Netgear WGT634U

http://www.dsl-warehouse.co.uk/product_images/main/WGT634U.jpg

Introduction

A Linux router with a 200MHz MIPS32-like core with Atheros wireless and USB host supported by MIT's Roofnet project.

Where to buy

Source

Netgear has the source available here:
http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101238.asp
ftp://downloads.netgear.com/files/GPL/

For this source code release, two toolchains are required:

1. A MIPS little-endian toolchain. For example, hndtools-mipsel-linux-3.0

2. A MIPS little-endian toolchain compiled with C++ and uClibc support.

Then, a "make" should suffice to build all GPL components of WGT634U.

Roofnet

MIT's WGT634U Roofnet project is still alive. While they are still updating their original images with fixes and new features, it still sits on top of Netgear's stock firmware which isn't very stable. However, the developers have added watchdog scripts and the devices are rebooted at 4 AM to combat memory issues.

buildroot / OpenWGT

gpsd

gpsd.mk:

#############################################################
#
# gpsd
#
#############################################################
GPSD_SOURCE:=gpsd-2.9.tar.gz
GPSD_SITE:=http://download.berlios.de/gpsd
GPSD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/gpsd-2.9
GPSD_CAT:=zcat
GPSD_BINARY:=gpsd
GPSD_TARGET_BINARY:=bin/gpsd

$(DL_DIR)/$(GPSD_SOURCE):
         $(WGET) -P $(DL_DIR) $(GPSD_SITE)/$(GPSD_SOURCE)

gpsd-source: $(DL_DIR)/$(GPSD_SOURCE)

$(GPSD_DIR)/configure: $(DL_DIR)/$(GPSD_SOURCE)
        $(GPSD_CAT) $(DL_DIR)/$(GPSD_SOURCE) | tar -C $(BUILD_DIR) -xf -
        $(SOURCE_DIR)/patch-kernel.sh $(GPSD_DIR) $(SOURCE_DIR) gpsd-*.patch

$(GPSD_DIR)/Makefile: $(GPSD_DIR)/configure
        (cd $(GPSD_DIR); rm -rf config.cache; \
                $(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) \
                CFLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)" \
                LDFLAGS="-lm" \
                ./configure \
                --target=$(GNU_TARGET_NAME) \
                --host=$(GNU_TARGET_NAME) \
                --build=$(GNU_HOST_NAME) \
                --prefix=/usr \
                --exec-prefix=/usr \
                --bindir=/usr/bin \
                --sbindir=/usr/sbin \
                --libexecdir=/usr/lib \
                --sysconfdir=/etc \
                --datadir=/usr/share \
                --localstatedir=/var \
                --mandir=/usr/man \
                --infodir=/usr/info \
                --disable-fv18 \
                --disable-tripmate \
                --disable-earthmate \
                --disable-shared \
                --enable-static \
                --without-x \
                $(DISABLE_NLS) \
        );

$(GPSD_DIR)/$(GPSD_BINARY): $(GPSD_DIR)/Makefile
        $(MAKE) CC=$(TARGET_CC) -C $(GPSD_DIR)

$(TARGET_DIR)/$(GPSD_TARGET_BINARY): $(GPSD_DIR)/$(GPSD_BINARY)
        $(MAKE) DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) CC=$(TARGET_CC) -C $(GPSD_DIR) install
        rm -rf $(TARGET_DIR)/share/locale $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/info \
                $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/man $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/share/doc

gpsd: uclibc $(TARGET_DIR)/$(GPSD_TARGET_BINARY)

gpsd-clean:
        $(MAKE) DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) CC=$(TARGET_CC) -C $(GPSD_DIR) uninstall
        -$(MAKE) -C $(GPSD_DIR) clean

gpsd-dirclean:
        rm -rf $(GPSD_DIR)

USB

This device has a USB2.0 port.

CONFIG_USB_DEVICEFS=y
CONFIG_USB_EHCI_HCD=m
CONFIG_USB_OHCI=m
CONFIG_USB_STORAGE=m

By default, it wants to mount a usb mass_storage device (/dev/sda) on /share/partition1

As you know, this allows one to add an external HDD/USB keychain, etc. GPS, BlueTooth, USB audio and connections to my cellphone to make GPRS connections have all been tested and work.

Serial

There are actually 2 serial headers on the board. For more information on adding a port, see http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/AddASerialPort

CONFIG_CMDLINE="root=/dev/ram console=ttyS1,115200"

http://www.personaltelco.net/albums/NetgearWGT634U/dscn3058.thumb.jpg

I simply added a serial cable to the outer-most header and booted the device. The bootlog (firmware 1.0.0.11?) can be found here. Another log from the latest version which has a number of fixes, including the addition of Atheros XR and AR(Addaptive Radio) is located here.

Battery Power

Measured battery usage: 0.38Amps @12VDC
Input 12VDC. I've been testing a 12V 4 amp-hour sealed lead-calcium (leadacid) battery. After 20 hours of charging with a 12v 200mAmp charger, the wgt634u was connected to the battery.--DonPark

Time

Volts

9:29pm

12.8

Other Notes


[CategoryDocumentation]

NetgearWgt634u (last edited 2008-02-02 09:56:35 by JasonMcArthur)