Mesh/Firmware/Flash

Instructions on flashing routers (installing) with the sudo mesh firmware, sudowrt! Based on the initial Mesh/WalkThrough document, but simplified and specific to supported hardware models.

Check progress on this script for flashing nodes quickly: install.sh

Supported Devices

Ubiquiti

PicoStation

1. Download firmware from http://build.sudomesh.org:8080/latest_images/atheros/openwrt-atheros-ubnt2-pico2-jffs2-128k.bin
   • There are additional options at http://build.sudomesh.org:8080/latest_images/atheros/ but you probably want openwrt-atheros-ubnt2-pico2-jffs2-128k.bin
     • jffs is a read/write filesystem, unlike read-only squashfs
     • These images are built by openwrt, and we think the 64k and 128k refer to block-size, but it doesn't seem to matter either way.
   • Troubleshooting: If you're trying to access this site at sudo room, just use the sudoroom SSID wifi and not the peoplesopen.net access point. It's a long story.
2. Perform a manual reset, enter TFTP mode
   • Unplug the router from the Power-Over-Ethernet power injector (POE injector, power supply).
   • There is a small hole in the body of the router next to the ethernet port. Prepare to use a paperclip or similar small, sturdy poking device to push a 'reset button' that sits just inside this small hole.
   • Prepare to plug the router back in to the POE injector. You may need a friend to help.
   • With your poking device, old the reset button down and plug the router back in to the POE injector. Hold the reset button until the router's green light goes to two, then starts flashing orange and red. Release the reset button when the lights flash for the second time.
3. Copy firmware to router using TFTP
   • After resetting the router, it should now be running a TFTP server at 192.168.1.20
   • You may need to install tftp if you don't already have it, for example using:

     $ sudo apt-get install tftp

   • Make sure your ip address is not 192.168.1.1 nor 192.168.1.20, but some other address in the 192.168.1.x range. You can check with:

     $ ip addr

   • If you're using network-manager, you can set your ip address manually with the following commands:

     $ sudo /etc/init.d/network-manager stop

     $ sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.1.12 netmask 255.255.255.0 up

   • Finally, transfer the firmware file with TFTP:

     $ tftp 192.168.1.20

     tftp> binary

     tftp> rexmt 1

     tftp> timeout 60

     tftp> trace

     tftp> put openwrt-atheros-ubnt2-pico2-jffs2-128k.bin

   • You will see many lines like this:

     sent DATA <block=13468, 512 bytes> received ACK <block=13468>

   • Wait!
     • Once those lines stop coming, the router will take somewhere between 1-7 minutes to stop flashing its lights. DO NOT unplug or turn off the router until it presents two adjacent green LEDs and has done so for 10+ seconds. Installation on older routers can take much longer than on the newer routers, so be patient. ;)
4. Configure
   • Now your node is ready to be configured. Bring it to sudo room to configure your node using the build server!