Instructions for updating i-Telex boards through the Ethernet board.

1 Preliminary remarks

Almost nothing can go wrong! A little bit of skill is required... Only the Ethernet network board can reprogram other cards (with "simple" processors).
The Ethernet board itself must still be updated via the serial interface. The firmware is downloaded from the website during the update. If you want to update a "special version" with the method described here, you need an http server on which the "special version" is stored.
All stable standard versions (Stab) and also Beta test versions are stored on the file server.

2 Programming cable

The most complex part is the making of a programming cable. This programming cable must have a 10-pin female post connector at both ends, but not connected 1:1, but according to the following diagram:

                                                               

                                                        1-1, 2-4, 3-7, 4-2, 5-5, 6-6, 7-3, 8-8, 9-9, 10-10

This sequence looks confusing, but has the background that a connector is used on the Ethernet card, which actually has a different function.

The cable can easily be made with normal 10-pin ribbon cable (about 50 cm long) and 10-pin crimped post sockets by swapping wires 2 and 4 at one end and wires 3 and 7 at the other end. This looks like this:

                                     

                                                                               
This cable is electrically symmetrical, i.e. it does not matter which end is plugged into which side.

3 Programming procedure

1. Plug one end of the programming cable into the "Debug" header of the Ethernet board

                     

2. Insert the other end into the programming socket of the board to be programmed (target board) This can be connected to the bus or supplied      with power via the programming cable. The connection may be made under voltage. (Hot Plug).

                    

3. The Ethernet board must be in operation and connected to the Internet.

4. open the following page in a browser: 192.168.111.222/isp.cgi . Replace 192.168.111.222 with the local IP address of the Ethernet board.

5. Enter the configuration password if necessary.

6. In the "Path to server for binaries" box, specify the address where the binary files are stored. do not put https:// in front!

 

Attention:           these addresses and files are personalized , the "original" Versions are on: www.telexupdate.de/beta_binaries          or          www.telexupdate.de/stab_binaries

   For the stable versions, this is currently i-telex.international/stab
   Beta versions will be available at i-telex.international/beta.
   Alpha versions will be available at i-telex.international/alpha.  
   If the programming process is successful, these addresses are saved.

             

7. leave the field "What to program" empty (for special applications see below 13.)

8. now click the "Start programming" button During the programming procedure:

a. An identification of the existing software of the connected target board is read out.

b. A file of the same name with the extension .txt is downloaded from the "update server" and the correct hardware ID of the chip on the target board is checked and a basic setting is made (so-called fuses).
 
c. A file with the same name and the extension .bin is downloaded from the "update server" and programmed on the target board As long as one of the LEDs on the Ethernet card is lit or flashing, the programming process is still running.

10. if at an early stage something is not working correctly, an error message appears, e.g.

a. "ISP program enable failed. Check connection to target board": Cable not connected correctly.

b. "No identification on connected target found. Select program manually": The chip on the target board is new or does not contain a valid identifier. 

c. "Download xxx.txt socket open failed code -1": Probably a wrong path to the "update server" was specified.

d. "Download xxx.txt fileserver error code 404": Probably a wrong path to the "update server" was specified or a file matching the identification is not saved on the server.

11. if a message with the final sentence "Click here after all LED on i-Telex board went off again." the programming process was started, i.e. an identifier on the chip of the target board was detected and the relevant files are also available on the server. After all LEDs on the Ethernet card have gone off (between 30 seconds and 2 minutes) "Click here" should be clicked, then the programming menu appears again, supplemented by the result of the last programming process:

a. "Success: XXX bytes written to flash, no failures: Programming successfully completed.

b. "Failed: XXX nominal size, YYY bytes written to flash, ZZZ failed: Unfortunately something went wrong. Try again.

c. "Signature mismatch: byte X is Y should be Z": The connected chip does not have the correct type. If this message starts with "Warning", this is not critical (e.g. Mega168P instead of Mega168)

12. for boards with two interfaces, both modules must be updated one after the other! For a further programming procedure, connect another target board or the other "half of the board" (may be done under voltage) and again "Start programming" (Step 8)

13. Programming new chips or repairing defective programming

When the message "No identification on connected target found. Select program manually" the software to be programmed must be selected manually. To do this, enter the correct identification of the software to be programmed in the input field "What to program".
Details are available on the homepage under Home > Alpha, Beta or Stab tab.. This option can also be used to program brand new chips. 

         






                                                The original Manual was provided by Fred Sonnenrein in German language.