Hacking fun - Linksys WRT54G

Thank the lord for brave friends. I received an email from a friend of mine this evening. We'll leave him nameless for the time being. Seems he's been playing around with his Linksys WRT54G router. Mostly firmware (Open Source) options and fun stuff like that. Now the interesting part of his email came at the end. Sure, he mentioned that he "Bricked" it, as in he killed the router. But that isn't the good part...

The good part is that he has been trying all these different firmware revs. and just now realized that he has been using a WRT54G version 2 firmware on his version 1 unit. Well, let's just say this is a bad idea, and most likely contributed to some of his brick and mortar activities. Sooo, just so everyone is clear - DO NOT use firmware that was created for a specific version of the WRT54G on a different version number UNLESS it's specified to work with the alternate hardware. There are a few instances where this MAY work even when it's not supposed to. (Apparently it did for him because he has been using the wrong version for some time as I understand it.)

Let's look at this from a pictorial perspective:

Image of Linksys WRT54G



Yep, that's definitely a WRT54G!


Image of Linksys WRT54G Hardware Version (Sticker on Bottom of Unit)




So, as you can now see, I have a version 2 WRT54G so I know to only use firmware that is approved for use with this router.

All joking aside, and my apologies to my friend who probably thinks I suck for making fun of him, this can be a very serious issue. If you don't know to look for a hardware revision number, well, now you do and you should definitely do this before you apply any firmware updates to any device of any kind. Very often the hardware revisions are minor changes but can have a significant impact on the functionality of a firmware upgrade on the device.

Finally, the good news is that my friend is a resourceful individual and managed to get himself out of the jam by doing some serious web surfing looking for ways to solve his dead router issue. (I guess he wasn't surfing through the device at the point???) He came up with the following link for reviving his dead WRT54G.

CAUTION - This procedure involves taking your unit apart, which obviously voids any warranty you may have. In a pinch it just may do the trick however. As a note, when my friend tried this he tried to jump the pins specified and said it didn't work. It was off by one pin combination for him, instead of 15-16 it was 16-17. His unit is purportedly a version 1 unit. (Now that he knows how to check the version number I'll wait to get his email!) Randomly jumping pins while plugging in the power to your router is, well, generally a bad idea. Be prepared for a possible shock and/or a smoking router. It worked for him so you decide if it is cool with you before attempting this.

Oh yea, the most important part is this guy gets MAD PROPS for going the extra hacking mile when the instructions failed him and he started hacking around until he managed to get his baby revived. A solid 10 point effort.

In case you were wondering, here is an excellent site for those of you looking for some ideas to play around with. Hack A Day

To settle one final thing - No, the "friend" isn't me. I have a v.2 unit so it couldn't be me. Unless this is all some sort of elaborate blogging excuse hoax??? Hmm...

Props to my brother hacker for the email... I laughed, I cried, I blogged.

At his expense of course :)

-- Riker --

SpyWare removal for the masses

Well folks, it's been a few days since I last posted. And, apparently, some of you are interested in SpyWare (thanks Poony and Daz!). Serisouly though, since maybe someday, some of the greater masses may actually read my ranting I thought it would be good to pass on some information about anti-spyware tools.

If you have a computer, you should have at least 1 or more of these tools in your arsenal. Yes, you could take the approach of just let it go and rebuild your computer from scratch every once in awhile. I am guilty of doing this myself but I am also very careful about the sites I visit and what I download. The average computer user will have a very infected computer (SpyWare or otherwise) within a relatively short period of time.

Before we talk tools, let's talk some strategy. This is by no means a definitive guide for removing SpyWare. There are certainly plenty of those on the Internet elsewhere so let's not reinvent the wheel.

You are taking on a risky task in cleaning this up. 95% of the time you most likely won't run into any trouble and you'll be back in a clean, functional computing environment in no time. That other 5%, well, let's just say it won't be pretty. On to the good stuff.

Strategy:
---------

1. Backup, backup, backup. I can't say this enough: backing up your data is crucial. This should apply long before you worry about cleaning up SpyWare but, as they say, there's no time like the present.

2. Put aside the time to do the cleanup. Don't start a cleanup when you've got 15 minutes until that big deadline or when your wife is calling you for dinner. This is going to take some time. Block off the evening, shut off the phone and prepare for the long haul. Rushing things is not going to help.

3. If you are using Windows XP, set a restore point so you can roll back if you need to. Now, many of you are probably saying, well, why would I create a restore point for an infected system? Simple, better to be able to go back to the infected state and try to cleanup again then have your system fail and be rebuilding from scratch. Got it? Good.

4. Have your OS disc(s) handy. No, you shouldn't need them but in case, you have them and won't be looking through your stacks of CDs for that one disc that you are sure you have somewhere.

5. Up your anti-virus and scan for viruses first. Some of the newest anti-virus software include some detection, basic cleanup and further protection against SOME SpyWare. Things are in flux in the industry right now, stay tuned, it will get better. For now, scan your PC for viruses and try and get rid of the obvious virus/malware infections first. Then we can worry about the SpyWare.

6. Use more than one spyware removal tool. You may run one tool and it detects tons of stuff, you select to clean it up and then everything looks great. Right? Wrong. Many times one tool will cover a wide range of items, but won't cleanup all of the SpyWare on your system. Take advantage of the other cleanup tools and check the system with them as well. Worst case you find out that there really is nothing left and you scanned your system for no reason. Oh well, an ounce of prevention right?

7. Don't get frustrated if the cleanup tool(s) won't remove a certain piece of SpyWare. These things embed themselves really, really deeply into your OS. Sometimes the only way to get rid of them is to reboot into Safe Mode and manually remove the infection. In this case you should be really familiar with the OS and have done lots of research on the net to find out what you are dealing with and the suggested way(s) of removing it manually.

8. Once the system is cleaned up, install protective software. Be proactive, watch where you surf, maybe cleanup your system more often. Take advantage of an alternative browser that isn't as popular a target as Internet Explorer is. Try Firefox on for size. I've switched and it's the best Web browser I've ever used. In fact, I'm writing this blog entry in it!

9. Enjoy the process. You are learning something by doing this. You will know your computer better and you will know what NOT to do next time.

10. Rinse and repeat. Read the instructions again, learn to research and most of all, relax. After all, it is only a computer. Go hug your wife, play with kids, get out and do something fun. There's more to life.


Here is my list of must-have tools:

SpyWare Removal
---------------

Ad-Aware SE - An invaluable, and free tool you can use to scan your computer for SpyWare. If you are willing to pay, there are also other versions of Ad-Aware that offer some actual proactive protection via something called AdWatch.

Spybot Search & Destroy - Yet another free tool that does an excellent scanning job on your PC. There is some additional protective functionality in the TeaTimer and Immunization options included in Spybot S&D. TeaTimer I'm up in the air about but the Immunization functionality is excellent.

Pop-up Blocking
---------------

Google Toolbar - Yep, that's right. Google Labs came up with one of the most useful toolbars I've seen to date. It's simple to install and provides lots of great features other than pop-up blocking. One note, when you use a pop-up blocker there may be some sites that do not function like they used to. This is because, well, you guessed it, rely on popups for their sites to function properly. With the Google Toolbar you can hold the CTRL key when clicking on a link and this will allow the popup to function as designed.

Windows XP SP2 - If you use Windows XP, and you've recently upgraded to Service Pack 2 then you already have a popup blocker built-in to Internet Explorer. Believe it or not, Microsoft finally made a good call on this one. It works well but keep an eye out for the "Information Bar" which will give you instructions on what to do should something be blocked within Internet Explorer. The same notes as for Google Toolbar apply here.

SuperAdBlocker - I cannot recommend this from personal use, however, many of the smartest people I know and trust point to this tool for a powerful popup blocking solution. The ability to block popunder, floating and flying ads is included where the toolbar blockers may not work for you. The best part is that this will work with any browser on your system, not just IE. By the way, this is a pay for option. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for though.

Additional SpyWare/System Cleanup Tools
--------------------------------

HiJackThis - This is an invaluable tool if you are having a hard time getting those last few pieces of SpyWare cleaned up. Warning: This one is not for the faint of heart. This is a tool that requires some skill to use properly. The most important part will be consulting the forums, which is located at the link for the software I included. The users there are top-notch and will offer some great advice should you require it. A word of encouragement, it seems daunting but you can clean the majority of these nasties out of your system by yourself. Should you run into trouble, call a braver friend, have a drink and give it a go. Worst case, you are rebuilding your operating system and starting from scratch.

CrapCleaner - Nice name right? Well, the reality is that it does a pretty good job of cleaning up some of the littler tidbits on your system. Cookies, Temp Files/Folders, MRU listings, history, recent URLs, etc. Take a look, you just might like it.

IE-SPYAD / IE-SPYAD2 - Use this piece of software to add known sites containing, SpyWare, AdWare, etc. to your Internet Restricted Zones list.


Well, this wasn't meant to be quite so large but hopefully you'll find something useful in your day to day computing struggle. Technology is great, picking up after it isn't.

Cheers

-- Riker --

SpyWare - Good to go?

I absolutely couldn't let some news I came across today pass without comment. There was a very interesting Wired article about how some people are essentially saying that SpyWare/AdWare is a fair trade off for free software. Hmmm, interesting perspective as I can appreciate the value of free software. I actually use many freeware applications in my day to day computing exercises. Some of them are very, very good. Oh, for the record, I realize and acknowledge that there is a difference between true AdWare and SpyWare. My issue lies in just how blurry the line is between these two categories of software. I'll leave it to you to decide for yourself how to classify the various software available.

Now, the big question I asked myself is, "Would I knowingly install a piece of software, containing SpyWare or AdWare, on my computer just so I could use the application?". Well, I've tried a ton of software in my lifetime. I've been computing since I was about 6 years old (or so). So that puts me in the range of a little over 20 years of experience with various applications/platforms, etc. In that time, I can't think of a single software application that was so absolutely "must have" that I would have traded my privacy (at the very least) and productivity to use it.

Now you may say, well, "As long as we're warned about it then it's not a big deal because we know about it and we're making a conscious decision to install it.". Ok, sure, I can buy the - you've been warned, the rest is up to you argument. To a degree this is true and I encourage everyone to read the license / privacy agreements that are available. However, when do you draw the line? Try actually consuming the license agreements that are bundled with the well known Grokster application... approximately 398 pages of text. Honestly, even if you have the time to read this kind of license agreement, can you honestly expect NOT to find something in those pages that you ARE NOT in agreement with? I'll lean towards my rejection of the license agreement in this case. What's worse is the software publisher is abusing our sensibilities by overwhelming potential users with so much documentation that inevitably the average use will simply click the "Ok" button and continue with the installation. Trust me, there are some seriously heinous clauses in the license agreement that you would NOT agree to if you able to actually read it all, and perhaps more importantly, could make sense of the terribly complex legalese that seems to plague virtually all license agreements. Anyone have a legal --> english translator? :)

Alright, rant complete. Bottom line - we live in a world of choice. So, why in the world would you settle for an application, loaded with SpyWare and/or AdWare simply because it's "free". Maybe you should define your version of free very, very carefully before installing that next software download. What are we saying by endorsing software developers/publishers who fill our computers with crap, especially the subversive garbage they add-on to try and justify you getting the software for free. Doesn't bode well for future software choices. Say no to SpyWare and AdWare and support the truly free software choices available. They are out there, you may have to look a little harder, but it's worth it. And hey, if you can't find one, maybe you can create one and share it with the rest of the world.

Reminds me of that cheeky catchphrase in Hackers - Hack The Planet!

Rock on and compute safely.

-- Riker --

What I'm Playing Right Now...

Hello folks,

Today I thought I'd write a little something about the video games I've been playing. Sooo many to list. This has been a tremendous year for gamers. Personally, I'm pretty addicted to my XBOX, although I just upgraded my PC about 2 weeks ago so I could play Half-Life 2 and Doom 3. Oh yeah, and revisiting Far Cry on the "new" machine is just oh so sweet.

So, other than the 3 names I dropped above, I'm also working on quite a few XBOX titles. Halo 2, of course, Need for Speed Underground 2, Call of Duty: Finest Hour, Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow and Sudeki. Ummm, and a little GTA: San Andreas for PS2. Whew, that's a lot of gaming.

Honestly, it's sensory overload. There is no way I can actually appreciate all that these awesome games have to offer when I'm thinking about the other one. It's like cheating on a girlfriend... I know I shouldn't but they just make it sooo easy.

Anyhow, out of all these titles, 2 stick out as being truly incredible titles. Firstly, Half-Life 2 is simply the best FPS I've played, ever. Sorry Halo 2 fans, the game experience is just uncomparable. Halo 2 felt like more of the same, albeit on a much bigger level. Half-Life 2 is a visceral experience. I actually feel like I'm "in" the game. The controls are bang on, the audio is engrossing and the visuals, well, let's just say they are among the best I've seen. You owe it to yourself to play this game. If you want a full review there are plenty on the net for your perusal.

As for the 2nd title, Need for Speed Underground 2 is one of the best racing experiences. Now, I'm somewhat biased because, well, I love racing games. Doesn't matter if it's a simulator, arcade or some blend in between. Of course, how can a game be bad when you can customize your ride to the max, race like a madman through heavy traffic on great roads and get to accumulate mad bank to keep on buying more parts and more cars. There is almost no part of the cars you can own, including the Hummer H2 (my personal favorite :)), that can't be customized to some degree. NFSU2 includes the ability to add hydraulics, spinners, audio/video gear and more vinyls/decals and paint than any person could possibly need. So far, my garage consists of a totally pimp Honda Civic, an up-and-coming H2 and a Toyota Supra Turbo.

Can I live my life in a video game? Hmmm, thought provoking...

-- Riker --

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a technology guy. Many would call me a geek, I prefer to think of myself as a lover of all things that allow me to expand my horizons. I'm intrigued by engines, electronics, software, hardware, and pretty much everything else that does something interesting. I love to learn.

Some cool stuff I want to talk about today:

Linksys Routers and Open Source firmware - This is a great topic. Gotta give props to Westy for the idea for this. He also mentioned this in his email. If you have a newer Linksys router, say a WRT54G for example, you owe it to yourself to look into Open Source firmware. Essentially, for those of you who may not understand the significance of this, it means that you can download firmware, developed by some very savvy people to allow your hardware (router) to do all kinds of cool things that the manufacturer may not include in their firmware revisions. Things like SSH/Telnet shell access, QOS, finer grained control over security features and my favorite, the ability to jack up the output of the wireless transmitter. This alone was reason enough for me to load a 3rd party firmware solution. WARNING! This is not for the unskilled PC dabbler. You need to know what you are doing. Read the instructions carefully and then re-read them 2 more times to ensure you know what you are getting into. If it sounds too complex, it probably is and you should ask me to do it for you, for a fee of course. ;) Check out the following links for some great information:

Linux or your WRT54G, yep, looks like it's doable.

Wi-Fi's Linksys Homepage - A great firmware alternative loaded with features.

Seatlle Wireless Website - Great information and a cool project to boot.

Wifibox firmware project site.

Sveasoft site - This is what I am currently running on my own Linksys WRT54G and it runs like a top. To be specific, I am running the Samadhi2 - v2.00.8.6sv build. The forums here are full of great information. You will need to register and for the record, this is a "pay for" firmware. There's some controversy on the street about whether their firmware is actually Open Source or not. I don't want to get into it because I think it's a great firmware option. I'll let you decide for yourself. Why do I get this feeling I'm gonna get flamed, sooner or later, for my "pay for" comment?

The OpenWRT Firmware Development Site - If you are interested in the dev side of firmware, this would be a good place to start.

Linksys GPL Code Center - Just in case you were wondering how this is all possible. Yep, the Linksys source code is under GPL so if you have the skills, get crackin'.

So I don't leave anyone out, there are several other hardware routers that also support alternative firmware. Google is your friend, why don't you use it.

I'd be interested in hearing about some of the experiences you've had related to your hardware hacking experiences, including alternative firmware. Feel free to comment.

-- Riker --

Catching up

I'll try to keep this short. Basically, I had a bit of a moment this evening. I received an email from a good friend of mine, we happen to share the same first and last (although his is a hyphenated variant) names. We'll call him Westy... (Sorry man, had to drop your name). Anyhow, Westy and I have been friends for about 5 years or so and in that time we've been through a lot together. I think of him like a brother more than a friend. Recently he moved to the USA to be with his absolutely fantastic girlfriend, and I miss him a lot. Now, I have other friends, and they are all special to me for various reasons but Westy said something to me in his email that I really appreciated. He said "I am your friend and this will never change...if you ever need someone to talk to you can count on me." You know what, I know that's the truth and I love you for it man. Sorry, it really hit me harder than I would have thought, I needed to say something about it. The same goes for you, I'm here if you need me.

Sorry for the sappy stuff. Go spend some time catching up with someone you've lost touch with. Trust me, it'll be worth it.

-- Riker --

An iPod Christmas?

Wow, does apple have a hot product on their hands or what? You basically can't go outside without seeing an iPod advertisement somewhere. Who would have thought that white would be so in fashion? Especially after labor day? :)

Good luck shopping for iPod at Christmas. Around here the stores can barely keep them in stock. Tell me an executive at Apple isn't getting a fat Christmas bonus this year. Here's to hoping the iTunes Music Store launches for Canadians soon. Rumor is it's coming this month.

To be honest, I love my iPod. I have a Gen 3 iPod that I picked up about a year ago, don't know what I'd do without it. The thing that is really killing me is that people advertise for Apple just by walking around. Think crisp white headphones, peering at you from under toques or hats (yes, I'm Canadian and winter is coming). Personally, I prefer to not walk around advertising that I have a $300+ electronic gadget on me that screams "Look at me! I'm part of the club!" Free advertising for Apple is up to you, and that's what they want, but realize you have a choice. Either way, your call, just think about it next time you are leaving the house.

I'm happy to admit that I own and love my iPod but the first thing I did when I took it out of the box was to lose the geeky white headphones, buy a good case to protect it and keep it out of sight when I'm out and about. White headphones??? What the hell? Besides, the headphones are garbage anyway. Try the Shure e2c or e3c headphones out if you are looking for great in-ear performance. BTW, I have no affiliation to Shure, I just know what I like in the audio department.

While I'm on the subject, here are a couple of sites / tools that no iPod owner should be without:

iPodlounge - One of the best iPod community sites out there. Thanks guys, you've been a big help.

iPoding - A great site with lots of interesting iPod discussion. My 2nd favorite iPod destination behind the aforementioned lounge.

ipod-zone - Hosted in France but site is in English. Another resource for the hungry iPod fan.

EphPod - You will figure out what to do with this one when you realize that putting music on your iPod is a one way affair. At least, that's how it's supposed to work.

theIstore - Great site with lots of cool iPod skins. Pick your Gen of iPod and start shopping for accessories.

iPod Hacks Site - If you are feeling brave, check this site out. Lots of ideas for your iPod.

Hackaday - iPod Hacks - Yet another great site with great ideas of how to think outside the iPod.

PDASmart - If you iPod is broken and not under warranty, these guys could be helpful.

iPod Batteries - Your iPod battery shot. Check here for a new one. Maybe you can even do it yourself?

Alright, so that about does it for now. I'd love to hear suggestions on other great resources to do with iPods. Remember, lose the white headphones, ok?

See you on the streets people.

-- Riker --