[Commotion-discuss] CW Firmware on a Ubiquiti Picostation M2HP
Nicolas North
star at nikksno.io
Sat May 21 13:37:56 UTC 2016
Hi there!
Thanks so much for testing this out. I really appreciate your help. Actually the only reason I switched to unifi was because all other firmware installs [even airos] were failing via tftp. It was a simple last resort test and by accident I figured that once I had done that I could revert to airos. The problem is that I was never able to get cw working from an out of the box device [neither a pico neither a bullet] as they always got stuck in limbo. The one thing I have yet to try on my last stock firmware picostation is to downgrade to an earlier version of airos before switching over to commotion as per the instructions. Do you think this could be a solution? If so to what version should I downgrade? Should I do a total reset of the device's settings even before downgrading?
On a side note I purchased a Tp Link Archer c7 v2 to familiarize myself with openwrt and I'd love to install commotion on it especially should I be unable to get the ubiquiti devices working. Would you be so kind as to tell me where I could find a version of commotion for it? If it had to be compiled how would I do that?
I did my first rooftop installation yesterday [not counting my house where I've actually been camping on the roof at night to get this project started ;] and it went very well. The tp link is there waiting to be activated with the right firmware. I'd love for it to mesh over 5ghz [it has three 5ghz dedicated external antennas] and to provide WiFi access point over 2.4Ghz [it has three 2.4ghz dedicated internal antennas].
Thanks again for all your support.
Nicolas
From: Josh King <jking at chambana.net>
Reply: Josh King <jking at chambana.net>
Date: 20 May 2016 at 23:06:53
To: Ben West <ben at gowasabi.net>
CC: Nicolas North <star at nikksno.io>, commotion-discuss <commotion-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
Subject: Re: [Commotion-discuss] CW Firmware on a Ubiquiti Picostation M2HP
That's my suspicion. Well, if i have time maybe I'll risk bricking one of these devices. 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.
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