Howto:How to use gwload

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Gwload is a DOS command line utility that allows you to load boot code, firmware and configuration into any native innovaphone device. It can be used in mass deployments when the update service cannot be used for whatever reason, or to recover devices with bad firmware and/or configuration.

Applies To

This information applies to

  • All native innovaphone devices which are connected to the Ethernet (no IP10, no IP100)
  • Gwload build 04-1912 and later

Note that the gwload function has been removed from the IP112A. It might be removed from future devices too.

More Information

Problem Details

In normal operation, configuration changes, firmware updates and boot code updates are done through the devices web interfaces. However, this requires a working firmware on the device. When for whatever reason the firmware does not start successfully (this may be due to a defect firmware or due to a bad configuration), but the boot code runs, then the device can be recovered using the gwload utility.

When the boot code runs and does not load the firmware but listens to gwload commands, then the device is said to be in tftp mode. There are a few ways to put the device into tftp mode:

  • Do a „long reset“. This will set the configuration back to factory settings and leave the device in tftp mode. A long reset is for at least 15 seconds, depending on the device.
  • Do a „not so long reset“. This will set the device into tftp mode without disturbing the configuration. Press the reset button, keep it pressed and release when you see the status LEDs changing. Note that this will work with newer boot codes only. Pressing reset too short will just reset the device, pressing it too long will reset the configuration to factory settings.
  • Use the tftp command. This can be done via the web browser (type in http://x.x.x.x/!tftp into the address line) or on the telnet command prompt

System Requirements

You will need the latest gwload utility somewhere in your PATH. Since gwload is a DOS utility, you will need to open a cmd (or command) session. To upload boot code or firmware, make sure you change the current directory of your cmd session to where the file is stored you intend to upload.

Since gwload uses IP broadcasts, you need to have the device and your PC in the same Ethernet LAN segment. You may attach the device back to back (using the connect to PC switch setting on the older innovaphone devices) or attach it to the same switch/hub.

Installation

Gwload can load firmware (also known as “protocol”) and boot code in to the devices flash or directly into memory. It can also load a config file into flash.

When the device is in tftp mode, it does not have an IP address. To communicate, gwload will try to locate it using IP broadcasts. If it finds a single device, it will proceed right away, if it finds more devices in tftp mode, it will show a list and ask with which one to proceed. You can find devices using the /find option:

> gwload /find
GWLOAD 1.10 [Flash Utilities ip400/gwload 06-1920]
connect to 255.255.255.255
(1) IP200 found at MAC: 00-90-33-03-26-86    2048k Flash 8192k DRAM

You may restart a device in tftp mode using the /go option:

> gwload /gwtype 200 /find /go
GWLOAD 1.10 [Flash Utilities ip400/gwload 06-1920]
loading IP200
connect to 255.255.255.255
(1) IP200 found at MAC: 00-90-33-03-26-86    2048k Flash 8192k DRAM
Starting

The device will start the firmware and thus return to normal operation. Please note that you (as with many other commands) need to specify the device type using the /gwtype option (it will be called /gwtype even if the device is not a gateway). This is /gwtype 6000 for an IP6000 or /gwtype 230 for an IP230. Note the special case of a newer IP200 (a.k.a. IP200A), here you need to use /gwtype 210.

To upload data to the device, it needs to receive an IP address first. Note that the device does not have an IP address when in tftp mode, even if it has a valid configuration that specifies one. This is because the configuration will be evaluated by the firmware only, which is not (yet) active in tftp mode.

To assign an IP address to the device, use the /setip and /i options. To flash new firmware to the device, use the /prot option:

> gwload /gwtype 200 /prot ip200.bin /i 172.16.1.64 /setip
GWLOAD 1.10 [Flash Utilities ip400/gwload 06-1920]
loading IP200
connect to 172.16.1.64
Loading protocol code to Flash from file ip200.bin

To flash new boot code for V6, use the /boot option:

> gwload /gwtype 200 /boot boot200.bin /i 172.16.1.64 /setip
GWLOAD 1.10 [Flash Utilities ip400/gwload 06-1920]
loading IP200
connect to 172.16.1.64
(1) IP200 found at MAC: 00-90-33-03-0d-f0    2048k Flash 8192k DRAM
Loading bootcode from file boot200.bin

To flash new boot code in V7 and newer versions, use the /dram option and upload the firmware into the dram. Don't use /boot because you get an "Error: boot/altboot file must be 64k bytes". After uploading the firmware into the dram the box is reachable via the webgui and it's possible to upload the bootcode over the known menu:

> gwload /gwtype 302 /dram ip302.bin /i 172.16.1.64 /setip
GWLOAD 1.11 [Flash Utilities tools/gwload 08-1941]
loading IP302
connect to 172.16.1.64
(1) IP302 found at MAC: 00-90-33-1e-0d-d3    8192k Flash 16384k DRAM
Loading protocol code to DRAM from file ip302.bin
extended firmwareheader, len=40

After loading, the device will remain in the tftp mode. To start the firmware, you may reset the device, perform a power cycle, or use the /go option:

> gwload /gwtype 200 /i 172.16.1.64 /setip /go
GWLOAD 1.10 [Flash Utilities ip400/gwload 06-1920]
loading IP200
connect to 172.16.1.64
(1) IP200 found at MAC: 00-90-33-03-0d-f0    2048k Flash 8192k DRAM
Starting

Please note that you should generally perform a power cycle after a boot code update. To activate the new boot code, you must at least reset the device.

Also, you should only perform a boot code upgrade when you are sure it is necessary, as a failed update will leave the device in an unusable state.

To flash a complete configuration file into the device, use the /cfg option:

> gwload /gwtype 200 /cfg complete-IP200-03-0d-f0.txt /i 172.16.1.64
GWLOAD 1.10 [Flash Utilities ip400/gwload 06-1920]
loading IP200
connect to 172.16.1.64
(1) IP200 found at MAC: 00-90-33-03-0d-f0    2048k Flash 8192k DRAM
Loading config file from file complete-IP200-03-0d-f0.txt

This is especially useful for large rollouts with identical configuration files, since this is much quicker than doing it using the web browser. Please note that in this case, the file must not include any lines except those starting with "config change"!

Further options

Gwload features a bunch of other options which are intended for manufacturing personal only.

Some newer options are related to the IP800 only currently. See the related article below.

Where to find gwload

Gwload is part of the firmware release in the tools subfolder of the "V6 apps" package (the tools folder has been moved from the firmware package into the apps package).

Known Problems

The help message printed out by gwload is out of date.

Gwload will not run on older windows98 versions (nor on windows95).


  • "Onload Failed" error while uploading the file. Check if the ip address we use for "setip" it's not being used and it's reachable by the PC (same subnet)
  • You can use the command "/use <mac>" (ex. 00-90-33-xx-xx-xx) instead of /find so the box is found immediately
  • Sometimes gwload does not find a box when there are multiple ethernet adapters installed on the PC. Try to disable those not needed

Related Articles

Howto:Latest innovaphone Firmware Version

How to reset a IPxxx.