Hardware Recycling Initiative (HRI)

Often, open embedded projects are facing unexpected roadblock - cost of the hardware platform. Embedded platform (SBC, PC-104 and similar) are priced as a specialized hardware and usually cost hundreds or thousands dollars. On the other hand, today's computer equipment shops are flooded with extremely cheap "DSL/Cable" routers, NAT firewalls, wireless access pointers and similar. Usually, "residential" router is priced under $50 ($100 if has wireless capabilities) and often has significant computing power inside (50-100Mhz ARM based CPU, 8-16Mbytes of memory, 10/100Mbit Ethernet, often WiFi).


As a first stage of the HRI project, we'll investigate internals of a few most popular gateways. Reverse engineering of the original hardware will give us enough information about bootstrapping and device-specific features.

Second step is an actual porting of Linux kernel to one or many of these residential routers. We first focused on routers with architeture based on CX84200 (ADM5106) processor (ARM7TDMI nommu core) but, with help from the community, other architetures are problably on the way.

Finally, we hope releasing alternative firmwares so general people can download and use.


Current Status:

Hardware Under Close Investigation

Hardware Repository/Reviews/Internals/Links


Project summary page:

Mailing Lists

Useful Links


People from this project wish to thank to (among others):

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