Linksys Wrt54g V5 Firmware Download

A while back, I was having some issues with my Linksys Router. It was a WRT54GS v5. A perfectly good router back then, but whenever I connected to it with my shiny new Windows 7 laptop via Wi-Fi, my network connection slowed to a crawl.

Hi, On this site there is no firm ware update for download for my wrt54g V5. For the other versions V6 and so.

I tried everything and changed all of the router settings, to no avail.

  • It was a WRT54GS v5. So, I went out in search of a way to flash my Linksys with firmware without the. Tomato firmware was out for my Linksys version. The first step is to go to that page and download the vxworks_prep_GS_v03.zip file.
  • Download The latest Linksys WRT54G firmware v1.0,v2.0,v2.2, v3.0, v3.1, v4.0,v5.0,v7.0,v7.2. Keep your Linksys WRT54G firmware or driver updated,Find the Linksys.

The real problem turned out to be a few settings in Windows 7 (long story), but I didn’t discover that before I had completely bricked my Linksys router.

The “bricking” event came after I’d contacted our team of authors, and one of the authors (who no longer writes for us anymore), suggested that I flash the “crappy” Linksys firmware with the free Tomato firmware.

What he failed to tell me – apparently assuming I was less of a Router-flashing amateur than I was – was that I should verify the compatibility of the router with the Tomato firmware.

Long story short – by the end of the night I had wiped my Router of all firmware and firmly bricked it. I couldn’t even ping it. According to all of the blogs and forums I read – it was as good as dead.

Unbricking a Bricked Linksys Router

After laying the router to rest in a box in the basement and buying a brand new, faster router, I forgot all about the old, “dead” Linksys router.

Recently, I wanted to build a sub-network on my home LAN. I remembered the bricked router and wondered if – years later – I could finally fix that thing. Worth a try, right?

After doing a bit of research, I discovered a variety of factory “reset” sequences that allegedly work with Linksys routers. Basically, hold down the reset button for 15 to 30 seconds (depending who you talk to), power off the router (while holding reset), then power back on and keep holding reset for 15 to 30 seconds. 30 seconds worked for me.

Firmware

While the power light kept incessantly blinking (the sign of a bricked router), and while I couldn’t access it on 192.168.1.1 with my browser, I was surprised to see that my computer “saw” the router when I connected a network cable.

Linksys Wrt54g V6 Firmware Download

Better yet, I could actually ping it.

It seemed so odd to me that I could ping the router, but couldn’t get to the web-based emergency recovery screen that all of the blogs and forums mentioned should come up after a reset. I’d clearly done a real number on this thing.

So, I went out in search of a way to flash my Linksys with firmware without the need to use any web-based front end. Tomato firmware was out for my Linksys version. However, I discovered an awesome set of tools and instructions at DD-WRT. The first step is to go to that page and download the vxworks_prep_GS_v03.zip file. After unzipping the files, run the VxImgToolGUI.exe utility.

Make sure to click the right WRT54G version that you’re trying to unbrick. Type in the MAC address from the label under your router, and then save the file as My54gsImage.bin in the folder where you unzipped those files.

Now, here’s the problem. The DD-WRT instructions tell you to go to your router “webgui” screen and click on firmware upgrade and use the vxworks_prep_GS_v03.bin file. The problem – I can’t get any webgui.

The solution? A very, very cool tool called Firmware Upgrade Utility. Pick the latest version, download and install, then run the Utility.

This awesome little application upgrades the firmware via TFTP. According to the DD-WRT instructions for upgrading from a bad flash, you can just use the good LinkSys firmware image that you just created with the utility above, or the DD-WRT image file (included in the zip package you unpacked).

Linksys Wrt54g V5 Firmware Download Free

First, I tried using the Firmware Upgrade Utility to reinstall the Linksys Image bin. Just type your router IP (that you know you can ping), browse to the firmware file, and click “Send”.

You’ll see the progress bar as the utility transfers the new firmware to your sick router.

When it’s done, try rebooting it and see if you can get to the web management window by going to 192.168.1.1 with your browser.

Linksys Wrt54g V5 Firmware Download Tool

At this point, I still couldn’t connect to the router with the browser, but I decided to forge ahead anyway. What could I lose – the router was already bricked, right? In the “Recover from a bad flash” instructions, the DD-WRT team says to follow the flash above with a flash of the 12548_NEWD_Micro.bin file included in the zip collection you extracted.

This time, instead of using the Firmware Upgrade Utility, I decided to use the TFTP command that the DD-WRT instructions mention. In this case, I opened a command prompt and typed:

“TFTP -i 192.168.1.1 PUT dd-wrt.v24-12548_NEWD_micro.bin”

After a quick file transfer screen, the following box opened up.

I typed in the router IP address for “Server”, no password, and browsed to the bin file mentioned above. I changed retry to 99 times, and clicked “Upgrade”.

After the transfer progress went through its routine, the status message finally said “Firmware was upgraded successfully!”

I was a bit in disbelief – did it really work? Was my long-bricked Linksys router finally brought back from the grave?

With great anticipation, I went once again to the browser window and typed: 192.168.1.1 – and saw this:

Let me just say, this was around 2 a.m. and I still jumped up out of my chair and shouted with joy. I had honestly started this little “unbricking” endeavor thinking that all odds were against me. But, when you’re dealing with nothing more than a paperweight, really – what do you have to lose?

Now that I see it’s really possible to dig your way out of a bricked Linksys router, I’m going to be tempted to gather up all of the “dead” Linksys routers my friends and family throw away, and then flash them with DD-WRT using the procedure above!

Have you ever bricked your router? Were you able to fix it, or did you give up and throw your router away? Share your own experiences in the comments section below.

Image Credits: Linksys Router via ShutterStock

Linksys Wrt54g Firmware Upgrade

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Linksys Wrt54g V5 Firmware Download

  1. Thanks!!! I made it finally with the Firmware Upgrade Utility!!! :-) :-)

  2. I can ping it ... @192.168.1.1 and I can see it on the network... but the tftp program says no target response.... I have powered it off after holding the reset button .... (mine resets no matter if you hold it for ever or just push it) and repowered it whilst holding the reset.. all I have is a rapidly flashing power light and nothing else.. any ideas?

    Jim

  3. 2016-09-26
    During what I expected to be a routine DDWRT flash, I was stuck in the same situation you were. Quick flashie light ... nada else. I performed each step using your process, and it worked.

    ** Note, after the final flash and reboot ... I was a little worried because the power light did the quick flashie again ... but settled after about 20 seconds as the router fully came up.

    Tip o' the hat to you, sir.

  4. Hi,
    I successfully used the firmware upgrade utility on a Linksys WRT54G version 2 and installed the TFTP version of the dd-wrt site directly onto the router. 20 minutes after I started the router was back to life again.

    Thank you so much for sharing !

  5. Nope. Didn't work all front lights keep flashing green. The Power, the four Ethernet port lights, and the Internet port lights are all flashing simultaneously

  6. i have no ping unfortunately, same site is saying i gotta make a JTAG cable to get in, oh well, guess that'll be a project.

  7. Hi all,

    I used this method to resurrect my Linksys WRT54G v1.0 that I bricked many years ago while upgrading to the latest Linksys firmware. It only took one try to do it. Then in 2009 I flashed the same Linksys router with DD-WRT and it has been working great ever since.

    I recently flashed a Netgear WNDR3700 with DD-WRT too which worked perfectly. Afterwards I read that most image files on the DD-WRT database are rarely updated so I decided to upgrade the DD-WRT firmware to the latest version using the required web-flash image file. I researched what had to be done before proceeding. When the message appeared indicating the upgrade was successful, I left it untouched for an extra couple of minutes and then carried out the recommended 30:30:30 reset only to find out that my Netgear router had bricked.

    I tried the method above with a Windows PC set to a static IP Address but with no success. The TFTP utility recommended by Netgear refused to even recognise the Netgear bin file to push it to the router and the updated version of the DrayTek utility which worked fantastically well for the Linksys router years earlier kept timing out no matter how much I adjusted it.

    Only after finding and using a TFTP utility for Mac OS X with my iMac set to a static IP address did it work, but it took many, many times before I was successful. Now my WNDR3700 has the latest DD-WRT version which I will not be upgrading.

    If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

  8. Call on helpline for support for Linksys 1-800-585-2494

  9. Thank you!
    Sadly, this didn't work for me.
    No way I could ping the unit... And it smell fried circuitry after some minutes pluggued. Ahah!
    Thanks anyway :)

  10. Call on helpline for support on linksys 1-800-585-2494

    • Thanks for Service Number

  11. This looks like a great post. Would be easier to follow if the steps were labeled, and maybe added a quick 'download these first' section?

    I am going to give it a try.

  12. Thanks a million Ryan Dube!
    You helped me a lot!

  13. I have a Linksys router, that I bricked, and kept, in hopes I would come accross a post like this. Now I can use it as a repeater and extend my signal :) Thanks for this post

  14. Would this be considered bricked? - I installed the dd-wrt firmware for my linksys wrt160n. And upon seeing the success page, I foolishly unplugged the power. So I tried to savage by doing a hard reset 30/30/30 several times. My power lights are working fine. Solid power light. Unplugging a lan cable slot and its respective light goes off. With Ethernet plugged to my laptop, 192.168.1.1 for linksys doesn't work. It showed up as, summarizing, 'asus updated successfully, page will refresh. Please go to the correct address ip'. What? And my laptop have the router as 'unidentified network'.

    Lol it is bricked?!

  15. Thanks a lot. It did help. even through wine at ubuntu 14.04.

  16. Does this work on routers that are not linksys? I have a Swisscom centro grande that I can't log in to. Apparantly it's an ADB.

  17. Model: WRT54G v6, Similar situation, Follow one of your steps mentioned, and it works like a charm.

    My situation little different, I tried to upgrade a firmware from dd-wrt and it kill my router. Blinking light and didn't ping 192.168.1.1 and obviously the web gui not accessible.

    So I manually configure my NAT
    IP: 192.168.1.10
    Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
    Gateway: 192.168.1.1

    And then ping 192.168.1.1 and it works.

    TFTP was disabled by default in Windows 7, so enable it by:
    Control Panel: Programs: Programs and Features: Turn Windows features on or off: TFTP

    And follow this steps as mentioned by Ryan Dube:
    “TFTP -i 192.168.1.1 PUT dd-wrt.v24-12548_NEWD_micro.bin”

    And upgrade successful.

    Downloaded Firmware Upgrade Utility:
    http://www.draytek.com/index.php?lang=en&Itemid=586#

    Downloaded dd-wrt.v24-12548_NEWD_micro.bin:
    http://www.ry-cor.com/downloads/index.php?sort=type&path=DD-WRT/Linksys%20WRT54Gv5/

    Thank You very much Ryan Dube. My 8years old router back to life again.

  18. I have a brand new Fios Wireless cable router that I had sent to me a few years ago that never got used, still in the box and plastic sealed bag. Actiontech MI424-WR, REV F

    I was wondering if this could be flashed to make it usable as a repeater or extender to another network using the process from above and the DD-WRT software.

  19. Anyway to recover router from bad flash?

    Thanks with appreciations

  20. I believe I have bricked my WRT160N V3. I accidentally did a firmware upgrade with the DD-WRT 1.0 compatible version instead of the 3.0. Is there any hope? Any way to unbrick the device?
    It gives no ip address. It doesnt respond. Tftp times out. When I turn it on the power light blinks for about 15 seconds and then goes out. I've tried the 30-30-30 method along with some other methods posted on different sites and the same happens above. Can you help?

    Need help asap. Thanks much.

  21. Hey Ryan

    May i ask for window 7 setting for linksys wrt54g ? My wins7 is really slow connection internet and downloads.

  22. I would like to thank you. I just recently bricked my WRT54gs v6 and this guide helped me alot... hahah Thank you so much, I owe you a hundred thousand internets.

  23. Great, If i come in contact with a bricked router, i will use this guide. Thanks!

  24. Hello Ryan,

    I have 2 of these units will try it today and hope to revive them. Thank you for the great article!

  25. I once bricked a router with the 30-30-30 hard flash. I was bored later that day, and unplugged it, a second or too after plugging in, re-plugged it back in, and wallah! The router mysteriously worked again.

  26. Great article Ryan... Thanks

  27. I kind of have the same thing but the power light does not even turn on can i get help ? I have tried the 30/30/30 that does not work and I can't even go to the ip of the router please help !

  28. Ryan!! Thank you so much ! I've spent almost two day trying to fix my bricked router after a bad flash. The instructions on the dd-wrt site are overwhelming, so much information. You really made this fix seem so easy compared to dd-wrt.

    I did exactly what you outlined on this posts and it works! :D Wahoo! I Literally jumped from my chair as well :-).

    The symptoms I had were very similar to your own. I could ping the router, couldn't see it using through the web interface, and power light continued the blink on an off. Below are the first techniques I used to fix the bricked router.

    http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/TFTP_flash#Windows
    http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/TFTP_flash#Linux
    http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Recover_from_a_Bad_Flash

    All of these techniques would flash the router but and after waiting for two minutes I would still have a blinking power light and no interface.

    I have no idea why but your approach worked the first time 0_o... again, thank you ! :-)

    This is my router model:WRT54G v5 s/n: CDFB0EBL1286

  29. Great article, Ryan! And it came at a great time since I've been experiencing issues with my Linksys wrt54gs v6 router!

    I do have 2 questions for you guys, though.

    1.) what is a 'bridge' and what do you primarily use it for?

    2.) If I flash the DD-WRT software to my Linksys router, will it helpitmto perform better? It's not bricked by any means, but it's been getting sluggish on me and it does have the current firmware installed on it for the model and version number that it is.

    Thanks for the help!

    Chris

    • Great article Ryan and intersting questions vaibhav and chris, I would like to know the same!!

  30. hey ryan,nice procedure..but would you like to share what settings you made on windows pc to counter slow speeds...I am also having the same issue with my BEFW11S4... thanks

  31. I have the cable modem/router version of this, and it's got to where it is really slow and bogs down/has to be reset all the time. I wonder if flashing it would be able to bring it back to life, as I don't really care for the Motorola modem/router I have right now.....

  32. I have the same router, only older (V2), and at Cisco's recommendation I loaded the firmware they told me to and ended up with a bricked router.

    I tried to wade through the DD-WRT site info, but that's quite a lot of reading, so I only got the basic idea of 1) trying the reset trick (hasn't worked for me yet), 2) try some more with different IP's to ping, 3) if all else fails and lights indicate it has some life left - try to build/buy a JTAG and go into the hardware to see if you can reset it.

    So now I may try your steps first to see if I can get it back.

    I REALLY want to use this as a bridge (I think the DD-WRT firmware will allow me to setup a bridge where the Linksys firmware will not) so I can save $45-70 on buying a bridge to get the internet from upstairs down to our Blu-Ray player and Satellite Receiver.

    Thanks for the blog and hopefully I have success!

    • DD-RT works great as a bridge. I used it for almost exactly the same reason with an old Linksys W54g v.5, to give better wireless from Verizon to my PS3 in our room over the garage, and it is now smoking!

  33. Ryan, thank you. I have the exact router model you have (WRT54GSv5), and it also bricked after the recommended '30-30-30' technique. I can't wait to try this out.