I know a lot people who have had their share of struggels loading AREDN software onto the Mikrotik Routers no matter if its a hAP lite or a RBLHG-5HPnD-XL
the procedures are the same using a dumb switch and tinypxeserver to load the temp software in the rom of the router board then to proceed to upload the downloaded AREDN software from your computer to complete the process.
I have been away from AREDN for a few years but have been successful in the past with all procedures involved in uploading AREDN software and making
several nodes work. Recently I have decided to use AREDN again to bridge a repeater site running Allstar (VOIP) with free internet access from a local ham.
However it seems as though I have run into problems recently getting ARDEN software loaded and running on a Mikrotik LHG-5HP-XL. I can get as far as
loading the temp rd.elf file loaded into the rom of the router board. After uploading the AREDN software form the Web gui I patiently await the installation and
it never successfully reboots with the software running. I have exhausted all my resources including my time into making this work. I would appreciate any
and all help in getting this working. Please feel free to share your failures and succcessus in what worked for you. Thanks
the procedures are the same using a dumb switch and tinypxeserver to load the temp software in the rom of the router board then to proceed to upload the downloaded AREDN software from your computer to complete the process.
I have been away from AREDN for a few years but have been successful in the past with all procedures involved in uploading AREDN software and making
several nodes work. Recently I have decided to use AREDN again to bridge a repeater site running Allstar (VOIP) with free internet access from a local ham.
However it seems as though I have run into problems recently getting ARDEN software loaded and running on a Mikrotik LHG-5HP-XL. I can get as far as
loading the temp rd.elf file loaded into the rom of the router board. After uploading the AREDN software form the Web gui I patiently await the installation and
it never successfully reboots with the software running. I have exhausted all my resources including my time into making this work. I would appreciate any
and all help in getting this working. Please feel free to share your failures and succcessus in what worked for you. Thanks
it never successfully reboots with the software running."
Hi, Eric:
The 'factory.bin' file gets renamed 'rb.elf'.
'rb.elf' gets uploaded into the node's RAM.
The node boots the .elf image and should be found at http://192.168.1.1
You may need to load 'http://192.168.1.1' from your web browser.
Next upload the 'sysupgrade.bin' file.
Continue with the install instructions.
https://docs.arednmesh.org/en/latest/_downloads/45c3c92b35d89f810b754d77...
https://docs.arednmesh.org/en/latest/arednGettingStarted/installing_firm...
I hope this helps,
Chuck
https://downloads.arednmesh.org/afs/www/?version=3.25.2.0&target=ath79%2...
My understanding is the kenral file is the one I rename to rb.elf according to the download page and load into rom via tinypexeserver. Then after its loaded I proceed to http://192.168.1.1.
This brings up a web gui with the AREDN logo and a box to enter the second file (systemupgrade.) After this is done I am never able to get it to successfully reboot with a valid IP, and using local.mesh:8080 reaps no results either. There seem to be a loading error that I can not detect. Am I using the right file to load into rom as you said "The 'factory.bin' file gets renamed 'rb.elf'.? Just asking to see if I missed something . I have seen a alterative method using putty accessing port 2222 and up loading the systemupgrade file via winscp and issuing the command systemupgrade -n (filename) from the tmp directory but get a file upload error. I seem to be hitting a brick wall and not understanding why. Not sure what Im missing.
" I am never able to get it to successfully reboot with a valid IP"
How are you determining the above statement?
IIRC, after uploading the 'sysupgrade' firmware,
the device will reboot and then be a DHCP server.
When that happens, your computer needs to drop its static address and
enable its DHCP client.
Semantics:
I think...
The factory.bin (rb.elf) file is stored into RAM not ROM/rom.
The sysupgrade.bin file is stored into 'FLASH' (eePROM).
73, Chuck
73
Orv W6BI
Orv W6BI
I have 3 Mikrotik LHG 5HPnD-xl's and they all fail.
How is it failing?
See #10 (Jim K6CCC's post).
73, Chuck
range wifi ip of (10.x.x.x) there for failing. I can reinstall the factory OS with netinstall64 and work as expected.
I read this as
"I ... reboot the node."
or
Did you click the Upload and Reboot button?
You are not supposed to reboot the node...it reboots itself.
https://docs.arednmesh.org/en/latest/arednGettingStarted/installing_firm...
...
After successfully installing the sysupgrade file the node will automatically reboot to the new AREDN® firmware image.
Please specify which sysupgrade.bin file you are uploading.73, Chuck
This is required because as long as the computer does not see the LAN connection drop (and it won't if you have a recommended dumb switch between the AREDN node and the computer), the computer will not attempt to obtain a new DHCP address - and therefore never get on the right LAN segment for the node.
The "unplug the connection" trick is easier than cycling the network card from Windows Control Panel/Network & Sharing Center.
-- Tim K5RA
Correct. The suggestion for the dumb switch is not there for the benefit of the node, but rather the computer. The AREDN flash process results in several reboots of the node. If you are direct connected, the computer will see each of those as a loss of the LAN connection and may not be completely happy with that. By putting a dumb switch in between the node and the computer, the computer does not see the multiple LAN connection drops. By contrast the Mikrotik NetInstall is written to expect the LAN connection drops - and if I recall right, it depends on it.