Hacking Fonera – How to install dd-wrt onto fonera
I received the FON router from a friend and decided to install DD-WRT onto it as FON’s custom firmware lacks certain features that I wanted. After doing a quick Google search I found out that
1. the Fonera’s firmware version is noting but a customized version of DD-WRT
2. the Fonera’s firmware version which is crippled disables ssh access by default.
3. the Fonera’s firmware version does not allow you to flash custom images of DD-WRT without signed firmware.
There are several hacks on the net that rely on exploiting certain vulnerabilities in the router software, chief among them is the ability to inject custom commands through a specially crafted set of HTML pages. The HTML pages allow you to enable ssh access on the router by enabling access to port 22 in iptables. Once ssh access is gained a series of steps will enable you to first disable the Fonera router from downloading and reverting to the custom firmware thus disabling SSH access, The tutorial will also enable you to flash the latest version of DD-WRT on to the router.
The latest hack released by these guys called the kolofonium makes it as easy as changing the DNS settings on the router to enable the SSH shell.
I downloaded the Tutorial detailing the process from here. A slight change would be to use the kolofonium hack to enable access SSH shell rather then using the 2 HTML pages and once SSH access is gained follow the rest of the tutorial to flash DD-WRT on to the router. The only problem that I faced during the process was the lack of a cross cable which was easily resolved by cutting up a straight cable and rewiring it to work as a cross cable, the result while not very pretty got the job done.
Some of the sites that I researched before trying the hack are:
1. http://stefans.datenbruch.de
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DD-WRT
6. http://www.belkin.com/support/tech/isp/
8. http://www.gettingpumped.com/
It was pretty straight forward and took about 30 minutes (if only I could type the commands properly it might have gotten done sooner).
Happy hacking 
Two things:
Have you checked out my tutorial today? I just completely re-wrote it, and its much easier (if you don’t have any more then I guess it doesn’t matter).
What’s with the crazy chopped up ethernet cable? The FON has an auto-sensing port, so you can hook up the cable that came with it.
Just thought I’d throw that out there. Thanks for the linkage!
Zach
March 20, 2007 at 10:54 pm
Hi Zach,
eah I found out that Fon has auto sensing after I did the upgrade
. I just checked your tutorial now, Its really good. I like the picture of what comes with the Fon package 
, You do realize that you don’t need to do the HTML page hack anymore right? you can just set the router’s DNS address to a fake address, details are here
http://fonblog.wordpress.com/2007/03/13/la-fonera-hacked-again/
it automatically enables ssh access.
Thanks for commenting
harish
cipher27
March 20, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Ya, I’ve seen that. Unfortunately, some people were having trouble figuring out the IP settings and what-not to get their FONs to have internet access for the DNS hack, so you can say that my way is a little more “fool-proof.”
Zach
March 21, 2007 at 5:16 am
thanks for the pingback
dltv
dltv.wordpress.com
dltv
March 26, 2007 at 2:44 am
Hi dltv,
That was a great tutorial you wrote and enabled me to flash DD-WRT on to my fonera so thanks once again and keep hacking
.
Harish
cipher27
March 26, 2007 at 8:33 am
I am just amazed at what this little bugger can do as far as performance wise. Looking forward to networking my house with these guys.
DDWRT really is a fantastic firmware. Brainslayer deserves everyones support or small donation for working so hard.
dltv
March 26, 2007 at 7:14 pm
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