Flashing Dreamcatcher with new firmware - 1.0.5 released 2023-05-30

[Syed]

Continuing the discussion from Dreamcatcher $99:
@plato98 @maxboysdad @kenbarbi @Jonvw @hobergenix @BillMc @thexder @PArmstr @alexus @tylerhoot @mallikdev @6lat2012 @iw0hjz

Here are the instructions for updating the firmware on your ESP32-based Dreamcatcher.

1. Connect your Dreamcatcher to your PC with a USB-C data cable.

2. Download the Espressif Flash Download Tool. This tool requires Windows.

3. Download the three files necessary for flashing from Github. Remember the location of these files.

Dreamcatcher/flashing at master · Othernet-Project/Dreamcatcher

4. Start the flashing tool by double-clicking on the application-icon.

5. Select the following parameters for the flashing tool.

6. Uncheck the Lock Setting box.

7. Click the … to navigate to the location of each file. Enter the correct value (such as 0x0) in the following field. Make sure the check boxes to the left of the specified files are checked before you click Start. If you don’t do this then nothing is loaded on the board.

bootloader.bin 0x0
dreamcatcher.bin 0x10000
partition-table.bin 0x8000

8. Change the COM port to the available port in the drop-down list.

9. Click START. After the green box turns blue and shows FINISH, unplug the Dreamcatcher and connect it to your LNB and power supply.

[hobergenix]

Hi Syed

I received my two boards today but only one LNB in the box.
I sent email to Othernet Inc [email protected]

Just flashed one board to V1.03 and your instructions worked fine.
My only problem was having multiple comports in use on the computer
and figuring out which one. That was done thru Device manager and looking
at all com ports in use. Then unplugging the Dreamcatcher and seeing which
com port goes away. Then plugging the board in and seeing which com port
comes up. After Flash I now have

Device Information

Hardware Version:2023.01

Firmware Version:1.0.3

IP Address:192.168.4.1

I have one minor question relating to the BullsEye lnb. Which F connector do
I use. One is labeled white and the other is labeled red.

[Syed]

@hobergenix Sorry about the missing Bullseye. That will get fixed on Monday.

The Bullseye port to use is the green one.

[plato98]

Hobergenix, you want to use the green port.

[hobergenix]

Ok appears white to me but I have it connected and all appears to be working.
I am seeing activity on Memory status. The Free SPIram values are continually
changing and my LNB Status panel shows LNB Connected.

LNB Status
LNB enabledYES

LNB in rangeYES

LNB connectedYES

LNB voltage14.0

FREQ offset 0

Under Receiver setup I show a frequency of 2308100000 for US Sat. Is this correct?

[Syed]

Frequency offset no longer works. You can ignore that. The frequency value is correct, though you might need to find tune it once you are pointed at the satellite. When are you setting up your LNB?

[plato98]

Syed, is there a way to reboot (or reload) the Dreamcatcher through the web interface GUI? After I upgraded the firmware to 1.0.3 (although the version still shows 1.0.0 on the GUI), the WiFi client fails. I can still connect when I use the Dreamcatcher’s AP SSID (othernet).

[Syed]

What do you mean by reload?
I don’t think the new firmware flashed properly. You shouldn’t see the old version number. Can you try again?

[thexder]

Make sure the check boxes to the left of the specified files are checked before you click Start. If you don’t do this then nothing is loaded on the board and you’ll still be on v1.0.0.

[Syed]

Good catch. I just updated the original post.

[plato98]

Thanks for the heads up. I bet that’s what I did wrong. I’ll reflash the board again now.

[plato98]

That did it. I’m on the 1.0.3 firmware now. Thanks again!

[thexder]

You updated step 4 but it really should be a part of step 7

[Syed]

Agreed and changed.

[maxboysdad]

Sorry to be a pest, but I went through the process twice with all new downloaded files both times, but I can’t connect to the AP’s GUI. The computers can see the Othernet AP and connect, even the “properties” tab report the correct URL, but the browsers won’t connect to 192.168.4.2. Here is a shot of my “Finish” from the flash:

Does this look like I did it correctly?

[thexder]

You need to browse to 192.168.4.1 once connected to the Othernet SSID.

[maxboysdad]

@Syed
Hey, that did it! It does show 1.03, so it must be good!

Thank you thexder big time!

And thank you Syed for putting up with us impatient people, and for your tireless efforts to get this thing running!

Jerry

0045 hrs 27-05-2023 So far in the last 45 minutes, I have experienced two “Connection Errors” and have had to restart the gui to get it running again.

[kenbarbi]

Another success story here - -

I’ve got a 64 GB micro SD card installed formatted FAT 32 on my Windows computer - not by the Dreamcatcher (DC). It’s located inside my house on my 500 foot cable with 2 amps connected to the Bullyseye which is mounted on my 80 cm FTA Ku dish. I’m going to let the DC run today to see what it picks up, then investigate connecting it to my Wifi so I can port forward it. Ken

[kenbarbi]

Oh yes - - just to be sure when I connect to my local Wifi. All I need to update is the Wifi Client with the name and password of my Wifi. I leave the APN alone as Othernet.

shown as Wifi Access Point below. Then I proceed to find the DC’s IP on my Wifi router. Ken

[Syed]

What do you mean by connection errors?