Efficient → Adding serial to SS 5200 or recovery alternative?

Heya,

My SS 5200 worked super-fine until some days ago, when i did messed with some of its configurations in the normal web interface, then rebooted to apply - and after that, the red light of diagnostics wont go out, it doesnt ping etc.

The simptom is: power up, all lights , then ethernet lights, goes out, all greens goes out, and repeat.

I´ve tried the reset button to no avail.

Is there a way to add a serial to try and recover it? Ive tried to found AR5s reference designs or other things to get a hint but found none

Any help will be much appreciated!

I'm affraid the modem is probably dead.

I've had that happen before and nothing brought the modem back to working condition. You could try pressing the reset button (on the bottom of the unit) in for about 5 seconds or so, but I've found that when the modem is in the condition you mention, the reset doesn't work.

If you got the modem through your ISP you can probably call to get it replaced, there may or may not be a fee.

If you got a one year extended warrenty from efficient along with your modem, you can call efficient and they will give you an RMA# and info about where to send the modem. Ship them the modem and they will ship you a new one. I did this, took about three weeks to recieve the modem back, so I was lucky I had a spare. No cost, except for me shipping the modem out.

I have not seen any method to add a serial interface to the 5200's, sorry.

As it´s based on the TI´s AR5 dsl design (»www.ti.com/sc/dslgateway) and there´s lots of on-board connections, i hoped that some of it will be a serial for on-factory flash programming... and then i could use it to revive the modem

But i can´t find any specs on anything about this design or the modem

I could ultimately try to de-solder the flash itself from the board and blind-flash it, but that´s a lot of work and can´t be reproduced easily by other users with the same problem (and a heard of quite a few)

If you open the modem though, you'll see that those on-board connections are not there. If you read the AR5 Product Bulletin on the page you linked to, you can see one of the charts does show an RS232 connection. It may be possible to add a serial port, but that knowledge is beyond me.

If you look at the firmware image in a hex editor you will see a lot of references to a serial connection. I believe it's possible to solder on an RS232 connector, and from some pictures I've seen of the circuit board there are some places that are good candidates for it.

im looking at it... will try to measure/hookup the serial of my old 486 to it, lets see if it spits out something

btw, how i extract the raw firmware? i can only get hold of the exe´s ones...

there must be a tftp hidden somewhere in this modem

This thread will show you how:
»SS5200 E240_A3J 70-52 Firmware/Account "hacking"

As for TFTP there is only one firmware that has this that I've seen: Upgrade_E240_A4C_78-17_6100_v1.exe

If you don't have a JTAG programmer and the needed setups, I'd say you are at a Dead End.

Regards,

Doctor Olds

Would JTAG be necessary to connect a serial link to the modem? I'm thinking that maybe the 5200 has a hidden connector like the 5260 does. And the firmware for the 5200 is full of references to Xmodem and such, something that it does not use at all, not even when upgrading the firmware (which is done by FTP).

I may be wrong, But I'm under the impression that serial is way too slow and they used JTAG to batch flash the units into life at manufacturing time.

The 5260 has JTAG as does the 5660, 5667 and I'd assume the 5861.

Regards,

Doctor Olds

I see.
So if I understood these models correctly the 5260/5600 can use either JTAG or the regular serial Xmodem to change the firmware. Maybe the 5200 will do the same.

I'm sure this: »www.portelligent.com/cha ··· odem.asp would be usefull, but the price....OUCH!

No one has successfully connected to the JTAG on a 5260. Or any other model that I'm aware of.

It was touched upon in these threads, but no further movement was made.

»Got a doorstop that used to be a 5260/5660?
»Repairing dead 5260/5660 !!
»Re: 5660 upgrade notes! Opinions please!!

Regards,

Doctor Olds

I´ve setup a little page (way little) with a high res (click image for a HIGHER res) image of my SS5200 board and some measurements i´ve made.

»earth.prohosting.com/wcc6/

Seems TTL level voltages to me... dont know if its a serial, almost no AC component (clks?)... ?

If any of you needs, i can take other measurements right away and btw, there is a loooong time i dont mess with electronics, so forgive any mistakes... and my poor english

said by Bender16:

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So if I understood these models correctly the 5260/5600 can use either JTAG or the regular serial

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You may find this New FAQ entry interesting.

»Efficient Networks Forum FAQ »Can I add a serial port to my Model 5260?

Regards,

Doctor Olds

Very interesting. The J5 connection in EMPShock's picture is very similar to the diagram of the 5260 JP4 connection

I thought that would be interesting.

I hope it helps.

Regards,

Doctor Olds

VERY interesting... i´will try to do it this week... its very likely that J5 is indeed a serial, its very similar to J4s pinout... even NC´s seems to be at same place

This RS232 to TTL converter is the only one? I may have trouble finding that part here, something easier (no hard-to-find ics) would be a bit better. I´m asking cause i remember of seeing another rs232 to ttl schematic in this forum... it took 2 ics if i remember it... and wasn´t soldered to a jumper bus directly, it was to modems´ pcb points...

OOPS: found it
»The Unofficial SpeedStream 5260 ---> 5660 FAQ »HELP! I Can't upgrade my 5260 after flashing Firmware 2.2.x on it! What do I do?

Remember of seeing a site with photos and stuff about this... if anyone have the link, feel free to post it

This link has a bunch of images (Filenames start with MVC-xxx)
»pages.sbcglobal.net/2d48 ··· 5196b3c/

Read this whole thread also:
»5660 upgrade notes! Opinions please!!

»/r0/do ··· S232.jpg

»/r0/do ··· x233.gif

»/r0/do ··· caps.PNG

»/r0/do ··· 2/ic.PNG

»/r0/do ··· anel.PNG

Regards,

Doctor Olds

Well, seeking and seeking and reading and reading for some time, i´ve come up with some interesting ideas.

About the JTAG: found a very interesting page
»hri.sourceforge.net/
with easy interfaces and directions to program it, as it seems to be a header on the board anyways... and about the serial, theres a max232 interface too, easy cake.

i´m even thinking about using a embedded-linux port on this baby now

but, this JTAG things are new to me, and i´d like your opinions about this, if i should try the jtag interface or the serial interface, what are my chances, and what you thing of running linux on this modem... 2mb flash, 8mb ram, quite a lot btw... i cant get to identify the cpu on this thing, if even there´s one... any lights? ARM? x86?

Man! Dont you sleep??!!

Thanks! This is getting interesting!

said by EMPShock:

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Man! Dont you sleep??!!

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Sometimes my insomnia lets me nap.

Regards,

Doctor Olds

Hello, any news about this?
I(in true,a friend of mine) have a death SS 5200 and we are looking for a way to recover it.
I found some JTAG programmer schemes on the sites posted on this topic and I think this can be done, so, anyone have any news about this?

Best Regards,

Julioc

Please do not reply to old threads. This thread is over a month old and the original poster abandoned it.

A Newer Thread was started that you can read and reply to instead:
»Adding serial to SS 5200 or recovery alternative?

Regards,

Doctor Olds