Debian on Checkpoint L-50

dhargens,

This box uses RJ45 connector. It's a standdard Cisco one. See previous post.

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,134340,134421#msg-134421

-bodhi
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/2024 10:15PM by bodhi.

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> dhargens,
>
> This box uses RJ45 connector. It's a standdard
> Cisco one. See previous post.
>
> https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,134340,134421#msg-134421

Yes, it's the port labeled "Console", and that's the RJ-45 I'm connecting to. I figure if they give ya a console port, then I'm gonna use it - instead of looking for stubs on a logic board to solder to.

I'll try to be clearer here in my response:

• I'm using an RPi as my primary serial connection, specifically GPIO 14 & 15.
• it's straight wiring from the Pi to the Check Point. no USB <-> RJ-45 or other complications.
• on the Check Point, I'm plugging in to the RJ-45 Console port. Here's the pins I'm using:
  3 - TXD
  4+5 - GND
  6 - RXD
• I'm using minicom for my serial connection program, set at 115200 8N1
• I've swapped Rx & Tx - one way it's silent, the other way it's gibberish.
• I have 2 Check Point devices, and it's happening on both.

With this wiring setup I apply power and it has a small spit of gibberish to the screen, pauses, then spews more gibberish after that like it's booting.

This setup has worked on multiple other devices, like the NAS320, Kace M300, and Pogo V4, and works again when I reconnect to them to confirm they're still operational (they are).

Ideas?

dhargens,

> RJ-45 Console port. Here's the pins I'm using:
> 3 - TXD
> 4+5 - GND
> 6 - RXD

It looks right to me.

> [*] I'm using minicom for my serial connection
> program, set at 115200 8N1

Also OK.

> [*] I've swapped Rx & Tx - one way it's silent,
> the other way it's gibberish.

> With this wiring setup I apply power and it has a
> small spit of gibberish to the screen, pauses,
> then spews more gibberish after that like it's
> booting.

Usually, this is the correct connection, but the terminal settings are incorrect. However, you've set it to the correct values as stated above.

Sometime the terminal does not initialize the settings correctly, and need some manual nudges to do it. Here are some possible ways.

1. Let it boot into stock OS and log in, reboot.
2. kwboot with the OpenWrt u-boot image.

If the above 2 tries did not work. Disconnect the RJ45 cable, power up and let the L-50 boot to stock OS. Plug in the RJ45 cable, and check the rPi dmesg, see if it show any new log about the connection.

-bodhi
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bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sometime the terminal does not initialize the
> settings correctly, and need some manual nudges to
> do it. Here are some possible ways.
>
> 1. Let it boot into stock OS and log in, reboot.
> 2. kwboot with the OpenWrt u-boot image.
>
> If the above 2 tries did not work. Disconnect the
> RJ45 cable, power up and let the L-50 boot to
> stock OS. Plug in the RJ45 cable, and check the
> rPi dmesg, see if it show any new log about the
> connection.

This still isn't working no matter what I tried. dmesg showed me nothing.

Luckily I'd ordered a USB-to-TTL cable that just came - and now I finally have a connection to the box.

That all said, I can see the boot, but now can't get kwboot to work.

So I run kwboot, then power up the L-50, and it sits there for minutes twirling and twirling and does nothing.
I've found though that if I kill the command and immediately re-run it it looks like it's gonna work, but no.
Here's an example of that output:

$ /uboots/kwboot_2024.04-rc3 -B 115200 /dev/ttyUSB0 -b u-boot.kwb -p -t
kwboot version 2024.04-rc3-00001-g0861eab8ec
Detected kwbimage v0 with NAND boot signature
Patching image boot signature to UART
Sending boot message. Please reboot the target...\^C
$ /uboots/kwboot_2024.04-rc3 -B 115200 /dev/ttyUSB0 -b u-boot.kwb -p -t
kwboot version 2024.04-rc3-00001-g0861eab8ec
Detected kwbimage v0 with NAND boot signature
Patching image boot signature to UART
Sending boot message. Please reboot the target...-
Sending boot image header (512 bytes)...
  0 % [+++++++++....                                                         ]
Done
�



   ______  __                    __        _______           _            _
 .' ___  |[  |                  [  |  _   |_   __ \         (_)          / |_
/ .'   \_| | |--.  .---.  .---.  | | / ]    | |__) | .--.   __   _ .--. `| |-'
| |        | .-. |/ /__\\/ /'`\] | '' <     |  ___// .'`\ \[  | [ `.-. | | |
\ `.___.'\ | | | || \__.,| \__.  | |`\ \   _| |_   | \__. | | |  | | | | | |,
 `.____ .'[___]|__]'.__.''.___.'[__|  \_] |_____|   '.__.' [___][___||__]\__/

 ** MARVELL BOARD: RD-88F6281A LE

U-Boot 1.1.4 (Aug  5 2013 - 17:11:28) Check Point version: 983002045
U-Boot code: 00600000 -> 0067FFF0  BSS: -> 006CFCE0

************ Hit 'Ctrl + C' for boot menu ************

Flash:  0 kB
set device[0x21] gpio[3] hi
set device[0x21] gpio[4] hi
set device[0x20] gpio[7] hi
set device[0x20] gpio[1] hi
set device[0x20] gpio[3] hi
set device[0x20] gpio[0] hi
set device[0x20] gpio[4] hi
set device[0x20] gpio[2] hi
set device[0x20] gpio[5] hi
set device[0x21] gpio[2] hi
set device[0x21] gpio[5] hi
set device[0x20] gpio[6] low
set device[0x21] gpio[5] hi
set device[0x20] gpio[6] hi
set device[0x21] gpio[0] low
set device[0x21] gpio[6] low
set device[0x21] gpio[0] hi
set device[0x21] gpio[6] hi
set device[0x21] gpio[7] low
set device[0x21] gpio[1] low
set device[0x21] gpio[7] hi
set device[0x21] gpio[1] hi
set device[0x21] gpio[3] low
set device[0x21] gpio[4] low

CPU : Marvell Feroceon (Rev 1)

Streaming disabled
Write allocate disabled

Module 0 is RGMII
Module 1 is TDM

USB 0: host mode
PEX 0: PCI Express Root Complex Interface
PEX interface detected Link X1
Net:   egiga0, egiga1 [PRIME]

Reading data from 0xe0000 -- 100% complete.
Verifying CRC for settings area... Done
/* Wireless region code */
USB:   scanning bus for devices... 2 USB Device(s) found
0 Storage Device(s) found

Wireless device found...

NAND read: device 0 offset 0x100000, size 0x800000

Reading data from 0x900000 -- 100% complete.
 8388608 bytes read: OK
Saving Environment to NAND...
Erasing Nand...Writing to Nand... done
## Booting image at 02000200 ...
   Image Name:   Linux-2.6.22.18
   Created:      2014-08-05  17:27:50 UTC
   Image Type:   ARM Linux Kernel Image (uncompressed)
   Data Size:    5790000 Bytes =  5.5 MB
   Load Address: 00008000
   Entry Point:  00008000
   Verifying Checksum ... OK
OK

Starting kernel ...

Uncompressing Linux................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. done, booting the kernel.
INIT: version 2.86 booting

Booting 0m User Space...
INIT: Entering runlevel: 3
.............
------------- This is a first boot ---------------

.........

xmodem: Connection timed out

You'll note that at the end the connection dropped for some reason - which also won't work. I tried both kwboots (rc3 & static) and neither worked for me.

Suggestions on how I can get kwboot working?

dhargens,

> xmodem: Connection timed out
> [/code]
>
> You'll note that at the end the connection dropped
> for some reason - which also won't work. I tried
> both kwboots (rc3 & static) and neither worked for
> me.

I think that's normal. The connection timeout indicates that kwboot is still trying to handshake. If you run picocom/minicom then you'll see the whole boot log.

=====

As for kwboot, the behavior is like the u-boot image was not a good one. Perhaps you should go ahead and boot into Debian, and then dump stock mtd0, and use it for kwboot.

Or install OpenWrt first, and then dump mtd0.

-bodhi
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bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think that's normal. The connection timeout
> indicates that kwboot is still trying to
> handshake. If you run picocom/minicom then you'll
> see the whole boot log.

Yes, I am seeing the whole bootlog on a simple connection without using kwboot. At least that's a step in the right direction.

> As for kwboot, the behavior is like the u-boot
> image was not a good one. Perhaps you should go
> ahead and boot into Debian, and then dump stock
> mtd0, and use it for kwboot.

I'll see about booting Debian on a thumbdrive. Will it do that with a stock uboot?

> Or install OpenWrt first, and then dump mtd0.

Yeah, I was trying to install OpenWrt using kwboot as the first step - following the directions for a change. And nope.

> Yes, I am seeing the whole bootlog on a simple
> connection without using kwboot. At least that's a
> step in the right direction.
>
> > As for kwboot, the behavior is like the u-boot
> > image was not a good one. Perhaps you should go
> > ahead and boot into Debian, and then dump stock
> > mtd0, and use it for kwboot.
>
> I'll see about booting Debian on a thumbdrive.
> Will it do that with a stock uboot?

Not sure. Gravelrash did not go through that step. He installed OpenWrt and not doing the stock boot thing. We'll cross that bridge, if you want to, then cold boot and

printenv
help

-bodhi
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Sorry, I forgot to respond that I got this working and not by using kwboot.
I've got to round up my poor notes to know how I did it so I can fix up my 2nd box and get it working too.

Thanks for the help!

> Sorry, I forgot to respond that I got this working
> and not by using kwboot.

Cool! what's ever works.

-bodhi
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