You've GOT to be kidding! In a 2009 thread people are talking about the MI424WR router with 2 USB ports but no support. Now in 2012 I just get Fios internet installed and the MI424WR router has 2 USB ports but they can't be used to support a network printer?
Talk about disappointing! My Belkin router is now right next to the sorry excuse for a router Verizon provided. Now I can support network printing from my router.
Come on Verizon you seriously can't do any better than that?
(Yes I know I could share the printer from a networked computer but the only place with room for the printer is a desk that gets shared by two family members for laptops so you never know which laptop if any will be there at any given time. Thus the printer needs to be shared from the router)
Sorry to hear about your frustrations. If your router has an ethernet jack, you can connect it to the router that way to allow network printing. The USB connection idea would be a perfect candidate for the Verizon Idea Exchange. Please search on the idea exchange and cast your vote. There may be another member who made the same suggestion. If not, please add a new idea so your fellow community members can comment and vote on your suggestion. http://forums.verizon.com/t5/Verizon-Idea-Exchange/ct-p/ideaexchange . The Verizon Idea Exchange is there for you to submit your ideas and suggestions to Verizon so that we can consider them as we innovate our products and services.
you can add usb support if you are willing to reflash the router with new firmware here is a link to what to do http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/actiontec/mi424wr first link is some basic info and this link is step by step process i cant find other post right now but there is lots of info about it on web just look up actiontec mi424 openwrt once openwrt is loaded you can easily add usb support via ipkg.
have fun this is a great little project and with usb support possiblities are endless.
Jason
quote "don't turn it on take it apart" D. Jones
@croyleje wrote:you can add usb support if you are willing to reflash the router with new firmware
Keep in mind that if you do that, MOCA is not supported by OPEN-WRT. You lose support for both a coax connection from the ONT and coax connections to your VZ STBs (required if you have FIOS-TV). Also, only certain Actiontec revisions are supported.
Does OpenWRT even support the ActionTecs past Rev. D? I haven't been made aware of that if so. I'm running DD-WRT on a Rev. D right now. Works like a charm, but no USB ports on this revision.
@croyleje wrote:you can add USB support if you are willing to reflash the router with new firmware here is a link to what to do http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/actiontec/mi424wr ...
Have you actually changed the firmware on a Verizon router to WRT? If so, are you still supporting all the Verizon options?
As mentioned, at least the Rev. A-D routers are supported by OpenWRT code. I run DD-WRT (A fork of OpenWRT) on a Rev. D. Rev E and higher I don't think have been developed yet, and since then the hardware has changed multiple times rather than remained consistent across the board as far as CPU/RAM is concerned and the only things that really changed were maybe Wireless radios and Ethernet switches.
Everything except the MoCa switch functions. I might find a way to port the MoCa driver over to fit a DD-WRT package however, as it isn't too bad to extract a copy of them from the router's original BIN file. If that can be done, despite the chip being proprietary, some information in Redboot might need to be updated or for that matter within the DD-WRT kernel/code itself to support MoCa but I can't imagine it not being doable now that MoCa use is on the rise.
The closest DD-WRT has right now for the ActionTecs however is CIFS. The Rev. D build of DD-WRT has it installed. It just needs to be mounted to something such as a network share.
I am currently running openWRT on a rev. F but had to add a few packages to get USB support up and running I can't remember the exact packages but if anyone is interested just ask I will pull all the info and post it. But it was fairly easy if I remember right the packages are kmod-usb-core kmod-usb-ohci kmod-usb-legacy. Those packages will get you basic usb support and also give you access to usb hubs letting expand the memory of your router. Everything works I am currently working on the moca support but there is lots of talk on the boards and people have gotten to work on older revs.
I also highly suggest breaking out the jtag header if you are planning on doing anything like this just incase you brick the thing and remember to enable ssh before you dump the stock firmware.
Any question just post them ill follow this post.
These are excellent routers and there are lots of cool things that can be done with them also you may want to look at tomato or DD-WRT.
Good luck Jason
@Smith6612 wrote:As mentioned, at least the Rev. A-D routers are supported by OpenWRT code. I run DD-WRT (A fork of OpenWRT) on a Rev. D. Rev E and higher I don't think have been developed yet, and since then the hardware has changed multiple times rather than remained consistent across the board as far as CPU/RAM is concerned and the only things that really changed were maybe Wireless radios and Ethernet switches.
Everything except the MoCa switch functions. I might find a way to port the MoCa driver over to fit a DD-WRT package however, as it isn't too bad to extract a copy of them from the router's original BIN file. If that can be done, despite the chip being proprietary, some information in Redboot might need to be updated or for that matter within the DD-WRT kernel/code itself to support MoCa but I can't imagine it not being doable now that MoCa use is on the rise.
The closest DD-WRT has right now for the ActionTecs however is CIFS. The Rev. D build of DD-WRT has it installed. It just needs to be mounted to something such as a network share.
remember remember the 5 of novemeber
@croyleje wrote:I am currently running openWRT on a rev. F ...
I found what I needed by running my Asus RT-N16 behind the Actiontec, thus preserving MoCA functionality and allowing perhaps a better wireless feed than the Actiontec (which itself seems like a very good device). The Asus is running Tomato USB and gives network storage (which is of course not a very efficient choice, but ...). I was interested in maintaining Caller ID on the TV screen, VZ Media Manager, VOD, the TV channel guide listing, DVR functionality, etc., and this seemed like a simple fix. It also means I can call VZ in a pinch for support without re-wiring.
That's awesome news. If they get MoCa running that'll be even better. The stock firmware on the routers isn't the greatest. I have a Rev D which I don't believe have JTAG headers but I'll have to take a look at it further for actual headers.
@Engineerik wrote:... Belkin router is now right next to the sorry excuse for a router Verizon provided. Now I can support network printing from my router. ..
I am not sure what is meant by "the Belkin is right next to ... [the Actiontec] router." Also, you have not indicated model numbers for your equipment, so there is no way to give specific recipes or wiring methods. However if you are asking how the Belkin can be set up behind the Actiontec, that question has been covered in detail on this board. Further, if the Belkin supports a USB networked printer, you will be in business. Also if your printer has an Ethernet port, the same comment applies. However without further details, the best answer remains speculative.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
