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NAME

       int6kboot - Qualcomm Atheros Powerline Device Boot Utility I

SYNOPSIS

       int6kboot [options] -N file -P file [device] [device] [...]

DESCRIPTION

       Download  and  start  runtime  firmware  on  any local Atheros powerline device that is in
       bootloader mode.  A device remains in bootloader mode when it cannot  load  firmware  from
       flash memory for some reason.  This can happen because there is no flash memory or because
       the flash memory is blank or corrupted.  This program can start a  device  or  start  then
       flash a device.

       The  bootloader only recognizes a subset of Atheros message types.  This program uses that
       subset to write runtime firmware and parameters into SDRAM then start  firmware  execution
       at  a  known  address.   Optionally,  this  program  can then proceed to download the same
       firmware and parameters, again, and instruct the runtime firmware to write them  to  flash
       memory.

       Starting  a  device  is  a  three  phase  operation  that  can  only be performed when the
       bootloader is running.  The first phase writes an SDRAM configuration program into TCM and
       executes  it.   The  second  phase  writes  runtime firmware and parameters as images into
       SDRAM.  The third phase starts firmware execution.  Once the runtime firmware starts,  the
       device will be operational.

       Flashing a device is a two phase operation that can only be performed when the firmware is
       running.  The first phase downloads runtime firmare and parameters  into  scratch  buffers
       under  firmware  control.   The  second  phase instructs the firmware to write the scratch
       buffers to flash memory and restart the device.  After flashing, the device will be  self-
       sustaining.

       Since  the device address is 00:B0:52:00:00:01 on boot, the host must send all messages to
       that address.  This can cause problems if multiple devices are connected to the  host  and
       in Bootloader mode.  The devices will have the same firmware and MAC address because their
       PIBs will be identical.  One should avoid this situation.

       Is probably alright to have other device connected to the host that are  running  firmware
       because  they  will  still  see but not recognize the messages used in this operation.  If
       only one device is connected to the host, then is save to flash the device  using  address
       00:B0:52:00:00:01.   Otherwise,  the  host  should  address  messages to the actual device
       address so that other devices do not attempt to write to their own  flash  memory  at  the
       same time.

       This  program is part of the Qualcomm Atheros Powerline Toolkit.  See the plc man page for
       an overview and installation instructions.

OPTIONS

       -e     Redirects stderr messages to stdout.  By convention status and error  messages  are
              printed  on  stderr while primary program output is printed on stdout.  This option
              prints all output on stdout in cases where this is desired.

       -F[F]  Write previously downloaded MAC and PIB to NVRAM using VS_MOD_NVM.  Adding a second
              F  here  or  another  -F  anywhere  on the command line will force-flash a blank or
              corrupted NVRAM.  Firmware loaded from NVRAM will treat force-flash  as  an  error.
              This  option  can  be  used to create factory settings but cannot be used to change
              them once created.  Subsequent use creates and updates  operational  settings  that
              can be erased using a factory reset.

       -i interface
              Select  the host Ethernet interface.  All requests are sent via this host interface
              and only reponses received via this host interface  are  recognized.   The  default
              interface  is  eth1  because  most  people  use  eth0  as  their  principle network
              connection;  however,  if  environment  string  "PLC"  is  defined  then  it  takes
              precedence  over  the  default  interface.   This option then takes precedence over
              either default.

       -N filename
              Read the named NVM file and write it to the device.  This option and  argument  are
              required.   Any  file  having  an  invalid  NVM  file  format will be rejected.  No
              assumptions are made based on filename and no filename conventions are enforced.

       -P filename
              Read the named PIB file and write it to the device.  This option and  argument  are
              required.   Any  file  having  an  invalid  PIB  file  format will be rejected.  No
              assumptions are made based on filename and no filename conventions are enforced.

       -q     Suppresses status messages on stderr.

       -t milliseconds
              Read timeout in milliseconds.  Values range from 0 through UINT_MAX.  This  is  the
              maximum  time  allowed  for  a  response.   The default is shown in brackets on the
              program menu.

       -v     Prints additional information on stdout.  In particular, this option dumps outgoing
              Ethernet packets on stdout.

       -?,--help
              Print  program  help  summary  on  stdout.  This option takes precedence over other
              options on the command line.

       -!,--version
              Print program version information on stdout.  This  option  takes  precedence  over
              other  options  on  the command line.  Use this option when sending screen dumps to
              Atheros Technical Support so that they know exactly  which  version  of  the  Linux
              Toolkit you are using.

ARGUMENTS

       device The  Ethernet hardware address of some powerline device.  More than one address may
              be specified on the command line.  If more  than  one  address  is  specified  then
              operations are performed on each device in turn.  The default address is local.  as
              explained in the DEVICES section.

DEVICES

       Powerline device addresses are 12 hexadecimal  digits  in  upper,  lower  or  mixed  case.
       Individual  octets  may  be separated by colons, for clarity, but colons are not required.
       For  example,  "00b052000001",  "00:b0:52:00:00:01"  and  "00b052:000001"  are  valid  and
       equivalent.

       A  local  device  is  any  Atheros  Powerline Device connected directly to a host Ethernet
       interface.  A remote device is any Atheros Powerline Device at the far end of a  powerline
       connection.  A foreign device is any powerline device not manufactured by Atheros.

       Common  device  addresses  have  symbolic  names  that  can be used in place of the actual
       address value.  The following symbolic addresses are recognized by this program  and  most
       other toolkit programs.

       all    Equivalent to "broadcast", described next.

       broadcast
              A  synonym  for  the  Ethernet  broadcast address, FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF.  All devices,
              whether local, remote or foreign will respond to this address.

       local  A  synonym   for   the   Qualcomm   Atheros   Local   Management   Address   (LMA),
              00:B0:52:00:00:01.   All  local  Atheros  devices  will respond to this address but
              remote and foreign devices will not.

REFERENCES

       See the Qualcomm Atheros HomePlug AV Firmware Technical  Reference  Manual  for  technical
       information.  See the Qualcomm Atheros Powerline Toolkit Online Documetation for practical
       information and examples.

EXAMPLES

       The -N and -P options are always required.  Their order is not important.  Tne MAC address
       is  not  needed  because devices default to address 00:B0:52:00:00:01 (the program default
       address) in bootloader mode.  Once this operation completes, firmware is running in  SDRAM
       but  the  NVRAM, if present, has not been programmed.  This operation is common for flash-
       less devices.  If we reset the device at  this  point  then  the  device  will  return  to
       bootloader mode.

          int6kboot -N test.nvm -P test.pib
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write SDRAM Configuration
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write to device memory
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write to device memory
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Start Firmware
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Started.

       The next example does the same thing but performs the extra steps needed to program NVRAM.
       It first downloads the firmware image from file test.nvm and  the  parameter  block  image
       from  file  test.pib using VS_WR_MEM then starts firmware execution using VS_ST_MAC.  Once
       runtime firmware has started, it downloads the same firmware  image  and  parameter  block
       image (again) using VS_WR_MOD and commits them to NVRAM using VS_MOD_NVM.

          int6kboot -N test.nvm -P test.pib -F
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write SDRAM Configuration
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write to device memory
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write to device memory
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Start Firmware
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Started.
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write MAC as module
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Write PIB as module
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Written.
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Flash Device
          # eth0 00:B0:52:00:00:01 Flashed.

DISCLAIMER

       Atheros   HomePlug  AV  Vendor  Specific  Management  Message  structure  and  content  is
       proprietary to Qualcomm Atheros, Ocala FL USA.  Consequently, public information  may  not
       be available.  Qualcomm Atheros reserves the right to modify message structure and content
       in future firmware releases without any obligation to notify or compensate users  of  this
       program.

SEE ALSO

       plc(1), ampboot(1), chknvm(1), chkpib(1), int6k(1), modpib(1)

CREDITS

        Charles Maier