Upgrading my Aztech 600ER router modem firmware

On Saturday, because all alone at home and nothing better to do, I went to google and searched for any firmware update for my router modem, the Aztech 600ER. This bugger has giving me nothing but disappointment, slow auto connection, sluggish web interface, sometimes can't even load the page out after switch it on for few days. All these even makes me wondering my BT so slow whether because its uneffective routing/load balancing or the damn TMnut!

This was not the first time I tried to search the firmware, but this time, I decided to be more patient, and browsed those results one by one. To my surprise, I found something in Lowyat.NET forum that has something about this modem firmware. It appears that there's a company known as Solwise, has a router modem, with the same model code, as my Aztech, the Solwise SAR-600ER. Both of them using the same chipset, technologies, specs, even the design is exactly the same! Damn you Aztech, can't even come out an unique model of your own?!

One of the forumer suggested to upgrade the Solwise's firmware, which is exactly same as the Aztech, except it's newer and should be better. OK, sounds good, when trying to download the firmware, there's a link to another website, it turns out to be a 3rd party made firmware! Wow, 3rd party firmware always provides more features and frequent bug fixes! Without hesitation, I ventured to RouterTech.com, a site that provides updates, infos and self made firmwares for the AR7WRD and AR7RD type router. It appears that many company is using 2 of these chips for their router modem, including my Aztech 600ER, which is an AR7RD type, and the firmware should be suitable for routers of these types.

So I read through some related articles and posts, until I think I have enough knowledge to flash the firmware and rescue infos in case anything went wrong. OK, the deciding moment, I started the flashing procedure... Well, so far so good. After rebooting the router, it showed the RouterTech screen at the login page! And this was the starting of my nightmare. I continued to struggle at guessing the username and password, both in the web interface, and telnet terminal, it was really a frustrating process! The environment settings that suppose to be there were not there, I need to telnet to the router back and forth, restarting again and again to make things work!

With hours of struggling, finally everything seemed to be what it supposed to be. Now time to MSN and report my successful adventure to my friends... WTF?! I can't login to MSN messenger, try MSN.com, it just forever waiting, and some of the websites too, including RouterTech.com, which means I can't get any further info for my problem. I can connect using GAIM, but not MSN Messenger. Probably TMnut issue? Coz I did experience similar case before. So I decided to wait for another day...

Whole day has passed, and I yet to able to load those websites, nor login to MSN using MSN Messenger, this doesn't look good...