Orange Brightbox Firmware needed.

Hi folks,

My stepson has orange broadband, and had a BrightBox router that he was very happy with. When Orange rebranded to EE, they pushed the firmware updates to routers. My own Brightbox updated without issue, however, something didn't quite go to plan with his.

He phoned Orange and got a replacement, and I ended up with his old one.

We thought it was bricked until I got it home and connected it to a laptop via ethernet and entered the admin IP. I was greeted with a page asking me for two firmware files: http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/support/personal/6...

If you take a look, the help page is of no help at all, lol, as it says simply to turn it off and back on again.

I have mailed Orange tech support who say my stepson must contact them. We would do this but I can't see us getting far as he has had a replacement unit, and I would simply like to use it as a range extender at my house.

I have asked the question on the following forum, but it appears that the OP no longer visits: http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t31206.html

I suppose I could get the firmware from my own Brightbox, but I have no access to TTL to serial converters and would rather not risk anything going wrong.

If anyone on here is able to, could I respectfully ask for some help in obtaining these files?

There is instruction on the forum I have linked to, but I dont know if its the bare firmware getting saved, or if any personal information gets saved aswell.

There is very little information on these units, but I really like mine and think its a nice bit of kit, so I'd love to get this one running again.

I'm hoping it won't be long before I can get DD-WRT on it

Thanks.

In reply to a post by RaggedyMan:

If you take a look, the help page is of no help at all, lol, as it says simply to turn it off and back on again.

It says more than that. Did you stick a pin up its backside?

Lol, Yes it had the pin up the backside.

I was hoping there may be a solution as it's not 'Bricked' in the common sense of the word and I like these units.

Seems you have to hold the reset for 8 seconds,

http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/arcadyan/ar7516

http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/support/personal/6...

I have held mine in for a lot longer then that before with out any issues,

Yes i've tried all that. I've tried varying the length of time holding the button in. Lol I have even used my iphone timer just in case its uber critical, lol.

I can't see how it can rectify itself as it isn't even trying to connect to the phone line and I do believe that part of the firmware is corrupt as it happened while being flashed.

I have ordered a USB to TTL unit off eBay to see how it goes. At a cost of £1.35, I'm not too fussed if I still get nowhere.

It sounds like the router is bricked!

I switch off my Orange Brigh Box router overnight every night and when switched on in the morning it automatically updated the firmware to the new EE green firmware.

http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/support/personal/6...

http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t31206.html?

I do hope its not completely stiffed.

I recieved the TTL to USB adapter this morning and made the necessary connections. It informs me thatit has an invalid u-boot image:-

*** Press any key to stop auto run (3 seconds) ***
Auto run second count down: 0
Loading primary image ...
Invalid U-Boot image
web info: Waiting for connection on socket 0.
BrightBox>

We use a brightbox also, so the idea was to save the images from that to inject into the non working one.

After soldering some wire to the pads, I connected it to the laptop and was getting data, I just seem to be unable to get it to the BrightBox prompt to enter any commands.

Any for advice would be very, very much appreciated.

Thanks.

It's a bit beyond me, have you been following instructions from "unlokia" of The scream! It might be worth making a post on there.

4-PIN header pinout (it's called "J3" on the PCB):
================================

[o o o o] "J3"
1 2 3 ^---- unmarked (GROUND)

1: Not connected
2: Tx data (connect to Rx on PC)
3: Rx data (connect to Tx on PC)
(4): [unlabelled] GROUND

http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t31206.html

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=ttl%20to%20usb...

Yes, it was thescream forum that I discovered first.

I am not sure if unlokia is planning on contributing any longer on there as it seems quite a while since there was anything from him.

I get the data through, as per unlokia's information, but the router I am trying to get an image from gives me no prompt. If I hit a key and stop the boot, I am left with only the basic commands, which unfortunately, are no good for my needs.

Its a shame, as I really do hate allowing stuff to go to landfill and when working, these are great routers.

Thanks for all the replies folks. If anyone can add any more info, please feel free as I will monitor these boards.

I very much doubt that anyone here knows the hardware hacks of the BrightBox. It's all well above my head too.

You might try PM'ing glossywhite here. He is the same as 'Unlokia' on Scream, but he hasn't been here for a while either.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

I very much doubt that anyone here knows the hardware hacks of the BrightBox. It's all well above my head too.

You might try PM'ing glossywhite here. He is the same as 'Unlokia' on Scream, but he hasn't been here for a while either.

Thanks for that.

Just to update my progress, a member on thescream explained how to get to the command prompt. I successfully extracted the firmware files and repaired the broken router.

Many thanks for the replies.

Well done!

We'll come to you when we have Brighboxes to fix .

I have three of them - none work. They just kept sending replacements. Have given up with them now, just using my old Belkin router until my contract is up and then will be changing to Plusnet!

In reply to a post by ploddo:

I have three of them - none work. They just kept sending replacements. Have given up with them now, just using my old Belkin router until my contract is up and then will be changing to Plusnet!

Can you explain a little more? That may not be bricked, as I found.

Disconnect from any other networks and plug them in via ethernet.
Go to 192.168.1.1 and see what happens.

The one I have just done told me it needed firmware.

These all have the internet connection light flashing, doesn't go steady however long I leave them. I have tried them on my own line and at a friends house but cannot connect them.

Have you tried Factory Resets on them? Can you get into their Web GUI?

No didn't try reset. Might do when I have more time, maybe someone else can use them then! Cannot get into the web gui either. My contract is up in a month and I will be changing, not just because of the brightboxes but others are cheaper now. Customer service is pretty awful, no constructive help, just another box sent and ages on the phone each time.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by RaggedyMan:

If you take a look, the help page is of no help at all, lol, as it says simply to turn it off and back on again.

It says more than that. Did you stick a pin up its backside?

Hello

I've just posted how to upgrade, cross-grade and downgrade the firmware, which should fix your issue:

http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/freeserve/t/4240613...

In reply to a post by glossywhite:

I've just posted how to upgrade, cross-grade and downgrade the firmware, which should fix your issue:

http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/freeserve/t/4240613...

Many thanks, I have just upgraded my "backup" BrightBox" to the latest EE firmware.
Went without a hitch.

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

In reply to a post by glossywhite:

I've just posted how to upgrade, cross-grade and downgrade the firmware, which should fix your issue:

http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/freeserve/t/4240613...

Many thanks, I have just upgraded my "backup" BrightBox" to the latest EE firmware.
Went without a hitch.

You're most welcome

God bless you.