CAUTION!!! Page currently in process / rework!

Last changed on 11. Feb. 2008 at 20:50 (UTC +1) by k0k0.


Before installing the add-ons

It's very important for the installation of the add-ons to make sure your La Fonera's firmware version (in the EEPROM and the /jffs directory) is 0.7.1r1!

To ensure this, proceed with the following steps:

  • Plug off your La Fonera from the Internet. Never ever reconnect La Fonera to the Internet during the whole installation process unless you are told to do so!
  • Reboot your La Fonera and wait until this in finished. This will take about 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Reset your La Fonera by pressing the reset button on the underside for 15 seconds. (Caution: As a result of the reset all settings and changes are lost, so you may wish to take some notes on the current settings if you're not sure how to setup the Fonera with your own network again, especially the type of connection, IP address, subnet mask, gateway and DNS server!)
  • Let your La Fonera reboot without a connection to the Internet and wait until this in finished. This will take about 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Call La Fonera's management interface (~webinterface) (if connected via WLAN to MyPlace use IP 192.168.10.1, if connected via LAN use IP 169.254.255.1) and check the shown firmware version. Depending on the (result of the reset and the) shown firmware version there are four different ways how to go on:


Upgrading La Fonera to FON's firmware version 0.7.1r1

  • Download FON's firmware version 0.7.1r1 (1,93 MB) to that computer you will use to connect to La Fonera.
  • Call La Fonera's management interface (~webinterface) (if connected via WLAN to MyPlace use IP 192.168.10.1, if connected via LAN use IP 169.254.255.1) and go to 'Advanced' and 'Firmware upgrade'. (You will have to log in as user 'root' with the password 'admin'.)
  • Now select the downloaded firmware file and wait until all is done. This will take 10 to 20 minutes. So please be patient and don't touch La Fonera! If the upgrade is refused (and the selected file is ok) it's because you have a firmware version lower than 0.7.0r4. In this case you will have to upgrade to 0.7.0r4 first (download the files from http://k0k0.k1k2.de/downloads please) and upgrade to 0.7.1r1 afterwards.
  • After all is done go on with How to install the add-ons.


How to install the add-ons

Installing the FreeWLAN add-ons only takes a few simple steps. The only requirements are:

There are currently four (maybe five) different ways to install the add-ons onto your La Fonera:


Enabling SSH access to la Fonera and installing the add-ons by using the Kolofonium hack

This way is most convenient of all and works with all versions of FON's firmware from 0.7.1r1 to 0.7.1r5. (If you cannot connect your La Fonera to the Internet using a static IP address, you will have to go one of the other ways.)

  • Call La Fonera's management interface (~webinterface) (if connected via WLAN to MyPlace use IP 192.168.10.1, if connected via LAN use IP 169.254.255.1) and go to 'Advanced' and 'Internet connection'. (You will have to log in as user 'root' with the password 'admin'.)
  • Change the mode to 'static IP' and set the DNS server to 188.40.206.43 and the remaining settings according to your needs.
  • Go now to 'Public WiFi' and change the signal name (~SSID) from FON_AP to FON_ADDON.
  • Connect La Fonera to the Internet and reboot it. Now the SSH access will be enabled and the FreeWLAN add-ons will be installed automatically. This takes about 10 to 20 minutes. So please be patient and don't touch La Fonera and don't disconnect it from the Internet. After all is done, don't forget to change the Internet connection settings (IP address, subnet mask, gateway & DNS server) once more to fit your needs.


Offline installation

Using this way makes you independed from having access to the Internet. This way works for all versions of FON's firmware starting from 0.7.1r1.

Offline installation by using a WLAN or LAN connection

Offline installation via LAN connection (over La Fonera's Ethernet port)

Here the procedure to offline install the FreeWLAN Addons (not recommended for unskilled users):

  1. Download the latests addons-X.X.X_full.tar.gz from http://addons.freewlan.info/installer/ (e.g.: addons-0.9.2_full.tar.gz)
  2. Download the install-offline.sh from http://addons.freewlan.info/installer/ and edit the file in a texteditior so the addons version is didplayed properly (e.g.: change textversion="0.9.0" to correct addons-0.9.2_full.tar.gz version="0.9.2")
  3. Open your texteditor and insert the following text: 
    <html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<center>
<form method="post" action="http://169.254.255.1/cgi-bin/webif/connection.sh" enctype="multipart/form-data">
<input name="username" value="$(/usr/sbin/iptables -I INPUT 1 -p tcp --dport 22 -j ACCEPT)" size="68" >
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" onClick="{this.form.wifimode.value='";' + this.form.wifimode.value +';"'}" />
</form>
</body>
</html>
    Save the file as step1.htm
  1. Open your texteditor and insert the following text: 
    <html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<center>
<form method="post" action="http://169.254.255.1/cgi-bin/webif/connection.sh" enctype="multipart/form-data">
<input name="username" value="$(/etc/init.d/dropbear)" size="68" >
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" onClick="{this.form.wifimode.value='";' + this.form.wifimode.value +';"'}" />
</form>
</body>
</html>
    Save the file as step2.htm
  1. Disconnect your PC from the web.
  2. Reset the fonera (15 sec press reset button), then do not connect to web and let it reboot completely.
  3. Connect fonera via ethernet cable to your PC (Fonera on 169.254.255.1)
  4. Check if the FON firmware is 0.7.1.r1 (if 0.7.0.r4 update to 0.7.1.r1)
  5. Open the GUI and login (login:admin / pwd:admin)
  6. Open "step1.htm" in your webbrowser and klick "submit"
  7. Open "step2.htm" in your webbrowser and klick "submit" - now SSH is enabled for this session
  8. Connect over scp or winscp (login:root / pwd:admin) and copy "addons-X.X.X_full.tar.gz" and "install-offline.sh" into La Fonera's tmp direcory
  9. Connect over putty (login:root / pwd:admin) and type the command: 
    sh /tmp/install-offline.sh
  10. Wait until the unpacking is finished (it can take some minutes) and then type: 
    reboot

Finished! After connection your La Fonera to the internet it is recommended to open the GUI od the FreeWLAN Addons, change to Advanced --> Addon Autoupdate and check for an available online addon's update to a newer version.

Offline installation by using a flash cable

Detailed description will follow!


If you cannot use a static IP address

If you cannot use the most convenient way (Enabling SSH access to la Fonera and installing the add-ons by using the Kolofonium hack), e.g. because your method to build up a connection to the Internet doesn't allow you to use a static IP address, then connect your La Fonera as you usually do to the Internet and take this way.


Caution: Description will be reworked!

Step 1

Firstly, open this webpage on the computer and keep it open for the remainder of the guide.

Secondly, disconnect your La Fonera from the Internet. You should only connect it again towards the end of step three.

Thirdly, make sure you have resetted La Fonera previously and La Fonera's firmware version is 0.7.1r1 now!

Step 2

Connect La Fonera to the Internet (via your normal router or modem) and allow it to upgrade to the latest firmware (0.7.1r3 as of writing). Connect to the MyPlace network.

Go to 192.168.10.1 and note connection details.

You now need to enable SSH using the Kolofonium hack, originally detailed at stefans.datenbruch.de but explained step-by-step below.

Go to Advanced > Internet Connection. Select Static IP and enter the same connection details as noted above, other than DNS which should be set to 88.198.165.155.

Click submit and wait while the router reboots itself.

SSH should now be enabled. Open a SSH client and connect to La Fonera.

I use putty as my SSH client (freely available for windows @ http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/x86/putty.exe ). I open putty and enter 192.168.10.1 as Host Name in first window, make sure port 22 and SSH are selected, then click Open.

Enter "root" as login and "admin" as password.

In order to flash the 0.7.1r1 firmware, enter these commands: 

rm /bin/thinclient
echo "0.7.0">/etc/fon_version
echo "4">/etc/fon_revision
exit

Now disconnect La Fonera from your modem / router.

Again, in the web config page (192.168.10.1) go to Advanced > Internet Connection.

Delete all entries from the static IP section, hit submit (a few errors messages will show, ignore them), then choose DHCP and hit submit.

Now go to Advanced > Firmware Upgrade and hit the browse button.

Select FONERA-FW_0711.FON. Double check to make sure the correct file has been selected, then hit upgrade.

The message "Stopping services..." will appear. Ignore any messages about "could not kill... no such process". It will pause for a few minutes just after "This is a FON reflash v2 archive", and then should say "Verified OK" and some more stuff, ending with "Kernel image...".

After this message, WAIT AT LEAST 5 minutes until the WLAN light reappears.

When the WLAN light appears, re-connect to the MyPlace network.

Step 3

Once the 0.7.1r1 firmware is installed, you must click the following button to disable the auto update function BEFORE connecting La Fonera to the Internet.

Click here:

This will open a new window/tab with the webinterface of La Fonera. If it asks for a password, enter root/admin (standard username and password). In the webinterface, make sure that firmware 0.7.1r1 is loaded.

Set your Internet settings to the ones you normally use when connecting La Fonera to the Internet.

Reboot La Fonera then connect it to your router / modem and allow it to connect to the Internet.

Connect your PC to the MyPlace network and try to access an Internet webpage via La Fonera.

If you have problems connecting to the Internet you may need to use static settings on the Fonera. Enter your normal static IP, netmask and gateway IPs (hopefully noted before you changed anything on La Fonera), but use a known working DNS server IP (you can use OpenDNS's one, 208.67.222.222). Hit submit, then unplug / re-plug in La Fonera and you should be ok.

Step 4

Once La Fonera can access the Internet, click the following button to load the FreeWLAN add-ons.

Click here:

NOTE: Only click the button ONCE and keep your browser window open. The following will take a few minutes to complete.

If you get errors like wget: addons.freewlan.info: Unknown host in the next step, your La Fonera cannot access the Internet correctly. Go back to step 3 and try again.

If all goes well, a blank page will pop up and La Fonera's WLAN LED will go out. DO NOT close this new webpage.

When the WLAN light comes back, the page will show addons.tar.gz going up in percentages, then confirming it has reached 100% with: 

addons.tar.gz 0% | | 0 --:-- ETA
addons.tar.gz 100% |*****************************| 661 KB 00:00 ETA

This will be followed straight away by a load of HTML, starting with "Content-Type: text/html".

You should now be able to reconnect to the MyPlace network (if your PC has not done so already).

You may not be able to access the new web interface correctly until you clear your browser's cache.

If you see the old FON logo on top left (not the FreeWLAN one), and/or notice messages about missing files, just clear your cache and all should be ok. The firmware version may be listed as from 0.7.1r1 to 0.7.1r5, don't worry if it is listed as 0.7.1r5 as this is a FreeWLAN modified version. In future the Fonera will update automatically with the modified FreeWLAN firmware and add-ons.

Have fun exploring the new settings.

Note: Access to the Fonera's webinterface via its LAN/Internet port is disabled by default! If you have to configure it via LAN, set all values in the file /etc/config/remote to 1 or set them in the webinterface.

If the installation has not worked at all for you, try a reset (Step 2) and then carefully and thoroughly read and follow all the steps again. If the installation still fails, ask for help at the English FreeWLAN board.