So, an evening with a lot of cursing about animation tools, Photoshop and video formats later, here's a complete replacement for the boot animation. I hope you like it.

(It runs a bit faster on the device itself, also it remains on the last frame of the animation and does not loop.)

How to install:

1) Backup the original lcd image:

# dd if=/dev/mtd8 of=/tmp/easybox904xdsl_lcdimage_backup.bin

and transfer it off your Easybox

2) Download easybox904xdsl_lcdimage.bin and transfer it to the Easybox, I would suggest to /tmp

3) Verify the integrity of the file:

# md5sum easybox904xdsl_lcdimage.bin

It should read:

9effc4dd7c210fcb8a4b28ebfe1489f8  easybox904xdsl_lcdimage.bin

(If it doesn't, please re-download the image file, I might have changed something in between.)

4) Flash the image file:

# mtd write easybox904xdsl_lcdimage.bin lcdimage

6) Reboot and rejoice you don't have to see a horrible zoom animation of the Vodafone logo anymore.

The binary also contains the images with instructions for the "Rescue Process", and for good measure I replaced them too with my own versions, so we are completely free to distribute this.

Disclaimer: I don't know if this would work with an Easybox 904 LTE, but I assume so. Try at your own risk. I can't imagine that the box would deny booting if the LCD boot logo is broken, but I have no way of knowing that for sure.

P.S.: May I ask you to not quote but only reply to this post, so I can change it in the future if needed. Thank you.

Update 2017-08-27: Of course I made a typo in the most stupidest of places (the IP address of the TFTP server). Corrected and new version uploaded, MD5 adjusted.

(Last edited by metai on 27 Aug 2017, 19:52)

@manni
It is very interresting that the EB904xdsl OEMopened have no SMP but VMMC.
So higher rates of VDSL should be possible without SMP.
In the other hand the datasheet of the EB-904xdsl says only 50Mbit/s VDSL speed.
And i get min 60-70 Mbit/s with several VPNs, other networks and Asterisk (i do not connect de Webif or ssh when makes a measuring).
How dit it work on the FB 7360 / 7490 this will be interresting.

You can try to extract the FB 7360 or 7490 firmware by using freetz.
You must start to build your own freetz image. On the buildprocess you get very special unsquashfs tools to extract the Original FW.

for more info about your VDSL-FW you can run:

vdsl_cpe_control --console

and help for help and

DSL_CPE#> vig

says with Firmware you have.
My FW at the moment is the Openwrt patched from a to b:

nReturn=0 DSL_DriverVersionApi=4.17.18.6 DSL_ChipSetFWVersion=5.7.9.9.0.6 DSL_ChipSetHWVersion=Unknown DSL_ChipSetType=Lantiq-VRX200 DSL_DriverVersionMeiBsp=1.5.17.6 nHybrid=3

did you have Vectoring support ?
you can see it via:

DSL_CPE#> dsmsg

again and again or only once ?
Your SNR is a littlebit low it can be the reason possible.

Using google translate I have read everything here written and concluded that there is a LEDE firmware with which this router is fully operational for my needs.
The problem is that I do not know how to do it because I'm lost in translation.
My question is:
Does the easybox 904 xdsl can with Lede firmware:
- connect via the internet port adsl2 + anex a and with pppoe vpi 8, vci 35
- has internet on lan 1.2 and 3
- function in lan 4 in bridge mode with vpi 8 vci 40 for iptv box
-  has wi-fi connection
If this is possible, I would kindly ask your help in how to do it. I put firmware from Post 318 into router and I do not know how to continue.
Thanks for all your help.

Preface: This post is to give you an answer, not a solution.

Being sold (or rather, provided) in Annex B land, I am not sure if the Easybox can deal with Annex A. Either it works with just a configuration change, or it doesn't work at all due to hardware (line filter) limitations. I don't know if anyone tried that yet.

That should be possible with just creating a separate VLAN for the 4th LAN port and bridging it to the modem interface. Information is very sparse and I don't have any personal experience with that. I am sure it would warrant opening a new topic just for this specific task, especially since it's not strictly related to the Easybox.

And, yes, Wifi works fine. Personally I didn't have any luck moving it to another channel, but this may be my own stupidity.

I am afraid that currently there is no better answer than "you need to try it out". Device support has made a huge deal of progress, mostly thanks to QAuge's efforts, but in the end still needs to be considered "experimental".

(Last edited by metai on 29 Aug 2017, 14:28)

I tried that, it won't load Annex A firmware. Filter can be skipped (as I did on Easybox 803), but this means that there are some config resistors, etc on board.

Yo kitor,

since I don't have any other means of contacting you, I will ask here and delete this post again it once we have a better way of communicating:

I have a BT Home Hub 5a that desperately needs its Annex A filters "skipped" (it loads firmware for Annex B, but seems unable to connect the line). You seem to have some experience with the process, do you mind telling me what is necessary to identify and, I presume, bridge on the board?

If you are willing to continue this by mail, I can be reached at metai`at`gmx.de

(Last edited by metai on 29 Aug 2017, 14:34)

Last time I see a big interest to phone part. I created picture, that describes how phone line routed inside Easybox.
Unfortunately didn't find yet GPIOs to control relays.

(Last edited by kovz on 30 Aug 2017, 18:56)

Hi!

Short message....
I changed to musl build to support the official repositories - But this is the only change for now.
When I have some spare time, I would create an "light" image.
I have created a script, which pulls latest trunk version, applies all changes (via git rebase) and creates an image which is uploaded to a special folder:
Snapshots

From there you can download the newest image.

(Last edited by QAuge on 2 Sep 2017, 09:31)

Thanks for the tips! But still no success What I did:
- connect with serial
- flash uboot without password to NAND
- boot into TFTP recovery and transfer the original Vodafone image

Before the EB shows up a red error-screen, now it simply hangs inside a bootloop and the uboot-output says it crashes when loading the kernel.

uboot output is "can't get kernel image"

(Last edited by biomajuss on 8 Sep 2017, 18:51)

Is anex A not working on this router?

Should work in theory. At least filters are on board. Currently I'm working on relay control problem, which is prerequisite for all annex(A, B, I, J, L, M) support.
In fact, DSL should work independently from relay configuration(except main one, which  switch port to eth or dsl), but low-band services are dependent from correct filters.

(Last edited by kovz on 8 Sep 2017, 08:57)

I am a noob on git, but i have do it (but do not ask me how).
And it works on the LEDE master branch only.
Some files are not from Author Quallenauge ?
I have copy the target/linux/generic/files/drivers/net/phy per hand.
and put the working result here: eb904x-patches.tar.gz

when building via make menuconfig:
- of cource choice first: 
Target System (Lantiq)  --->
Subtarget (XRX200)  --->
Target Profile (VGV952CJW33-E-IR - Lantiq Easybox 904)  --->
- Usefull changes
Global build settings  --->  / [ * ] Select all target specific packages by default
[ * ] Build the LEDE Image Builder
[ * ] Build the LEDE SDK
- Important change needed for /etc/init.d/rt3883:
Global build settings / Kernel build options  ---> / [ * ] /dev/mem virtual device support
and
Base system  ---> / <*> busybox.... Core utilities for embedded Linux  ---> / [ * ]   Customize busybox options / Miscellaneous Utilities  ---> / [ * ] /dev/mem virtual device support
- Important change for building the fbtft package:
Kernel modules / Video Support  ---> / < > kmod-fbcon... Framebuffer Console support
and
Global build settings  ---> / [ * ] Show packages that require graphics support (local or remote)
- Usefull changes for updating your device in future (nandwrite, etc):
Utilities  ---> / <*> nand-utils...................... Utilities for nand flash read/write/test
- Usefull changes because squashfs will not need
Target Images  ---> / [ ] squashfs  ----

I put a fix and the adding of serpdisplib patches for easybox904-lede-feeds repo inside to.
But the fbtft package (display driver for 904x) must be build with the lede-source. In other cases some module.ko files missed.

#####################################################
edit: 17.11.2017

The old patches will not work. The new is here: eb904x-patch.tar.gz
sha256 = 7c179c0eec1f96067d09cd2fc7e347cc718155be447e0a63499624e20c2db5b2

(Last edited by Plonk34 on 17 Nov 2017, 02:09)

The combination of these 2 switches are very exhausting,
I want a tagged VLAN 100 like:

config switch_vlan                        
        option device 'switch0'            
        option vlan '8'                
        option ports '0t 6t'

config switch_vlan                         
        option device 'switch1'
        option vlan '8'
        option vid '100'              
        option ports '1t 2t 3t 6t'

config interface 'v100lan'
        option type 'bridge'
        option proto 'static'
        option ipaddr '172.18.5.1'
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'
        option ip6assign '60'
        list ifname 'eth0.100'
        

all my trys wont work.

The only think was worked are:

config switch_vlan                        
        option device 'switch0'            
        option vlan '8'    
        option vid '8'                   
        option fid '8'                    
        option ports '0t 6t'

config switch_vlan                         
        option device 'switch1'
        option vlan '8'
        option vid '8'              
        option ports '1t 2t 3t 6t'

config interface 'v100lan'
        option type 'bridge'
        option proto 'static'
        option ipaddr '172.18.5.1'
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'
        option ip6assign '60'
        list ifname 'eth0.8'
        

and the same with all num =15 but not with all num =99

But i want to have a tagged VLAN 8 with the VID 100

can everybody help ?

Is this normal that not a single binary from repository works?

???

What did it mean exatly ?

root@easybox:~# opkg install htop
Installing htop (2.0.2-1) to root...
Downloading http://downloads.lede-project.org/snapshots/packages/mips_24kc/packages/htop_2.0.2-1_mips_24kc.ipk
Configuring htop.
root@easybox:~# htop
-ash: htop: not found
root@easybox:~# cd /usr/bin
root@easybox:/usr/bin# ls -lah htop
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     root       90.9K Oct 23 17:20 htop
root@easybox:/usr/bin# ./htop
-ash: ./htop: not found

Same for every single package from repository. I'm using last image provided by Quage - LEDE Reboot SNAPSHOT r4540-3d457764e2 / LuCI Master (git-17.165.70928-dd6cb31)

Static binaries from eg https://github.com/darkerego/mips-binaries works...

(Last edited by kitor on 23 Oct 2017, 22:17)

Only thinking i was read that the libc was changed on LEDE (i thing i was read but not shure musl 1.1.17 or so)
which libc do you use ?

@kitor: Which version do you use? (See Snapshots for list)
Latest builds are using musl - libc implementation, which is compatible to the upstream package repositories of lede.

I would like to hide my easybox package source from the compiled image as there is no (private) webserver available for this and only using it for image compile time. Any ideas how to do that?

> Which version do you use? (See Snapshots for list)
Much older than listed here I'll need to upgrade.

Have anybody tried Quallcom Fast Path NAT on this device? I have symmetric 100mbit connection now and cpu can barely handle it (on single core at least).

[edit]
I upgraded to 10-26 image and I can't get wireless working, they are no wl000/010 interfaces. /etc/init.d/rt3883 is missing, there was no luci, etc. Is that how it's supposed to be?

[edit2] 10-26 image was only 7 megabytes, now installing 10-30, we will see
[e3] yup, 10-26 image seems to be broken, everything's back.

(Last edited by kitor on 30 Oct 2017, 18:41)

Sorry, I accidentally created a very lightweight image, by using a corrupt config
As you noted, the 10-30 image is working again. Thanks for your patience!!

Thank you for all your work on this. I am so looking forward to trying these new builds, with every intention of making the 904 xdsl my primary router. Especially after two months in Japan, where the internet is fast but affordable OpenWrt/LEDE machines are nigh impossible to come by.

What do you think are the chances of getting the Easybox 904 as officially recognized targets into the OpenWrt/LEDE tree, what work is there left to do?

(Last edited by metai on 5 Nov 2017, 15:00)

Hi metai!

Without the team (e.g. lede, kovz kitor, plonk, arny and the others) it wouldn't possible to get to the current state. Thanks from my side

Regards the upstreaming the project. I think the hurdles are high. This device is so much different to the other routers, e.g.

• two switches connected together

• display

• touch pad

• firmware build process is heavily adapted

• wlan which is used by (deprecated) iwpriv subsystem

• bad block management, which differs from upstream, see this commit  VGV952CJW33: Add bad block table implementation.

• MDIO controlled switch (realtek) where patches available (provided by 13hakta) , but not included in upstream lede

To get this one included these patches must adapted (we are not the only device ) to work with the existing targets.
This may cause much (needed!) discussion which on the other side is very time consuming.
This is much work for an single device...I have some doubts that the lede team is willing to do that. And from my side, to be honest, the motivation is low :-(

So I try to update/adapt this own version from time to time. At least this version is very up to date and should work some years with updated app packages from upstream. And with the next kernel 4.14 rumors are there that this will be the next stable kernel.

And thanks from me too to everyone else.

I'm back in my place after a two months absence, and I try to tackle some superficial things very soon, and I have something nice in mind for the display. Have you tried the modified startup animation, by the way?

I see. I'm perfectly fine with a custom build though, it was just out of curiosity. As long as we can use the official package repository, I'm fine.

Just a quick question though (and I haven't tried one of your recent builds yet): Would you be willing to provide a "bare bones" build, without all the pre-packaged ... packages in your older builds? Something that resembles a "clean install" for other (officially supported) routers? I seem to remember you included a lot of things that not everybody would want to initially install. (I'm also speaking for myself here.)

(Last edited by metai on 16 Nov 2017, 07:17)

@ metai
Theoretikly i have patches that could submit see post 387
But i think it will not accepted for the the reasons that QAuge sayed.
Now i have separate in:
addSupportFor-Easybox904x-allNewFiles.git.patch = that contain all new Files.
addSupportFor-Easybox904x-allModifiedFiles.git.patch = which contain modifieds only

I have no idea which kind will accept but addSupportFor-Easybox904x-allNewFiles.git.patch do not changes on other devices.
But the addSupportFor-Easybox904x-allModifiedFiles.git.patch do some changes on other devices
I see the biggest problem on kernelconfig changes: target/linux/lantiq/config-4.9
and changes on target/linux/generic/files/drivers/net/phy/<some rtl8367 files>

How can i use the display and touchpad ?
I remember in past, i have install an image which uses the display for showing some parameters.
Have everybody an working example for it ?
(i best case are very simple example like hello World)