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

Ben West ben at gowasabi.net
Fri May 20 20:27:57 UTC 2016


FYI, to flash a Picostation from AirOS to UniFI, you had to first flash a
transitional image at
http://www.ubnt.com/downloads/unifi/2.3.9/airos2unifi.bin, Then you add the
Picostation to the UniFI dashboard, which may trigger a 2nd flashing.

It is possible that the transitional image mucks around with the partition
table.
<http://www.ubnt.com/downloads/unifi/2.3.9/airos2unifi.bin>

On Fri, May 20, 2016 at 3:16 PM, Josh King <jking at chambana.net> wrote:

> Hi Nicolas,
>
> Okay, so I've been able to flash directly to Commotion, to AirOS, and
> back on both of the Picostations I'm working with, both through the web
> interface and TFTP on multiple versions of AirOS. I'm wondering if
> maybe the process of flashing it to the UniFi firmware may have messed
> with its partition table. Can you try flashing one of your picostations
> back to AirOS using TFTP, and then flash it to Commotion v1.1 using
> TFTP? Also, can you send me a link to the unofficial instructions you
> mentioned for flashing it to UniFi? Thanks!
>
> On Wed, 2016-05-18 at 09:59 +0200, Nicolas North wrote:
> > Hi! Ok no problem thanks so much for your quick replies!
> >
> > Ok I see. I actually would be very happy to use the picostation m2hp
> > / bullet m2hp / rocket trifecta in the entire deployment as they are
> > three perfect sizes for our needs: normal houses would get a
> > picostation, houses or offices with roof access would get a bullet
> > with a 15dBi N type omni antenna, and the highest rooftops would get
> > a rocket with a 10dBi ubiquiti omni antenna also for future expansion
> > outside the area. This was the initial plan and I think would work
> > very well. The two TP-Link devices on the commotion website are for
> > indoors only and still cost very much here in Italy at least.
> >
> > If however it’s true that cw firmware can be compiled for any device
> > supported by owrt [I was able to compile pure owrt in the past but I
> > got stuck when trying to compile cw as I couldn’t get the
> > configuration menu to show] and if you have any suggestion for
> > outdoor devices I could use I’ll jump on that ship right now without
> > further ado. I was looking into ubiquiti devices because of the great
> > experience I’ve been having with them [on their first party firmware
> > at least ;] but really anything will do. How do others do it
> > nowadays? I basically need any device that works and I can attach a
> > larger than normal antenna [N type, Yagi, anything]. Ideally there
> > should be a few possible antenna sizes for different locations but
> > then again I’m just starting out here but I think this is a fairly
> > common setup and if anyone has a few minutes to chip in with their
> > experience and / or to provide any suggestion that would be immensely
> > appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks again so much everyone and Josh for looking into this!
> >
> >
> > Nicolas
> >
> >
> >
> > From: Josh King <jking at chambana.net>
> > Reply: Josh King <jking at chambana.net>
> > Date: 17 May 2016 at 23:35:42
> > To: Nicolas North <star at nikksno.io>, commotion-discuss <commotion-dis
> > cuss at lists.chambana.net>
> > Subject:  Re: [Commotion-discuss] CW Firmware on a Ubiquiti
> > Picostation M2HP
> >
> > > Hey Nicolas,
> > >
> > > I wasn't able to get the picostations until pretty late in the day,
> > > so
> > > I don't know if I'll have information for you tonight. If not, I'll
> > > do
> > > my best to get you some feedback as soon as I can tomorrow.
> > >
> > > About the Unifi APs, I don't think we support any of their AC
> > > hardware
> > > yet due to driver issues.
> > >
> > > On Tue, 2016-05-17 at 14:45 +0200, Nicolas North wrote:
> > > > Hi!
> > > >
> > > > That would be fantastic thank you so much!
> > > >
> > > > I can try anything you may suggest tonight.
> > > >
> > > > Thank you very much again in advance!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Nicolas
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > From: J. Heretic <jking at chambana.net>
> > > > Reply: J. Heretic <jking at chambana.net>
> > > > Date: 17 May 2016 at 14:41:58
> > > > To: Nicolas North <star at nikksno.io>, commotion-discuss
> > > <commotion-dis
> > > > cuss at lists.chambana.net>
> > > > CC: Ben West <ben at gowasabi.net>
> > > > Subject:  Re: [Commotion-discuss] CW Firmware on a Ubiquiti
> > > > Picostation M2HP
> > > >
> > > > > Hi Nicolas,
> > > > >
> > > > > I'm going to grab some picostations from the office today and
> > > try
> > > > > again
> > > > > to reproduce the problem you're having.
> > > > >
> > > > > On Tue, 2016-05-17 at 11:13 +0200, Nicolas North wrote:
> > > > > > 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 extremely common deviceS in the mesh world and
> > > installing
> > > > > cw
> > > > > > or even stock openwrt onto them. 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 devices 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 achievement I think and there are already 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 a 100€ bounty / donation if this can help [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 location.
> > > > > > 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
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Commotion-discuss mailing list
> > > > Commotion-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> > > > https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/commotion-discuss
> > > --
> > > Josh King
> > > PGP Fingerprint: 8269 ED6F EA3B 7D78 F074 1E99 2FDA 4DA1 69AE 4999
> --
> Josh King
> PGP Fingerprint: 8269 ED6F EA3B 7D78 F074 1E99 2FDA 4DA1 69AE 4999
>
> _______________________________________________
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> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/commotion-discuss
>
>


-- 
Ben West
http://gowasabi.net
ben at gowasabi.net
314-246-9434
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