Re: pppoe problems

Hi Bruce,

Thanks for the response, see comments below

On Tue, 2004-04-20 at 13:25, Bruce D. Lightner wrote:
> John,
> 
> > I would like to try to copy the binary to flash so that I do not have to
> > load it from an nfs mount.  I attempted to add my binary to the
> > romdisk.img and reflash, this always results in a doorstop modem (thanks
> > to the usb cable hack I am able to recover)  Any ideas on how to
> > accomplish this?  I'm not sure why simply adding a file to romdisk image
> > is hosing the boot loader.  -John
> 
> Can you describe exactly how you are modifying the ROM file system 
> (romdisk.img) *and* where you got a copy of "romdisk.img" to modify.
> 

My copy of the romdisk.img and linuz came from the actiontec website
back in October of 2003.  I bought this modem awhile ago with the
intention of converting it into a firewall/dsl router.  Put in on the
shelf and am now looking at finishing it up.  So far so good if I can
get my binary copied on the filesystem.  The copy of kernel that I
snagged from the actiontec website must be of the older variety because
it supports nfs and has vi.

I am modifying the ROM file system by first mounting it as a loopback
device, copying it, and then running genromfs to create a new one.
I did this at first to modify my /etc/rc script to disable bridging and
assign an ip address.  This method of changing the romdisk.img worked
fine until i tried to add my ARM version of pppoe to the filesystem. 

I do all of this on a debian/woody box, using genromfs 0.5.1


> This Wiki page talks about one way to do this...
> 
> http://www.embeddedlinuxinterfacing.com/wiki.php/ActiontecGplReleaseHowto
> 
Very nice, I am looking forward to trying out a new kernel.  Hopefully I
can try this soon.

I will try to use your method of creating the romdisk and see what
happens.


> I entered this game late and therefore all the Actiontec modems I own have 
> the "new", stripped-down kernel and ROM file system.  There is no NFS (or 
> "vi") included.  I therefore tend to test new application programs using 
> TELNET and TFTP.  You clearly have the "old" Actiontec firmware because 
> NFS works for you.
> 
> Are you building your application program using the "new" source code 
> release from Actiontec?  Mixing differeing kernels and application code 
> builds under uClinux *can be* a problem, in my experience anyway. 
> However, given that you tested using NFS, what you are describing does not 
> make sense unless this is some kind of boot-up "scripting" problem.
> 

It doesn't make sense to me either.  
My "doorstop modem state" is when I plug in the modem and I see the
power LED but I do not see a link light on the ethernet. (nothing at all
being sent out the wire)  The only way I know to recover from this state
is to use Patrick's usb cable hack.


> How are you loading your modified ROM file system?  Can we assume that 
> you using BOOTP to install the kernel and the modified ROM file system?
> 
> Console port output sure would be nice, to see exactly what's going on. 
> The important question is this a "door stop" of the form that will not 
> even BOOTP anymore?  Or are you using the USB cable recovery "trick" just 
> because it's convenient?
> 

Yes I put it into a state where it will not BOOTP anymore. 

The way I am loading my modified ROM file system is through tftp.  I can
only do this if I can talk to the modem over the ethernet.  If the modem
is hosed I usually use the usb cable hack to recover it and tftp a new
image by talking to it on its default ip 192.168.0.1.


binary
put linuz linuz
put romdisk.img romdisk.img
put tiburon.rbt tiburon.rbt

> The form of "door stop" that won't BOOTP indicates a bad "kernel" which is 
> corrupting the modem's flash.  (I've made plenty of these!)  If, on the 
> other hand, you simply are not getting the PPP functionality that you 
> expected because some shell script was not quite right, you have a very 
> different problem.
> 

I agree that this doorstop mode should be caused by a bad kernel, (or
bad bootloader?)  Maybe bootloader is an area that is getting corrupted
by my modified romdisk.img.  I am not modifying the kernel or sending a
new bootloader so I am not sure what else explains it.


> Out of curiosity, what "flavor" of Linux are you using?
> 

I am a debian guy, debian woody or debian unstable.

Is there another way I can 
> Best regards,
> 
> Bruce

Thanks -John


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