[Commotion-discuss] CW Firmware on a Ubiquiti Picostation M2HP

Nicolas North io at nikksno.io
Mon May 16 23:38:42 UTC 2016


Hi there everyone!

I'm very sorry for the really late reply but I've been a little held back lately by all of the difficulties I've encountered while starting this project that I really believe in, so I've been working on it on my own for a few weeks to see what I could figure out. Key updates are as follows:

I've found a way to "unlock" / "unbrick" ubiquiti picostations and bullets and have been able to do so several times. For now my experience has always been: unbox them, try installing commotion firmware immediately from the web interface as per the instructions, device installs and reboots, seemingly gets stuck in limbo [no bootloop but not showing up in any network scan with or without dhcp under any subnet], enter tftp, try reinstalling AirOS, device reboots into endless bootloop, enter tftp again to flash cw firmware only to get 512 firmware check error. The solution for me has consistently been to install unifi on the devices as per ubiquiti instructions [a procedure that is unsupported but explained on their website] via tftp [I can provide the link if anyone is interested] [always got them working on unifi like this btw], then enter tftp again and install AirOS 5.1.2, and only then was I always able to actually install cw firmware via AirOS web interface and working as instructed in the cw howtos. The devices reboot perfectly and fully functionally in cw and except for my first attempt [see last mail] where I had problems with LuCI, I was always able to do the initial setup perfectly. The major problem here which had been haunting my dreams [irony, but true] for the last few weeks is that upon the first reboot the devices completely loose their mesh and WiFi configs and they seem to be missing key packages suck as olsr and such. A possible explanation for this is that after the cw install only 2% of space is left on the device's NAND for some reason I have yet to understand. A quick df -h via ssh reveals the partitions all together make up less than 50MB although this also appears to be the case with stock AirOS and Unifi at least on my devices.

I've been searching everywhere for a solution to this problem and I've found that the standard openwrt image is 50MB but being these always bin files I've never been able to expand their partitions before flashing them.

I've also tried installing stock owrt following metamesh's directives from a link in the last email but although I could install it [through the super complex procedure listed above] on both devices I still got 98% of storage space used and couldn't get all packages installed as per their tutorial!

I really don't understand how this is happening given that except from the possible firmware locks introduced recently I'm basically getting an extremely common device in the mesh world and installing stock openwrt onto it. I'd really like to know what I'm doing wrong. I've seen your new thread about this ubiquiti issue but I don't understand how I could even try using other routers on the cw download page if they're not weather proof. Apart from the fact of course that I risk getting even more decides that will end up bricked or not fully functional after all of the money I've already spent. Should I try with unifi AC AP pros? Are they supported by cw?

I really want and need to start this project. It'll be a very profound personal achievement and I have tens of people with more every day asking me when it'll be online and I cannot accept that it's not working or even worse that I'm so close such as having it only work until a reboot or a power loss related hard reboot.

I will happily reward any dev or specialist at cw or in this community with 100€ [all I can afford right now] that will be able to help me get online by any mean in a timely fashion and in a cost effective way, with more small donations to the project every month in the future from the tip jar we'll establish here on site.

This has to happen now :)

Thanks in advance and truly sincere kudos for the amazing work on this fantastic project. I really appreciate all of your help on this as well of course and I definitely look forward to working with you.

Thanks again! 

Nicolas. 

On Apr 25, 2016 16:51, Josh King <jking at chambana.net> wrote:

Hey Nicolas,

Did you get the error messages after flashing using the factory or
sysupgrade image?

On Sun, 2016-04-24 at 17:55 -0500, Ben West wrote:
> Hi Nicolas,
> 
> Apologies for the delay in response, and likewise for the sadly
> unhelpful response.
> 
> I'm afraid I'm not an active developer of CW, so I wouldn't have an
> answer for why the auto-configure routine in Commotion doesn't
> proceed to completion on the Bullet.  I've actually only used it on
> Nanostations and Picostation myself.
> 
> 
> On Mon, Apr 11, 2016 at 6:08 PM, Nicolas North <star at nikksno.io>
> wrote:
> > Hi there Ben!
> > 
> > Thank you so much again for your help!
> > 
> > Ok great I see. I actually decided in the end to just go ahed and
> > buy[te] the bullet [ahahah - pun definitely intended].
> > 
> > I tried flashing commotion from stock firmware without downgrading
> > first and it worked!
> > 
> > I’m having trouble accessing the commotion screens though and I can
> > only mostly get openwrt-looking old-style pages some of which
> > saying there are errors in the page scripts. I got the welcome
> > screen once after rebooting the device but as soon as I clicked
> > setup wizard I got  taken back to openwrt with some errors or even
> > blank pages with errors printed on them.
> > 
> > This can’t be the firmware lock right? That can only block the
> > installation before it begins if it is actually in place if I
> > understand correctly.
> > 
> > In any event I’ll try again tomorrow when I get my omni antenna as
> > I’m still unsure as to wether it’s ok to keep the device powered on
> > even only for configuration purposes without an antenna attached to
> > it.
> > 
> > If reinstalling cw firmware was the way to go, what would be the
> > best way to do so?
> > 
> > Thanks again so much to you and the other user for your help!
> > 
> > 
> > Nicolas
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > From: Ben West <ben at gowasabi.net>
> > Reply: Ben West <ben at gowasabi.net>>
> > Date: 9 Apr 2016 at 18:44:18
> > 
> > To: Nicolas North <star at nikksno.io>>
> > Cc: commotion-discuss <commotion-discuss at lists.chambana.net>>
> > Subject:  Re: [Commotion-discuss] CW Firmware on a Ubiquiti
> > Picostation M2HP 
> > 
> > > Hi Nicolas,
> > > 
> > > 5GHz products with the firmware locks actually started appearing
> > > last year.  It's been in the past few months where some 2.4GHz
> > > products now have locks.  I.e. not just UBNT.
> > > 
> > > My guess about Ubiquiti M2 products is that the firmware locks
> > > possibly aren't there yet for all products sitting on
> > > distributors' shelves.  I.e. purchase one unit from a particular
> > > supplier to try out, and then follow up with purchasing the
> > > remainder once tested successfully (while also ensuring the
> > > distributor ships you units from the same lot).
> > > 
> > > Nevetheless, do still try downgrading the version of AirOS on the
> > > Picostation you have, i.e. to v5.5.10.  That would be the easiest
> > > to do right away.  Also, when flashing OpenWRT or CW, be sure you
> > > are using the "bullet" image instead of "nano".
> > > 
> > > The UBNT Bullet M2 radios likely would have the same risk of
> > > uncooperative firmware as the Picostations.  They actually share
> > > the same stock firmware.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > On Sat, Apr 9, 2016 at 8:33 AM, Nicolas North <star at nikksno.io>
> > > wrote:
> > > > Hi Ben
> > > > 
> > > > Thank you so much for your help
> > > > 
> > > > I understand. I’ve heard of this ridiculous news before but
> > > > hadn’t imagined it was already being applied to actual
> > > > products.
> > > > 
> > > > Another user was suggesting using ubnt bullets on 2.4GHz band
> > > > which from your message I seem to understand are still possibly
> > > > untouched by these new absurd regulations.
> > > > 
> > > > Has anyone had any recent experience with ubnt bullet M2HP on
> > > > cw firmware?
> > > > 
> > > > If the first one worked do you think it would make sense to
> > > > purchase all of them now to avoid the risk of them getting
> > > > locked in-factory in future batches? I was planning on a
> > > > gradual rollout but if this is the point we’ve gotten to I
> > > > guess it would make sense to pay for everything upfront.
> > > > 
> > > > If anyone can give me confirmation I will start the project
> > > > tomorrow. I absolutely want to start this and now feel like
> > > > we’re running out of time.
> > > > 
> > > > Thank you all so much for your help!
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > Nicolas
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > >  
> > > > From: Ben West <ben at gowasabi.net>
> > > > Reply: Ben West <ben at gowasabi.net>>
> > > > Date: 5 Apr 2016 at 18:35:07
> > > > To: Nicolas North <star at nikksno.io>>
> > > > Cc: commotion-discuss <commotion-discuss at lists.chambana.net>>
> > > > Subject:  Re: [Commotion-discuss] CW Firmware on a Ubiquiti
> > > > Picostation M2HP
> > > > 
> > > > > Please be aware Ubiquity is gradually rolling out updates to
> > > > > their stock firmware that will block flashing 3rd party
> > > > > firmware like Commotion Wireless (and by extension OpenWRT
> > > > > and DD-WRT).  Right now such locks are in place on new 5.8GHz
> > > > > gear (e.g. Nanostation M5's), and possibly they will start
> > > > > appearing on 2.4GHz gear.  The reasons for these locks are
> > > > > quite specious (in my opinion), and they were spurred by
> > > > > recent FCC decisions, about which you can read here: https://
> > > > > libreplanet.org/wiki/Save_WiFi/Individual_Comments
> > > > > 
> > > > > Current versions of OpenWRT and DD-WRT may be to work around
> > > > > such locks, e.g. DD-WRT loading while OpenWRT does not, but
> > > > > Commotion Wireless itself will lag behind the latest version
> > > > > of OpenWRT by some margin.
> > > > > 
> > > > > A common recommendation I've read to work-around such locks
> > > > > is to first downgrade the stock AirOS firmware to an older
> > > > > version, e.g. v5.5.10, and from there flash Commotion
> > > > > Wireless.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Again, do please note underlying issue is that the radio
> > > > > manufacturer themselves are beginning to lock out anything
> > > > > but their own stock firmware.  The extent to which such locks
> > > > > have been implemented appears to vary from product to product
> > > > > (e.g. certain things are locked on new Picostations which
> > > > > aren't locked on Nanostations or Rockets), but downgrading
> > > > > the stock firmware and then flashing to 3rd party is a common
> > > > > recommendation I've read.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Long term outlook, unfortunately, is that OpenWRT and DD-WRT
> > > > > eventually will be barred entirely from all wifi products
> > > > > that operate on 5.8GHz band, along with some 2.4GHz products
> > > > > too.  Generally, this is applies only to the USA, but many
> > > > > device manufacturers are implementing the locks universally,
> > > > > regardless of country where the device is sold.
> > > > > 
> > > > > On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 6:42 AM, Nicolas North <star at nikksno.i
> > > > > o> wrote:
> > > > > > Hi there!
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Thank you so much for your reply.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > This is an important problem as the picostations are great
> > > > > > in terms of coverage / price ratio. I’m now looking at
> > > > > > other ubiquiti devices but the antennas for the ubnt rocket
> > > > > > cost more than the rockets themselves. I’m trying to figure
> > > > > > out how much larger the range would be with rockets + omni
> > > > > > antennas.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Could I ask you which devices you’ve switched to or are
> > > > > > planning to switch to given the impossibility of using
> > > > > > picostations with cw firmwares at the moment?
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Do other cw-supported devices have the same reliability,
> > > > > > quality and price as ubiquiti devices?
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I have to cover all houses [meaning the inside of houses in
> > > > > > practically every room with decent signal] inside a living
> > > > > > complex 120 meters wide and 100 meters long with lots of
> > > > > > exterior spaces. The APs would all be on rooftops no higher
> > > > > > than two storeys above the ground. I’m thinking of sticking
> > > > > > with 2.4GHz for now as it reaches better inside houses.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Thank you again and thanks to all who’d like to share some
> > > > > > advice for this project! :)
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Nicolas
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > From: d***@***.net
> > > > > > Reply: d***@***.net 
> > > > > > Date: 3 Apr 2016 at 19:59:34
> > > > > > To: Nicolas North <star at nikksno.io>
> > > > > > Subject:  RE: [Commotion-discuss] CW Firmware on a Ubiquiti
> > > > > > Picostation M2HP
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > > We have a small mesh project we're working on here in
> > > > > > > Vermont, U.S.A.  We have found that we are unable to
> > > > > > > install Commotion on recent models of Ubiquiti
> > > > > > > Picostation. Commotion says others have found that
> > > > > > > Picostation version v5.6.x and above is incompatible with
> > > > > > > Commotion, but that probably it wouldn't load at all
> > > > > > > rather than not being configuarable as in our case.
> > > > > > > Anyway, we aren't going to buy anymore Picostaions. Maybe
> > > > > > > this relates to your problem.
> > > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > > From: "Nicolas North" <star at nikksno.io>
> > > > > > > Sent: Sunday, April 3, 2016 11:41am
> > > > > > > To: commotion-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> > > > > > > Subject: [Commotion-discuss] CW Firmware on a Ubiquiti
> > > > > > > Picostation M2HP
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > Hi everybody!
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > I’m looking to start a mesh network here in Milano
> > > > > > > [Italia] where I live and I need some help :)
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > I have a ubiquiti picosta tion m2hp that I can’t get to
> > > > > > > work with the cw openwrt firmware.
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > I downloaded the factory image from the website
> > > > > > > and followed the guide but after I uploaded the new
> > > > > > > firmware from the airmax web interface and after the pico
> > > > > > > rebooted it only had the power and network lights on and
> > > > > > > seemed to create no network at all: it didn’t provide any
> > > > > > > dhcp so I tried to connect to it manually by setting ip
> > > > > > > address and netmask on my macbook and trying all kinds of
> > > > > > > stuff but I had no success.
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > I tried it the tftp way then but it failed with a 512
> > > > > > > "firmware check failed" error code. So I tried flashing
> > > > > > > three different pure openwrt firmwares onto it but it
> > > > > > > kept failing with the same code.
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > I tried ddwrt out of curiosity and it works perfectly.
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > I was never able to get it back to airmax thought: tftp
> > > > > > > doesn’t fail but after it reboots it gets stuck in a 20
> > > > > > > second bootloop and even after power cycling it it keeps
> > > > > > > restarting and never becomes reachable. Do you think I
> > > > > > > could try at least reverting it to airmax from the ddwrt
> > > > > > > web interface?
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > I have tried compiling openwrt from scratch specifically
> > > > > > > with the ath9k drivers but after three hours of
> > > > > > > compilation it still fails via tftp with the same error.
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > I’m using the bullet image as instructed.
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > The pico is brand new so I don’t want to open it and void
> > > > > > > the warranty.
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > What can I do to fix this?
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > Thank you very much in advance!
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > > Nicolas
> > > > > > >  
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > Commotion-discuss mailing list
> > > > > > Commotion-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> > > > > > https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/commotion-discu
> > > > > > ss
> > > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > --
> > > > > Ben West
> > > > > http://gowasabi.net
> > > > > ben at gowasabi.net
> > > > > 314-246-9434
> > > 
> > > 
> > > --
> > > Ben West
> > > http://gowasabi.net
> > > ben at gowasabi.net
> > > 314-246-9434
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
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-- 
Josh King
PGP Fingerprint: 8269 ED6F EA3B 7D78 F074 1E99 2FDA 4DA1 69AE 4999

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