[BPI-R4 PRO] Maxlinear switch firmware update

Banana Pi Router design BPI-R4/BPI-R4 Pro(MT7988)
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Hello @sinovoip @sinovoip1

a recent implementation of driver support in openwrt for the Maxilinear switch in the BPI-R4 PRO has highlighted the need of a firmware update to, at least, v1.0.78. Without this firmware the BPI-R4 PRO will not be usable with OpenWRT and, since the driver comes from a linux backport, it will not be usable in any linux as well.

Apparently, since MaxLinear doesn’t entertain contacts with end users, such a firmware update must come thru the vendor of the solution that includes it.

Can you please, comment and revert about how to get such an updated firmware?

Thank you.

8 Likes
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Dear @sinovoip @sinovoip1 @judahrand .

Someone from BPI support answered me back via email to my enquiry related to this topic with the following: “We contacted the manufacturer, and they stated that 1.0.70 is already the latest firmware. They did not provide a corresponding 1.0.78.”

Here i am pasting the bootlog of the switch clearly showing that we are running 1.0.70 and the phys are running 0.77 test version.

root@OpenWrt:~# dmesg | grep -i mxl
[    5.934666] mxl862xx mdio-bus:10: switch ready after 0 ms, **firmware 1.0.70 (build 70)**
[    5.942518] mxl862xx mdio-bus:10:    Mxl862xx CPU Port 9, User Port number 4
[    5.988630] MaxLinear Ethernet MxL86252 mxl862xx_dsa-0:00: **Firmware Version: 0.77 (0x004D test version)**
[    6.042685] MaxLinear Ethernet MxL86252 mxl862xx_dsa-0:01: Firmware Version: 0.77 (0x004D test version)
[    6.096665] MaxLinear Ethernet MxL86252 mxl862xx_dsa-0:02: Firmware Version: 0.77 (0x004D test version)
[    6.150633] MaxLinear Ethernet MxL86252 mxl862xx_dsa-0:03: Firmware Version: 0.77 (0x004D test version)
[    6.204659] MaxLinear Ethernet MxL86252 mxl862xx_dsa-0:04: Firmware Version: 0.77 (0x004D test version)

Honestly this looks far from being production ready.

Can you please clarify what are your next actions?

having a development board where nothing can be developed means having an expensive toy sitting on my desk with basically no support.

Regards

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I got the same email.

To be honest, if the firmware on the switch chip won’t be updated I don’t think it is even really fair to describe this board as a “development board”. :person_shrugging: I wonder if returns/refunds will be accepted based on the old firmware if no update is provided?

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I’m sure they’ve made a mistake. Surely they will provide a productionI ready version. At least I hope so. Otherwise, of course, it is much more difficult to convince other people to buy such a device.

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note - the 0.77 is for the phy mxl-gpy driver firmware version

also, there is a maxlinear github repo that uses an openwrt like Makefiles pointing to a firmware location but it is closed …

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Further response from Sinovoip:

We are planning to release the method for updating the firmware publicly; the update instructions will be available on the official website. If you have this firmware, you can update it using this method.

I’ve replied asking if they are confirming that they will be able to provide the firmware. It is at least good that they are engaging with this but really we need the firmware to be available.

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And their reply:

However, the firmware on the board is already the latest, so there is no new one to provide it again.

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I found this update method on the BPI official website. See if this is helpful to everyone?

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this is cool… now let’s wait :slight_smile:

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Actually, the method provided by Daniel Golle - using devlink - seems a lot easier… :wink:

But this is all theory until we get an actual firmware file… :smiley:

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Exactly, all well and good to have the update instructions but without the new firmware version it doesn’t really matter.

I guess it signals hope that a new firmware version will become available?

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Missing firmware blocks OpenWrt Mainline support

@sinovoip @sinovoip1 any update/comment on this topic (firmware update)?

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https://x.com/babrykovich/status/2041221619981472036

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Hey guys, let’s retweet that message!

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@sinovoip @sinovoip1 looking for your urgent response here.

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@sinovoip @sinovoip1 we are waiting for response, do something - it’s ur interests and us

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@sinovoip @sinovoip1 any statement regarding current situation is very appreciated.

Thanks in advance

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Please try openwrt i linked in the PR

The trace is fixed and timeouts are also avoided…seems to work with current firmware.only the sw bridge issue is there,but i guess @dangowrt can add a fw-check to disable bridge offloading.

New firmware will take some weeks to be released.

3 Likes
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I’ve already reported the issues with Maxilinear v1.0.78 to Banana Pi’s technical team through the distributor I bought it from on a Chinese e-commerce platform. I hope they also see this post. :melting_face:

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I am not sure I understood your post correctly. Are you having issues with the 1.0.78 firmware? Do you already have it?