Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

tomacwhite · 01:22 PM

Hi,
I am after a wireless router and everyone seems to quite like this model. However I don't know anyone with a Mac that uses this router. Looking on the website, install software and firmware only seems to be PC flavor - nothing for OS9 or OS10 at all. The software CD you get with it only seems to be PC compat too.

Does anyone here have the router? How do you update firewares on it? Does it work ok with an Airport Extreme card?

Thanks.

aaanorton · Feb 12, 2004, 01:34 PM

In a word: Yes. It will work, no problem.
You have to ask yourself a question though... Do you really want to buy a product from a company that refuses to even recognize the platform that you use? There are lots of these things out there, why not buy from a company that pursues Mac users? Linksys units are fine, but you can find many others that work just as well. Check out Netgear, Asante or even D-Link.

John Strung · Feb 12, 2004, 01:35 PM

It should work as long as you don't need to use AppleTalk wirelessly.

tomacwhite · Feb 12, 2004, 02:40 PM

Thanks.
So one question:

How do you update the firmware with it, and setup encription settings etc and general setup stuff?

Is it done through a browser like a Belkin would be? A Belkin would be one of my other choices..

Sorry, I am total noob when it comes to routers in the home.

aaanorton · 05:14 PM

Originally posted by tomacwhite:
How do you update the firmware with it,...

You connect it to your PC... You can get freeware apps to do this on the Linksys boxes, but they provide no way for Macs to upgrade firmware natively. Netgear does. Asante does. D-Link does. And don't call Linksys' tech support line with Mac questions either.

...and setup encription settings etc and general setup stuff?

Is it done through a browser like a Belkin would be? A Belkin would be one of my other choices..

My advice is to just get one first, then try setting it up. If you have difficulties, post back with specifics and you'll be able to get help here. But yes, they all (EXCEPT for Apple's base stations) configure through a web interface.
You may also want to consider a 802.11b device instead. If you only have one computer to connect and/or do not plan on transferring LOTS of data BETWEEN your own computers, .11b makes a lot of sense. They'll be cheaper and for the most part, more reliable.

tomacwhite · Feb 12, 2004, 07:09 PM

Cheers. BTW If you mean connect to MAC to get Firmwares thats cool, but if you mean PC I am a bit screwed as I don't own a PC.

I'll have a look around at other routers too..

Thanks.

aaanorton · Feb 12, 2004, 07:43 PM

Originally posted by tomacwhite:
Cheers. BTW If you mean connect to MAC to get Firmwares thats cool, but if you mean PC I am a bit screwed as I don't own a PC.

Which is exactly my point... Linksys does not support firmware upgrades via Macs.

tomacwhite · Feb 12, 2004, 08:01 PM

I see.. F%%k that then! I'll go for something else.

Cheers.

ghporter · Feb 12, 2004, 09:49 PM

You CAN use your Mac to upgrade the firmware on the Linksys box. However, since Linksys doesn't have a Mac programming shop, they don't have the in-house ability to support Macs. Last time I looked for new firmware, they did have a link to a Mac utility that did what their "TFTP" PC utility does.

chabig · Feb 12, 2004, 10:50 PM

I use a WRT54G to connect to the internet. I have to admit that IE works better than Safari with the unit, but other than that, it's fully configurable and upgradable from the Mac. I've upgraded the firmware twice without a single problem.

Chris

cschmelz · Feb 17, 2004, 11:03 PM

I don't know WHAT everyone else is talking about---I just installed the Sveasoft open source firmware on MY WRT54G via 802.11b and Safari....So exactly HOW do they not support mac firmware updating?

IT IS ALL DONE VIA THE WEB BASED SETUP INTERFACE!

So, unless you are sooooo dumb that you can't use the web to configure and update the firmware on your router, you can use the WRT54G

With the open source linksys firmware, that has been modifed by sveasoft, AND the fact it is running Linux 2.4, you can do all kinds of cool stuff (for $70) that you CANNOT do with the airport extreme...

It has a Shorewood configurable strong firewall, WPA, adjustable power output (again from the web) AND, most importantly, can do traffic shaping and set high and low priority ports or IP addresses, which is great for xbox gaming or VOIP phone stuff....

www.sveasoft.com/forum6.html

chabig · Feb 18, 2004, 12:13 AM

People's gripe is the LinkSys "says" they don't support the Mac. That's all. Of course, being a Mac, it all just works.

Chris

cschmelz · Feb 18, 2004, 09:25 AM

Originally posted by chabig:
People's gripe is the LinkSys "says" they don't support the Mac. That's all. Of course, being a Mac, it all just works.

Chris

I just don't understand why you would need SPECIFIC support for the mac... It is based on accepted standards and it also 'just works' when you plug it in...

I HATED the early linksys stuff, as you DID have to use their windows specific SNMP app to configure the APs, but clearly, now they use a web based configuration along with Linux based firmware..

chabig · Feb 18, 2004, 10:08 AM

I just don't understand why you would need SPECIFIC support for the mac.

I agree with you. If it works, who cares. But...if they say they don't support the Mac, then at some point in the future, they might even take away the browser interface. In fact, I had to take my WET11 to a friend's house to do a firmware upgrade because the firmware on that box is not upgradeable from the browser.

Chris

cybergoober · Feb 18, 2004, 12:26 PM

Linksys may not "officially" support Mac, but the WRT54G is most definitely compatible with Mac. As has already been pointed out, firmware updates are done via the web interface of the router. If that fails there is always MacTFTP (site seems to be down at the moment, if the site is gone for good PM me and I can send it to you).

BTW- It is never a good idea to upgrade the router firmware over wireless. That's not to say it can't be done. I always upgrade the firmware from my iMac which is connected directly to my router. Better safe than sorry. As far as IE vs Safari with the WRT54G web interface, the only thing Safari seems to have a problem with is the DDNS page. I can't edit any of the fields in Safari. IE works fine, however. It's actually the only time I use IE anymore.

I am currently using the the latest stable build of the Sveasoft WRT54G firmware. It is quite nice. It enables features that are only available in higher-end routers. Find out more here.

ghporter · Feb 18, 2004, 07:55 PM

The big deal is that, when you read the specs for a Linksys device, under "Operating Systems" you won't see "Mac OS." Linksys often includes a "setup disk" with their products, and the application on this disk is invariably a Windows program. The answer to this is "so what?" These setup disk things are just a "wizard-driven" initial configuration. You can configure EVERY Linksys product (that I know of, anyway) with a browser.

But some people get paniced if they don't see "Apple approved," or something. Networking is all standards-based, so it doesn't matter if Apple's ever looked at a networking product. But a lot of neophytes (I HATE "noob") worry if they don't see something familiar.

nerd · Feb 21, 2004, 02:51 AM

I second this, you can't go wrong getting the Linksys and installing this software on it.

Brad

Originally posted by cschmelz:
I don't know WHAT everyone else is talking about---I just installed the Sveasoft open source firmware on MY WRT54G via 802.11b and Safari....So exactly HOW do they not support mac firmware updating?

IT IS ALL DONE VIA THE WEB BASED SETUP INTERFACE!

So, unless you are sooooo dumb that you can't use the web to configure and update the firmware on your router, you can use the WRT54G

With the open source linksys firmware, that has been modifed by sveasoft, AND the fact it is running Linux 2.4, you can do all kinds of cool stuff (for $70) that you CANNOT do with the airport extreme...

It has a Shorewood configurable strong firewall, WPA, adjustable power output (again from the web) AND, most importantly, can do traffic shaping and set high and low priority ports or IP addresses, which is great for xbox gaming or VOIP phone stuff....

www.sveasoft.com/forum6.html

Pale Rider · Feb 23, 2004, 08:50 PM

Originally posted by cybergoober:
Linksys may not "officially" support Mac, but the WRT54G is most definitely compatible with Mac. As has already been pointed out, firmware updates are done via the web interface of the router. If that fails there is always MacTFTP (site seems to be down at the moment, if the site is gone for good PM me and I can send it to you).

BTW- It is never a good idea to upgrade the router firmware over wireless. That's not to say it can't be done. I always upgrade the firmware from my iMac which is connected directly to my router. Better safe than sorry. As far as IE vs Safari with the WRT54G web interface, the only thing Safari seems to have a problem with is the DDNS page. I can't edit any of the fields in Safari. IE works fine, however. It's actually the only time I use IE anymore.

I am currently using the the latest stable build of the Sveasoft WRT54G firmware. It is quite nice. It enables features that are only available in higher-end routers. Find out more here.

cybergoober, which version is that?

Pale Rider · Feb 24, 2004, 10:31 AM

I came across this thread while looking for a replacement for my WRT54G router. I was considering the D-Link equivalent--and I guess I still might pick one up at best Buy as a backup--but for fun, I installed the Sveasoft Sartori firmware, and wow, I am impressed. I will definitely have to play around with all the new features before demoting the WRT54G.

golfer099 · Mar 9, 2004, 05:10 PM

Ok. I have a WRT54G router and can connect over Wireless. I also can connect to the Ethernet port via a PC. When I tried to connect via my Mac Ethernet, it would not give me an IP address or allow me to get to the router 192.168.1.1 . I have reinstalled the OS and tried this with 9.2, 10.2 and 10.3 with no luck. If I hook up ethernet directly to the cable modem via ethernet it works fine. I live in NYC and changed my cable service from Road Runner to Earthlink and still have this issue. I have updated my firmware through Safari wirelessly though. What did you all do to get the ethernet to work from your router? I have even rest router and cable modem multiple times. If anyone know, email me [email protected] or reply here.