The inital version (v1) is based on the Broadcom 4710 board. It has a 125MHz CPU, 4MB flash and 16MB RAM. The wireless NIC is a mini-PCI card.

After several bugfixes releases from WHITE RUSSIAN (RC2) works well on this router.

/!\ The reset button is hardwired on the Se505 v1, so there is no failsafe mode. You can set back default nvram settings by pressing reset button while turning on the router.

/!\ The IP of the machine uploading firmware has to be 192.168.x.100. [documented under FAQ on the Siemens site]

The SE505 (v2) has a 200 MHz BCM4712KPB CPU, 4MB flash and 8 MB RAM on board. This hardware version has been sold in important quantities as part of ADSL packages from major ISPs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

SE505V2 is very similar to Belkin F5D7230 v1440 (2MB flash, more or less the same PCB, different box, just one antenna).

The broken hardware detection in Whiterussian RC5, that forced the SE505V2 into a reset loop, has been replaced by code that ignores SE505 fully. A patch for the Whiterussian diag code that fixes hardware dectection is available (see below). At least the former recommendation to fall back to Whiterussian RC4 is obsolete now.

On a SE505V2 Whiterussian RC6 "micro" will work, but limited RAM will result in poor stability when using PPPOE. However, the option of a RAM upgrade to 16, 32 or even 64MByte makes this box a cheap alternative to more expensive hardware.

/!\ The reset button is hardwired on the SE505V2, so there is no failsafe mode. The 'CFE will 'reset default nvram settings by pressing the reset button while turning on the router (see reset-button-mod below).

/!\ The tftp address during boot_wait is determined by NVRAM. CFE-default is 192.168.2.1

Overclocking will work with 216, 240 and 264 MHz. 228, 252, 280 and 300 Mhz will not work and you will need a JTAG cable to flash a NVRAM with good values. (backup before overclocking!)

On Siemens SE505V2 models, the JTAG connector is labeled J7 (male 2mm connecting plug).

JTAG connector J7
   2   1
    o o
    o o-TDO
GND-o o-TDI
GND-o o-TCK
GND-o o-TMS
  10   9

German Manual for building a JTAG Adapter: http://www.meeveo.com/2008/08/jtag-adapter-siemens-se505-selber-bauen/

The serial connector is labeled J2 and has the following pin-out (Molex 2mm):

serial connector J2
       |---|
front  | o | Rx
 of    | o   Tx
 the   | o   GND
board  | o | 3.3V
       |---|

Refer to the Serial Console page for details on the necessary 3.3V / RS232C level shifter.

/!\ Upgrading memory will void the warranty, and requires a steady hand and good soldering skills.

The SE505V2 has one 4Mx16 SDRAM chip (8 MB), and spare pads for a second RAM chip. The RAM initialization of the standard CFE ignores the sdram_init value in the nvram, and 8Mx16 chips will be accessed as 4Mx16 chips. Mixing 4Mx16 and 8Mx16 is possible, and will give the same result as two 4Mx16 chips. For other upgrade options see table below.

Instructions for RAM upgrading from 8MB to 16MB:

1) find the right SDRAM chips: 64MB or 128MB SODIMMS are a good source for SDRAM chips with the right bus width (16 bit - always check the data sheet!). Desoldering the chips with a hot-air gun works fine (be careful not to overheat the chips!).

2) carefully desolder the LEDs (at least the WLAN- and the WWW-LED)

3) clean the RAM pads using a soldering iron with at least 50W and desoldering wick.

4) solder a 4Mx16 SDRAM chip to the unpopulated RAM pads.

• Hint: using desoldering wick and a strong (50W) soldering iron works better than an expensive soldering needle! Do not overheat the pads and double check for shorts!

5) connect the address lines for the second RAM chip:

shorten the pads with the following labels using (very!) fine wire:
  R314
  R315
  R316
  R317
  R318

After booting the router you should have 16MB!

Now do:

nvram set sdram_ncdl=0
nvram commit
reboot

to let the CFE reconfigure the timing value. This is all you have to do!

Hint: don't solder a capacitor to C319! This capacitor is for fine trimming the RAM timing, and it isn't necessary for stable operation..

Hint: for upgrading to 32MB you'll need two 16x16MB chips from a 4 chip 128MB, or from an 8 chip 256MB SODIMM. Be extremely careful when desoldering the 4x16MB chip from the router!

Memory upgrade options:

Sources for RAM chips:

4x16MB	desoldered chip from a SE505V2 router
8x16MB	64MB SDRAM PC133 SODIMMs w/ 4 chips
16x16MB	128MB SDRAM PC133 SODIMMs or DIMMs w/ 4 chips

Using chips from a 4 chip PC133 SDRAM module is the safest option. RAM chips from some SODIMMs or DIMMs with 8 chips and twice the capacity mentioned above might have the right properties, too. Always check the RAM datasheet!

A self compiled CFE which can set new "sdram_init" values can be found here: (see forum thread)

Easiest way to achieve it is using telnet/ssh. After you connected to the router look which mtd holds the cfe

root@openwrt:~# cat /proc/mtd
dev:    size   erasesize  name
mtd0: 00040000 00010000 "cfe"
mtd1: 003b0000 00010000 "linux"
mtd2: 000c9e60 00010000 "rootfs"
mtd3: 00010000 00008000 "nvram"
mtd4: 00270000 00010000 "OpenWrt"

write it somewhere you could reach it even if you brick the router later. Consider making a copy of the NVRAM (here it is mtd3) as well.

root@openwrt:/mnt/disc0_1# dd if=/dev/mtd/0 of=/mnt/disc0_1/backup_0.bin
512+0 records in
512+0 records out

alternatively use JTAG

./wrt54g -backup:cfe

You need serial console access to the rooter and a tftp server for flashing the new CFE. someone could go famous writing this

not tested yet first thing to do is you have to connect your JTAG to your computer. Secondly get the debrick-utility from (here). If you are running a linux-pc install it in wine and compile the sourcecode (e.g. ~/.wine/drive_c/SKYNET/WRTJTAG/Sources) with

make

chmod +x wrt54g

./wrt54g -erase:cfe /nocwd /noemw

afterwards install the new one with

./wrt54g -flash:cfe /nocwd /noemw

If you are running White Russian, you can also use rwflash.o and the mtd-package (the one included in the WR image does NOT work, so install the "real" mtd-package) to flash the cfe from the running system. But be careful: If something goes wrong you will definitively need JTAG.

cd /tmp
ipkg update; ipkg install mtd
wget http://myantihero.net/pub/openwrt/rwflash.o
insmod rwflash.o
wget ftp://funnel.homelinux.net/se505/cfe/cfez_64.bin
mtd -f write /tmp/cfez_64.bin rwcfe

I stumbled over another way to do this but couldn't test it yet (going to test it all in the next 3 weeks and will edit it all accordingly to my findings)

cd /tmp
ipkg update; ipkg install mtd
mtd unlock cfe
mtd write -f /tmp/cfe_new.bin cfe

or try it with the backup-way

cd /tmp
ipkg update; ipkg install mtd
mtd unlock cfe
dd if=/tmp/cfe_new.bin cfe of=/dev/mtd/0

The SE505V2 can be retrofitted a USB1.1 port. Note that a mass storage device (as a thumb drive) attached to USB1.1 is much faster than SD-cards attached using the MMC mod (transfers use only a small fraction of the CPU cycles of a simulated "bit-banging" SPI interface). Writing to a thumb drive formatted with the EXT2 is typically 10 times faster than writing to a JFFS file system (see forum thread)!

The following USB devices have been used with this mod : USB hub, MSD (hard disc, thumb drive), RS232 interface (PL2303), CDC device (modem), audio class device (USB speakers), OV511 web-cam

Note: for taking full advantage of the USB mod, a RAM upgrade is highly recommended!

Instructions for retrofitting a USB port to the SE505V2:

1) +5V USB power supply .

Locate the unpopulated pads on the power plug side and add the following components:
  C906: capacitor 100µF-470µF ( > 16V )
  C986: capacitor 10µF ( > 16V )
  U981: LM7805 (DPAC or TO220 converted to SMD w/ heat sink soldered to the PCB)

2) USB components :

On the antenna side of the PCB add the following components:
  F51: shorten(or better use a 500mA polyfuse specified for USB use)
  R723 and R724: resistors 15k
  R733 and R734: shorten (better use 22R - 33R)
  J51: USB-plug (Reichelt.de part# "USB AW-VL")

Software side: installing the USB kernel modules is simple, just follow the steps described in UsbStorageHowto. Note that the SE505V2 has an OHCI controller. In offical builds for kernel 2.6 USB will not work. You have to compile your own kernel with the option "OHCI support for Broadcom SSB OHCI core" (Use make kernel_menuconfig).

The reset button is hard wired to the CPU reset generator chip (7703I). Failsafe mode, and running scripts in /etc/hotplug.d/buttons require removing this capacitor!

Instructions:

1) Hardware side.

Locate C365 near J7 (JTAG connector) and LED "LAN4".
  C365: remove

2) Software side

As of Whiterussian RC6 there is no working hardware detection for SE505V2, patching the diag module is necessary (use this link: https://dev.openwrt.org/ticket/1100, or contact whiterussian repository maintainers, who failed so far to integrate even the most basic support for SE505V2 into the RC6 diag module).

SE505 v3) has a BCM4712KFB CPU, 2 x 2MB flash (AT45DB161B) and 8 MB SDRAM (M12L64164A-7T). The PCB is prepared for USB and JTAG, but doesn't have a pads for a second RAM chip. Unlike versions V1 and V2 the V3 routers have an AC power supply!

Retrofitting the JTAG and the USB interface is most likely possible. Replacing the RAM chip by a chip with 16MB or 32MB has not yet been reported to work, and it might require a new CFE. It is not known if the flash chips are supported by the current JTAG tools.

Most reports suggest that there are compatibility problems of SE 505 v3 with OpenWRT.

• CategoryModel