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Steps for flashing GL.iNet GL-USB150 Microuter - YELLOW="RESEARCHING" Under research/testing

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WH6FXL
Steps for flashing GL.iNet GL-USB150 Microuter - YELLOW="RESEARCHING" Under research/testing

MAHALO to KC0EUW firmware install steps:  ​https://arednmesh.readthedocs.io/en/latest/arednGettingStarted/installin

GL-iNET devices allow you to use the manufacturer’s pre-installed OpenWRT web interface to upload and apply new firmware images.
Check the GL-iNET documentation for your device if you have questions about initial configuration.
Both GL-iNET and AREDN devices provide DHCP services, so you should be able to connect your computer and automatically receive an IP address on the correct subnet.
GL-iNET devices have a default IP address of 192.168.8.1, so if for some reason you need to give your computer a static IP address you can use that subnet.

After the GL-iNET device has been booted and configured, navigate to the Upgrade section
 and click Local Upgrade to select the AREDN® “sysupgrade.bin” file you downloaded for your device.
Be sure to uncheck/deselect the “Keep Settings” checkbox, since GL-iNET settings are incompatible with AREDN. After the device has rebooted to the AREDN® image, you should be able to navigate to http://192.168.1.1 for the firstboot or NOCALL page to appear.

If for some reason your GL-iNET device gets into an unusable state, you should be able to recover using the process documented here: GL-iNET debrick procedure
See the GL-iNet firmware is here. Look for files with "-gl-" in the file name.

In a web browser, open the node’s Administration page http://192.168.1.1/
 (user = ‘root’ password = ‘hsmm’) and navigate to the Setup >
===

After the GL-iNet device has been booted and configured, navigate to the Upgrade section and click Local Upgrade to select the AREDN® “sysupgrade.bin” file you downloaded for your device.
Be sure to uncheck/deselect the “Keep Settings” checkbox, since GL-iNet settings are incompatible with AREDN®.
After the device has rebooted to the AREDN® image, you should be able to navigate to http://192.168.1.1 for the firstboot or NOCALL page to appear.

AB7PA
Steps in the doc set
WH6FXL
MAHALO KC0EUW! Got it flashed
MAHALO KC0EUW! Got it flashed last night.  Next Step is learn to use it! 
AB7PA
Glad it worked!

The USB150 is an interesting little device. It basically turns your laptop, tablet, or even cellphone into a mesh-connected node. It's very useful especially during emcomm deployments to access programs and services across the mesh. The radio range is not far, but at a shelter or command post you can mesh together several devices, and then longer-distance connections can be made through other types of nodes that link across a larger geographical area. Another feature is the ability to use it as a remote tunnel client via the "WAN Wifi Client" which connects the radio to a local AP and tunnels back into your mesh network from anywhere you have Internet access while traveling. Fun little device to carry with you almost anywhere.

w6bi
w6bi's picture
For demos and presentations!
Periodically I give presentations on ham radio networking to clubs (and at conventions).   Having the little Gl.iNet devices along to tunnel home and get on the network has enabled me to do live demos at the end of each presentation.  A live Teamtalk demo with several other hams is a real attention-getter :-)

Orv W6BI
Jerry W0HU
I missed the instruction "uncheck keep settings"!
Joe, I did not see the instruction to uncheck the keep settings box.  The GL-USB-150 took the software and turned into a node.  The RF and Ethernet work fine, with the exception of:  I cannot get the unit to install the Tunnel software.  Is there a way to repair this?  Thanks, Jerry.
nc8q
nc8q's picture
I did not see the instruction to uncheck the keep settings box.
https://arednmesh.readthedocs.io/en/latest/arednGettingStarted/installin...

Happens very often. :-|

After the GL-iNet device has been booted and configured, navigate to the Upgrade section and click Local Upgrade to select the AREDN® “sysupgrade.bin” file you downloaded for your device.
Be sure to uncheck/deselect the “Keep Settings” checkbox, since GL-iNet settings are incompatible with AREDN®.
After the device has rebooted to the AREDN® image, you should be able to navigate to http://192.168.1.1 for the firstboot or NOCALL page to appear.
Jerry W0HU
OK, so now, how do I get the tunnel software onto the USB-150?
I get the message. In spite of my question, your answer "Happens very often. :| "  and the following comments do not tell me how to save this device so I can install a tunnel client.  They simply re-iterate what I told you in my previous post.  I still am unable to get the Tunnel software to load. I did uncheck the "Keep Settings" switch and flashed a second GL-USB-150.  Now I have two working GL-USB-150 nodes that do not have tunnel software on them.  Please, this is an insanity loop here, and we need to exit the loop and post answers to the questions?
K6CCC
K6CCC's picture
Once you have it running as
Once you have it running as an AREDN node, the "Save setting" box does not matter as far as installing tunnel software - since that is not where you install tunnel software.  You MUST have internet connectivity in order to install tunnel software, and you MUST be running either the latest production firmware version (3.20.3.1) or the latest Nightly build (1866 as I type this).  Easiest is to connect the node as a WiFi client onto your home internet WiFi in order to install the tunnel software.  Then go to the tunnel client page and it will tell you that you need to install the tunnel software.  Click the link to do so.

 
Jerry W0HU
Got it, thanks
I am running 1866 on the first unit, and now have it operational with a tunnel client.  Thanks for your comment.
AB7PA
USB-150 as tunnel node?

I agree with what Jim K6CCC replied.  A USB-150 could possibly be used as a tunnel client if you set it up as a WAN Wifi Client as described in the docs at the following link:
     https://arednmesh.readthedocs.io/en/latest/arednGettingStarted/advanced_config.html#wan-column
As a tunneling node I personally would rather use a GL.iNet AR-150, AR-300M16, AR-750 or a Mikrotik hAP ac lite.  All of those have a dedicated WAN port with VLANs already preconfigured.

nc8q
nc8q's picture
I cannot get the unit to install the Tunnel software

Topic at top is Steps for flashing GL.iNet GL-USB150 Microuter - YELLOW="RESEARCHING" Under

Earlier I missed your statement: "I cannot get the unit to install the Tunnel software."
That statement seems somewhat vague to me.
I also missed your question: "Is there a way to repair this?"

I will assume that you cannot install the tunnel software because the USB150 does not have an internet connection.

In this case, yes, there is a way to repair this.
Set up the USB150 in WiFi client mode connected to a WiFi AP that has an internet connection.

I hope this helps. Chuck

Jerry W0HU
My apologies for the misunderstanding.
The node flashed correctly in spite of the error with the save settings toggle.  The problem was that I could not figure out how to get an internet connection, as I had not messed with the unchecking of the Mesh RF box and the WAN AP settings before.  I did flash it with 1866 several times. I have that unit running now thanks to the explanations, and am about to fix the second unit one that I could not get connected to the internet as well...  What I didn't understand about your first reply was that I was way past that procedure, and no solution was coming forth.  It is a bit frustrating when the "experts" do this.
AB7PA
We're all learning here

Jerry, this is a user forum so we're all regular hams just like you.  I can't speak for anyone else, but I certainly wouldn't call myself an "expert."  All of us have had more or less experience with these nodes -- which means we've all probably made more mistakes and learned from them.  Everyone here is just a volunteer, coming together as a community to try helping each other if we can.  In my experience with communities like this, you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Jerry W0HU
Still have a problem...

Steve, I would agree with your statement. By making a request, I am trying to politely ask for help.  When a person answers a request on this forum, it would reflect experience beyond what I have, hopefully.  I am not new to computers, mesh, routers, or AREDN.  I have been actively using Mesh since BBHN first started, and have upgraded all my equipment to all the current AREDN standards.  I do appreciate all yours, Jim's and Steve's answers.  I began my request with "Joe", hoping to get input from AE6XE, as it appears he had a major part in this particular software development.   Now.  Having tried all the proposed solutions that I have seen so far, I still have one GL-USB-150, which does have an internet connection to my home LAN, at WAN address 192.168.11.28, that, when I go to SETUP, Tunnel Client, "Tunnel software needs to be installed.", and click on "Click to install",  continues to return the ERROR message, " ERROR:Package installation failed!".   Is there a further diagnostic available, or is this unit doomed to not having tunnelling available?

Image Attachments: 
K6CCC
K6CCC's picture
We're trying to help you
Your status page screen capture is too small to read.  What firmware version is it, and is it actually connected to your WiFi?  Did you at any point mess up the settings on the Advanced Configuration page?  There are settings there to change where the node looks for AREDN packages.
If you know how to Telnet or SSH into the node and perform a ping to something on the internet, it will prove beyond a doubt that you really have internet connectivity.

 
Jerry W0HU
Here's a bigger shot (I think)

The firmware version is 1866-bf944df

No, I read the warnings, and have not messed with any Advanced Configuration items at all.

SSH'd in, pinged cyberjer.net, received pings back.

Image Attachments: 
AB7PA
Issue installing package dependencies

It looks like your USB-150 is configured correctly and has WAN Internet access.  I booted my USB-150 which also has #1866 and set it up as a WAN Wifi Client.  I tried installing the vtun package from the command line so I could see any detailed error messages, and it failed saying it was unable to resolve package dependencies.  In the vtun package control file there are four dependencies:  

Package: vtun
Version: 3.0.3-2
Depends: libc, kmod-tun, liblzo2, zlib

Back on my USB-150 I started installing missing dependencies and once they were installed then the vtun package completed successfully.

root@AB7PA-U150:~# opkg install http://downloads.arednmesh.org/snapshots/trunk/targets/ar71xx/generic/packages/kmod-tun_4.14.180-1_mips_24kc.ipk
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/snapshots/trunk/targets/ar71xx/generic/packages/kmod-tun_4.14.180-1_mips_24kc.ipk
Installing kmod-tun (4.14.180-1) to root...
Configuring kmod-tun.

root@AB7PA-U150:~# opkg install http://downloads.arednmesh.org/snapshots/trunk/packages/mips_24kc/base/liblzo2_2.10-2_mips_24kc.ipk
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/snapshots/trunk/packages/mips_24kc/base/liblzo2_2.10-2_mips_24kc.ipk
Installing liblzo2 (2.10-2) to root...
Configuring liblzo2.

root@AB7PA-U150:~# opkg install http://downloads.arednmesh.org/snapshots/trunk/packages/mips_24kc/base/zlib_1.2.11-3_mips_24kc.ipk
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/snapshots/trunk/packages/mips_24kc/base/zlib_1.2.11-3_mips_24kc.ipk
Installing zlib (1.2.11-3) to root...
Configuring zlib.

root@AB7PA-U150:~# opkg install http://downloads.arednmesh.org/snapshots/trunk/packages/mips_24kc/arednpackages/vtun_3.0.3-2_mips_24kc.ipk
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/snapshots/trunk/packages/mips_24kc/arednpackages/vtun_3.0.3-2_mips_24kc.ipk
Installing vtun (3.0.3-2) to root...
Configuring vtun.
root@AB7PA-U150:~# reboot

I'm not sure why your first USB-150 was able to resolve and install all dependencies but the second one was not.  There must be some difference between the two that accounts for what you experienced.

Jerry W0HU
Before I put my neck in that noose...

Thanks, Steve.  Jim asked if I had messed with the "Advanced Configurations", which I had not.  However, I did look at them, and the node that was successful in loading the vtun software does have somewhat different addresses listed on its Advanced Configuration page from what the node I am working on has.  So before I commit to trying your solution (which does make good sense) I would like for Jim or someone to tell me if putting some of the files in Advanced Configuration at the settings marked "Set to Default" could solve this situation?

The USB-150 that is running successfully with the vtun software installed:  Going into Advanced Configuration
seventh title from the top,
aredn@downloads[0].pkgs_arednpackages
link reads this way:
http://downloads.arednmesh.org/snapshots/trunk/packages/mips_24kc/arednp...
in the project node, seventh title from the top reads the same title,
but link reads this way:
http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/20/3.20.3.1/packages/mips_24kc...

Does this give anyone a clue?
 

AB7PA
Set to Default
Set to Default should fix your issue on that node.
Jerry W0HU
That fixed it, many thanks!

I got my first clue looking at where you were downloading your dependencies from.  Then I compared the go to addresses in Advanced Configuration, and decided the project node had a screwed up set of links.  That is why I asked about the Set to Default choice.  One does have to tell each position to save the setting once it is changed.  Pretty hard to mess up.

Big THANK YOU to AB7PA, K6CCC and NC8Q!!!

Jerry/W0HU

K6CCC
K6CCC's picture
Glad you got it working.  
Glad you got it working.
 

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