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| ===Controversy=== | ===Controversy=== | ||
| * - former official redistributor of Sveasoft firmware. | * - former official redistributor of Sveasoft firmware. | ||
| * - an anonymous ] with critcisms of Sveasoft including emails that James Ewing claims are faked, hosted on ]. | |||
| * - further links for Alchemy and alternatives. | |||
| * - ] comments on the Sveasoft versus GPL debate. | * - ] comments on the Sveasoft versus GPL debate. | ||
| * - One person's opinion. | |||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 19:37, 15 August 2006
Sveasoft is a Stockton, California based software company that develops modified distributions of 802.11g wireless router firmware for Linksys models WRT54G and WRT54GS home routers. The firmware is "flashed", or uploaded via TFTP to the router, replacing the manufacturer's official firmware, giving the router a different set of options.
Features
Sveasoft firmware is typically advertised as being able to increase the router's radio transmission power from 28 milliwatts to 251 milliwatts, as well as being able to use 14 channels for 802.11b transmissions instead of the 11 normally permitted in the U.S. or 13 permitted elsewhere. Modifications to power and frequency may interfere with other electronics, and are illegal in some jurisdictions. The maximum power permitted by the U.S. FCC for WiFi with a 5 dBi or less antenna is 1000 mW , the maximum power permitted by the European ETSI is 100 mW, both EIRP, i.e. including antenna gain. Using channels 12, 13 or 14 in the U.S. is illegal. In nearly all non-U.S. locations channels 1-13 are permitted. Channels 1-14 are legal in Japan and unregulated areas.
Other features include QoS support, Wireless Distribution System support, wireless bridging, client mode support (CPE), a PPTP VPN server and client, downloadable packages and Next-generation Internet Protocol (IPv6) support.
The latest version of the Talisman firmware supports up to 16 Ethernet VLANs, up to 15 virtual wireless VLANs each with their own WEP, WPA, or WPA2 encryption and SSID, and bandwidth management and firewall features.
Sveasoft has announced several new Talisman firmware versions are in development including Talisman/Hotspot, Talisman/VPN (with IPSec support), Talisman/Mesh (automatic mesh networking), and Talisman/VoIP.
Firmware versions
Satori
Satori, along with many other minor releases, is one of the earliest Sveasoft firmware development projects. Nearly all the projects have been halted to develop the Alchemy revisions. It is not recommended to use these earlier firmware releases.
Alchemy
This is the current "public" release, which Sveasoft distributes to both subscribers and non-subscribers. Development has ceased for Alchemy in favor of further development of Talisman, though unofficial development continues to this day. As one of the most mature Sveasoft firmware releases, most people use Alchemy.
Talisman
This is the latest Sveasoft firmware release, which Sveasoft distributes solely to developers and subscribers. Other versions of Talisman specializing in VoIP routing, VPN services, and automatic mesh routing are currently under development.
Software licensing
The WRT54G router runs a version of Linux. Many of the software packages in the firmware are licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL), including the Linux kernel. Some of the software packages are under other licenses, and some of those parts are closed source.
Sveasoft provides firmware under an annual subscription for 20 U.S. dollars, which also gives access to the support forum. Talisman requires that the MAC addresses of each router are registered on Sveasoft's web site. The web site software writes each authorized MAC address to the firmware before it is downloaded, so the firmware will run only on those devices. Sveasoft allows users to download old, released versions of the firmware for free.
Controversies
There are several controversies surrounding Sveasoft, involving the distribution of the software, the personalities involved and GPL-related issues.
Other third-party firmware
Several other groups are actively developing third-party firmware for Linksys routers, with features very similar to the Sveasoft firmware. Most of these groups have enhanced the original Linksys GPL-licensed firmware, as Sveasoft has done.
For a list of related software projects, see WRT54G Third-Party Firmware Projects.
External links
Technical
- Wrt54g.net - official download site for public versions of Sveasoft firmware.
- Flash/audio - shows how to configure a Linksys WRT54G with Sveasoft firmware to share a broadband connection as a free Hotspot.
Controversy
- Linksysinfo.org - former official redistributor of Sveasoft firmware.
- Open and Shut - Robert X. Cringely comments on the Sveasoft versus GPL debate.