NAME

       plchostd - Qualcomm Atheros PLC Host Daemon

SYNOPSIS

       plchostd [options] -N nvmfile -P pibfile

DESCRIPTION

       Wait  for  VS_HST_ACTION.IND  messages  from a local device and service them as described in the Qualcomm
       Atheros Firmware Technical Reference  Manual  for  powerline  devices.   Unlike  programs  int6khost  and
       int64host,  this  program  uses operating system features available on POSIX, Unix, BSD and Linux systems
       but not available on Microsoft or VxWorks systems.

       To use the program, connect a flash-less device to the host via ethernet then start this program with the
       correct filenames.  The program  will  automatically  respond  to  device  requests  to  download  memory
       configuration,  firmware and/or parameters and upload firmware or and/or parameters under device control.
       See the Qualcomm Atheros Firmware Technical Reference Manual for more information.

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

OPTIONS

       -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 nvmfile
              The file containing the firmware chain used to boot and flash the device.  The file must exist and
              have  a  valid  NVM file format or it will be rejected.  No assumptions are made based on filename
              and no filename conventions are enforced.  The program will not over-write this file.  This option
              and argument are required.

       -n filename
              Use this file to store firmware uploaded from the local device.  The file need not  exist  but  an
              error  will occur if it cannot be created or written.  If firmware is uploaded to this file, it is
              used for subsequent firmware downloads unless the device requests a factory reset.  In that  case,
              the  file specified by option -N is used.  This option and argument are optional.  If omitted then
              the default filename host.pib will be used.

       -P pibfile
              The file containing the parameter chain used to boot and flash the device.  The  file  must  exist
              and  have  a  valid  PIB  file  format  or  it will be rejected.  No assumptions are made based on
              filename and no filename conventions are enforced.  The program will  not  over-write  this  file.
              This option and argument are required.

       -p filename
              Use  this file to store parameters uploaded from the local device.  The file need not exist but an
              error will occur if it cannot be created or written.  Once parameters are uploaded to  this  file,
              it is used for subsequent parameter downloads unless the device requests a factory reset.  In that
              case, the file specified by option -P is used.  This option and argument are optional.  If omitted
              then the default filename host.nvm will be used.

       -q     Suppress status messages on stderr.

       -s pathname
              The  server socket pathname.  Automatically open this Unix socket and post event information to it
              for the benefit of other host processes.

       -S filename
              The file containing the softloader chain used to flash the device.   The  presence  of  this  file
              causes the device to be flashed once it has booted.  The file must exist and have a valid PIB file
              format  or  it  will  be  rejected.   No  assumptions  are  made based on filename and no filename
              conventions are enforced.  The program will not over-write this file.  This  option  and  argument
              are required.

       -t timeout
              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     Print additional information on stdout.  In  particular,  this  option  will  print  incoming  and
              outgoing Ethernet frames on stdout.

       -w wakeup
              Wakeup  time in seconds.  If no VS_HST_ACTION.IND message is received within this time period then
              the process will wakeup and perform periodic functions such as posting network topography  to  the
              server socket specified by option -s.

       -?, --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 Qualcomm Atheros HomePlug AV Firmware Technical Reference Manual for more information.

EXAMPLES

       The following example starts the host server.  The -N and -P options are always required.   Option  order
       is  not  important.   Control  does not return to the console until the program is terminated by the user
       using CTRL-C or another command line interrupt.

          # plchostd -N test.nvm -P test.pib -n temp.nvm -p temp.pib

       The next example does the same but spawns the program as an independent process and  returns  control  to
       the  console.   In this case, that process must be terminated or killed using an appropriate command such
       ad kill.

          # plchostd -N test.nvm -P test.pib -n temp.nvm -p temp.pib -d

DISCLAIMER

       Atheros HomePlug AV Vendor Specific Management Message Entry 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), int64host(1), int6k(1), int6kboot(1), int6khost(1)

CREDITS

        Charles Maier

open-plc-utils-0.0.3                              November 2013                                      plchostd(1)