the WRT54gL can be reloaded with linux kernels designed for it, but if you've fried the BCM chip, it's pretty much toasted. desoldering a ball grid array chip isn't my idea of fun. those chips are soldered onto the board with a process where the board is dipped in a pool of solder, not exactly an easy process to do right. too hot and the chip's fried, too cool and all of the pads on the bottom of the chip are shorted together, too long in the solder bath and again, the chip's fried..... you get the idea. a hot air machine won't heat all of the area under the chip evenly, and misalignment of just a tiny bit will be a disaster. the routers are inexpensive, get a new one.