SparkFun Forums

[mikhalchuk]

Hello,

I'm building this project called "The most hacked router in the world ever". The idea is to collect all possible hacks for domestic routers and implement them. So far my router can control lights, make sounds, get power from Ethernet cable, display messages on LCD and do other things. The project description is here: http://andrey.mikhalchuk.com/the-most-h ... world-ever. Here is the video demonstrating the result: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B2zV_Xd ... r_embedded.



Documentation is in progress, but, yes, there is an Arduino inside as well as other parts reused from old equipment or shipped from Sparkfun.

I would appreciate any information about hacks/mods this router doesn't implement (yet) as well as ideas about what else worth squeezing into this little blue+gray box.

Thanks!
Andrey.

[kwan3217]

Yes, but can it still route?

[mikhalchuk]

Yes, but can it still route?

Yes it can. All original networking functionality is retained and expanded, for instance it can work as a wireless bridge too.

[lukemalpass]

Don't get me wrong good work on the design, but its not really a hacked router is it. For example, you haven't (as far as I can see) actually hacked any functionality of the router except to read basic up/down stream info if that (you may just be monitoring direct packet transfers from the network). All the other functions like web interface, remote switching and the LCD messages are a seperate system entirely, just boxed inside the same case as the router and then interfaced to the network through the ethernet cable, not the router directly, no?

Either way good work on the design I'm not putting it down, but I would question whether it is a mod not a hack.

[mikhalchuk]

Don't get me wrong good work on the design, but its not really a hacked router is it. For example, you haven't (as far as I can see) actually hacked any functionality of the router except to read basic up/down stream info if that (you may just be monitoring direct packet transfers from the network). All the other functions like web interface, remote switching and the LCD messages are a seperate system entirely, just boxed inside the same case as the router and then interfaced to the network through the ethernet cable, not the router directly, no?

Either way good work on the design I'm not putting it down, but I would question whether it is a mod not a hack.

Thanks for opinion! Could you please define hack? According to wikipedia:

Hacking (English verb to hack, singular noun a hack) refers to the re-configuring or re-programming of a system to function in ways not facilitated by the owner, administrator, or designer.

This router was definitely reconfigured (by adding SD card, "POE", Serial interfaces, additional functionality) and reprogrammed (it runs custom OS not intended by Linksys). Modding typically refers to "case modding" which was done as well by adding FAN, LCD, buttons etc. But that's less important aspect of the project.

The router does have two separate systems inside (microcontroller and another one will be shown in Video#3). But the web interface is ran by the router itself. There is no additional computer inside or something. Everything is done via router's hardware/software communicating to the microcontroller. So when you use your smartphone to shut the lights you're communicating with the web interface on the router itself and then router sends command to microcontroller to generate signal to shut the lights. When you change the LCD mode via web interface it is router that sends time/date/load etc to display on the LCD.

I appreciate your opinion alot - it helps me to improve the following videos so they are not as confusing. Please feel free to send me other ideas/criticisms - they are very important to me.

[lukemalpass]

Ah right I see, I presumed that web interface was just a pic web server completely seperate to the router as there were no mention of writing new firmware for the router. And if that were the case then all communication would just bypass the router functionality.

To be fair I think it would be easier to do it that way than use the router interface but I havent really looked at programming router firmware so it could be easier.

With that control, I would suggest adding code to the custom router firmware to allow someone to add a POP3 email account to the web interface and the LCD and buzzer can sound every time a new email is received