Hey All,
I wanted to share with you guys how my Arduino Uno R3 helped me unbrick my La Fonera 2100 router. My Arduino Uno turned out to be a better solution that what other guides were recommending, and due to this fact I wanted to share this in detail for anyone who might benefit. Anyway, here it goes:
A while back, I was trying to flash my La Fonera router with DD-WRT using this guide, but despite my best efforts I could not avoid bricking it. After some researching, I found that I must communicate with the router via serial and I needed a RS-232 to TTL converter. Conveniently, on DD-WRT's website they also have another guide here, describing how to make this cable and I decided to go with the MAX232 circuit due to the ample circuits available online using this IC (Such as ones here and here). But the problem I kept having was the reliability of the circuit due to fact that I built it on a breadboard. Wires and components would pop out in the middle of file transfers and force me to start over. Of course, that is if I could connect at all.
While I was on the brink of quitting, it dawned on me while I was staring at my Arduino on my desk: "There HAS to be a way Arduino can solve this!". Thus, I found a wealth of information on how to use this:
Using Arduino UNO as a USB to TTL converter for unbricking a Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 Hard Drive
Using the Arduino as a Serial-TTL
making a FON router speak serial to Arduino
Then, after I had Arduino and La Fonera wired up and communicating properly I could follow DD-WRT's guide on flashing La Fonera:
LaFonera Software Flashing
In conclusion, what I was exicted about the most was the fact that using Arduino and a couple other jumper wires I replaced two whole circuits with over 6 components each:
1.) USB to Serial/RS-232 (premade adapter I bought)
2.) RS-232 to TTL (using MAX232CPE)
AND not to mention the fact that Arduino's construction will be a lot more reliable than my breadboard-hack-job.
Thanks for reading,
TheElectronicsGuy