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

Josh King jking at chambana.net
Fri May 20 21:06:42 UTC 2016


That's my suspicion. Well, if i have time maybe I'll risk bricking one of these devices to try that process. Hopefully setting up a UniFi controller isn't a hard requirement.

On May 20, 2016 4:27:57 PM EDT, Ben West <ben at gowasabi.net> wrote:
>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
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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
Sent from a tiny computer. Please excuse brevity, typos.
--
Josh King
PGP Fingerprint: 8269 ED6F EA3B 7D78 F074 1E99 2FDA 4DA1 69AE 4999
Sent from a tiny computer. Please excuse brevity, typos.


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