Provided by: plc-utils-extra_0.0.6+git20211210.358dfcf-2_amd64 bug

NAME

       ampboot - Qualcomm Atheros AR7x00 Powerline Device Bootstrapper

SYNOPSIS

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

DESCRIPTION

       Download  and  start runtime firmware on a local powerline device when it is in bootloader
       mode.  A device remains in bootloader mode when it cannot load firmware from flash  memory
       for some reason.  This can happen if the device has no flash memory or the flash memory is
       either blank or corrupted.  You can use this progrm to start a device or start the  device
       and then, once runtime firmware starts, program flash memory.

       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.
       Optionally,  it  can proceed to download the same firmware and parameters again and commit
       them to flash memory.

       Starting a  device  is  a  three  phase  operation.   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 is operational.

       Flashing a device is a two phase operation.  The first phase downloads runtime firmare and
       parameters under firmware control into scratch buffers.  The second  phase  instructs  the
       firmware  to  write  the  scratch  buffers  to  flash memory and reboot the device.  After
       flashing the device is self-sustaining.

       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.

          ampboot -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.

          ampboot -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), amptool(1), chknvm(1), chkpib(1), modpib(1)

CREDITS

        Charles Maier