Any UsbNet solution for Eclipse2E

[lordeagle]

Hey guys,

I got an Eclipsa2E in hope to use it as VNC screen for outdoor works.

To avoid updates and keep a stable connection I used the built-in usbnet firmware on my H2O and niluje's usbnet-toggle. I thought I can use just the same on Eclipsa, but now it seems as there are no drivers shipped with the Eclipsa2E models.

Is there any chance to get usbnet running anyway, every pointer is welcome.

Currently the toggle does not work with the latest official utils.

[root@kobo bin]# usbnet-toggle
* Switching from USBMS to USBNet . . .
insmod: can't insert '/drivers/mt8113t-ntx/usb/gadget/arcotg_udc.ko': No such file or directory
! Could not load arcotg_udc.ko (it might be built-in on your device)
insmod: can't insert '/drivers/mt8113t-ntx/usb/gadget/g_ether.ko': No such file or directory

Looking into the /drivers directory, there is indeed not much to see that looks like an usbnet driver.

[root@kobo bin]# tree -la /drivers/
/drivers/
`-- mt8113t-ntx
    `-- mt66xx
        |-- wlan_drv_gen4m.ko
        |-- wmt_cdev_bt.ko
        |-- wmt_chrdev_wifi.ko
        `-- wmt_drv.ko

2 directories, 4 files

[mergen3107]

Eclipsa or Elipsa?

[lordeagle]

Originally Posted by mergen3107

Eclipsa or Elipsa?

Sorry, an old Eclipse programmer talking, now using an Kobo Elipsa 2E and trying to get used to the name

[mergen3107]

Gotcha, thanks! I just felt FOMO thst I missed a Kobo

[elinkser]

Originally Posted by lordeagle

Looking into the /drivers directory, there is indeed not much to see that looks like an usbnet driver.

[root@kobo bin]# tree -la /drivers/
/drivers/
`-- mt8113t-ntx
    `-- mt66xx
        |-- wlan_drv_gen4m.ko
        |-- wmt_cdev_bt.ko
        |-- wmt_chrdev_wifi.ko
        `-- wmt_drv.ko

2 directories, 4 files

FWIW, on my Clara HD, the drivers are in /drivers/mx6sll-ntx/usb/gadget/:

# ls /drivers/mx6sll-ntx/usb/gadget/
configfs.ko g_zero.ko usb_f_ecm.ko usb_f_obex.ko
g_ether.ko gadgetfs.ko usb_f_ecm_subset.ko usb_f_rndis.ko
g_file_storage.ko libcomposite.ko usb_f_eem.ko usb_f_serial.ko
g_mass_storage.ko u_ether.ko usb_f_fs.ko usb_f_ss_lb.ko
g_ncm.ko u_serial.ko usb_f_mass_storage.ko
g_serial.ko usb_f_acm.ko usb_f_ncm.ko


On my Clara HD, These modules were listed during a USBnet connection:

# lsmod
g_ether 5247 0 - Live 0x7f03e000
usb_f_rndis 16195 2 g_ether, Live 0x7f035000
usb_f_ecm_subset 4777 0 - Live 0x7f030000
usb_f_eem 5485 0 - Live 0x7f02b000
usb_f_ecm 6855 1 - Live 0x7f025000
u_ether 12180 5 g_ether,usb_f_rndis,usb_f_ecm_subset,usb_f_eem,usb _f_ecm, Live 0x7f01e000
libcomposite 45183 5 g_ether,usb_f_rndis,usb_f_ecm_subset,usb_f_eem,usb _f_ecm, Live 0x7f00b000
configfs 23773 6 usb_f_rndis,usb_f_ecm_subset,usb_f_eem,usb_f_ecm,l ibcomposite, Live 0x7f000000

Here's a Gateworks article on OTG modules:
https://trac.gateworks.com/wiki/linux/OTG


Note that the Kobo Libra Colour, a MediaTek device like your Elipsa 2e, is using Secure Boot, which requires a signed kernel.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...52&postcount=1

Maybe try something like "dmesg | grep hash" to see if you get similar messages as for the Libra Colour?

Here's a LWN article on Verified U-Boot:
https://lwn.net/Articles/571031/



On my Clara HD I can see if a module is configured:

# cat /proc/config.gz | gunzip | grep ETH
CONFIG_USB_U_ETHER=m
CONFIG_USB_ETH=m
CONFIG_USB_ETH_RNDIS=y


But can someone compile unsigned kernel modules and add them to a signed kernel?
Apparently not:
https://android.stackexchange.com/qu...forcing-kernel



On the plus side, I know that at least my android devices can provide a WiFi hotspot without being connected to the internet, so your Kobo can have WiFi on and connect to a VNC server without being exposed to unwanted updates.

[lordeagle]

Thanks a lot for your response. Though I must admit, that I didn't understand everything.

Unfortunately there are no other driver files as shown in the first post.

My outputs for the suggest commands looks as follows:

[root@kobo ~]# cat /proc/config.gz | gunzip | grep ETH
# CONFIG_ATA_OVER_ETH is not set
# CONFIG_VETH is not set
# CONFIG_ETHERNET is not set
# CONFIG_USB_KAWETH is not set
CONFIG_USB_NET_CDCETHER=y
# CONFIG_USB_NET_CX82310_ETH is not set
# CONFIG_USB_IPHETH is not set
CONFIG_USB_U_ETHER=y
# CONFIG_COMMON_CLK_MT2701_ETHSYS is not set

and

[root@kobo ~]# lsmod
wlan_drv_gen4m 1908365 0 - Live 0xbf14a000 (O)
wmt_cdev_bt 16871 0 - Live 0xbf141000 (O)
wmt_chrdev_wifi 12825 1 wlan_drv_gen4m, Live 0xbf138000 (O)
wmt_drv 1059215 4 wlan_drv_gen4m,wmt_cdev_bt,wmt_chrdev_wifi, Live 0xbf000000 (O)

while: dmesg | greph hash ... returns nothing

Do the outputs suggest that I could do something to enable usbnet?

[elinkser]

I'm no networking guru, but I would just try and see what happens step-by-step, then focus on where the first error is found. Can follow steps below or the ones in the NiLuJe package...


Assuming you already have NickelMenu entries:

# display IP Address of Kobo
menu_item :main :IP Address :cmd_output :500:/sbin/ifconfig | /usr/bin/awk '/inet addr/{print substr($2,6)}'

# Toggle Kobo's telnet server
menu_item :main :Telnet (toggle) :cmd_output :500:quiet :/usr/bin/pkill -f "^/usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 2023"
chain_success:skip:5
chain_failure :cmd_spawn :quiet :/bin/mount -t devpts | /bin/grep -q /dev/pts || { /bin/mkdir -p /dev/pts && /bin/mount -t devpts devpts /dev/pts; }
chain_success :cmd_spawn :quiet :exec /usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 2023 /usr/sbin/telnetd -i -l /bin/login
chain_success :dbg_toast :Started Telnet server on port 2023
chain_failure :dbg_toast :Error starting Telnet server on port 2023
chain_always:skip:-1
chain_success :dbg_toast :Stopped Telnet server on port 2023

# Toggle KOReader's ssh server - not needed if you installed NiLuJe's kobo-stuffs ( https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=254214 )
menu_item :main :Dropbear (toggle) :cmd_output :500:quiet :/usr/bin/pkill -f "dropbear"
chain_success:skip:5
chain_failure :cmd_spawn :quiet :/bin/mount -t devpts | /bin/grep -q /dev/pts || { /bin/mkdir -p /dev/pts && /bin/mount -t devpts devpts /dev/pts; }
chain_success :cmd_spawn :quiet :export HOME="/mnt/onboard/.adds/koreader/" && cd "$HOME" && /mnt/onboard/.adds/koreader/scripts/dropbear -E -R -p2222 >/mnt/onboard/.adds/koreader/DropbearLog.txt 2>&1
chain_success :dbg_toast :Started Dropbear server on port 2222
chain_failure :dbg_toast :Error starting Dropbear server on port 2222
chain_always:skip:-1
chain_success :dbg_toast :Stopped Dropbox server on port 2222



Connect PC and Kobo to WiFi hotspot.

On Kobo, toggle telnet and SSH and display IP Address.

From PC, telnet to your Kobo e.g.:

$ telnet 192.168.43.5 2023
Trying 192.168.43.5...
Connected to 192.168.43.5.
Escape character is '^]'.
kobo login: root
Password:



Now, following the instructions from here, except skipping the modules part...
Hacking the Kobo Clara HD – 4.1: Telnet over USB
https://www.yingtongli.me/blog/2018/...elnet-usb.html


On my Clara HD, I need to install modules or else I get the following result:

# ifconfig usb0 192.168.2.2
ifconfig: SIOCSIFADDR: No such device


If modules exist or your kernel has the built-in capability (CONFIG_USB_U_ETHER=y implies built-in, =m implies module) hopefully you get something like:

# ifconfig usb0 192.168.2.2
# ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 58:B0:D4:9B:DF:9A
inet addr:192.168.43.5 Bcast:192.168.43.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:598 errors:0 dropped:45 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:248 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:87662 (85.6 KiB) TX bytes:54544 (53.2 KiB)

usb0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr CA:79:8D:D4:F8:14
inet addr:192.168.2.2 Bcast:192.168.2.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)


***

EDIT :
* right after I loaded the modules, but BEFORE the "ifconfig usb0 192.168.2.2" command, the USB interface on the Kobo was logged as follows:

# dmesg | grep usb0
usb0: MAC CA:79:8D:D4:F8:14

i.e. the MAC address was assigned to a usb0 port before any ifconfig command was issued.

***

Now connect the USB cable between Kobo and PC.
Now on my Linux PC, the network applet icon on the desktop (/usr/bin/nm-applet from the network-manager-gnome package) would be a spinning progress bar, like it's trying to connect on ethernet.

I click this icon and choose "disconnect".

On PC I enter "sudo ifconfig usb0 192.168.2.1" and I am connected.
Somewhere in the desktop log I see, e.g.:
$ dmesg | grep usb
[ 4338.148728] usb 1-5: new high-speed USB device number 8 using xhci_hcd
[ 4338.299352] usb 1-5: New USB device found, idVendor=0525, idProduct=a4a2, bcdDevice= 4.01
[ 4338.299358] usb 1-5: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 4338.299361] usb 1-5: Product: RNDIS/Ethernet Gadget
[ 4338.299364] usb 1-5: Manufacturer: Linux 4.1.15-00136-g12655eaaef89 with 2184000.usb
[ 4338.302048] cdc_ether 1-5:1.0 usb0: register 'cdc_ether' at usb-0000:00:14.0-5, CDC Ethernet Device, ca:4c:4d:b9:93:af

And in the ifconfig I see:
usb0: flags=4163<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST> mtu 1500
inet 192.168.2.1 netmask 255.255.255.0 broadcast 192.168.2.255
ether ca:4c:4d:b9:93:af txqueuelen 1000 (Ethernet)
RX packets 0 bytes 0 (0.0 B)
RX errors 0 dropped 0 overruns 0 frame 0
TX packets 41 bytes 6307 (6.1 KiB)
TX errors 0 dropped 0 overruns 0 carrier 0 collisions 0


Now, if I am running an SSH server on the Kobo, then I can connect from the PC over USB, e.g.:

$ ssh root@192.168.2.2 -p 2222
[root@kobo ~]# uname -a
Linux kobo 4.1.15-00136-g12655eaaef89 #68 SMP PREEMPT Fri May 6 14:04:51 CST 2022 armv7l GNU/Linux

[lordeagle]

Thanks for your detailed explanation. I have the Kobo-stuff installed on the reader, and SSH/dropbear setup works like a charm over W-LAN.

Usbnet drivers remain a problem. I tried to compile my own usbnet.ko from scratch.
The compilation worked seemingly successful, though I can't bring 'insmod' to load it.

[root@kobo usbeth]# insmod usbnet.ko 
insmod: can't insert 'usbnet.ko': invalid module format
[root@kobo usbeth]# uname -a
Linux kobo 4.9.77 #1 SMP PREEMPT cc00b601cb7c-20230619T134503-B0619134601 armv7l GNU/Linux
[root@kobo ~]# cat /proc/version 
Linux version 4.9.77 (yuming@yuming-VirtualBox) (gcc version 4.9.1 (GCC) ) #1 SMP PREEMPT cc00b601cb7c-20230619T134503-B0619134601
[root@kobo usbeth]# file usbnet.ko 
usbnet.ko: ELF 32-bit LSB relocatable, ARM, EABI5 version 1 (SYSV), BuildID[sha1]=90ac8f5579045c60902540c793476212da9d918f, with debug_info, not stripped
[root@kobo usbeth]#

modinfo against the same file on my host:

modinfo ./usbnet.ko 
filename:       /home/lordeagle/Downloads/./usbnet.ko
license:        GPL
description:    USB network driver framework
author:         David Brownell
srcversion:     AE8ADE73ECA9BD4DC9C75B0
depends:        mii
intree:         Y
vermagic:       4.9.77 SMP preempt mod_unload modversions ARMv7 p2v8 
parm:           msg_level:Override default message level (int)

Is there any evidence that my compilation process is wrong?
See https://github.com/ivy-rew/kobo-kern...psa2E/build.sh

Originally Posted by elinkser

Note that the Kobo Libra Colour, a MediaTek device like your Elipsa 2e, is using Secure Boot, which requires a signed kernel.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...52&postcount=1

Maybe try something like "dmesg | grep hash" to see if you get similar messages as for the Libra Colour?

Here's a LWN article on Verified U-Boot:
https://lwn.net/Articles/571031/

Or do we have to assume that secure-boot makes my own modules getting rejected?

Originally Posted by elinkser

But can someone compile unsigned kernel modules and add them to a signed kernel?
Apparently not:
https://android.stackexchange.com/qu...forcing-kernel

Following this explanation, I must assume that my attempts are not leading anywhere. Unless I get the device to flash a full kernel, which I wouldn't risk to experiment with without any foreknowledge

[elinkser]

rThe USB networking may be already built into the Linux kernel, as opposed to loadable as a module.
(That might explain the conflicts.)

If it is supported, I think you would get a similar log notice as here, except it would happen at boot in your case, as opposed to when the module is loaded:

# dmesg | grep usb0
usb0: MAC CA:79:8D:D4:F8:14

i.e. the MAC address was assigned to a usb0 interface before any ifconfig command was issued.

Then you can do a ping after the ifconfig.


***

I neglected to mention that vnc is inherently insecure.
http://www.mit.edu/~avp/lqcd/ssh-vnc.html

So even if you try to never connect your Kobo to insecure networks, hosts, USB devices, etc., your host vnc server you are connecting to is still a security vulnerability. I would not use this host for anything critical. I would set a firewall and have the vnc server be read-only.


***

[lordeagle]

on USB connect the Kobo shows 'gadget' activity; but no apparent CDC_Ethernet support.

[root@kobo ~]# dmesg | grep usb
[51336.020447] .(0)[8326:kworker/0:3]usb_work_callback()-[2664] mt_usb_connect!
[51336.021399] -(0)[8326:kworker/0:3]mtu3 11211000.usb: mailbox state(4)
[51336.021891] .(1)[8351:kworker/u4:2]mtu3 11211000.usb: gadget (high-speed) pullup D-
[51336.124425] .(0)[8326:kworker/0:3]usb plugged 0x1
[51336.350640] -(0)[0:swapper/0]usb_device_choose (182) : usb_device_switch mt_usb_connect
[root@kobo ~]#

even though the kernel config implies some kind of built-in CDC_ETHER support

[root@kobo ~]# cat /proc/config.gz | gunzip | grep ETH
# CONFIG_ATA_OVER_ETH is not set
# CONFIG_VETH is not set
# CONFIG_ETHERNET is not set
# CONFIG_USB_KAWETH is not set
CONFIG_USB_NET_CDCETHER=y
# CONFIG_USB_NET_CX82310_ETH is not set
# CONFIG_USB_IPHETH is not set
CONFIG_USB_U_ETHER=y
# CONFIG_COMMON_CLK_MT2701_ETHSYS is not set

anyone knows where to go next or anything I can try to make usbnet ethernet running?

[elinkser]

I'll tap out here, with a couple of notes...


Try plugging into your host PC and checking messages on the host.

On my host Linux box, I get the following when I plug in the Kobo:

$ dmesg | grep usb

[ 778.521909] usb 1-5: New USB device found, idVendor=0525, idProduct=a4a2, bcdDevice= 4.01
[ 778.521915] usb 1-5: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 778.521918] usb 1-5: Product: RNDIS/Ethernet Gadget
[ 778.521920] usb 1-5: Manufacturer: Linux 4.1.15-00136-g12655eaaef89 with 2184000.usb
[ 779.094382] cdc_subset 1-5:1.1 usb0: register 'cdc_subset' at usb-0000:00:14.0-5, Linux Device, 36:5a:94:9f:5b:43
[ 779.096589] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_subset
[ 779.106105] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ether
[ 779.169477] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): usb0: link is not ready

$ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0525:a4a2 Netchip Technology, Inc. Linux-USB Ethernet/RNDIS Gadget

$ ls /sys/class/net
lo usb0 wlan0



On my Kobo, I got:

# cat /proc/config.gz | gunzip | grep ETH
# CONFIG_ATA_OVER_ETH is not set
# CONFIG_VETH is not set
# CONFIG_ETHERNET is not set
CONFIG_USB_U_ETHER=m
CONFIG_USB_ETH=m
CONFIG_USB_ETH_RNDIS=y
# CONFIG_USB_ETH_EEM is not set

# cat /proc/config.gz | gunzip | grep RNDIS
# CONFIG_USB_NET_RNDIS_WLAN is not set
CONFIG_USB_F_RNDIS=m
CONFIG_USB_CONFIGFS_RNDIS=y
CONFIG_USB_ETH_RNDIS=y

# cat /proc/config.gz | gunzip | grep HCI
CONFIG_USB_OHCI_LITTLE_ENDIAN=y
# CONFIG_USB_XHCI_HCD is not set
CONFIG_USB_EHCI_HCD=y
CONFIG_USB_EHCI_ROOT_HUB_TT=y
CONFIG_USB_EHCI_TT_NEWSCHED=y
CONFIG_USB_EHCI_MXC=y
# CONFIG_USB_EHCI_HCD_PLATFORM is not set
# CONFIG_USB_OHCI_HCD is not set
CONFIG_MMC_SDHCI=y
CONFIG_MMC_SDHCI_IO_ACCESSORS=y
CONFIG_MMC_SDHCI_PLTFM=y
# CONFIG_MMC_SDHCI_OF_ARASAN is not set
CONFIG_MMC_SDHCI_ESDHC_IMX=y
# CONFIG_MMC_SDHCI_F_SDH30 is not set

# ls /sys/class/net
eth0 lo usb0

# ip addr show
1: lo: <LOOPBACK> mtu 65536 qdisc noop
link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
2: eth0: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq qlen 1000
link/ether 58:b0:d4:9b:df:9a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
3: usb0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast qlen 1000
link/ether c6:b1:70:d2:d5:33 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
inet 192.168.2.2/24 brd 192.168.2.255 scope global usb0
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever

# dmesg | grep usb
I got nothing despite currently in an SSH connection, having already loaded the modules!
Remember, previously I had seen the usb0 message, immediately after loading modules.

[lordeagle]

thanks for sharing ... quickly run your commands on my kobo elipsa 2e

[root@kobo net]# cat /proc/config.gz | gunzip | grep RNDIS
# CONFIG_USB_NET_RNDIS_HOST is not set
# CONFIG_USB_NET_RNDIS_WLAN is not set
CONFIG_USB_F_RNDIS=y
CONFIG_USB_CONFIGFS_RNDIS=y

[root@kobo net]# cat /proc/config.gz | gunzip | grep ETH
# CONFIG_ATA_OVER_ETH is not set
# CONFIG_VETH is not set
# CONFIG_ETHERNET is not set
# CONFIG_USB_KAWETH is not set
CONFIG_USB_NET_CDCETHER=y
# CONFIG_USB_NET_CX82310_ETH is not set
# CONFIG_USB_IPHETH is not set
CONFIG_USB_U_ETHER=y
# CONFIG_COMMON_CLK_MT2701_ETHSYS is not set

[root@kobo net]# cat /proc/config.gz | gunzip | grep HCI
CONFIG_USB_OHCI_LITTLE_ENDIAN=y
CONFIG_USB_XHCI_HCD=y
# CONFIG_USB_XHCI_PLATFORM is not set
CONFIG_USB_XHCI_MTK=y
# CONFIG_USB_EHCI_HCD is not set
# CONFIG_USB_OHCI_HCD is not set
# CONFIG_MMC_SDHCI is not set

[root@kobo net]# ip link
1: lo: <LOOPBACK> mtu 65536 qdisc noop qlen 1
    link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
2: ifb0: <BROADCAST,NOARP> mtu 1500 qdisc noop qlen 32
    link/ether 12:36:bd:52:b5:d6 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
3: ifb1: <BROADCAST,NOARP> mtu 1500 qdisc noop qlen 32
    link/ether 52:7a:a3:4a:3f:51 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
4: tunl0@NONE: <NOARP> mtu 1480 qdisc noop qlen 1
    link/ipip 0.0.0.0 brd 0.0.0.0
5: sit0@NONE: <NOARP> mtu 1480 qdisc noop qlen 1
    link/sit 0.0.0.0 brd 0.0.0.0
11: wlan0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq qlen 3000
    link/ether a4:3c:d7:03:1f:b6 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
[root@kobo net]#

interesting other network devices ifb0/ifb1 which I can't explain.

on my host I see nothing related to the kobo being plugged in.

[elinkser]

Who knows if Mediatek has even support for USB networking in the kernel for this device?

If they don't we would be banging our head against the wall for nothing, until they update the kernel, THEN wait for Kobo to incorporate it in THEIR firmware update!

I hope that's not the case, but I'm a little leary until proven otherwise.