Linksys WAG160Nv2

This page describes the differences between WAG160Nv2 and WAG160N.

Caveat: Before trying to run OpenWRT, do backup the flash, especially the bootloader and the ath_data area, as described here. The nvram data embedded in the bootloader and the WLAN calibration data in ath_data are specific for your device and difficult to restore otherwise. They cannot be restored by flashing back a vendor firmware. Running OpenWRT voids any guarantee and may brick your device!

Version 2 utilizes an Atheros AR9223 WLAN chip.

(soldered antenna cables were removed earlier)

Same as version1: 115200, 8N1 at J10, pins are labeled.

Similar to version 1: at J1 (backside of the PCB), 2×6 pins, same layout as WRT54GL:

 nTRST  1   2 GND
 TDI    3   4 GND
 TDO    5   6 GND
 TMS    7   8 GND
 TCK    9  10 GND
 nSRST 11  12 GND

If you have problems with JTAG access you may need to solder an resistor array (e.g. 4 x 10k) into RN11.

The bootloader

 
CFE version 1.0.37-5.4 for BCM96358 (32bit,SP,BE)
Build Date: 2009年 03�𹴜� 31��日 ��星��期��二 17:07:55 CST (root@localhost.loca)Copyright (C) 2000-2005 Broadcom Corporation.

looks for a so-called pid2 at flash offset >= 0x200000 during startup. If it cannot find one it says

no pid2
WARNING!! - FIRMWARE HAD BEEN DESTORYED!!
            YOU NEED RE-DOWNLOAD FIRMWARE!!

and you cannot access the bootloader menu (i.e. no tftp possible). The only way to load a new firmware is download mode (aka upgrade mode in the nslu2)

Power off the device, hold the reset button while powering on and wait until the power LED flashes red and green. You may now use a sercomm tool (either [4] or [6]) to load either the vendor firmware or an OpenWRT image.

At the moment (svn trunk r25712) the OpenWRT image doesn't contain a pid2, i.e. you may boot OpenWRT once and get the pid2 error described above on the second run (as the pid2 left from the vendor image got overwritten by the rootfs).

Patch [2] will fix this. Patch [3] adds support for the ath_data partition, without it OpenWRT will silently overwrite the calibration data. You may use the file openwrt-WAG160Nv2-annex_a-squashfs-web.bin or openwrt-WAG160Nv2-annex_b-squashfs-web.bin with either the sercomm tool ([4] or [6]) or the vendor firmware web interface. As it contains a dummy CFE there is a slight chance that the web interface could damage the CFE which would brick your device until you reflash the CFE backup using JTAG.

Ethernet access is fine, but WLAN is currently not working as we miss some PCI configuration for the AR9223.

• [1] OpenWRT forum thread
• [2] patch for imagetag and Makefile
• [3] patch for ath_data flash partition
• [4] sercomm tool (Linux)
• [5] Tomas' wiki page
• [6] NSLU2 sercomm updater (Windows)
• [7] Annex A binary vendor firmware 2.00.20
• [8] Annex B binary vendor firmware 2.00.20
• [9] Annex A vendor firmware 2.00.17 source tarball
• [10] Annex B vendor firmware 2.00.17 source tarball