*** [#vitals Vitals]

** [#official_details Official Details]

** [#pictures Pictures]

** [#asus_firmware ASUS Firmware]

** [#alternate_linux_based_firmware Alternate Linux Based Firmware]

** [#support_forum Support Forum]

** [#misc_notes___links Misc Notes & Links]

** [#serial_port_ Serial port ]

** [#discussion_ Discussion ]





!!! Vitals

* '''Manufacturer :''' Asus

* '''Model :''' WL500G

* '''Type :''' Access Point / Router

* '''External Antenna Jack :''' 1x RP-SMA

* '''USB Ports :''' 1x v1.1 on wl500g

* '''Parallel port :''' 1x on wl500g

* '''Wlan Chipset :''' Broadcom (mini pci)

* '''Power : 5v''' 

** 19mW default

** 84mW max

* '''Recieve Sensitivity :''' 

** -84dB @ 11Mbps

* '''Available New :''' Yes

* '''Average Price :''' $200 ish or better

* '''Vitals last updated :''' 17/07/05



!! Official Details

From the Manufacturers (http://au.asus.com/products2.aspx?l1=12&l2=43 blurb)...



The Most Smart WLAN Router in the world 



ASUS proudly announce the smartest WLAN Router in the world, WL-500g. It provides fast 54 Mbps date rate and all WLAN Router function, including DHCP server, IP sharing, Firewall, VPN pass through, esc. To ensure WLAN security, it also provides strong WPA and unique WLAN firewall, to protect the data from WLAN. 



The Asus WL500G Broadband Router is really FIVE devices in one box. 

# First, there's the Wireless Access Point, which lets you connect Wireless-G or Wireless-B devices to the network. 

# There's also a built-in 4-port full-duplex 10/100 Switch to connect your wired-Ethernet devices.  Connect four PCs directly, or daisy-chain out to more hubs and switches to create as big a network as you need. 

# Finally, the Router function ties it all together and lets your whole network share a high-speed cable or DSL Internet connection, files, and other resources such as printers and hard disk storage space.

# The ability to be a print server or control device via the printer port

# A USB Storage server with support for USB key's or Harddisks even on OpenWrt

OR A USB Webcam Server 





!! Pictures

(http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=8 Lots of internal WL500G Pics)



!! ASUS Firmware

(http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us Select your Model)



!! Alternate Linux Based Firmware

(http://openwrt.org/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=9538#p9538 OPENWRT Support for wl500g) For  WL500G - OpenWRT provides an flexible, re-writable Linux distribution for the WL500G, this one includes madwifi to support the altheros a/b/g mini-pci chipsets and others.



!! Support Forum

(http://wl500g.info/ WL500 Forum)



!! Misc Notes & Links



(http://mobil.kunstlabor.at/openwrt/wl500gd/ wl500 Setup / Testing)



!! Serial port 

There seems to be standard dual Uart's for possible dual serial support on this board.





!! Discussion 



17/7/05 Peter [melb_ap] : Standard openwrt for the broadcom chipset will run on this device, but there are also versions specifically compiled to take advantage of the mini-pci slot thats standard in the wl500g unit.



I've done some testing and found that the altheros a/b/g cards do work , but watch the revisions - (http://www.madwifi.org/ refer for supported cards)



This is a great little unit, for not much more than a [WRT54G] you get the big plus of being able to change the mini-pci radio for one with a high receive sensitivity or 802.11a support. You can also even add a memory key or hard disk storage, use the usb or printer port for control or content purposes, and do the normal routing / web functions.



I've been evaluating this unit and it could be another option for the node in a box project where the uplink is a bit more difficult or requires 802.11a