Provided by: plc-utils-extra_0.0.6+git20230504.1ba7d5a0-1_amd64 
NAME
int6kf - INT6300 Flash Utility for Linux
SYNOPSIS
int6kf [options] -C file -N file -P file
DESCRIPTION
This program is deprecated. Use int6kboot when downloading firmware 3.3.4 or later on
INT6300 devices or later.
Download and start runtime firmware on a local Atheros powerline device that is in
bootloader mode. A device stays in bootloader mode when it cannot load firmware from
NVRAM. That can happen because there is no NVRAM or because the NVRAM is blank or
corrupted. The bootloader only understands a subset of Atheros message types and cannot
flash NVRAM. This program uses that subset to download runtime firmware and start
execution. Optionally, it will proceed to flash NVRAM after the firmware has started.
Booting a device is a two part operation. The first part downloads SDRAM configuration
parameters then download runtime firmware and parameters into SDRAM and starts the
firmware. The second part downloads runtime firmare and parameters (again) into scratch
buffers and instructs the firmware to write them into to NVRAM. This program can perform
the first part alone or the first then the second part but not the second part alone. The
second part can be performed alone using program int6k.
This program is part of the Atheros Powerline Toolkit. See the AMP man page for
compilation and installation instructions.
OPTIONS
-a Wait until device sends a VS_HOST_ACTION.IND before downloading SDRAM
configuration, firmware and PIB.
-C filename
Read the named SDRAM configuration file and write it to the device. This option
and argument are required. Any file having an invalid SDRAM configuration file
format will be rejected. No assumptions are made based on filename and no filename
conventions are enforced.
-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. This option is executed after all others on
the command line, except for the -R option.
-i interface
Select the host Ethernet interface. All requests are sent via this interface and
only reponses received via this 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 timer
Read timeout or capture period in milliseconds. Values range from 0 through
UINT_MAX. This value has different effects on Linux and Windows. On Linux, where
native raw sockets are used, this is the maximum time allowed for a response and so
larger values should not affect performance. On Windows, where WinPcap is used,
this is the time allotted for packet capture and so larger values will certainly
affect performance. 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
None.
REFERENCES
See the Atheros HomePlug AV Firmware Technical Reference Manual for more information.
EXAMPLES
The -C, -N and -P options are always required. Their order is not important. Notice that
no MAC address is needed because devices use address 00:B0:52:00:00:01, the program
default address, when in bootloader mode.
int6kf -C test.cfg -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.
Downloads SDRAM configuration file test.cfg with VS_SET_SDRAM then firmware from file
test.nvm with VS_WR_MEM then PIB from file test.pib then starts firmware execution with
VS_ST_MAC. This operation is common on flash-less systems.
int6kf -C test.cfg -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.
Perform the same actions as before with some extra steps. After starting firmware
execution, the same firmware and PIB are downloaded again, using VS_WR_MOD instead of
VS_WR_MEM, and written to NVRAM using VS_MOD_NVM with force. The force option is only
recognized by firmware that has been started by the bootloader and will fail when no flash
memory is present.
DISCLAIMER
Atheros HomePlug AV Vendor Specific Management Message Entry structure and content is
proprietary to Atheros Communications, Ocala FL USA. Consequently, public information may
not be available. Atheros Communications 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
AMP(1), int6k(1), int6kid(1), int6krate(1), int6kwait(1)
CREDITS
Charles Maier