TEW-652BRP V2.xR Router firmware to run in wireless client mode
WARNING and DISCLAIMER!
ONLY the TEW-652BRP hardware version V2 should work with this firmware.
ONLY hardware version V2.2R was actually tested with this firmware.
TrendNET provides the same source code for all V2.xR hardware versions, so it is safe to assume that they will all work.
Versions V1.x and V3.x will not work and this firmware will turn your router into a useless brick.
Should anything go wrong during the firmware upload process, your router may also be bricked.
ONLY USE THIS FIRMWARE IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING! YOU HAVE BEE WARNED!
ONLY ATTEMPT TO UPLOAD FIRMWARE TO A ROUTER IF YOU HAVE DONE IT BEFORE!
To put your mind at ease, this firmware was built from the TrendNET source code.
The ONLY modification, other than the gif image that shows that it's running in client mode is the /etc/profile file.
Changes of the profile file set the operating mode to client and restart the wlan0 interface and that's it.
What it does:
It runs the router in a wireless client mode, allowing up to 4 wired devices to be connected to a wireless acces point.
This can be useful for a home theater setup with a TV, Blu-Ray or HT system that are networked but no local network exists.
The router can be used in client mode to connect to another wireless router serving as an access point.
It can be placed near the home theater equipment and up to 4 wires can be run to the Ethernet ports for connection.
The WAN port at the back of the router can't be used for this purpose.
How to set it up:
Use the web interface of the router to make any changes you need. The wireless settings must match the main access point's for the client to work, including SSID, password key and encryption type.
YOU MUST TURN OFF DHCP! Disable the DHCP server on the MAIN tab, as it will likely conflict with the one on the access point.
This router firmware switches the device to a bridged client mode so that any wired device connected to it will receive an IP from the main router's DHCP server.
MAKE SURE you give your router a static IP in the same range as your main router, but outside of the DHCP range.
For example, if your main router is 192.168.1.1 and the DHCP server is set from 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.200, give the TEW-652BRP an IP like 192.168.1.250 or 192.168.1.2
How to get it:
The easy way - Download the firmware .bin file and upload it to your router using the administration web interface of the router.
The hard way - Build it from the TrendNET sources and modify it per the instruction provided for this project.
How to uninstall:
Simply upload the origial firmware to the router. Get it from http://www.trendnet.com/asp/download_manager/list_subcategory.asp?SUBTYPE_ID=1360
How to change mode back to access point:
There is no way, as of yet. Upload original firmware to the router to put it back in access point mode.
Building and modifying:
This document works under the assumption that the original firmware source is located in /home/Matrix/projects/TEW-652BRPR1, as instructed by the TrenNET README and the original firmware did compile from source.
Download and copy the 'profile' file to the ./rootfs folder of the path above or create a profile file manually.
Download and copy the 'update_profile' script to the same folder or run the commands manually.
Edit the 'profile' file as you deem necessary, then run the 'update_profile' script to pack the file into the rootfs.tar.bz2 archive, as that is what the compiler uses to create the firmware.
'make clean' and then 'make TEW-652BRPR1' just like for the original firmware, but this time your modified 'profile' is in the archive.
Upload the firmware via the administration web interface.
All this does is to wait for 30 seconds until the rc init script completes, then sets the operational mode to client with the command: iwpriv wlan0 set_mib opmode=8.
Then take the wlan0 interface down and then bring it back up.
Credits: http://www.caiozanolla.com.br/blog.php/?p=231 for the leg work.
Reference: opmode=8 sets client mode, opmode=16 sets access point mode.
