'How to' for Newbies & Novices
I am a bit nervous about 'doing things' to my WAP54G but I hate throwing things away without a very good reason even when it would probably be more cost effective to do so. I have a 54G which worked well until a few weeks ago so I never messed with it. As a result I don't actually know if my current experiences were always present.
It worked well until just before Christmas when it suddenly lost the ability to access the internet and screwed up my other devices (until they were reset and the 54G disconnected.
I have tried everything to no avail and web research has led me to your website which appears to be brilliant but in some areas assumes a level of knowledge above me so I am hesitating to act and so I am asking if it's possible to have a topic associated with explaining the less common jargon etc. For example I think the firmware has got corrupted and/or caused a data overload as it runs very slowly when trying to access the user interface etc and therefore I think it may be in need of de-bricking but that is an area all new to me so although I'm willing to have a go I'm not exactly sure what is entailed. You make reference to 'tftp' and give an instruction 'tftp -i 192.168.1.245 PUT thefirmwareyousaved.trx'. I understand most of that instruction but not all, hence this posting.
Lanzaman (PS - Fantastic Site)
Thanks for the comment, we
Thanks for the comment, we have never had a non technical person review our procedures, and we had assumed they were fairly detailed. But as technical people we do have the tendency to have a natural assumption of a degree of knowledge.
To your problem.
The de-bricking procedure is in chronological order, so if you follow everything from the beginning you will most likely resolve your problem before you get to the serious end of the situation.
The key to knowing of your WAP54G is dead or non responsive is the Act light. If that is going then your WAP54G is functional in some way. If that is the case for you now then all you have to do is use the start here post to get properly connected to your WAP54G so that you can flash it with the latest firmware.
If the Act light isn't on then you are certainly at the serious stage. If that is the case then please explain in your own words what it is that you are having issues with so that we may address our process guide so that it is more complete.
WAP54G
Start Here
Thanks for the fast reply.
Probably best if I set out the position from the beginning even though I will be repeating myself but it will set the scene more accurately.
The basic problem is I can't get onto the internet through the 54G wireless link and when I try and use my router's LAN or my other WAP (Netgear) I find neither can access the internet until I disconnect the Linksys and re-boot everything up. As long as I do not reconnect the 54G everything works ok, if I do we go round the loop all over again so in my mind the problem is clearly with the 54G.
The whole system worked well for twelve months or so until just before Christmas when quite suddenly the Linksys not only stopped talking to the internet but stalled the D-link router and the other WAP. When first connecting everything appears totally normal, all the Linksys lights come on (in correct sequence) and the router talks to it enabling it to be configured from the CD. Resets appear to work and I get all excited thinking it's working, but it's not, we just go round the loop again! Incidentally most attempts to 'ping' it fail but occasionally one will get through.
Now to you guys and de-bricking. Not sure exactly what it means but believe I may be right in that it needs to be carried out for the following reason: I have followed your 'Start Here' procedure to the letter but it took several attempts to get the opening screen up. I used Internet Explorer for accessing it but even when I do eventually get the opening page (Setup) to load I cannot get any further. I have tried all the page options (Wireless, Admin, Status) but none of them load. Hence the conclusion that the firmware has got corrupted or the memory overloaded and my conclusion that it needs de-bricking.
Think I've told you everything so once again over to guys but if you conclude that de-bricking is called for please humour me and explain in a little more detail the command "tftp -i" as this is completely new to me. Please begin at the 'Start' button of my computer as I would for pinging ie 'Start; Run 'cmd' and at command line 'ping 192.168.1.245' Do I run 'cmd' or 'tftp'. Sorry but ignorance is bliss.
BFN Lanzaman
For the Avoidance of Doubt
Further to my last posting I have been getting ready for a de-brick assuming that you concur and for the avoidance of doubt would just like to ask you three questions:
(1) If I get the wrong pin (15 or 17) does it do any damage to the chip or simply not achieve the objective?
(2) Do you mean that part of the TNC connector onto which the aerial itself is screwed or the wire that goes to it inside the case?
(3) Is a reset required immediately before carrying out the de-bricking as coild be implied on the preparation hook-up page?
Sorry to be a complete Newbie, bfn Lanzaman
PS - Still cannot get past the opening screen!
I dout your WAP54G is bricked
I doubt your WAP54G is bricked at all.
The issue is most likely one of configuration. I suspect you have another device on your network with the same IP.
Try this.
Reset the WAP54G
Connect directly to the WAP54G as per the Start Here.
Flash the WAP54G with the latest firmware. I have assumed here that your WAP54G is a V2 or higher.
Reset the WAP54G after flashing it.
Setup the WAP54G again to fit your network.
Don't forget to set the default gateway to the IP of your router.
WAP54G
Bricked or Not-Bricked
Hi WAP54G, once again thanks for your reply.
I am only now replying because I am very conscious of taking up your time and want to be sure I've tried everything I know of first.
The Good News' is that you are right - my 54G is not bricked as I have been able to make some real progress. You are also right in that there is some kind of IP address conflict
Unfortunately however clearly something is wrong as I cannot access the internet no matter how I try but I have, by accident, found the solution to my difficulty in accessing the 54G's web-based interface, a problem which was driving me crazy! Don't know whether this is normal or part of the underlying problem but in my search for a solution to it I have read many postings saying: "Cannot access 54G's web-based interface" as was my case. I stumbled on a solution by chance because to keep internet access on my desktop whilst at the same time wanting a direct connection between my computer and the 54G I decided to hitch the 54G to my laptop. I had not switched off the laptop's wireless transmitter and hey presto, instantaneous access to the interface! Works every time: Modem-->Router-->54G ) ) ) ) Laptop (Wireless) No other combination will access the 54G's interface but yet I still cannot access the web!
Having got access to the interface I checked the firmware version in place (V5 June 2005 if I remember correctly) so I got all excited and successfully uploaded (by wireless) the already downloaded (via the link on your website) v3.04 Dec 2007 and thought I had cracked it! But alas no, still no internet access! However, aside from that very important fundamntal requirement, everything now appears normal.
As to IP address conflicts I have got nowhere. There clearly is a problem but as I have tried all the usual 'ipconfig' combos and 'pings' I know of I have not resolved the problem and still have no internet access from the 54G. I think I may have caused the problem because I have two WAP's, the Linksys 54G and a Netgear 102 'mains cable transmitter/bridge/WAP combo which never gives any problem. The idea being to enable me to use my laptop anywhere on my property. I am wondering if that is where the IP address conflict comes from but as disconnecting everything and using only the 54G direct to a spare single channel modem makes no difference I am lost and do not know where to go from here.
I think I am going to try and borrow a friend's laptop in case something is buried deep inside mine and also try and persuade a local dealer to lend me a 54g to see if that works. If it does I will buy it as does incidentally increase the 54G's transmission power to overcome the thick concrete walls which are everywhere around us.
However if you have any suggestions as to what to do next I'm all ears.
BFN Lanzaman
You need to change the IP of
You need to change the IP of the WAP54G to suit your network, this is why the statement is made about configuring the WAP54G before connecting it to your network.
Here are the basics.
Every device connected to a network must have its own unique IP address.
The default Gateway address of any device connected to a network will be the IP of the router/gateway.
The DNS address of any device connected to a network will be the IP of the router/gateway.
So with that in mind, here is a generic configuration with a router, 2 APs and 2 Clients.
I am going to assume the AP are wired to the router and are in AP mode.
Router: LAN. The WAN side will have settings provided by your ISP
IP=192.168.1.1/255.255.255.0
Channel=11
SSID=MyNet
Security=WPA2 Personal/AES
PassPhrase=W1zzB4ng
AP1:
IP=192.168.1.245/255.255.255.0
Default gateway=192.168.1.1
Channel=11
SSID=MyNet
Security=WPA2 Personal/AES
PassPhrase=W1zzB4ng
AP2:
IP=192.168.1.246/255.255.255.0
Default gateway=192.168.1.1
Channel=11
SSID=MyNet
Security=WPA2 Personal/AES
PassPhrase=W1zzB4ng
Client1:
IP=192.168.1.100/255.255.255.0
Default gateway=192.168.1.1
DNS=192.168.1.1
Channel=11
SSID=MyNet
Security=WPA2 Personal/AES (When asked)
PassPhrase=W1zzB4ng (when asked)
Client2:
IP=192.168.1.101/255.255.255.0
Default gateway=192.168.1.1
DNS=192.168.1.1
Channel=11
SSID=MyNet
Security=WPA2 Personal/AES (when asked)
PassPhrase=W1zzB4ng (when asked)
If the APs are to be connected to the router wirelessly (repeater mode) then you will have to place the APs in repeater mode and enter the MAC address of the router into the table. To find the correct MAC address of the router you need to place the AP in AP Client mode, do a site survey, make a note of the MAC address of your router, then place the AP back in repeater mode and enter the MAC address you note just before.
Special Note: Repeater mode on the WAP54G has a limitation. Here is what is written at the bottom of the AP Mode page.
The above configuration is very generic and should function with any router/AP configuration if the APs are all in AP mode.
WAP54G
Bricked or Not-Bricked
Sorry for delay in acknowledging your help 54G but I cocked things up even worse and could not get any access to internet from either my Laptop or Desktop!
However I have made a partial recovery: Desktop now works on Single LAN outlet modem and my Laptop now works on Router + Netgear Bridge/WAP although obviously not at the same time. However still no success with the Linksys 54G but think the initial problem may have been caused by an IP conflict because I started to set up a network and then decided I don't need one as the computers are not required to talk to each other, they are all independant and simply share the internet connection. My Desktop does not move so is hardwired but my laptop uses both hard wired & wireless connection according to my location in the house.
I am going to persevere for now and better understand your posting but ultimately if I cannot get anywhere I will get my local dealer to check both my laptop and the 54g. He specialises in setting up business LAN's with WAP's (using Linksys 54G's which he modifies to increase the transmission power to help overcome the thick concrete walls which are everywhere around us).
I may also throw the towel in and get him to set up my whole system but that will only be as a last resort.
BFN Lanzaman