The Cisco 7940 is one of the phones we developed a process for. Paul, KF5JIM did the legwork and put together a package of files in the zip mentioned in http://www.broadband-hamnet.org/documentation/182-cisco-7940-with-asterisk-raspberry-pi   That package of files contains all of the upgraded boot loaders, firmware and applications you will need to upgrade a old 7940.

Several things appear by way of experience. First, the WRT54x series is sometimes slow to grant a DHCP and to accept a connect request. This can happen when the phone expires it's listen delay before the IP address is granted. You can get past this by using your wired home network (and a faster/later model router) to react a bit quicker.

As a general rule of thumb, you should always upgrade/configure IP phones on a wired only network. The large number of reboots needed and the short time windows for some activities to occur has less issues in a really snappy wired network. Once the phone gets upgraded (a one time forever process) you can use the phone on nearly all SIP networks.

Last, the boot loader, base firmware and application itself all must be compatible. The zip file mentioned above should be unpacked at the root level of the TFTP folder you create. Setting the Asterisk address for the 7940 to the computer IP offering the TFTP files should do it. I have seen these phones boot, change something, reboot, change something else.... as many as 7 times. If something locks up, power down the phone for 10 seconds and then boot it again. The process will continue starting from the last successful step. The nice part about Paul's file set is that it does all the thinking for you. Just point the phone at the TFTP server and boot it.

You should also make sure that your TFTP host has the correct IP listed after you attach it to your wired network. That is likely a different number than the configured Asterisk setup you are using. It is also necessary to withhold the final MAC specific config file until all of the upgrades are complete. Normally, the application will start and the phone will look ready to use after all of the upgrades are done. At this point, move the phone back to you mesh network and place the MAC specific config file in the TFTP folder, pointing that phone to your Asterisk server. Remember to reset the internal server address in the 7940 after you move it and the TFTP server back to your mesh network.

The cool thing about IP phones is that you can mod the config file and telnet into the phone to request a reboot. It gets/loads/changes features based on whatever your new config file said.

Keep the faith. Remember that both the WRT54x series and the Cisco 7940 are pretty long in the tooth. Newer IP phones are better in many regards but the price is right and these phones really work after you get the settings done.

Note to all:  If you are the "IP Phone Guy" for your area, consider doing all of the boot/firmware/app upgrades mentioned above BEFORE you give users the phone to put into service. It is much easier for one person to become very familiar and process an number of them that it is for someone to learn TFTP, IP updating of phones and develop all of the needed changes in the MAC config file.

Getting frustrated. Followed the videos.. Phone won't load. I get the Configuring VLAN, Configuring IP, it flashes a TFTP line, says downgrading application, then says Verifying load, Copying to Bank 1, then starts over. I'm stuck in a loop...

Hi. When trying to install VTun on a newly reflashed WRT54G node, I get:

Installing vtun (2.6-1) to root...

Downloading http://www.broadband-hamnet.org/download/kamikaze/7.09/packages/mipsel/./vtun_2. 6-1_mipsel.ipk

Installing kmod-tun (2.4.34-brcm-1) to root...

Downloading http://www.broadband-hamnet.org/download/kamikaze/7.09/brcm-2.4/packages/./kmod-tun_2.4.34-brcm-1_mipsel.ipk

Installing kernel (2.4.34-brcm-1) to root... Downloading http://www.broadband-hamnet.org/download/kamikaze/7.09/brcm-2.4/packages/./kerne l_2.4.34-brcm-1_mipsel.ipk

Installing liblzo (2.02-1) to root... Downloading http://www.broadband-hamnet.org/download/kamikaze/7.09/packages/mipsel/./liblzo_ 2.02-1_mipsel.ipk Installing libopenssl (0.9.8i-3.2) to root...

Configuring kernel Configuring kmod-tun Configuring liblzo An error ocurred, return value: 28. Collected errors: Only have 324 available blocks on filesystem /jffs/, pkg libopenssl needs 1270

So does this mean that VTun can only be installed on the WRT54GS or an Ubiquiti node?

I bought a new IP camera.  I setup a service on the node it was attached and it is not showing up as a clickable link.  Here are my settings.  Pretty simple and have done it before.

Name = Driveway

Link = checked

http://ipcam1:80 for the URL.

ipcam1 has a reserved address.  All I see it a bullet with ipcam1 next to it.  No service link. I can access the camera through the node using the ip address and port.

I'm missing something.

Kirk N6SXR

Has anyone considered a Banana Pi router model BPi-r1 as a possibility for BBHN? It says it runs OpenWRT as the firmware. It will also run a full blown OS, so I suspect you could use it for BBHN & a whole lot more if done correctly.

I'm open to thoughts or suggestions, if anyone has any on pursuing this, and if it's even worth a look.

Duplicate...

Can't figure out how to delete it.

So, I have about 7 nodes up and running. I am in the Hampden and Gun Club Rd area.

I have one in my Wife's vehicle that powers up when she is driving around.  I have another in my vehicle that was powered 24x7x365, but I need a better solar solution.  It would be okay during the week, but drain the battery during the weekend.

I have a web server running off of a beaglebone black which serves some preparedness documents in PDF form.  This node also advertises internet services.  I also configured a Linksys Wireless access point and connected it to one of my home nodes so I don't have to jack in my laptop every time I want to configure a node or whatever.

I successfully made a .51 mile link from my home to a park west of me.  There is a home right in front of my home, so the link successfully connected through a house, which was really awesome.  I was able to connect to the webserver at my house from a weather proof enclosure that I have the node in my truck.  This half mile link actually used two cheap Yagis from amazon.  I think if I had unobstructed line of sight I could get a lot father away.

I'll post a couple pictures tomorrow.

Hello! Just checking in here.  Our ARES of Douglas & Elbert Counties group (ARESDEC) has had for the last year a handful of mesh islands connected using an internet tunnel.  We've been experimenting off and on with various services that would be beneficial in an ARES context.  Nice to see there are others deploying this tech.

I have a handful of home IoT projects that involve the ESP8266. In most cases they are connecting to a standard wifi network.  I created one prototype that connects to a wifi network behind the mesh, and has a web server running on the ESP8266 chip and serves up temperature/humidity data from an attached DHT11 sensor.

Would be pretty amazing to see one purposed as a hsmm mesh node. RAM should be just enough.  There is also a ESP32 coming out later this year that has similar functionality at double the specs, but probably still <$10 (hope).