+ variety running the VxWorks firmware instead of the Linux-based version and cannot be flashed.

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This report was started August 17, 2008 at 1:11 pm by Erik
with the last edit occurring Today, 9:43 PM by Dan (Shrek)
This page has been viewed 2067 times, with 98 edits by 13 contributors.
See the full report history »

Competitors

Linksys WRT54G is ranked 1st among it's competitors.  See the top picks in Routers »
Buffalo Technology WHR-HP-G54

Buffalo Technology WHR-HP-G54

MSRP  $69.99    Released  April, 2009
Pros
  • Very user friendly.
  • Increased speed versus standard 802.11g
  • Backwards compatibility with 802.11b
  • Warranty
Cons
  • Not very Mac friendly
ProSCORE
1 review
80
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Linksys WRT54G 100% vs. vote Buffalo Technology WHR-HP-G54 0%

Suggest a new competitor to add to the list of competing products.
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Comments

12 taps
1.  avatar Erik said:

I just bought the WRT54GL version of this router and flashed it with Tomato over the weekend after coming across it on Newegg. So far it's lived up to it's almost legendary reputation as a rock solid performer with the upgraded Tomato Firmware. I boosted by Tx power to 70 mW (up from 42 mW) and I doubled my bandwidth when connecting wirelessly through a single floor.

I originally bought this router to function as merely an access point, but since it's QoS and bandwidth monitoring is so sweet I want to make it my main router. However, I have a problem. I also run a Vonage router that doesn't seem to work properly when setup behind the WRT54GL (even after forwarding ports according to their support). I would still like to run this topology. Any ideas?

Aug 18, 2008 10:29am
2.  avatar dialupinternetuser said:

Try using DD-WRT, it actually uses the same code as the defualt firmware because Linksys based their stuff on some open source stuff so after some litigation they were forced to release it because of GPL. It's what I use.
Aug 18, 2008 10:46am
3.  avatar Manzabar said:

@Erik: What kinds of problems do you have with the Vonage router when put behind the WRT54GL? Is the Vonage routher wireless/wired?
Aug 18, 2008 3:10pm
4.  avatar Erik said:

I won't get a dialtone. I've connected the Vonage router's WAN port to a LAN port of the WRT54GL, and then forwarded ports according to Vonage support:

http://www.vonage.com/help.php?article=1098&category=44&nav=

Anybody have any good links on how to setup QoS in Tomato/DD-WRT?
Aug 20, 2008 10:46am
5.  avatar Erik said:

Ok, bonehead manoeuver on my part. I had mobth the WAN and LAN side of the Vonage router setup on the 192.168.0.x subnet. I changed the router LAN subnet to 192.168.100.x and bingobango, dialtone.

I love this router!
Aug 20, 2008 11:54am
6.  avatar Howlsthunder said:

I have this router and use it for two Macintoshes (one wired in, the other wireless) and our Nintendo Wii, plus the occasional visiting MacBook. Its a solid router and I never have problems with it. Good range, good reception all throughout the house.

My only complaint is that there is NO Apple support for it via Linksys themselves so it takes a bit of router know-how to get it set up on a Mac. However, we did find Linksys support to be helpful even when they couldn't help ;).
Aug 26, 2008 9:32pm
7.  avatar Yale said:

This thing with Tomato is unbelievable. Rock solid and highly configurable. Makes my life so much easier with automatic DDNS updates. Had a similar looking wireless B router from Linksys (with the default firmware) which always required reboots after wireless would stop working or my connection would die and not automatically reconnect - would drive me up the wall, and couldn't be trusted when I needed to remotely connect for time sensitive work.

Jun 27, 2009 9:59pm
8.  avatar Dan (Shrek) said:

Just a note, I have the older version of the router, don't get me wrong, I still love the router contrary to what I used to think about Linksys :)
Jun 28, 2009 9:43pm
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Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

christine

avatar
Yesterday, 9:34 PM
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
67
negative
mixed
positive
8 pros
4 cons
have ithave it
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Firmware can be upgraded to third-party open-source software like DD-WRT, Tomato Firmware, or OpenWRT
  • External antennas provide greater range
  • Upgradeable antennas
  • Rock-solid operation
  • Device includes 4-port switch and Wireless-G (802.11g) access point
  • Backlit SES-button on the front that can be programmed to run scripts using 3rd party firmware
  • Device is downward (or backwards) compatible to 802.11b clients at 11 Mbps
  • GUI is relatively easy to work through.

Cons

  • Some versions use VxWorks stock firmware that cannot be upgraded to third-party
  • "Low or limited connectivity"
  • Factory firmware does not allow for user bandwidth customization aka QoS (Quality of Service)
  • Device has trouble provisioning new IP address under heavy use

Did you find this review helpful? Yes  /  No

Erik

avatar
Today, 12:20 PM
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
56
negative
mixed
positive
5 pros
4 cons
have ithave it
love itlove it
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Firmware can be upgraded to third-party open-source software like DD-WRT, Tomato Firmware, or OpenWRT
  • External antennas provide greater range
  • Upgradeable antennas
  • Rock-solid operation
  • Backlit SES-button on the front that can be programmed to run scripts using 3rd party firmware

Cons

  • More expensive because it can be modded
  • Some versions use VxWorks stock firmware that cannot be upgraded to third-party
  • slower than the latest Gigabit / 802.11N options
  • Not as "pretty" as newer routers

Comments

"

I just bought the WRT54GL version of this router and flashed it with Tomato over the weekend after coming across it on Newegg. So far it's lived up to it's almost legendary reputation as a rock solid performer with the upgraded Tomato Firmware. I boosted by Tx power to 70 mW (up from 42 mW) and I doubled my bandwidth when connecting wirelessly through a single floor.

I originally bought this router to function as merely an access point, but since it's QoS and bandwidth monitoring is so sweet I want to make it my main router. However, I have a problem. I also run a Vonage router that doesn't seem to work properly when setup behind the WRT54GL (even after forwarding ports according to their support). I would still like to run this topology. Any ideas?

"
"I won't get a dialtone. I've connected the Vonage router's WAN port to a LAN port of the WRT54GL, and then forwarded ports according to Vonage support:

http://www.vonage.com/help.php?article=1098&category=44&nav=

Anybody have any good links on how to setup QoS in Tomato/DD-WRT?"
"Ok, bonehead manoeuver on my part. I had mobth the WAN and LAN side of the Vonage router setup on the 192.168.0.x subnet. I changed the router LAN subnet to 192.168.100.x and bingobango, dialtone.

I love this router!"

Competitors

Erik prefers Linksys WRT54G over Buffalo Technology WHR-HP-G54
Did you find this review helpful? Yes  /  No

Yale

avatar
Yesterday, 10:02 PM
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
67
negative
mixed
positive
6 pros
3 cons
have ithave it
love itlove it

Pros

  • Firmware can be upgraded to third-party open-source software like DD-WRT, Tomato Firmware, or OpenWRT
  • External antennas provide greater range
  • Rock-solid operation
  • Device includes 4-port switch and Wireless-G (802.11g) access point
  • Backlit SES-button on the front that can be programmed to run scripts using 3rd party firmware
  • Device is downward (or backwards) compatible to 802.11b clients at 11 Mbps

Cons

  • More expensive because it can be modded
  • slower than the latest Gigabit / 802.11N options
  • can be bricked easily while upgrading firmware

Comments

"

This thing with Tomato is unbelievable. Rock solid and highly configurable. Makes my life so much easier with automatic DDNS updates. Had a similar looking wireless B router from Linksys (with the default firmware) which always required reboots after wireless would stop working or my connection would die and not automatically reconnect - would drive me up the wall, and couldn't be trusted when I needed to remotely connect for time sensitive work.

"
Did you find this review helpful? Yes  /  No

Dan (Shrek)

avatar
Today, 9:42 PM
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
57
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
3 cons
have ithave it
love itlove it

Pros

  • External antennas provide greater range
  • Device includes 4-port switch and Wireless-G (802.11g) access point
  • Device is downward (or backwards) compatible to 802.11b clients at 11 Mbps
  • GUI is relatively easy to work through.

Cons

  • "Low or limited connectivity"
  • Factory firmware does not allow for user bandwidth customization aka QoS (Quality of Service)
  • can be bricked easily while upgrading firmware

Comments

"Just a note, I have the older version of the router, don't get me wrong, I still love the router contrary to what I used to think about Linksys :)"
Did you find this review helpful? Yes  /  No

Michael Barber

avatar
Today, 3:47 AM
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
80
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
1 con

Pros

  • Firmware can be upgraded to third-party open-source software like DD-WRT, Tomato Firmware, or OpenWRT
  • External antennas provide greater range
  • Upgradeable antennas
  • Device includes 4-port switch and Wireless-G (802.11g) access point

Cons

  • More expensive because it can be modded

Did you find this review helpful? Yes  /  No

natslovR

avatar
September 11, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
80
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
1 con
have ithave it

Pros

  • Firmware can be upgraded to third-party open-source software like DD-WRT, Tomato Firmware, or OpenWRT
  • External antennas provide greater range
  • Upgradeable antennas
  • Rock-solid operation

Cons

  • Not as "pretty" as newer routers

Did you find this review helpful? Yes  /  No

Manzabar

avatar
August 18, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
80
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
1 con
have ithave it
love itlove it

Pros

  • Firmware can be upgraded to third-party open-source software like DD-WRT, Tomato Firmware, or OpenWRT
  • External antennas provide greater range
  • Upgradeable antennas
  • Rock-solid operation

Cons

  • More expensive because it can be modded

Comments

"@Erik: What kinds of problems do you have with the Vonage router when put behind the WRT54GL? Is the Vonage routher wireless/wired?"
Did you find this review helpful? Yes  /  No

Howlsthunder

avatar
August 26, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
50
negative
mixed
positive
2 pros
2 cons
have ithave it

Pros

  • External antennas provide greater range
  • Rock-solid operation

Cons

  • Not as "pretty" as newer routers
  • No tech support for Mac

Comments

"I have this router and use it for two Macintoshes (one wired in, the other wireless) and our Nintendo Wii, plus the occasional visiting MacBook. Its a solid router and I never have problems with it. Good range, good reception all throughout the house.

My only complaint is that there is NO Apple support for it via Linksys themselves so it takes a bit of router know-how to get it set up on a Mac. However, we did find Linksys support to be helpful even when they couldn't help ;)."
Did you find this review helpful? Yes  /  No

Omar

avatar
August 18, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
50
negative
mixed
positive
2 pros
2 cons

Pros

  • Firmware can be upgraded to third-party open-source software like DD-WRT, Tomato Firmware, or OpenWRT
  • External antennas provide greater range

Cons

  • More expensive because it can be modded
  • Some versions use VxWorks stock firmware that cannot be upgraded to third-party

Did you find this review helpful? Yes  /  No

kfkkail

avatar
November 19, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
3 pros
0 cons
have ithave it

Pros

  • Firmware can be upgraded to third-party open-source software like DD-WRT, Tomato Firmware, or OpenWRT
  • External antennas provide greater range
  • Upgradeable antennas

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful? Yes  /  No
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This product is also known as:

WRT, 54, G, WRT54, 54G, WRT54G