POLL : Calling BBS'

[Shift838]

I am trying to gauge the benefit to put up a new BBS and if so what users would typically call in with.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2016 by Cschneider

[Omega-TI]

This is truly a great time for telecommunications using a TI. We are no longer limited to slow 2400, 4800 or 9600 baud speed limits. The new programs out there are pushing 19,200 and even 38,400 using current hardware and wiring schemes. Just upgrade to a new and improved piece of software and you'll be "good to go"... simple!

 

We have Internet access for BBS's, TI-based web pages and interactive games, and even more development is currently taking place behind the scenes as we speak. I truly believe that by the end of the year, more people will have to get a UDS-10 or feel left out of the current revolution.

[ElectricLab]

Speaking of UDS-10 devices - I received the two that Vorticon sent me. I figured out how to telnet into them (They're on a 192.168.1.n network) and NOT using DHCP, and they appear to have a different firmware on them - something for ModBus. Hopefully I can flash them with the same firmware as my others so they can work with the BBSes and Stuart's Browser. We can give them away as raffle prizes

[Mad Hatter]

You may want to perform a factory reset on the devices. Since they're used you never know what kind of weird settings the previous person may have been using. The Lantronix website should have the current firmware (v5.8.0.5).

[ElectricLab]

You may want to perform a factory reset on the devices. Since they're used you never know what kind of weird settings the previous person may have been using. The Lantronix website should have the current firmware (v5.8.0.5).

 

Do you know how to do a 'factory reset'? There is a way to restore factory settings from within the login, but I can't find anything about a full-on factory reset. The little recessed button might do it, but it doesn't explicitly say so in the manual (I don't think). Either way, these need a brain transplant.

[+Schmitzi]

yes, I´ve described it, starting here:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/231274-stuarts-ti-994a-internet-web-browser/?p=3459977

[+Ksarul]

If those UDS-10s are set for MODBUS operation, the firmware in them is going to be very different in any event. The MODBUS over TCP/IP stack doesn't change any of the regular TCP/IP commands or responses, but it adds a whole lot of (very insecure) transfer and communications protocols used for Industrial Control Systems.

[ElectricLab]

Well I downloaded the DeviceInstaller from Lantronix's web site, but the PoS doesn't work. I'm trying to run it on XP (The only non-VM version of windows I have) on an ThinkPad and the damn thing just runs for a while

and stops with this message "The installer was interrupted before deviceinstaller could be installed. You need to restart the installer to try again." HUH? I guess it interrupted itself. or something. I did try restarting and of course it just does the same thing over and over, even after reboots.

 

Has anyone successfully run this program and flashed a UDS-10 with the ROM: ltx5805.rom using this program and Windows XP? I don't have anything else at home and won't be buying/upgrading windows just for some feeble program that *might* work.

ARG.

[+Schmitzi]

yes.

 

But you also can flash it from the serial console, with the (converted) .HEX-Bios-file I have provided in the other thread,

 

 

Find the link to the toxic ftp here: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/231274-stuarts-ti-994a-internet-web-browser/?p=3459982

[ElectricLab]

yes.

 

But you also can flash it from the serial console, with the (converted) .HEX-Bios-file I have provided in the other thread,

 

 

Find the link to the toxic ftp here: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/231274-stuarts-ti-994a-internet-web-browser/?p=3459982

 

I thought the .hex route would be harder, since this DeviceInstaller was available for download. This installer is from 2002 or so - any idea why it won't work in XP anymore?

 

I'll try to figure out how to do it throughout the serial console, now that I figured out your FTP link Hopefully this modbus firmware supports it.

[ElectricLab]

Ok I tried tonight, but I couldn't get these UDS-10s to accept a new image. I tried using the serial port and was able to get into the Monitor mode and typed DL to start the process.

The manual doesn't say which protocol to use (XMODEM, ASCII, etc) so I tried each one. They either fail to transfer or a message appears that states that "this firmware is not compatible"

right away, before the file is even done transferring. I was using Minicom on a Linux machine.

 

I also tried with Windows XP and HyperTerminal and couldn't get it to start transferring at all, trying all of the xfer protocols. I know the serial port is good in both cases because I

can press xx2 at the right time and get a prompt from the UDS-10.

 

I'd sure like to know how on earth to do this via the serial port since the software from the Lantronix won't even install on either of my two XP machines.

 

I have some questions for people who have successfully flashed their UDS-10 ROMs:

 

1) If you've successfully installed the DeviceInstaller software from Lantronix, what OS do you have? I've tried XP with SP3 and it just barfs trying to install and never completes. I'm curious if Windows 7 works. I could take them to my work and do it there if so.

 

2) Has anyone done this via the serial port? If so, what xfer protocol did you use? (Xmodem, etc)

 

Thanks.

[ElectricLab]

Ok I did a little more research.

 

These UDS-10s are somehow flashed with custom firmware that is locked down and apparently immutable. I read the MODBUS manual and I don't have access to some of the menus shown, only 1-4 show up at all. There are Advanced and Security menus that are in the manual, but don't appear when you log into the device. Bummer.

 

I even tried to TFTP the ROM to it and it comes back with: ERROR ON SERVER: WRONG PASSWORD.

TFTP doesn't even support usernames or passwords, so there's some seriously funky stuff going on here.

[+Ksarul]

They've probably got an administrative password set in it somehow--or there is a setting in there that blows the Advanced and Security menues away once you complete original configuration. Have you tried the Reset button? That may restore it to the factory settings for the MODBUS firmware. I've also seen MODBUS stuff that required you to short two pins on the RS-232 side together to force a factory reset. That may be buried somewhere in the manual if it is the case (andI'm not sure right now which two pins it was, as I haven't played with MODBUS directly in a while).

[+Schmitzi]

yes, there are 4 different ROMs at least (Schneider/APC, General Electric, IAM, E1M, Rockwell DF1)

 

 

On the route to flash, do you see something like "Destination File" ? if so, you should try to enter "ROM" here, or "3Q".

If you enter your .ROM-file, the filename ends with ".ROM" NOT with ".rom" (!)

 

 

BUT, from the Lantronix/Modbus-manual:

 

?

 

 

Full File:

Modbus_Protocol_UG.pdf

 

 

 

For the DeviceInstaller on Windows XP, you maybe have to deactivate the firewall for the moment

[ElectricLab]

They've probably got an administrative password set in it somehow--or there is a setting in there that blows the Advanced and Security menues away once you complete original configuration. Have you tried the Reset button? That may restore it to the factory settings for the MODBUS firmware. I've also seen MODBUS stuff that required you to short two pins on the RS-232 side together to force a factory reset. That may be buried somewhere in the manual if it is the case (andI'm not sure right now which two pins it was, as I haven't played with MODBUS directly in a while).

 

There's nothing besides a "Set to Factory Default" option in the menus, but this doesn't reset whatever's locked down. The reset button doesn't do anything either.

I'll have to explore the RS232 pin-shorting method. I think it might be a custom firmware that someone put together for a particular application that can't be changed, in which case it's a paperweight.

[ElectricLab]

yes, there are 4 different ROMs at least (Schneider/APC, General Electric, IAM, E1M, Rockwell DF1)

 

 

On the route to flash, do you see something like "Destination File" ? if so, you should try to enter "ROM" here, or "3Q".

If you enter your .ROM-file, the filename ends with ".ROM" NOT with ".rom" (!)

 

 

BUT, from the Lantronix/Modbus-manual:

 

from-the-manual.JPG

?

 

 

Full File:

Modbus_Protocol_UG.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

For the DeviceInstaller on Windows XP, you maybe have to deactivate the firewall for the moment

I tried TFTP from the command line on Linux (TFTP is very basic) and also from XP, both failed with the "invalid password" error.

As for DeviceInstaller, I read that the "firewall" must be disabled to run it, but didn't think it would prevent it from installing. I don't think I'll bother since it looks like these UDS-10s seem to have been flashed with a custom MODBUS firmware that doesn't support re-flashing. The MODBUS manual shows menu options that I don't even have.

It might be possible to hack the firmware into place, but this would be non-trivial. Oh well.

[+Ksarul]

Note the manual snippet that Schmitzi put up there too--the Industrial version of the hardware will not work with the regular firmware (and the regular harware won't work with the industrial control firmware). You could safely reflash your hardware with the GE Firmware (providing the GE/FANUC protocol stack), Schneider/APC (that one should be J-Bus/MODBUS), and some others that I haven't used before, so I'm not 100% sure on their protocol stacks.