NAME

int6kf - INT6300 Flash Utility for Linux

SYNOPSIS

int6kf [options] -C file -N file -P file

DESCRIPTION

This program is deprecated. Use int6kboot when downloading firmware 3.3.4 or later on INT6300 devices or later.

Download and start runtime firmware on a local Atheros powerline device that is in bootloader mode. A device stays in bootloader mode when it cannot load firmware from NVRAM. That can happen because there is no NVRAM or because the NVRAM is blank or corrupted. The bootloader only understands a subset of Atheros message types and cannot flash NVRAM. This program uses that subset to download runtime firmware and start execution. Optionally, it will proceed to flash NVRAM after the firmware has started.

Booting a device is a two part operation. The first part downloads SDRAM configuration parameters then download runtime firmware and parameters into SDRAM and starts the firmware. The second part downloads runtime firmare and parameters (again) into scratch buffers and instructs the firmware to write them into to NVRAM. This program can perform the first part alone or the first then the second part but not the second part alone. The second part can be performed alone using program int6k.

This program is part of the Atheros Powerline Toolkit. See the AMP man page for compilation and installation instructions.

OPTIONS

-a

Wait until device sends a VS_HOST_ACTION.IND before downloading SDRAM configuration, firmware and PIB.

-C filename

Read the named SDRAM configuration file and write it to the device. This option and argument are required. Any file having an invalid SDRAM configuration file format will be rejected. No assumptions are made based on filename and no filename conventions are enforced.

-e

Redirects stderr messages to stdout. By convention status and error messages are printed on stderr while primary program output is printed on stdout. This option prints all output on stdout in cases where this is desired.

-F[F]

Write previously downloaded MAC and PIB to NVRAM using VS_MOD_NVM. Adding a second F here or another -F anywhere on the command line will force-flash a blank or corrupted NVRAM. Firmware loaded from NVRAM will treat force-flash as an error. This option can be used to create factory settings but cannot be used to change them once created. Subsequent use creates and updates operational settings that can be erased using a factory reset. This option is executed after all others on the command line, except for the -R option.

-i interface

Select the host Ethernet interface. All requests are sent via this interface and only reponses received via this interface are recognized. The default interface is eth1 because most people use eth0 as their principle network connection; however, if environment string "PLC" is defined then it takes precedence over the default interface. This option then takes precedence over either default.

-N filename

Read the named NVM file and write it to the device. This option and argument are required. Any file having an invalid NVM file format will be rejected. No assumptions are made based on filename and no filename conventions are enforced.

-P filename

Read the named PIB file and write it to the device. This option and argument are required. Any file having an invalid PIB file format will be rejected. No assumptions are made based on filename and no filename conventions are enforced.

-q

Suppresses status messages on stderr.

-t timer

Read timeout or capture period in milliseconds. Values range from 0 through UINT_MAX. This value has different effects on Linux and Windows. On Linux, where native raw sockets are used, this is the maximum time allowed for a response and so larger values should not affect performance. On Windows, where WinPcap is used, this is the time allotted for packet capture and so larger values will certainly affect performance. The default is shown in brackets on the program menu.

-v

Prints additional information on stdout. In particular, this option dumps outgoing Ethernet packets on stdout.

-?,--help

Print program help summary on stdout. This option takes precedence over other options on the command line.

-!,--version

Print program version information on stdout. This option takes precedence over other options on the command line. Use this option when sending screen dumps to Atheros Technical Support so that they know exactly which version of the Linux Toolkit you are using.

ARGUMENTS

None.

REFERENCES

See the Atheros HomePlug AV Firmware Technical Reference Manual for more information.

EXAMPLES

The -C, -N and -P options are always required. Their order is not important. Notice that no MAC address is needed because devices use address 00:B0:52:00:00:01, the program default address, when in bootloader mode.

int6kf -C test.cfg -N test.nvm -P test.pib
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write SDRAM Configuration
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write to device memory
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write to device memory
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Start Firmware
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Started.

Downloads SDRAM configuration file test.cfg with VS_SET_SDRAM then firmware from file test.nvm with VS_WR_MEM then PIB from file test.pib then starts firmware execution with VS_ST_MAC. This operation is common on flash-less systems.

int6kf -C test.cfg -N test.nvm -P test.pib -F
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write SDRAM Configuration
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write to device memory
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write to device memory
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Start Firmware
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Started.
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write MAC as module
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write PIB as module
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Flash Device
> eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Flashed.

Perform the same actions as before with some extra steps. After starting firmware execution, the same firmware and PIB are downloaded again, using VS_WR_MOD instead of VS_WR_MEM, and written to NVRAM using VS_MOD_NVM with force. The force option is only recognized by firmware that has been started by the bootloader and will fail when no flash memory is present.

DISCLAIMER

Atheros HomePlug AV Vendor Specific Management Message Entry structure and content is proprietary to Atheros Communications, Ocala FL USA. Consequently, public information may not be available. Atheros Communications reserves the right to modify message structure and content in future firmware releases without any obligation to notify or compensate users of this program.

SEE ALSO

AMP(1), int6k(1), int6kid(1), int6krate(1), int6kwait(1)

CREDITS

Charles Maier