ALFA Network Hornet-UB (8MB/32MB version)

Atheros Devices with identical PCBs: AP121 / AP121U / Hornet-UB

→ Install OpenWrt (generic explanation)

For the 16MB/64MB version of the Hornet-UB board (the “Hornet-UB x2”), see jivex5k's procedure in the forums.

This installation method needs a TTL level serial console (putty) and a working TFTP server (OpenTFTP)

Connect serial console cable and a network cable to WAN/LAN. Switch on the router and press '1' to get the U-boot prompt.

If nothing happens, switch TX und RX around.

Important: You need to change the baud/port speed to 115200 in putty

For installation with OpenTFTP You need to copy the firmwarefile in the same directory as the start batch file of OpenTFTP (You can also give it a shorter name like FW.bin)

Make sure your firewall is diabled. The default IP-Settings of the U-Bootloader are 192.168.2.1 for the Alfa-AP and 192.168.2.11 for the TFTP-Server. You can change these setting with the command “setenv serverip <IP>” and “setenv ipaddr <IP>”

To check if the connection is up you can use ping like allways.

U-Boot 1.1.4 (Sep 29 2011 - 16:39:41)

AP121-8MB (ar9331) U-boot
DRAM:  32 MB
Top of RAM usable for U-Boot at: 82000000
Reserving 248k for U-Boot at: 81fc0000
Reserving 192k for malloc() at: 81f90000
Reserving 44 Bytes for Board Info at: 81f8ffd4
Reserving 36 Bytes for Global Data at: 81f8ffb0
Reserving 128k for boot params() at: 81f6ffb0
Stack Pointer at: 81f6ff98
Now running in RAM - U-Boot at: 81fc0000
id read 0x100000ff
flash size 8388608, sector count = 128
Flash:  8 MB
In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   ag7240_enet_initialize...
Fetching MAC Address from 0x81feb688
Fetching MAC Address from 0x81feb688
: cfg1 0x5 cfg2 0x7114
eth0: 00:c0:ca:5f:6b:3d
eth0 up
: cfg1 0xf cfg2 0x7214
eth1: 00:c0:ca:5f:6b:3e
athrs26_reg_init_lan
ATHRS26: resetting s26
ATHRS26: s26 reset done
eth1 up
eth0, eth1

Please choose the operation:
   1: Entr boot command line interface.
   2: Load system code then write to Flash via TFTP.
   3: Boot system code via Flash (default).

You choosed 1

 0

ar7240> 

tftp 0xa0800000 openwrt-ar71xx-generic-hornet-ub-jffs2-sysupgrade.bin

ar7240> tftp 0xa0800000 openwrt-ar71xx-generic-hornet-ub-jffs2-sysupgrade.bin
eth0 link down
FAIL
dup 1 speed 1000
Using eth1 device
TFTP from server 192.168.1.254; our IP address is 192.168.1.1
Filename 'openwrt-ar71xx-generic-hornet-ub-jffs2-sysupgrade.bin'.
Load address: 0xa0800000
Loading: #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #
done
Bytes transferred = 7322966 (6fbd56 hex)

now enter
erase 0x9f050000 +0x790000

 erase 0x9f050000 +0x790000
Erase Flash from 0x9f050000 to 0x9f7dffff in Bank # 1
First 0x5 last 0x7d sector size 0x10000
 125
Erased 121 sectors

cp.b 0xa0800000 0x9f050000 0x790000

ar7240> cp.b 0xa0800000 0x9f050000 0x790000
Copy to Flash... write addr: 9f050000
done

issue reset and it should restart into OpenWrt

ar7240>reset

U-Boot 1.1.4 (Sep 29 2011 - 16:39:41)

AP121-8MB (ar9331) U-boot
DRAM:  32 MB
Top of RAM usable for U-Boot at: 82000000
Reserving 248k for U-Boot at: 81fc0000
Reserving 192k for malloc() at: 81f90000
Reserving 44 Bytes for Board Info at: 81f8ffd4
Reserving 36 Bytes for Global Data at: 81f8ffb0
Reserving 128k for boot params() at: 81f6ffb0
Stack Pointer at: 81f6ff98
Now running in RAM - U-Boot at: 81fc0000
id read 0x100000ff
flash size 8388608, sector count = 128
Flash:  8 MB
In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   ag7240_enet_initialize...
Fetching MAC Address from 0x81feb688
Fetching MAC Address from 0x81feb688
: cfg1 0x5 cfg2 0x7114
eth0: 00:c0:ca:5f:6b:3d
eth0 up
: cfg1 0xf cfg2 0x7214
eth1: 00:c0:ca:5f:6b:3e
athrs26_reg_init_lan
ATHRS26: resetting s26
ATHRS26: s26 reset done
eth1 up
eth0, eth1

Please choose the operation:
   1: Entr boot command line interface.
   2: Load system code then write to Flash via TFTP.
   3: Boot system code via Flash (default).
 0


 System Boot system code via Flash.
## Booting image at 9f650000 ...
   Image Name:   MIPS OpenWrt Linux-3.3.8
   Created:      2012-07-11   8:29:19 UTC
   Image Type:   MIPS Linux Kernel Image (lzma compressed)
   Data Size:    1031446 Bytes = 1007.3 kB
   Load Address: 80060000
   Entry Point:  80060000
   Verifying Checksum at 0x9f650040 ...OK
   Uncompressing Kernel Image ... OK
No initrd
## Transferring control to Linux (at address 80060000) ...
## Giving linux memsize in bytes, 33554432

Starting kernel ...

[    0.000000] Linux version 3.3.8 (fnord@tschunk) (gcc version 4.6.3 20120201 (prerelease) (Linaro GCC 4.6-2012.02) ) #1 Wed Jul 11 08:28:3
3 UTC 2012
[    0.000000] bootconsole [early0] enabled
[    0.000000] CPU revision is: 00019374 (MIPS 24Kc)
[    0.000000] SoC: Atheros AR9330 rev 1
[    0.000000] Clocks: CPU:400.000MHz, DDR
...

There will be many informations but you have to wait until it all stops and in the last line are only 3 dots displayed.

Now press Enter and you should see the OpenWrt Commandline.

BusyBox v1.19.4 (2013-03-14 11:28:31 UTC) built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

  _______                     ________        __
 |       |.-----.-----.-----.|  |  |  |.----.|  |_
 |   -   ||  _  |  -__|     ||  |  |  ||   _||   _|
 |_______||   __|_____|__|__||________||__|  |____|
          |__| W I R E L E S S   F R E E D O M
 -----------------------------------------------------
 ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT (12.09, r36088)
 -----------------------------------------------------
  * 1/4 oz Vodka      Pour all ingredients into mixing
  * 1/4 oz Gin        tin with ice, strain into glass.
  * 1/4 oz Amaretto
  * 1/4 oz Triple sec
  * 1/4 oz Peach schnapps
  * 1/4 oz Sour mix
  * 1 splash Cranberry juice
 -----------------------------------------------------
root@OpenWrt:/#

Hold the reset button and powercycle the device. You can release the button, when all lights come on.

• 2x Ethernet ports 1 with PoE (Power over Ethernet)
  • Passive PoE 5v to 18v. 12v to 18v recommended when using USB
• Powered via 12V or 5V type M barrel connector (though power to the USB port can be marginal with only 5V system input)
• Tiny form factor
  • 8.5cm x 6cm PCB
  • 9.3cm x 7cm x 2.6cm casing
  • weight 74g

To open the case, remove the 2 rubber feet on the bottom located at the USB port side. After removing the caps you will find two screws, unscrew them and voila case opened.

TP1 is near the Serial VDD Pin.

TP2-5 are on the right next to the SoC.

each JTAG Pin has its own solderpad, but is not populated.

How to configure LEDs in general, see the LED section in the led_configuration.

The Hornet-UB has 6 LEDs:

Please correct the flash layout when wrong, thank you.

(My layout is the same. On Alfa firmware mtd3 is named “uImage”. reichhart 2013-10-03)

The default network configuration is:

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