RouterTech Firmware v2.93 Release (20100408)

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Kieran
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RouterTech Firmware v2.93 Release (20100408)

Post by Kieran » Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:25 pm

This firmware release has been superceded by firmware v2.94. See here: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=3555

RouterTech Firmware v2.93

Version: v2.93 (20100408)
Author: RouterTech Development Team (thechief)
Other contributor(s): mstombs
Testers: Various RT staff & forum members
Category: Router Firmware

Compatible Routers
A list of compatible routers is available in our knowledge base. Please check this before even contemplating an upgrade and remember you should always ask in our forum if unsure. Also see the section below on backing up and compatibility.

Disclaimer & Warning

1. Flashing custom firmwares onto a router is not for novices, as the process may well "brick" the router.

2. You must not flash this firmware onto your router unless you are very familiar with the PC-Tool (or similar) and are competent in using it to un-brick a router.

3. Please take this warning very seriously. If you are not adept at recovering bricked routers, and if you are not familiar with the PC-Tool, then do not install this firmware!

4. Do not even consider installing this firmware without first reading all the documentation supplied with the firmware. If you fail to observe this, then you are entirely on your own.

5. Do not even consider installing this firmware without first running the Router Upgrade Checker (RUC) and following whatever counsel it gives. If you fail to observe this, then you are entirely on your own.

6. Do not even consider installing this firmware unless you have first backed up your router's bootloader environment (i.e., /proc/ticfg/env) to your hard disk. If you fail to observe this, then you are entirely on your own.


Backing up & Compatibility
For ease we recommend you run the Router Upgrade Checker - this will backup your environment, LED config, current config, default config, generate a recovery script for the bootloader environment, and tell you if your router is suitable for this firmware.

Upgrading
Before upgrading you must backup your router config as detailed above and reset to factory defaults.

Please remember to run the Router Upgrade Check BEFORE you upgrade!

If you choose to upgrade via the router's web interface, then you MUST observe the following
  1. First reset the router to factory defaults before trying to install this firmware.
  2. When upgrading via the web interface, (particularly for the 1350A wireless firmware) you must wait for at least 7 minutes for the new firmware to establish itself. Do not do anything to the router for at least 7 minutes from the moment the upgrade process starts, and do not interrupt the upgrade process.
  3. Once your router has been upgraded and be seen to be working you must reset to factory defaults again
Note: Before installing this firmware, you must, among other things (see the docs in the zip file for those other things) back up a copy of your router's current "/etc /led.conf" file. We only have a few LED configuration files, and the chances are that we do not have one suitable for your own router. If you do not keep a copy of the original contents of that file, then we have no way of knowing how your LEDs should be configured, and the LEDs will always be wrong. This will not affect the router's normal operation - but you the LEDs will not be reporting the correct operations.

The Router Upgrade Checker as described in the backup and compatibility section above can backup your LED config - if you use the Router Upgrade Checker then you can double-check the output by looking in the check*.txt file for data after the "/etc /led.conf" line.

Comprehensive Documentation and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
While full documentation is included with every release of our firmware we have also made it available as a separate download below so you can take time to read it before even needing to download a firmware. The router upgrade and firmware FAQs are also hosted online HERE. We recommend you do this as it will give you a chance to properly familiarise yourself with the process and get every angle covered etc.

PC-Tool and repairing / unbricking
Please see this forum topic

Files
Assuming your router is compatible, you just need to download the release that matches your router - if you have wireless and the Adam2 bootloader then you would download "Standard Wireless (Adam2 bootloader)".

Changelog
1. CIFS (which has proved to be flaky) has been replaced with SMBFS (wireless firmwares only). Smbfs is more robust on these firmwares than cifs, and the syntax is also more straightforward. Like cifs, smbfs allows you to mount shared network drives on your router. There is a ready-made mountpoint "/smbfs" that can be used for mounting.

2. New command "smbmount" - to mount an smbfs share (wireless firmwares only).
Syntax:
smbmount //<server_ipaddress>/<share_name> <mountpoint> -o username=MyWindowsLoginName,password=MyWindowsPassword

Example:
smbmount //192.168.1.3/scratch_drive /smbfs -o username=freddy,password=ddyfre
This will give you read/write access (at "/smbfs/") to the shared directory "192.168.1.3/scratch_drive"

WARNING: You MUST unmount any shared drive before any attempt to upgrade a firmware, and before turning off your router (see the detachfs script below).

3. The smbfs driver (wireless firmwares only) is built as a module. This means that it is not loaded into memory unless and until required, resulting in significant memory savings.

4. The tun and ethertap drivers (wireless firmwares only) are now modules. This also results in significant memory savings.

5. New support (wireless firmwares only) for ipip (ipip.o and iptunnel). For those who know what to do with them, these can apparently be used to create a VPN. Run "iptunnel --help" for the syntax, and good luck with it! There is no support at all for this feature.

6. Busybox has been upgraded to v1.16.1.

7. "sync" has been removed. It served no useful purpose - see the new "flush" script below.

8. New script "flush" - to flush all pending writes to minix/smbfs partitions so that they are not lost if the router is switched off without shutting down properly. Ideally, this command should be run every time you write to a minix/smbfs partition. If you have any mounted smbfs partitions, then you need to supply the username and password to the flush command (these are ignored in respect of minix partitions, but are needed in order to reload smbfs partitions).

9. New script "detachfs" - to unmount all mounted minix, smbfs, ftpfs, etc., partitions/mountpoints only.

10. We have further rationalised the dsp drivers included in the firmware, going for greater stability, and providing only low end (dsp62) and high end (dsp75) in most cases. The 1350A wireless firmware will have dsp62 and dsp71.

11. More tweaks for better and more reliable P2P performance.

12. Following a poll in the forum, darkstat has been removed from the wireless firmwares. For the few who really need it, a copy will be available for download from the repository (which can then be run from a minix or smbfs mountpoint or from the /var/ directory - and see the fetch_ds script below). The facility to view the darkstat statistics from the web interface is retained for such people. Where it is retained, darkstat has been upgraded to v3.0.713.

13. New script "fetch_ds" - this script will fetch darkstat from the repository, extract, and run it. It can either the run manually, or via autoexec.sh.

14. New script "ucast_solicit.sh" - to work around routing problems on the networks of two (which shall remain nameless) UK ISPs (they should really sort out their equipment!).

15. New command - "netdate" - to update the system date/time from a remote time server, using the RFC868 protocol (not all time servers like this protocol, most preferring NTP).

16. New script - "setdate" - to update the system date/time, using netdate. It uses a default list of time servers (in /etc/netdate.conf), but you can specify your own (space-separated) servers in the new "time_servers" environment variable. The time zone can be set manually with the new "TZ" environment variable.

17. New environment variable - "TZ" - to set time zone manually for the use of the setdate/netdate commands. See "timezones.txt" in the firmware documentation for the list of available codes (e.g., "setenv TZ GMT01" - to set the time zone to central European time). This will cause the /etc/TZ file to be updated with the correct values for setdate and other "time" programs. NOTE: the /etc/TZ file will be overwritten by msntp if you enable sntp.

18. New environment variable - setdate_enable - set this to 1 for the system to run "setdate" automatically each time it gets a WAN connection. This will also create a cron job for setdate to be run every 4 hours (or, if a second parameter is given to setdate_enable, uses the value in that parameter - e.g., "setenv setdate_enable 1 3" will enable setdate, and will set the cron job to run every 3 hours). The valid range for the second parameter is between 1 and 23 (default=4). No error-ckecking of the value is done, so it is important to get it right. This feature is a low resource alternative to msntp, because it is not running all the time. If msntp is enabled, then this feature is redundant.

19. New environment variable - no_auto_vlynq - set this to 1, to prevent the 1350A wireless firmwares from automatically setting "vlynq_polarity" to "low".

20. New "lite" versions of the non-wireless firmwares, for routers with 2mb flash and 8mb RAM. The lite versions use DSP/tiatm drivers v6.x, and do not have the following features: (a) mjproxy; (b) sft; (c) wakelan; (d) ftpfs; (e) usb; (f) upnp. If you don't need/want any of these, then you should go for the lite versions. The lite versions leave sufficient space for users to create 64kb (or even 128kb) minix partition.

21. New addition to the "autoexec" features - the firmware will, on bootup, look for a tar ball - "/nvram/custom.tar.gz". If this file is found, it's contents will be extracted into the "/var/tmp", and, if it contains a script called "custom.sh", this script will be executed automatically. All this will happen at the tail end of the initialisation procedures, just before the search for "/nvram/startup.sh".

22. Following a poll in the forum, the USB driver has been removed from the firmwares for routers with 2mb flash. This frees up much needed space. There should be enough space now on those firmwares for creating at least a 64kbminix partition.

23. New script - "fetch_driver" - to download the usb driver or the ftpfs driver from the repository, extract the driver module, load the driver, and optionally run a command. Run the command without any parameters to see the syntax.

Downloading
The links to our firmware require you to be registered and logged into the site to see and use them. This is to make sure we can provide you with support easily (in this forum) if you need it. When logged in they appear below this post.

Sourcecode
Now also available to download via the forum when logged in

BE SURE TO READ ALL THE DOCUMENTATION IN THE FIRMWARE DOWNLOADS BEFORE TRYING ANYTHING WITH THIS FIRMWARE. Otherwise, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.
Attachments
routertech_firmware_20100408_docs.zip
Comprehensive documentation. Be sure to read all of it before upgrading or asking for support.
(205.59 KiB) Downloaded 816 times
routertech_firmware_20100408_leds.zip
Batch files to select LED configuration files (old and obsolescent).
(35.96 KiB) Downloaded 418 times
routertech_firmware_20100408_mtd_logs.zip
RouterTech Firmware 2.93 MTD partition settings for each firmware image.
(8.35 KiB) Downloaded 404 times
routertech-ar7rd-adam2-1port-firmware-20100408.zip
1-Port non-wireless (Adam2 bootloader).
(8.88 MiB) Downloaded 590 times
routertech-ar7rd-adam2-4ports-firmware-20100408.zip
4-Port non-wireless (Adam2 bootloader).
(8.89 MiB) Downloaded 425 times
routertech-ar7rd-lite-1port-firmware-20100408.zip
*New* non-wireless "Lite" firmwares for 1-port routers (contains both Adam2 and Pspboot firmware images). Use this if you want a lean firmware for your 1-port non-wireless router.
(7.11 MiB) Downloaded 415 times
routertech-ar7rd-lite-4ports-firmware-20100408.zip
*New* non-wireless "Lite" firmwares for 4-port routers (contains both Adam2 and Pspboot firmware images). Use this if you want a lean firmware for your 4-port non-wireless router.
(7.11 MiB) Downloaded 235 times
routertech-ar7rd-pspboot-1port-firmware-20100408.zip
1-Port non-wireless (pspboot bootloader). Suitable for the SART2-4112/GART2-4112, the ADSL2MUE, the new "R" series Solwise 600E, and other 1-port PSPBOOT-based AR7RD routers.
(8.88 MiB) Downloaded 553 times
routertech-ar7rd-pspboot-4ports-firmware-20100408.zip
4-Port non-wireless (pspboot bootloader). Suitable for the SART2-4115/GART2-4115, the new "R" series Solwise 600ER and 605ER, and other 4-port PSPBOOT-based AR7RD routers.
(8.89 MiB) Downloaded 320 times
routertech-ar7wrd-1350A-pspboot-firmware-20100408.zip
Wireless (psp bootloader) with the TNETW1350A wifi chip. Suitable for the "R" series Solwise SAR 600EW, Solwise SAR605EW, PTI 8505G, newer SWART2-54125 series, and other compatibles. NOT suitable for the DLink 2640T.
(6.69 MiB) Downloaded 649 times
routertech-ar7wrd-adam2-firmware-1port-20100408.zip
Standard 1-port wireless (Adam2 bootloader). Suitable for the Actiontec GT701WG and other 1-port ADAM2-based AR7WRD routers using the TNETW1130 wireless chip (DO NOT USE WITH ROUTERS USING THE TNETW1350A WIRELESS CHIP).
(5.9 MiB) Downloaded 289 times
routertech-ar7wrd-adam2-firmware-4ports-20100408.zip
Standard 4-port wireless (Adam2 bootloader). Suitable for the original Solwise SAR600EW series, DLink G604T, and other 4-port ADAM2-based AR7WRD routers using the TNETW1130 wireless chip (DO NOT USE WITH ROUTERS USING THE TNETW1350A WIRELESS CHIP).
(5.91 MiB) Downloaded 1026 times
routertech-ar7wrd-pspboot-firmware-1port-20100408.zip
Standard 1-port wireless (pspboot bootloader). Suitable for 1-port pspboot-based AR7WRD routers using the TNETW1130 wireless chip (DO NOT USE WITH ROUTERS USING THE TNETW1350A WIRELESS CHIP).
(5.9 MiB) Downloaded 139 times
routertech-ar7wrd-pspboot-firmware-4ports-20100408.zip
Standard 4-port wireless (pspboot bootloader). Suitable for the original SWAMR 54108/54125/SWART2-54125/GWART2-54125 series, and other 4-port PSPBOOT-based AR7WRD routers using the TNETW1130 wifi chip (DO NOT USE WITH ROUTERS USING THE TNETW1350A chip).
(5.91 MiB) Downloaded 697 times
routertech-v2.93-GPL-firmware-sources.tar.bz2
Standard Sourcecode for v2.93
(58.9 MiB) Downloaded 228 times
routertech-v2.93-GPL-ROHS-firmware-sources.tar.bz2
ROHS Sourcecode for v2.93 (for the 1350A wireless firmwares).
(64.74 MiB) Downloaded 140 times
Kieran
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