Go back and tweak?

[james1052]

I am a Linux guy and I am considering making my first venture into installing custom router firmware with Gargoyle. My purpose (besides enjoying myself) is this: I have a satellite internet connection at home with limited monthly bandwidth and it is time that I take control. The quota features, etc. that I see are superb.

I have a question, however. I need a segregated guest WLAN. Not that important, but I do have a few friends who I would like to give very throttled internet access to and would also like for them not to be able to see my computers. Since Gargoyle is a front end for OpenWRT can I install Gargoyle and then go back from the command line and tweak some things like this? I'm assuming yes, but just need to verify before I take the leap.

Also, bonus question: There are a lot of routers listed as supported which is great but which one would you recommend?:

http://www.gargoyle-router.com/wiki/dok ... ed_routers

Thanks!

James

[pbix]

James.

Thanks for stopping by. We always can use more Linux guys around here. I encourage you to purchase a Netgear WDNR3700V2 or Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH. I have both of these and confirm that they are excellent platforms for Gargoyle (and OpenWRT).

Gargoyle is built on top of OpenWRT. If you SSH into Gargoyle you have all the commands and features of OpenWRT. Gargoyle is tailored to the average home user and includes some features not found in OpenWRT. These include the Quota and QoS features which will be very helpful to you with a satellite link.

While Gargoyle does not official support a Guest SSID here is a good thread on one way to do it from the command line.

http://www.gargoyle-router.com/phpbb/vi ... guest+SSID

When you do make changes from the command line there is a potential to affect Gargoyle features so that is something that you have to evaluate before doing them.

Good luck.

[james1052]

Sounds like a "probably" to me!! I'll take it!

Just purchased this WZR-HP-G300NH from NewEgg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6833162031

According to the OpenWRT website, it needs to be v1?:

http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/start#buffalo

Don't know if what I bought is v1 or not. Hmm. Think I'll be okay??

[pbix]

I think all version of this router work with current releases of OpenWRT and Gargoyle. The wiki page is a little dated.

I recently used the Windows method shown here http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/buffalo/wzr-hp-g300h to change my stock software to Gargoyle. Its a little complex but nothing that should scare a Linux guy.

But if your router comes with DD-WRT loaded on it it is even easier to change to Gargoyle.

Just remember to be patient when loading software. Writing flash is not like writing to disk. The file uploads and then there is a several minute period when nothing seems to be happening but actually is the time the CPU is writing the image to flash.

[james1052]

So it's now been just about 15 minutes since I updated the firmware using this...

http://www.gargoyle-router.com/wiki/dok ... -hp-g300nh

...But the router won't ping at 192.168.1.1

...Hmmm....Me think bricky? Maybe I will bounce it...

[james1052]

Hmm...My model number is WZR-HP-G300NH2 but the wiki was for WZR-HP-G300NH...that might be an issue...?!

[pbix]

Well that is a different router, many verison of the NH2 also supported by Gargoyle but if you flashed the wrong firmware onto it that would explain things.

Your router can be recovered using the bootloader and the correct firmware this time. Follow the instructions here
http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/buffalo/wzr-hp-g300nh2
What version of the NH2 do you have? Is it one of the ones mentioned on the above page?

Specs on the NH2 are the same as the NH so it should be an equally good plateform. Just get the right firmware onto it.

Good luck

[james1052]

I see "C1 A0" on one of the labels...so maybe it is a WZR-HP-G300NH2 C1 A0?

I have tried every possible how-to including the one you sent, complete with the static arp entry and I have tried this on Windows 7 and Mac.

On Windows, Pumpkin (tftp) says the transfer was aborted and the Mac goes for a while and then says "tftp: sendto: No route to host"

I have tried this with a switch in between as well.

I must confess to being at the end of my rope... :/

[james1052]

FINALLY got it to tftp it after switching network cables and running the tftp command from the OS X command line over and over and over again while booting the router. It would fail and then I would hit up arrow over and over...Can't believe I finally got somewhere...It hasn't come up on 192.168.11.1 yet (even after deleting the arp entry) but it has only been about 7 minutes, so I will give it some more time...

[james1052]

Oops, forgot it was supposed to be 192.168.1.1...I'm good now!!

Having a bad network cable seems to have been the issue, that and/or just the tftp client hitting it at the very fussy small time window that the router accepts the tftp...