I'm sure pointing the finger at Joe will be much appreciated after the damage is done, perhaps during an emergency, or when he damages the network switch at some public safety site where your local ham radio group is helping. 

Or when you apologize because you gave Joe the wrong router and though you had given him one of the ones you hadn't modified the power on.

Thanks for the offer (and testing tips from you and KD5MFW). 

I actually have a Gv2 that took the firmware but doesn't show S/N ratio, so I assume the radio's dead in it.  I kick myself for giving the guy good feedback for quick shipping before testing it, but absorbed its minimal cost in the other 5 I bought from other sellers that did work, and in particular the GLv1.1 that was given me by a non-ham (the one with DD-WRT I had issues with).  I did try desoldering the RP-TNC from the dead one but the body was acting as a heatsink and after burning my fingers enough I decided to cut the coax on the crippled one, solder on the 1/2W and put the PCB back in it's case.  The plan is to use it with a 2W amp, so I only need one output anyway.  It's working fine with the stock antenna, linking with the other 5.  I have them all set up in the office (PBX room here at the University, I'm the Telephone Tech), I'm just waiting on $$$ for antennas and adapters (and VoIP hardware... and IP cameras...). Then I can get out and do some "real world" distance tests

I'm glad to see MESH made QST's cover!  I'm having a blast with them so far, 10 years ago when I was doing the University's data wiring and 5 before I got the Ham license, I was doing things like this:

http://www.utm.edu/staff/relmore/wireless/

My main supplier was Hyperlink, this was before they were acquired by L-Com, and I bought connectors and tooling from FAB.  We had limited clients attaching to the network back then, now with every student having a smartphone looking for an IP there are around 800 Aruba APs across Campus.

Our area is fairly flat, and trees grow taller than the 4-story buildings on Campus (tallest buildings in the area), so I don't know how well MESH can be implemented for any long-range use, but I just need to get out and experiment once I have the goodies.

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KJ4AJP

The trick to working the RP-TNC's is a hot iron (I crank my Weller up to 850 (max)), and then hold it over 2 pins (of the 4 corners) at once, and work it back and forth, lifting each side a bit at a time.

If the iron isnt hot enough, it wont budge and/or you will burn the PCB (been there done that).

Times like these I wish I had my dads ol 1950's era monster iron (it was like 450W or something...more for soldering gutters or something) :-)

Good Luck

KTF

Which is why I stated that my routers will remain unmodified (so you're preaching to the choir).

With all due respect to the human race, in my "day job" I've dealt with PHDs who don't have the sense to use a telephone.  I would expect no more or no less from a licensed Amateur Radio operator and a clearly labeled WRT54G or a homebrew POTSAC.

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KJ4AJP

Easiest way to power through the Ethernet cable. I used blue and blue/white as positive. Brown and brown/white as negative. Cut at both ends of the cable so no power running back into my computer. Twisted the the blue two together, and the brown two together. Soldered the power supply at one end and the plug on the other. This way there is no modifications to the router, only a cable mod.

Easiest way to power through the Ethernet cable. I used blue and blue/white as positive. Brown and brown/white as negative. Cut at both ends of the cable so no power running back into my computer. Twisted the the blue two together, and the brown two together. Soldered the power supply at one end and the plug on the other.