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No need to buy anything other than the linksys.

I've got openwrt running happily with iproute for QoS. Shared network gaming ahoy.

As an aside, does anyone have an iproute script for gaming? I've rolled my own but always good to see other/better ways of doing things. (Please don't post wondershaper it's not meant or designed for gaming traffic prioritising)

People can take those "BBQ grill" antennas and point them towards downtown and then re-transmit the packets near them.

Other people farther out can do the same and you create a sort of mesh network!

It's easy, you can use the linksys router with "rodents" WRT54GS software to put a WRT54GS into "client mode" and just attach the big antenna to that, then just plug in a regular cheap router to the linksys and that will re-broadcast the packets locally! You could put a omni 8dbi antenna on the other router to give it a bit more range, but put it up high!

See:
http://www.seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/LinksysWr t54g
http://openwrt.org/

A free (as in freedom) BIOS does not mandate that the motherboard manufacturer allows it's customers to tinker with it and still retain their warranty. But those who are willing to take the risk have the option, that's what freedom is all about.

Take the Linksys WRT54G, it's Linux-based. Linksys gains from using the well tested Linux core, and the customers gain by having the option to hack it at will. Check out http://openwrt.org/ for an example of the positive results.

Think of the BIOS as the ignition to your car. You can dismantle it if you wish, why should the PC's BIOS be any different?

It might also rely on the geek factor, it seems to work for other devices as well.

The linksys routers aren't great for long range, this has been discussed on the openwrt forum (openwrt.org)

Most companies who base something heavily on the GPL (like embedded linux on devices) cave without a lawsuit.

It's the best thing they can do, for they can really profit from it: Think of the Linksys WRT54G WLAN router, which sales are pushed by the fact that you can put a nice custom linux system on it. Although Linksys (now Cisco) did not distribute the source in the beginning, I doubt they regret the step of releasing it.

TFA has no info on how this is being done. Are the "Cybercriminals" using a regular computer with a wireless card and wired network bridged- forwarding packets and saving a copy for themselves, or are they using a WRT54G with rewritten firmware (OpenWRT?) and to capture packets? Why go through all the trouble when you can park your butt down in the coffee shop with your laptop and latte and sniff everyone directly.

Also it would seem to me that the "evil twin" method would only work with unsecured access points, unless you know the WEP key for the secured access point you are trying to dupe. Anyone trying to connect to their favorite secured AP with their default WEP key would fail to connect to an "evil twin" unless it had the matching WEP key...

Amazing! Thanks. Any advice about how to install OpenVPN on the WRT54G? Which package would you recommend? Do the OpenWrt packages have an adminstration console? I don't see any mention of that. It looks complicated, since I read that there is no Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) until installed.

Also, I note that OpenVPN will NOT work on Windows XP SP2 unless the pre-release version 2.0 is used. I suppose you don't care if you are using a WRT54G at both ends of the VPN. I'm not knowledgeable about this, but I guess that running VPN software on a WRT54G would be more secure than running it on a PC.

I note that Sveasoft provides firmware with PPTP VPN software, but there seems to be some question about whether PPTP is sufficiently secure.

Just guessing, but this seems to be a considerable job to configure. I wish there were a commercial release with the OpenVPN built in.

OpenWrt.

Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Broadband Router.

Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster.

WRT54GS has updated chipset.

WRT54GS Under $70.

Both Linksys products have GPL'd firmware.

There is intense interest in the WRT54G and WRT54GS. One company, Sveasoft, provides upgraded firmware.

Amazing! Thanks. Any advice about how to install OpenVPN on the WRT54G? Which package would you recommend? Do the OpenWrt packages have an adminstration console? I don't see any mention of that. It looks complicated, since I read that there is no Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) until installed.

Also, I note that OpenVPN will NOT work on Windows XP SP2 unless the pre-release version 2.0 is used. I suppose you don't care if you are using a WRT54G at both ends of the VPN. I'm not knowledgeable about this, but I guess that running VPN software on a WRT54G would be more secure than running it on a PC.

I note that Sveasoft provides firmware with PPTP VPN software, but there seems to be some question about whether PPTP is sufficiently secure.

Just guessing, but this seems to be a considerable job to configure. I wish there were a commercial release with the OpenVPN built in.

OpenWrt.

Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Broadband Router.

Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster.

WRT54GS has updated chipset.

WRT54GS Under $70.

Both Linksys products have GPL'd firmware.

There is intense interest in the WRT54G and WRT54GS. One company, Sveasoft, provides upgraded firmware.

Amazing! Thanks. Any advice about how to install OpenVPN on the WRT54G? Which package would you recommend? Do the OpenWrt packages have an adminstration console? I don't see any mention of that. It looks complicated, since I read that there is no Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) until installed.

Also, I note that OpenVPN will NOT work on Windows XP SP2 unless the pre-release version 2.0 is used. I suppose you don't care if you are using a WRT54G at both ends of the VPN. I'm not knowledgeable about this, but I guess that running VPN software on a WRT54G would be more secure than running it on a PC.

I note that Sveasoft provides firmware with PPTP VPN software, but there seems to be some question about whether PPTP is sufficiently secure.

Just guessing, but this seems to be a considerable job to configure. I wish there were a commercial release with the OpenVPN built in.

OpenWrt.

Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Broadband Router.

Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster.

WRT54GS has updated chipset.

WRT54GS Under $70.

Both Linksys products have GPL'd firmware.

There is intense interest in the WRT54G and WRT54GS. One company, Sveasoft, provides upgraded firmware.

Gentoo's strength is its package management, and that's one thing that really doesn't matter on an embeded device.

www.openwrt.org for the Linlsys router/WIFI unit makes a big thing out of being little but allowing you to install one of several dozen packages to customise the unit the way you want. All on a 200MHz MIPS CPU :->

I have an endless problem with Linksys WAP54G.

for roughly $65, you can buy a linksys wrt-54g which runs linux out of the box. add to this some free third-party replacement firmware and you get full control over the unit and loads of features - VPN, packet shaping, advanced packet filtering, captive portals, and all sorts of other stuff. the unit is very flexible, reliable, cheap, and most of all it is supremely hackable - especially if you know your way around linux.

if you do go down this route be sure to avoid sveasoft's firmware, for reasons illustrated here. basically, the guy writing it is a total cockbite. last time i questioned his (ab)use of the GPL here on slashdot he banned me from his forums, so if you do intend to send him $20 you'd better be nice.

Just an FYI, the Linksys WRT54g is just about the most hackable $60 box you can buy. I'm contemplating throwing out my sparc5 w/ 4pt ethernet and replacing it with this smaller, quieter, and cooler (temp) box.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/wifi-box/

http://openwrt.org/

There's lots more out there, I'm sure.

You can even add a serial port to it! Hack the voltage and get 200mw (or something) out of it!

Four years ago when I setup this sparc, it was the easiest solution available for a wireless router and firewall. But now it sits on my shelf and is by far the loudest box I own. Meanwhile my girlfriend has a *silent* firewall and access point for roughly half of what I paid for my sparc. Maybe I'll make the thing diskless so it's not so noisey, but I it might be time to retire it...