Need a more flexible router device for home network

On Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:32:29 -0500, Pavel
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>GlowingBlueMist wrote:
>> Pavel wrote:
>>> GlowingBlueMist wrote:
>>>> Pavel wrote:
>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>
>>>>> I would like to replace my router with something that could run DNS
>>>>> and DHCP servers for my internal network and automatically update
>>>>> DNS from DHCP so that I could run services on my internal network
>>>>> (no external connectivity is required or desired) and access them
>>>>> by host names. I am currently running old wired LinkSys which is
>>>>> otherwise ok for my needs but does not have this feature. Ideally
>>>>> DNS and DHCP should be on the same appliance where the switch and
>>>>> router are because any other computer on the network can be
>>>>> switched off. Any ideas?
>>>>>
>>>>> -Pavel
>>>>
>>>> Depending on what model of Linksys router you have you may be able to
>>>> upgrade it to dd-wrt, a 3rd party router software (firmware). It is
>>>> free for your use and can be found at http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/
>>>>
>>>> Another 3rd party upgrade that can be considered is Tomato, again
>>>> provided your router is in the supported category. It can be found
>>>> at http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato.
>>>>
>>>> Check out the features these two software packages offer. If your
>>>> present device does not qualify you might find it worth purchasing a
>>>> used router that does meet the specifications and loading the
>>>> firmware into it or purchasing one on EBay that has already been
>>>> upgraded with it.
>>> Thanks! I heard of dd-wrt before but at first sight I could not figure
>>> out if the feature I need is there and now I seem to see it:
>>>
>>> http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php...as_DHCP_server
>>>
>>> Will get a supported LinsSys (my current one is not supported but will
>>> keep it as a backup for a while in case things go ugly..) and try..
>>>
>>> -Pavel
>>
>> The router models very quite a bit in memory size. I'd make sure to get one
>> that has the maximum capacity so you can have the most flexibility in the
>> software features you can install.
>>
>> Another thing is to check the list of compatible routers as Linksys is not
>> the only brand that is supported by dd-wrt. You might get lucky and find
>> one of the other brands at a lower cost with the capacity you want, not that
>> anything is wrong with Linksys.
>>
>>
>Thanks! I think I will get myself LinkSys WRT54GL unless you or someone
>on the group had issues with this model and dd-wrt.

I'm currently running 5 GL's without any issues. I think you'll like
it.

>And it looks
>precisely like my old guy, BEFSR41 except for those ugly antennas (for
>which I hope to find a way to turn them off anyway...)

Easy, just go to the Wireless tab, then set the Wireless Network Mode
to Disabled. After that you can remove the antennas.

>It's 16 MB and 4MB flash, dd-wrt seems to support it without
>reservations (the table on Wiki says "any" for "dd-wrt version required"
>whereas for some other routers with 8MB it says "mini only").
>
>Just found out NewEgg runs a great discount on it -- will get it for
>$54.95 and free shipping (the tag is 79.99).
>
>Wish me luck.. this will be my first time with 3rd-party router firmware.

I don't think you'll have any issues.

Pavel wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I would like to replace my router with something that could run DNS and
> DHCP servers for my internal network and automatically update DNS from
> DHCP so that I could run services on my internal network (no external
> connectivity is required or desired) and access them by host names. I am
> currently running old wired LinkSys which is otherwise ok for my needs
> but does not have this feature. Ideally DNS and DHCP should be on the
> same appliance where the switch and router are because any other
> computer on the network can be switched off.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> -Pavel
So, DD-WRT worked for me -- thanks to all who helped!

One minor glitch (I think) is that if the router is rebooted and the
computer is not, the router loses the hostnames from its DHCP table and
DNS stops resolving. If I remember it correctly there was no this glitch
in the original linksys firmware (but, of course, it did not have DNS
server for local network at all so the host names on DHCP server were of
no use..) It's easy to re-request leases from the clients; also, I hope
I won't have a reason to reboot the router often so I do not expect it
to be a major issue for me.

For those interested: I used "mini" version, BS build 12548 NEWD.
WRT54DL could run the standard version, too but I did not need any
features that were not in mini and mini had to be loaded first anyway so
I decided to stop there for now.

Turning off the radio worked all right, too.

-Pavel