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MikroTik hAP AC3 initial AREDN Loading

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w8erw
w8erw's picture
MikroTik hAP AC3 initial AREDN Loading
I've not seen anything specific to the new hardware regarding the Mikrotik hAP AC3 and the initial loading of AREDN firmware.
Would this follow the same process, changing the initial load firmware name, rb.elf?
I have one here new in the box and am cautiously contemplating the process to load with AREDN and wish to not mess it up..

Thanks,
Jim W8ERW
 
K6CCC
K6CCC's picture
Correct, nothing special.
Correct, nothing special.
I loaded a new hAP ac3 a month or two ago to upgrade my primary hAP at home and it is working well.  Note that especially with early releases, there were issues with using the 2GHz RF for AREDN linking.  This was particularly true for channels -1 & -2.  I finally moved my local 2 GHz to channel 3 and that was better (but not perfect).  However, with the nightly released about a week ago, that seems MUCH better.  Channel 3 linking seems to be very reliable now.  I will try moving it back to channel -2 some time in the next couple days.
 
w8erw
w8erw's picture
hAP AC3
Jim,  The hAP AC Lite need to have the RB.ELF file to iniate the load.  I do not see an .elf file in the nightly builds.
Tell me some more.

Thanks, Jim W8ERW
 
K6CCC
K6CCC's picture
This directory:  http:/
w8erw
w8erw's picture
rb.elf
Normally, at least when there is a stable production release, the initial file "initramfs is a .elf file. Are we changing both the file name and extension
for the 2517 nightly version file?  Again, I have bricked a node or two inadvertently and do not wish to hose up this new AC3 device by messing up the initialization.

Thanks much,
Jim W8ERW
 
w6bi
w6bi's picture
rb.elf vs initramfs.bin
The file name changed when OpenWrt updated the driver tree (which AREDN inherited).  You can safely rename that file rb.elf and it will load just fine.
Orv W6BI
 
AB7PA
Use the Mikrotik first install procedure

Here is the link to the Mikrotik install process in the online documentation:
https://docs.arednmesh.org/en/latest/arednGettingStarted/installing_firmware.html#mikrotik-first-install-process
As stated, download the appropriate initramfs-kernel file for your device, then rename that file to rb.elf

w8erw
w8erw's picture
Mikrotik hAP AC3
This device eludes me.  I've reviewed the process and followed it step by step checking every detail.  I fear it's now bricked as I cant
get anything out of it in off the shelf mode.  PXE Server looks normal but never gets to the loading.  All I see is It doesn't find any other DHCP.
Surely there is something different about this device.  There is a reference to clearing "Protected Routerboot".  I find no reference to that in the routerboard setup and I now can't log into the setup.   Has anyone experienced difficulty with the new AC3?   I don't have much hair left....  Jim  W8ERW
 
nc8q
nc8q's picture
Mikrotik hAP AC3 : Netinstall
Hi, Jim:

Please try to use Mikrotik's Netinstall utility to load RouterOS v6.x.x or 7.x.x.
Then ensure your have cleared "Protected Routerboot".
I am having trouble loading any AREDN firmware on my RBSXTsqG-5ac device.
I have reverted to RouterOS many times using the Netinstall utility.

73, Chuck

 
N5TXZ
Trouble with a MikroTik hAP ac lite (RB952Ui-5ac2nD-US)
All,

I made the mistake of unchecking the DHCP server tickbox and rebooting my AREDN-flashed MikroTik hAP ac lite (RB952Ui-5ac2nD-US), and now I cannot access the device at all. I tried using an idle IP address within the DHCP network range, but to no avail. Tried using NMAP and Wireshark to try and ID an IP address for the hAP lite, but still no luck. I also tried the reset instructions, but am thinking the AREDN firmware overwrote any factory backup images.

Couple of questions:
1) If I try and use Mikrotik's Netinstall utility, which RouterOS version should I use to try and reload the factory image? There are many for varying architectures, such as MIPSBE, MMIPS, SMIPS, ARM, ARM64, etc. I tried to search for the specs on the hAP lite's Qualcomm SoC, but nothing seemed to be available to guide me to which version I should try to re-install to get back to ground zero on the firmware modification to an AREDN node.

2) Any other tricks that might get me back into the ARDEN GUI on this device?

I appreciate any helpful suggestions or steps.

73
 
K6CCC
K6CCC's picture
Note that Netinstall can be picky

Note that Netinstall can be VERY picky.  Follow the directions exactly and it most likely will work on the first try.
 

w6bi
w6bi's picture
Reset
Just hold in the reset button before powering up for about 15 seconds ; that'll put it in a mode where you can access it via DHCP.

Orv W6BI
 
N5TXZ
No Luck...

Thanks Orv,

I have tried this many times, and just did three times this morning, but the ethernet-attached laptop still ends up with an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing, which means no DHCP server is reachable). Have held in the reset for durations while powered off, as well as for durations right before applying power; same result where the node is unreachable.

UPDATE: After messing with, and researching this device all morning (7:30AM until after 11:00AM) I was able to get to the initial AREDN setup image via PXE boot, and transferred the rb.elf file once again. It now is serving up the initial webpage on 192.168.1.1, so wish me luck, lol.

In case this is of help to others, I have determined that the RouterOS architecture should be either MIPSBE (according to this datasheet, which can be wrong https://mikrotik.com/product/RB952Ui-5ac2nD), or SMIPS (according to forum discussions, but that might be an older version of the hAP ac lite? Dunno.), based on forum research. Allegedly (YMMV), if you have all versions of the RouterOS files present when using Netinstall, it will select the proper version.

https://mikrotik.com/download

73

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