Legacy Open Mesh: How do I use Linux to flash my Open Mesh or Datto access point?
Question
How do I re-flash my access point by using Linux?
Environment
- Open Mesh Access Points
- Datto Access Points
Answer
Firmware is the software on the access point that makes it run. In some cases, you may need to "flash" your access point's firmware to update it or fix technical problems with the access point.
Follow the steps below to flash your firmware. Ensure that you re-pair the access point with your CloudTrax network after re-flashing.
Requirements
- A computer with a physical Ethernet port.
- A network cable to connect the access point to the Ethernet port.
Firmware Flashing Steps
Step 1: Download and save the flash utility
Download the desired firmware version from Access point firmware downloads.
Step 2: Open the terminal window
The flash utility is a console application, so must be run in a terminal window. Please launch the terminal window for your Linux distribution.
Step 3: Navigate to the downloads folder
With the terminal open, you will need to go to the Downloads directory.
Type cd Downloads then press Enter to go to the Downloads directory. If you downloaded the flash utility elsewhere, you'll need to go there instead.
Step 4: Adjust permissions
The flash utility must be made executable. To do so, type chmod +x open-mesh-flash-ng then press Enter.
Step 5: Execute the flash utility to see Ethernet interfaces
To run the flash utility, type open-mesh-flash-ng then press Enter.
The flash utility will show a numerical list of potential Ethernet adapters in your computer. Typically the Ethernet adapter of interest says "Ethernet" in the name.
If you do not see any Ethernet adapters listed either your computer does not have any Ethernet adapters or your distribution may not the support the utility. You will need to ask the distributors of your Linux version for assistance.
Step 6: Execute flash utility to flash firmware
Once you've determined which Ethernet adapter you're using, type open-mesh-flash-ng # and then press Enter. # should be the Ethernet adapter number you found in the the previous step.
Step 7: Connect your access point
Connect your Open-Mesh access point to the Ethernet adapter and power it on. If it was already powered on, power-cycle it by removing the power and plugging it back in.
Step 8: Completing the flash
The output of the flash utility should look similar to below. If after 10 seconds you don't see this, try power cycling your access point and check that the Ethernet adapter you selected is correct.
| [ac:86:74:02:23:f8]: type 'OM2P router' detected [ac:86:74:02:23:f8]: OM2P router: tftp client asks for 'fwupgrade.cfg', ser fwupgrade.cfg portion of: embedded image (1 blocks) ... [ac:86:74:02:23:f8]: OM2P router: tftp client asks for 'kernel', serving ke portion of: embedded image (1861 blocks) ... [ac:86:74:02:23:f8]: OM2P router: tftp client asks for 'rootfs', serving ro portion of: embedded image (4097 blocks) ... [ac:86:74:02:23:f8]: OM2P router: image successfully transmitted - writing to flash ... [ac:86:74:02:23:f8]: OM2P router: flash complete. Device ready to unplug. |
The process typically takes 3 - 5 minutes. You should see a message stating "flash complete. Device ready to unplug".
The message "is of type 'redboot' that we have no image for" is common and can be ignored.
Step 9: Flash additional access points.
The flash utility will not exit on its own. You can either plug in another access point to start the process again, or hit "Ctrl+C" to exit the console and flash utility.
Step 10: Re-pair the access point.
After flashing and connecting your access point back to your local network, it may need to be "paired" with your CloudTrax network again. An alert may show up advising you to re-pair the access point once it comes back online.
