Modify the Linksys hardware
Work in progress...
Contents
Parts List
| Quantity | Part Name | Details | Part / Model Number | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LinkSys WRT54GL Router | 802.11b/g wireless broadband router | LinkSys WRT54GL | ~$65.00 |
| 1 | Ribbon cable | 28 AWG, 10 conductor, 25' | Jameco 643508CM | $4.99 |
| 1 | IDC socket connector | 0.1”, 10 conductor | Jameco 32491CM | $0.25 |
| 1 | IDC shrouded header | 0.1”, 10 conductor | Jameco 67811CM | $0.33 |
| 1 | RS232 Transmitter/Receiver | IC 2DVR/2RCVR RS232 5V 20-DIP | DigiKey MAX233CPP-ND | $7.45 |
| 2 | Two (2) DB9 Female | 22AWG,SOLDER CUP | Jameco 15771CM | $0.59 |
Tools List
- Soldering Iron
- Dremel tool (for cutting holes in plastic case)
Steps
Task One: Opening the Router
As others have done, I will defer to Void Main, who provides nice illustrated opening instructions.
DO NOTE: This is where the warranty on the router is voided! (But really, you know there's no real fun to be had unless a warranty gets voided somewhere.)
Task Two: Attaching the Serial Header
Now that your PCB is naked, locate the serial header holes provided by LinkSys. This would be a grid of 10 holes (5x2) located on the bottom-right corner of the board when the antennae stubs are on top (see the top-down photo for clarification). These ten holes hold all of the input and output for the two serial interfaces--UART0, and UART1--on the device. (OpenWRT by default runs a console on UART0, so we have something to look forward to here!)
Now, we could just solder wires right onto these holes, but a by placing a nice 10-pin header on the board we can easily attach and detach a 10 connection cable. This is where you will use your soldering iron solder the IDC shrouded header onto the board.
This will be the only soldering that you have to do on the LinkSys PCB. The rest of the work will be done wiring the MAX233A transceiver correctly and it just has to be plugged it into this header.
