plchostd - Qualcomm Atheros PLC Host Daemon
plchostd [options] -N nvmfile
-P pibfile
Wait for VS_HST_ACTION.IND messages from a local device and
service them as described in the Qualcomm Atheros Firmware Technical
Reference Manual for powerline devices. Unlike programs int6khost and
int64host, this program uses operating system features available on
POSIX, Unix, BSD and Linux systems but not available on Microsoft or VxWorks
systems.
To use the program, connect a flash-less device to the host via
ethernet then start this program with the correct filenames. The program
will automatically respond to device requests to download memory
configuration, firmware and/or parameters and upload firmware or and/or
parameters under device control. See the Qualcomm Atheros Firmware Technical
Reference Manual for more information.
This program is part of the Qualcomm Atheros Powerline Toolkit.
See the plc man page for an overview and installation
instructions.
- -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 nvmfile
- The file containing the firmware chain used to boot and flash the device.
The file must exist and have a valid NVM file format or it will be
rejected. No assumptions are made based on filename and no filename
conventions are enforced. The program will not over-write this file. This
option and argument are required.
- -n filename
- Use this file to store firmware uploaded from the local device. The file
need not exist but an error will occur if it cannot be created or written.
If firmware is uploaded to this file, it is used for subsequent firmware
downloads unless the device requests a factory reset. In that case, the
file specified by option -N is used. This option and argument are
optional. If omitted then the default filename host.pib will be
used.
- -P pibfile
- The file containing the parameter chain used to boot and flash the device.
The file must exist and have a valid PIB file format or it will be
rejected. No assumptions are made based on filename and no filename
conventions are enforced. The program will not over-write this file. This
option and argument are required.
- -p filename
- Use this file to store parameters uploaded from the local device. The file
need not exist but an error will occur if it cannot be created or written.
Once parameters are uploaded to this file, it is used for subsequent
parameter downloads unless the device requests a factory reset. In that
case, the file specified by option -P is used. This option and
argument are optional. If omitted then the default filename
host.nvm will be used.
- -q
- Suppress status messages on stderr.
- -s pathname
- The server socket pathname. Automatically open this Unix socket and post
event information to it for the benefit of other host processes.
- -S filename
- The file containing the softloader chain used to flash the device. The
presence of this file causes the device to be flashed once it has booted.
The file must exist and have a valid PIB file format or it will be
rejected. No assumptions are made based on filename and no filename
conventions are enforced. The program will not over-write this file. This
option and argument are required.
- -t timeout
- Read timeout in milliseconds. Values range from 0 through UINT_MAX. This
is the maximum time allowed for a response. The default is shown in
brackets on the program menu.
- -v
- Print additional information on stdout. In particular, this option will
print incoming and outgoing Ethernet frames on stdout.
- -w wakeup
- Wakeup time in seconds. If no VS_HST_ACTION.IND message is received within
this time period then the process will wakeup and perform periodic
functions such as posting network topography to the server socket
specified by option -s.
- -?, --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.
See the Qualcomm Atheros HomePlug AV Firmware Technical Reference
Manual for more information.
The following example starts the host server. The -N and
-P options are always required. Option order is not important.
Control does not return to the console until the program is terminated by
the user using CTRL-C or another command line interrupt.
# plchostd -N test.nvm -P test.pib -n temp.nvm -p temp.pib
The next example does the same but spawns the program as an
independent process and returns control to the console. In this case, that
process must be terminated or killed using an appropriate command such ad
kill.
# plchostd -N test.nvm -P test.pib -n temp.nvm -p temp.pib -d
Atheros HomePlug AV Vendor Specific Management Message Entry
structure and content is proprietary to Qualcomm Atheros, Ocala FL USA.
Consequently, public information may not be available. Qualcomm Atheros
reserves the right to modify message structure and content in future
firmware releases without any obligation to notify or compensate users of
this program.
plc(1), int64host(1),
int6k(1), int6kboot(1),
int6khost(1)