The Linksys WRT54G3G Wireless-G Router for 3G/UMTS Broadband
There are few resources on the Internet to help so I thought it would be useful to write up my successful method for configuring a Linksys WRT54G3G 3G/UMTS Broadband Router on a different carrier to Vodafone.
This router lets you share your 3G Internet Connection over a Wireless-G 802.11g or hard wired 100BT Ethernet network. So if you have an unlimited data tariff or cant get broadband but can get 3G then this could be for you!
The main issue is that its designed packaged and set to deal with Vodafone 3G cards on the Vodafone network. This article shows how to set it up for use with t-mobile's web and walk Data service and obviously if you can set it for that you can set it for the network carrier of your choice by changing simple settings.
What does a Linksys WRT54G3G Wireless-G Router for 3G/UMTS Broadband actually provide?
According to the datasheet its the swiss army knife of routers
All-in-one Internet-sharing Router, 4-port Switch, and Wireless-G (802.11g) Access Point
Shares a Vodafone 3G/UMTS or GPRS Internet connection and other resources with Ethernet wired and Wireless-G clients
Includes PC Card slot for any Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/UMTS data card (available separately)
High security: Wi-Fi Protected Access™ (WPA/WPA2 Personal), wireless MAC address filtering, powerful SPI firewall
The Linksys Wireless-G Router for 3G/UMTS Broadband is really three devices in one box. First, there's the Wireless Access Point, which lets you connect both screaming fast Wireless-G (802.11g at 54Mbps) and Wireless-B (802.11b at 11Mbps) devices to the network. There's also a built-in 4-port full-duplex 10/100 Switch to connect your wired-Ethernet devices together. Connect four PCs directly, or attach more hubs and switches to create as big a network as you need. The Router function ties it all together and lets your whole network share a 3G/UMTS or GPRS Internet connection (requires Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/UMTS data card, available separately). You can also use a standard Ethernet attached Internet connection, like a cable or DSL modem, if available.
Once your computers are connected to the Router and the Internet, they can communicate with each other too, sharing document files, a printer, storage space, and other resources.
To protect your data and privacy, the Wireless-G Router for 3G/UMTS Broadband can encode all wireless LAN transmissions with WEP or industrial-strength WPA Personal encryption. The Router can serve as a DHCP Server, has a powerful SPI firewall to protect your PCs against intruders and most known Internet attacks, and supports VPN pass-through. Configuration is a snap with the web browser-based configuration utility.
With the Wireless-G Router for 3G/UMTS Broadband, you can create a secure wireless network with Internet connectivity, anywhere that 3G/UMTS or GPRS service is available.
Step by step how do you configure a Linksys WRT54G3G Wireless-G Router for 3G/UMTS Broadband not using Vodafone as the carrier?
Open the router web interface for the Linksys WRT54G3G and check the firmware is version 1.99.8
On my router, purchased from Amazon in the UK, the firmware version is 1.99.8 - various reports conclude that earlier versions do not appear to work satisfactorily so check and forllow the firmware upgrade instructions for the router if you dont have this version. On my router it was pre loaded and burned into the setup CD.
Checking for Linksys WRT54G3G Wireless-G Router firmware 1.99.8
Set Basic Settings
By default your router will be available on
http://192.168.1.1
so type this into your browser and enter the user and password (the defaults are admin admin). Then select
Setup --> Basic Setup
from the blue web menus. Now you will need to alter some settings from the defaults. Dont worry, you can reset your router back to how it came from the factory at any time.
Find the radio button for
Service: HSDPA/3G/UMTS Only
Select it. This setting allows you to choose networks away from your preferred network. dont worry if you dont see your network yet - you havent inserted the card yet!
Selecting HSDPA/3G/UMTS Only on the Linksys WRT54G3G Wireless-G Router
Defaults for Network settings except time zone
Set 3G/UMTS Network Settings
Now from the menu, select
Setup --> 3G/UMTS Network
from the blue web menus. Again you will need to alter some settings from the defaults. Find the radio button for
APN Selection Mode:Custom Values
Select it. This setting lets you enter the custom APN Name, user name and password. For my t-mobile UK setting I used
general.t-mobile.uk
user
web
Check the check box
DNS Supplied by Network
Save your settings. Of course if you are not on t-mobile in the UK you will need to find the right APN settings for your network. Google is your friend.
Linksys WRT54G3G Wireless-APN settings for tmobile
Turn off the Linksys WRT54G3G,insert your Vodafone 3G data card, and turn on your router
Load the web admin again from your web browser at
Navigate to
Setup --> 3G/UMTS Network
from the blue web menus. now check your 3G/UMTS Card Status by scrolling to the bottom of the screen. You should see the data card and its firmware version displayed.
