Linksys WRT54G-TM T-Mobile Edition - $19.99 B&M

[fbrdphreak]

This is related to the deal originally posted at SlickDeals.This item was for sale on their website at $19.99 + shipping + tax, but they quickly ran out of stock and started substituting another router that isn't DD-WRT compatible.

Don't know what DD-WRT is? See the links in the SD thread posted above. More details about the router itself are in that thread too.

Find your local store here: http://locator.t-mobile.com/Locator.aspx
Make sure that it says it is a "T-Mobile owner store," as it seems that the affiliate stores don't have this. See pic: http://i44.tinypic.com/2njijip.png

Finally, if you call to check stock, ask them about the Linksys WRT54G-TM and not the HotSpot@Home router. It seems most stores will refuse to sell you that router and they consider this one an accessory under the Linksys name.

The store I got mine at only had 1 left after I left, so YMMV. It seems this is clearance and when it's gone, it's gone.

slickdeals thread link removed
moderator allisolm

 

[mgpaulus]

Do you have to be a TMobile customer to buy this? Or can you just walk in and ask for the router?

 

[fbrdphreak]

You do not have to be a customer. That's why I said to make sure to give them the Linksys part number.

Mods - I included that link because it has very useful info on the router itself & modding it & why it's such a good value. If that's the case, then people can just google for "slickdeals t-mobile router"

 

[Gibson486]

nice....i just bought the asus router though.....oh well....

 

[The Master]

I'd tried to get one.. they had e'm in stock locally.. but I got told you had to be a t-mobile customer.. I'm not sure if the guy was telling the truth.. or being a dick

 

[Gibson486]

pretty sure you need to be a customer. It's for the @home service or something.

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
pretty sure you need to be a customer. It's for the @home service or something.

No, you can get one if you're lucky. The thread at SD has literally a hundred successes. I bought one in Lexington, KY. The guy asked me how many I wanted (he had 10) and I told him only one. Told him it was for a gift. Also, go to the "Corporate" stores, not the kiosks. Check the T-Mobile store locator on their website and see if the store you're interested in has a big T graphic listed in front.

Also, since this deal has been going on for over a week and a half, it might be more difficult to get one now.

Good luck!

By the way, this router is special in that it has 8/32Megs of flash/ram which is very large and takes all DD-WRT versions + Tomato (Use WRT54GS versions). Here is a page for the initial flash to get you started (must follow completely or you will brick your router unless you have a jtag programming cable/device! )

Upgrade firmware instructions.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Folks - Here is what I did to get mine. I called and asked about the T-Mobile HotSpot@Home router. They said I needed to sign a contract to buy it and the price was $39.99. I got the lady to call her manager and ask, he said I had to be a customer - BUT they had these Linksys routers that are accessories and are on sale/clearance for $19.99.

As I said in the OP, make sure you tell them you want the Linksys accessory router (model # in the OP).

 

[Lanyap]

I picked up one earlier this week. When you go to the store just tell them you want the old blue Linksys router. Don't mention anything about the new Linksys router that requires the hotspot plan and costs $39.

 

[kgokal]

Will this upgrade disable the Phone feature? Im guessing b/c its uses another firmware...

Im currently using the phone feature, and would like to keep it.

 

[The Master]

I got refused again.. same store.. these locals must be a bunch of d#@%@$!!

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: The Master
I got refused again.. same store.. these locals must be a bunch of d#@%@$!!

Did you tell them you want the Linksys WRT54TM router? It's in a white box and is on clearance for $19.99. Maybe just try calling and ask about the router - tell them specifically it's an accessory.

 

[Lanyap]

Originally posted by: The Master
I got refused again.. same store.. these locals must be a bunch of d#@%@$!!

I picked up a second one today. I just told the sale person that I wanted the older blue Linksys router. She went into the back for a couple a minutes and came back with it. She asked me for my TM phone which I gave to her then she rung it up. She did ask me if I was interested in their home service and I said I was looking at it but had not decided.

When I picked up the first one earlier in the week I told them it was a gift for a friend and that his wife was going to buy the service. I didn't give them my TM that time and they still rung me up.

 

[The Master]

I'm not holding out much hope.. I'll just find another store.. seems like these guys don't even understand good business sense.. a sale is a sale.. reguardless if your a subscriber.. the dumb part is I could subscribe and cancel right then and there.. after all that paperwork and maybe some fee's??

 

[scootermaster]

I got one of these, no problem...it just looks like way more effort than I thought trying to get it to be a Wireless bridge for an Xbox 360. It'll do that, right?

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: scootermaster
I got one of these, no problem...it just looks like way more effort than I thought trying to get it to be a Wireless bridge for an Xbox 360. It'll do that, right?

yeah, if you load up the DD-WRT firmware, it'll do almost anything, heh

 

[scootermaster]

Originally posted by: randomlinh

Originally posted by: scootermaster
I got one of these, no problem...it just looks like way more effort than I thought trying to get it to be a Wireless bridge for an Xbox 360. It'll do that, right?

yeah, if you load up the DD-WRT firmware, it'll do almost anything, heh

Alrighty. Hopefully I don't brick the thing. The process looks scary.

 

[fbrdphreak]

It's really easy. I bought two - one to replace my crappy router and another for my xbox 360 wireless. I was done with both in under 30 minutes.

Once you flash DD-WRT onto the router, I would use this guide for your 360:

http://timbermheay.wordpress.c...less-adapter-for-xbox/

 

[scootermaster]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
It's really easy. I bought two - one to replace my crappy router and another for my xbox 360 wireless. I was done with both in under 30 minutes.

Once you flash DD-WRT onto the router, I would use this guide for your 360:

http://timbermheay.wordpress.c...less-adapter-for-xbox/

Hmmm.

I managed to flash the router successfully, but I'm having problems getting it into bridge mode, I guess. I follow the instructions you listed to the letter (I think), but when I disable the airport on my Powerbook, (with the router plugged in via ethernet, to one of the 4 plugs, not the WAN port, obviously) it won't let me connect to the internet. I haven't tried it with the Xbox specifically.

Are the SSIDs really supposed to be the same on the main Internet router and the Bridge router? Because it mentions connecting to the client (bridge router) wirelessly. I can't seem to do that, likely because I'm not connected to the right SSID.

Edit: There's an error in the instructions, I think. Whatever it says to put to 192.168.2.2 requires a subnet of 255.255.248.0, NOT 255.255.255.0. At least that's what I think I did. It's 3am and I'm a little punchy.

Now only if I could get Connect360 to work...anyone have any experience with that?

 

[DaveVandorAmon]

Just visited two of the stores in my area, one has about 5 left and the other one has two. If anyone is interested in them and can't find them or the store isn't willing to sell them, let me know and I can pick them up for you. $21.67 with tax for the unit and $5 shipping in the US. If the shipping charge turns out to be less, I'll refund the difference, and if it's more (as long as it's not more than like two or three dollars) I'll eat the cost myself. Happy Holidays all!

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: DaveVandorAmon
Just visited two of the stores in my area, one has about 5 left and the other one has two. If anyone is interested in them and can't find them or the store isn't willing to sell them, let me know and I can pick them up for you. $21.67 with tax for the unit and $5 shipping in the US. If the shipping charge turns out to be less, I'll refund the difference, and if it's more (as long as it's not more than like two or three dollars) I'll eat the cost myself. Happy Holidays all!

Good man!

I think I saw the guy who picked up the last one in my area. I was searching Craig's List for Xbox 360 stuff and came across this exact same router for $45 - the guy was purporting the benefits of DD-WRT :roll:

 

[scootermaster]

For the record, if you're using this for an Xbox, do NOT follow the instructions linked in this thread. They'll work, but your systems won't be on the same subnet, meaning you cant' easily stream anything from other systems to your Xbox. Just put it in wireless bridge mode, and follow the instructions in the DD-WRT wiki. Works like a charm.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: scootermaster
For the record, if you're using this for an Xbox, do NOT follow the instructions linked in this thread. They'll work, but your systems won't be on the same subnet, meaning you cant' easily stream anything from other systems to your Xbox. Just put it in wireless bridge mode, and follow the instructions in the DD-WRT wiki. Works like a charm.

Works for me. I didn't change the subnet from what it listed. Connects to Xbox Live just fine.

 

[dslabby]

Walked into my local TMobile store, asked politely, paid $19.95 and walked out with a great router. Followed the instructions to the letter and a beautiful baby DD-WRT router was born. Set it up as an access point (to go with my wireless N router) for my iPod touch and other wireless enabled devices to use. Now I can blast my neighbors with a full 40 mHz of wireless N bandwidth (and get full throttle speed and throughput for all 3 of the computers connected by N) and all the G devices get a solid connection and don't slow down my network a bit. This was a great Saturday project and brings my home network back to perfect harmony.

Link to DD-WRT firmware update procedure for this router:

 

[ESQ]

Will this router work as a router without going through the firmware upgrade and such?

I don't see how DD-WRT would apply to an everyday basic home network situation.