Things to Download

For this tutorial, I recomend having two computers available. If you are using one computer, for most of the tutorial you will not be able to access the interent. Make sure you download all the files below, and have a copy of the tutorial printed out or saved for reference. I am including the original links, plus a mirror in case the original sources go down. If you are the owner of one of these files and do not want me to host it, please contact me and I would be glad to take it down.

  1. The latest official Linksys firmware version 1.06 available here (linksys.com) or here (Jozerworx mirror).
  2. Initial DD-WRT flashing file (thanks to dvlad666) available here (dd-wrt.com) or here (Jozerworx mirror).
  3. Latest version of DD-WRT available here (dd-wrt.com) or here (Jozerworx mirror).

Checking to see if you have a Revision 1 Device

Linksys made three hardware revisions of the WRE54G. For the most part, they look and function identically, but the important distinction is that DD-WRT can be installed only on Revision 1 devices (hereafter "v1"). Hardware revisions 2 and 3 are completely incompatible with DD-WRT. Do not attempt this tutorial with a version 2 or 3 device, at best, you will waste some time, at worst, you will break your expensive wireless extender. Here is how to determine what hardware revision you have.

  1. Look at the front and bottom of the device. There should not be an ethernet port. If there is an ethernet port, than you have a version 2 or 3 device and cannot follow this tutorial.
  2. Flip the WRE54G over and look at the back label. You should see a box labeled "Model Np". If the box says just"WRE54G", then you have a version 1 device. If the box says "WRE54G v2", "WRE54G v3", or anything else, then you have a later revision device.
  3. While you are looking at the back of your device, note down the MAC address, which should be a 12 digit code near the bottom of the label.
  4. If your device passes both tests, then move on to the next step.