forum.excito.org

Some months ago I upgraded my B2 WiFi to a B3 WiFi and at the time thought I had managed to break the LAN on the B2, possibly by connecting them with the wrong kind of network cable.

I'd like to be able to use the B2 as a Server, connecting to my B3 via WiFi (with B2 tweaked to act as a client), so... I finally got around to checking if my B2 was serviceable.

It does look as if the B2 LAN/WAN i/f is broken, so I have two questions:

1) Is there any way to get into my B2 without using the broken LAN/WAN?

2) Is there a way to verify the LAN/WAN is broken (e.g. by getting it to run some diagnostic from the USB and saving the output back to it)?

Here's what I have done so far:
I downloaded the install image and did a clean install with reformat of the disk. My B2 appears to boot as expected, my tests suggest the WAN/LAN is broken. The connector lights illuminate but that's about it. Here are some tests I've done:

Test a) B2 hanging off B3
Power off B2, connect B2 WAN to B3 LAN, boot B2.
No entry for B2 appears in B3's network table for B2

Test b) B2 server only
Power off B2, leave WAN free, connect LAN to PC, boot B2.
On the PC:
ipconfig shows IPs with zeros (so not configured)
ping 192.168.10.1 (B2's default when no DHCP found) request times out

I tried booting B2 connected to the PC with three different cables and got the same result with each.

Can you help me with the questions in bold above?

Thanks,

Mark

Hi Mark,

Sorry you are having problems.

1) Is there any way to get into my B2 without using the broken LAN/WAN?

2) Is there a way to verify the LAN/WAN is broken (e.g. by getting it to run some diagnostic from the USB and saving the output back to it)?

1. Yes, you can install a serial port, but this requires some soldering.
2. In theory yes, you can create any custom script and replace our install script on the usb installer. You can make that script run some commands and saving a log file to usb.

I don't know, but a hunch is a partially failed install. I have seen this in the lab a few times, when the installer gets corrupt it aborts prematurely and leaves you with a partially installed system. So I would suggest this:

a) find a new usb stick, and re-download the installer just to make sure.
b) install and double check that it really installs (installation should take ~20 minutes on a 1 TB disk). If it completes in say 5 minutes it is not doing what it should. If it fails it re-boots and will boot into your old installation.

If you can't get it working just send it to us, it's quite easy for us to find out what's wrong since we have easy access to the serial console. Email us (support@excito.com) before you send it though.

I timed the install and it took 21 minutes (as predicted for 2T disk according to the manual), so I'm pretty sure it completed properly. Might try the serial port route.

EDIT:
Oh, this assumes I'll be able to enable the WiFi using the console!

Thanks,

Mark

It sometimes happen the pins in the lan contact comes out of arrangement. so look down into the contact to see. look for dirt etc too.
Ive actually accidetally plugged a usb male contact into the lan socket, shorting all the pins, but it still works. The input got an optocoupler to protect.