I am trying to remove the HSMM-MESH firmware from one of my WRT54GS version 4 routers to reuse it with DD-WRT.

I have followed the steps referenced in another post in this area.

Go to SETUP>ADMINISTRATION>CHOOSE FILE>UPLOAD but when the upload finishes, it responds with "Firmware CANNOT be updated, the uploaded file is not recognized>

File I am trying to install is dd-wrt.v23_wrt54gs.bin

Any ideas?

It took a long sleepless night but I found a very simple way to do it in minutes.

The short version: Upgrade with tomato firmware (a trx file). Upgrade from Tomato using a bin file for dd-wrt, linksys, or whatever you desire.

The long version: I couldn't remember my password for the router so I used this (http://www.broadband-hamnet.org/documentation/71-using-safe-mode-to-reset-a-forgotten-password.html) to reset it to "abc" so the username/password was root/abc. This allowed me access to the SETUP>ADMINISTRATION>CHOOSE FILE>UPLOAD area. Broadband-hamnet uses OpenWrt.. as you discovered OpenWrt will not support bin files for any web firmware uploads. Changing the bin to trx file seemed over my head (removing the header pun intended). So after searching the end of the Internet, I found Tomato Firmware. Specifically a blurb about renaming the tomato firmware file from trx to bin with the explanation that the bin would work without the header. Everyone needs bin but OpenWrt needs the trx file...

1. Simply download Tomato Firmware here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/tomatofirmware/?source=typ_redirect

2. Extract the tomato.trx file from the archive. Use the web interface to upload this file. My broadband-hamnet stated successful after uploading and installing. I renewed my connection to 192.168.1.1 and the Tomato Router username/password is root/admin.

3. Navigate the Tomato web interface to Administration>Upgrade. Simply upload the bin you wanted here just like before. In my sleep deprived state I went to the original linksys firmware and then to DD-WRT but any bin will do. The password for DD-WRT is also root/admin.

Glad to help,
Scott, KD4SIR

You don't need to go to Tomato, then Linksys, then something else, unless you don't have access to TFTP software and failsafe mode.  The wiki steps for reverting with TFTP don't work because the router isn't configured to listen for TFTP requests by default.  In order to turn this on, connect to the router in failsafe mode and enter the following commands:

nvram set boot_wait=on
nvram set boot_time=10
nvram set wait_time=10 
nvram commit

Have your computer's IP set to 192.168.1.2/255.255.255.0.  Have a Terminal or Command Prompt window open pinging 192.168.1.1.  Connect your computer's Ethernet port directly to the router's switch ports.  Power cycle the router.  As soon as you see pings respond, you have 10 seconds to initiate your TFTP transfer, either by command line or by some GUI or whatever.  The point is that you have 10 seconds and that it will work reliably.  All you have to do is connect to the device within those 10 seconds for it to hold in failsafe mode and wait for you to send the firmware over.

You can use this to directly install any compatible firmware to the device, but use files that end in .bin.  I don't know if .trx files will also work.

Caveats:

• These instructions are for Linsys devices and have been tested on WRT54GL.  They should work for other WRT54G devices.
• Failsafe mode and the commands above are specific to OpenWRT and its descendants (BBHN, etc)
• Be sure that the firmware you're using will fit on to the device!  Standard disclaimers apply - if you put the wrong firmware on, you're going to permanently brick the device.