SR1 updates

Ayecka SR1 software & firmware update

I have been asked about how to update the software and firmware on the Ayecka SR1 box, as the instructions are a little thin on the ground. I will provide these skeleton notes, and then flesh them out as people require.

Informations en français, grâce à Gérard Kruger F6BEK.

Your PC is going to host the file required for the upgrade, and make that file available to the SR1 over the network using a protocol called TFTP, which is a simplified version of FTP. The necessary steps are explained in full detail later, but in quick summary:

Ensure that your PC can "see" the SR1 Management port over the network.
Set up a TFTP server on your PC, to host the update file.
Allow the TFTP server through your firewall.
Download the update file from EUMETSAT.
Insert downloaded the file into the TFTP server's "files" directory.
Note the IP address of the PC's connection to the SR1 Management port.
Ensure the TFTP server is running.
Ensure that the USB connection to the SR1 is working (preferred, but optional).
Disconnect the antenna, to stop the data flow.
Complete the steps shown in SR1 guide.

In general, you should only perform these updates if instructed to by EUMETSAT or Space-Band/Ayecka. SR1 receivers supplied by GEO after October 2014 will have the current version 1.05b250 software. EUMETSAT are hosting the upgrade software and firmware at their FTP site here.

The updates work by the SR1 looking for files from a server which you would will set up on your PC, using a protocol TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol). The upload of the files is triggered by you typing commands into the SR1 using the USB connection. Ideally, you need both the USB connection (for control) and the Ethernet connection (for data transfer) connected at the same time, but you can manage without a USB connection - see here.

Please note that after upgrading to the 250 software, you will need to reset the MODCODs as by default the mask is set to zero, giving you no reception. Rather confusing! Please see the notes here.

Ensure that your PC can "see" the SR1 Management port

From a command prompt on your PC, issue the PING command, specifying the IP address of the SR1, either the management port if you have two connections, or the single port otherwise. The PC will need to be visible to the SR1 so that the SR1 can transfer files from the PC. If your PC has two network connections, note which one is connected to the SR1. It is likely to have an address in the 192.168.10.x range.

If you only have one Ethernet connection to the SR1, you will need to connect the Traffic LAN with the Management LAN so that the updated software or firmware can get to the SR1's Management LAN via the Traffic port. Network menu, option J allows that, and is the default for SR1 supplied by GEO and configured for EUMETCast use.

From your PC you should be able to PING the management port on 192.168.10.99 from a command prompt.

C:\Users\David>ping 192.168.10.99

Pinging 192.168.10.99 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.10.99: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.10.99: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.10.99: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.10.99: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 192.168.10.99:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

Set up a TFTP server on your PC

I recommend the "Open TFTP Server" which you can download from this Web page:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/tftp-server/

Others have reported success with TFTP Server 1.2.

This is an installer which places the necessary files onto your PC and I recommend using a directory:

C:\Tools\OpenTFTPServer\

You will get a sub-directory named "logs" where notes of the operations will be kept. I suggest you also create a sub-directory name "files" where you will place the downloaded software or firmware files ready for access by the SR1. It's your choice, but for me having the separate directory results in a "cleaner" installation. To tell the program about the new "files" directory, edit the OpenTFTPServerMT.ini file and in the [HOME] section add or edit the line:

[HOME]
C:\Tools\OpenTFTPServer\files

As you don't need this server running all the time, I suggest not accepting the options which enable that, although you can also stop the server and disable it in the Administrative Tools, Services program. Instead, use the supplied RunStandAloneMT.bat to start and stop the server as needed.

Allow TFTP server through your firewall

I hope you are using Firewall software! If so, you will need to allow the OpenTFTPServerMT.exe through your firewall, as it needs to respond to an unexpected request from the SR1, i.e. not incoming data in response to something the program requested. Follow your normal procedure for allowing a program through the firewall.

Download the updates from EUMETSAT

You will find the updates available at this EUMETSAT FTP site.

Files of type .asw are the "software" files. At the time of writing (November 2014) 1.05b250 is the current version, and the file is: SR1c_v1.05b250.asw.
Files of type .afp are the "firmware" files. At the time of writing (July 2014) 2.02b922 is the current version, and the file is: sr1v2.2b922a9P.afp This is a mandatory update for the EUMETCast DVB_S2 service.

Before doing any update, check what version of the software and firmware you have, as the update may not be necessary. Check the opening screen of the serial or Telnet connection, for example:

SR1c Serial No. 112000 30AAC Run Time: 0:31:55
Software Version 1.05b239 Hardware Version 2.00 Firmware Version 2.02b922

Here, the software version (239) is less than the available version (250), so an update may be appropriate.

Insert downloaded file into TFTP servers "files" directory

As with any files downloaded from the Internet, it's best to right-click, Properties, Unblock the file you have downloaded from EUMETSAT. Once you have done that. copy or move the file(s) downloaded into the "files" directory of the TFTP server. If you didn't edit the OpenTFTPServerMT.ini file, place the downloaded file into the same directory as the Open TFTP server. Remember to right-click, Properties, Unblock the downloaded file.

Note IP address of PC

Use the command: IPCONFIG to find out the IP address of your PC. It is likely to be the one starting 192.168, for example 192.168.0.10. You will need to tell the SR1 this IP address as the location to look for to get its file via TFTP.

Ensure TFTP server is running

Run the command-file: RunStandAloneMT.bat and watch for the responses. At lease one message should show that a server is started listening on port 69 at the IP address of your PC.

Connect to the SR1 over USB

This is preferred, but optional. If you don't have USB see here.

Disconnect the antenna

The SR1 may not have the spare CPU capacity to simultaneously process data and perform the upgrade. Disconnecting the antenna stops the data flow.

Complete steps shown in SR1 guide

If possible, you should connect over the USB port, in addition to the Management port, to complete these steps. If you only have a network connection, you can use the method described here, which requires immediate disconnection of the Telnet connection as soon as Option 4 below is started. I have used and can verify that this method works. The entries below are taken from the SR1 manual. In different versions of the software the selection letters may be different.

Remember to disconnect the antenna first!

Option 4, System menu.

Option A, Software upgrade or option B, FPGA image upgrade.

Option 1, TFTP Server IP Address
- enter the IP address of your PC, 192.168.0.10 in the example above.

Option 2, Filename
- enter the file name of the new software, SR1c_v1.05b243.asw in the example above.

Option 4, Start the upload procedure
- you may get a message about erasing and taking 40 seconds
- wait less than a minute.
- on your PC, look for a message about a few hundred blocks being transferred.
- if you are using the Telnet connection, disconnect now!

Option 3, Show installed versions
- you should see the version you have just uploaded listed.
- if you are feeling confident, select your newly uploaded version (1 or 2) as the new active version, and perform a Cold reset (System menu, option 2).

Note that initially as you haven't yet downloaded any new versions, option 3 may not show any versions. This is a little confusing!

But I keep getting timeout messages?

Disconnect the antenna to stop the data flow.

Suppose I don't have a USB connection?

Andrew Brooks notes: It is possible to use Telnet and TFTP to update the receiver. You can initiate the download using Telnet and then immediately disconnect. Wait about a minute and then reconnect after the TFTP download has presumably finished. DJT: your TFTP server may indicate when the transfer has finished. For the version 1.05b250 software it shows 657 blocks transferred.

Suppose I am only using one Ethernet connection?

You should be OK providing that you are connected to the Management port, and not the Traffic port.

Douglas Deans was having problems getting the software update to work. He uses just the one Ethernet connection from the Traffic port to his PC (via an Ethernet-USB adapter), and a USB connection. In spite of trying connecting the Traffic and Management networks (option J), the upgrade still didn't work. Here's an edited version of his notes about how he did, finally, achieve success.

Using PuTTY over the USB connection....
Network menu, option J - set the Isolate Networks back to Isolated.
Network menu, option 4 - set Management IP Multicast to Off.
Network menu, option 1 - change the Management IP Address to one within my router's local subnet.
e.g. If your router is on 192.168.1.1, try an unused address such as 192.168.1.50
Network menu, option 7 - set the Management Default Gateway to the address of the router.
e.g. 192.168.1.1
Connected the Management port to my main router using a second Ethernet cable.
The SR1 software upgraded without a problem using Open TFTP Server.
Removed the second Ethernet cable ready for next time.

It does appear that something requires a router in the path, perhaps to allow the TFTP server on the PC to find the MAC address of the Management port on the SR1, or vice-versa. I'm just guessing here - perhaps someone more versed in the lower-level activities of TFTP might be able to shed some light on this!

Back to the DVB-S2 notes