iMX233-OLinuXino-MINI-wifi + MOD-USB3G stability issues

[palinf]

Hi,

I managed to make the following work:
iMX233-OLinuXino-MINI-WiFi + USB-CAP + MOD-USB3G
with the latest release of archlinux for arm (http://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv5/olinuxino)

I faced the following stability problems:
Consumption peaks during initialization AND/OR running
-> this has been solved by adding a 3300uF capacitor on top of the already existing USB-CAP capacitors.
-> using a two meter long cable also does the trick.

Is there any side effect to use a 3300uF on top of the original 2 * 1000uF of USB-CAP ?

Regards,

[iafo1]

Hi!

Check this for the OS (archlinux):

http://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv5/olinuxino

(nevermind if it is for imx233 maxi, it is compatible)

this for the wifi:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Netctl

(please let me know if it works well, I used it 1 year ago and it was perfect but after the last upgrades of archlinux I have a lot of problems. Check here: https://www.olimex.com/forum/index.php?topic=4881.0 )

check this for 3G:

http://www.jann.cc/2012/12/16/olinuxino_micro_usb_3g_modem_web_control.html

Greetings,

[palinf]

Thanks for the info. In the meantime I was editing my post.
I managed to establish network connection. But I was facing strong stability problems with the material I bought from Olimex.
Now, some are solved, but there are still instability problems I cannot figure out if this is pure hardware related.
- The strongest one I am facing is: At some point the modem does not respond anymore to AT command (after several successful connections)
It is difficult to reproduce so it will take time for me to have clear information.

When it happened I tried the following sequence:

Code Select Expand

rmmod option && rmmod usb_wwan
modprobe usb_wwan && modprobe option
wvdial
#without success: the modem is not able to establish anymore a connection.

Does anyone has a clue what would be a good "reset" sequence for the modem ?

I would try the following next time it happens as a workaround:
1) reset the box
or 2) try to switchoff the usb line (the same sequence which is done when the main power line is unplugged).

Does anyone have an idea how to reproduce the switchoff sequence ?

Kind regards,

[lambda]

Does anyone have an idea how to reproduce the switchoff sequence ?

I only use iMX233 Boards with mainline kernel, so I can't be of much
help here. However the regulator supplying the USB bus is controlled
by some GPIO (IIRC 17) - so switching this GPIO off and on again would
reset the entire USB subsystem the hard way I think.

BTW: What are you trying to do? If this is a headless system running
unattended, then maybe switching to mainline kernel (eg OpenWRT images)
might be worth trying.

HTH,
Harald

[palinf]

Thanks lambda, very useful information.

The goal is indeed an unattended headless system.

What did you use as a source of information for USB bus control ? I was struggling to find a way to start digging (I tried iMX233-OLINUXINO-MINI.pdf but maybe I did not notice it)

I will definitively be very happy to use OpenWRT but:
- https://www.olimex.com/wiki/IMX233 tells it is an Un-official image. So I thought it would be better to go for arch.
I will give it a try. Would https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/olimex/imx233-olinuxino be a good start ?

Thanks,

[lambda]

What did you use as a source of information for USB bus control ? I was struggling to find a way to start digging (I tried iMX233-OLINUXINO-MINI.pdf but maybe I did not notice it)

I don't remember. Probably just reading the devicetree source or just picking up information from the live system...

If you still need to debug this after switching to mainline, probably you will end up messing around with devicetree too ...

I will definitively be very happy to use OpenWRT but:
- https://www.olimex.com/wiki/IMX233 tells it is an Un-official image. So I thought it would be better to go for arch.
I will give it a try.

I guess "official" mostly means that it uses the kernel from the Freescale BSP, which supports all the HW but is hopelessly outdated. Those drivers not merged mainline yet, probably aren't of good quality anyway, but people needing TVout, etc. have no other choice.

I think a number of people on this forum are doing a good job at fixing any kernel bugs that are reported here. So using mainline if possible is what I recommend.

Would https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/olimex/imx233-olinuxino be a good start ?

Looks like this is a bit outdated, but the basics seem correct. Basically it is download uboot, kernel and rootfs from http://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/trunk/mxs/generic/ and prepare a SD-card like described in the wiki page. Actually you can change the partition layout as long as you tell u-boot where to find the kernel and the rootfs afterwards on the serial console. (I put the kernel into /boot instead of it's own partition for instance.)

HTH,
Harald

[iafo1]

I am trying to install openwrt but few things are not clear.
I am following these instructions to prepare the sdcard:

https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/olimex/imx233-olinuxino#serial_for_imx-233-maxi

and it seems there 2 options:

1) Installation process for sbImage
2) Installation process for U-boot

which should I follow?
plus it doesn't mention where to download the files and I assumed the link is this:

http://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/trunk/mxs/generic/

but for the first option the file:
openwrt-imx23-sbImage
is missing. What should I use?

for the second option this file is missing:
bin/mxs/imx23-olinuxino.dtb

where should I find it?

Thank you!

[JohnS]

google will find you both the dtb and how to create it.  I searched on just its name and got both.

Perhaps you could contact the appropriate person/people for OpenWRT to let them know this file isn't there / needs help with how to create?

John

[iafo1]

I found and tried these files here:

http://filez.zoobab.com/openwrt/imx233/openwrt/bin/imx23/

but are very old and outdated. Indeed I wasn't able to update/upgrade the system or to install simple programs such nano or rsync.
Plus I was refering to the suggestion of lambda

Basically it is download uboot, kernel and rootfs from  http://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/trunk/mxs/generic/ and prepare a SD-card like described in the wiki page.

I understand my question may be very naive, but for whom is not IT engeneering as me, it is turning to be very difficult to make these boards to work since with archlinux I have the issue with wifi I was asking in my topic.

https://www.olimex.com/forum/index.php?topic=4881.0

I am wondering why it seems that I am the only one who has this issue!?
Thank you

[JohnS]

imx233 is quite old so maybe few still use them and even fewer want updated Linux?

John

[lambda]

Hi,

sorry if my instructions have been to short to be useful.

If you have issues installing openwrt, feel free to ask here in the forum.
(As I already mentioned, the wikipage is somewhat out of date. However if
somebody could update it, that would be great.)

I think OpenWrt/mxs switched to u-boot, so that's what you would use. At
least that's what I'm using.

imx23-olinuxino.dtb should be contained in the rootfs in /boot/ - I don't
remember the default configuration of u-boot, but hopefully this just works.
(Wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't, but that would be a bug that should
get reported to OpenWrt.)

HTH,
Harald

[iafo1]

imx233 is quite old so maybe few still use them and even fewer want updated Linux?

John

In this case Olimex should consider to not sell it anymore? Do you suggest something more new that runs Linux with wifi, uext mod, USB and has very "small and minimal" compatible board (like imx233 nano)?
Indeed I think it is very usefull the possibility to prepare the SDcard working with the imx233 maxi and then move it to imx233 mini or nano board.

Thank you lambda, I'll try asap!

[JohnS]

Anyone who already uses them and wants more would be denied them if Olimex did as you say - which would be very bad.

That does not mean people should adopt them in new designs.  That needs proper informed thought.  It's up to the potential buyer to inform themselves, as with any purchase.

John