How to install DD-WRT on your router

June 7, 2016

Get a software that will make your router professional.

In a previous our article we showed you how to turn your old router into a Wi-Fi repeater/extender or access point. Today, we'll show you the complete guide to install DD-WRT on any router. So if you're fed up with the limitations of your router's firmware and want something (much) better that allows you to do any configuration you want, then open source DD-WRT is the best there is.

Whatever you want to do with your router, chances are that with DD-WRT you will be able to do it. Installing it can be a bit complicated though, although the most common is to use the "upgrade firmware" option found in the firmware of most routers.

And saying that, we should point out that there is no general way to install DD-WRT, because each router manufacturer has its "own god", so the installation requires specific steps. And we couldn't cover all cases in one article. So we'll cover the common situations and give you resources to find information in case you run into special cases. So here we go.

Make sure your router is compatible with DD-WRT

So the first thing to do is to make sure that your router is DD-WRT compatible. Go to its database page DD-WRT, then enter the exact model of your router. You will receive one of the following four answers.

Supported, which means you can install DD-WRT. This will be a green "yes".

A work in progress, which means you can't install it now, but they're working on it so you can in the future. This will be an orange "wip".

Possible in theory, but no one is working on it, which means you can't install DD-WRT. That would be a red "no".

Impossible to install, due to limitations in the router's hardware which also means that you cannot install it. This will be a grey "not possible".

Most likely your router is not supported if it's not on the list, but you can search the DD-WRT wiki (www.dd-wrt.com/site/index), or just Google your router model followed by "DD-WRT". Be careful to have the exact model though. Even if even one letter is different, we're talking about a different router where other things apply.

In our case we will install DD-WRT on an old Linksys e1000 v2.1 for example. This is what the DD-WRT page showed when we searched (see picture).

As you can see, the router is supported. But we need to know the details and the steps to follow to install DD-WRT. So we move on to the next step.

See also: Wi-Fi signal boost

Knowledge is power

It is extremely important to know as much as possible before downloading the firmware. The database may have outdated or incomplete information. So from the database page, we proceed by clicking on the link to the wiki. There we will see the instructions if there are any. If there is a forum report, it is good to read it to see if someone else had problems and solved them or not. Also see, if possible, which firmware other users have had more success with. There may even be links to firmware versions that definitely worked.

To understand what we're talking about, let's go back to our example. The firmware we found in the database was for the Linksys e1000 v2 model, but ours was the Linksys e1000 v2.1. The difference may seem insignificant, but it could destroy our router. We finally found the correct firmware in a forum thread, after thoroughly searching, as we have shown you above.

So once you've made sure you've found the right firmware, then we'll move on.

Installation

If the router is the main router on your network, you need to take it off. Remove all connected cables, even the power cable.

Now we will do a factory reset on the router. To do this, it is advisable to consult your router's manual, or go to the manufacturer's website for the relevant information. Usually you need to remove the power and press the "reset" button for 30 seconds.

After you have figured out how to reset your router to factory defaults, reconnect the power and connect it (preferably via cable) to the computer that has the version of DD-WRT you downloaded for it. However, if you connect to it via Wi-Fi, you'll need to know what network name (SSID) it creates based on the factory data to connect to it. For that, again look at the manufacturer's instructions.

To connect you need to know the factory IP of your router which is usually 192.168.1.1 or something similar and type it in the url bar of your browser. Then you will need the username and password that the manufacturer has set (usually admin/admin). Again the instruction book or the manufacturer's website will help you here.

Now go to the page that has the "Firmware Upgrade" option within your router's menu - usually located in the "Administration" section or something similar - and press the "Browse" or "Choose file" button. Go to the folder where you have the DD-WRT you downloaded, select it, and hit "OK" to upgrade.

Patience is needed here. When the upgrade is finished, the router will reboot. Do not unplug it and do not turn it off for any reason during the process.

When the reboot is finished, you will be able to connect to the router again on IP 192.168.1.1.If you are connecting wirelessly, look for a network named "DD-WRT" to connect to.

Once you see the DD-WRT login screen, you will need to do a "30/30/30 hard reset" as we showed in our previous article to make sure your router's Nvram is completely empty. We won't go over the procedure again, read it in the previous our article.

Log in again by typing the IP 192.168.1.1 in your browser and you will now be connected to your "new" router, where you can start configuring it. You will see a large number of options and you can go to DD-WRT wiki for more information, depending on what you want to do.

from Elichord