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Anyone have "DECbrouter 90 Getting Started"

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gslick

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Anyone have a copy of DECbrouter 90 Getting Started, or maybe it is DECbrouter 90 Products Getting Started, manual number EK-DECBR-GS?

I can't find a copy online anywhere.

I already found these manuals online from links at manx-docs.org:
EK-DECBR-OM-A01 DECbrouter 90T Installation and Operating Information
EK-DECB1-CG-A01 DECbrouter 90 Products Configuration and Reference Volume 1
EK-DECB2-CG-A01 DECbrouter 90 Products Configuration and Reference Volume 2
EK-DECB3-CG-A01 DECbrouter 90 Products Configuration and Reference Volume 3
EK-DECBR-CS-A01 DECbrouter 90 Products Command Summary

The Configuration and Reference Volume 1 says that the configuration register can be set from the monitor, but instead of saying how to do that it refers to the Setting the Configuration Register section of the DECbrouter 90 Getting Started guide.

I figured out how to get into the ROM monitor by sending a break when the DECbrouter 90 is first powering up, but there is no obvious command to set the configuration register value. The 'O' command displays the configuration register bit mappings, but as far as I can tell does not take any arguments to set the register value, or to display the current register value.

Code: 
System Bootstrap, Version 4.14(8), SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1986-1994 by cisco Systems
2000 processor with 6144 Kbytes of main memory

Abort at 0x109D890 (PC)
>H
$            Toggle cache state
B [filename] [TFTP Server IP address | TFTP Server Name]
             Load and execute system image from ROM or from TFTP server
C [address]  Continue execution [optional address]
D /S M L V   Deposit value V of size S into location L with modifier M
E /S M L     Examine location L with size S with modifier M
G [address]  Begin execution
H            Help for commands
I            Initialize
K            Stack trace
L [filename] [TFTP Server IP address | TFTP Server Name]
             Load system image from ROM or from TFTP server, but do not
             begin execution
O            Show configuration register option settings
P            Set the break point
S            Single step next instruction
T function   Test device (? for help)

Deposit and Examine sizes may be B (byte), L (long) or S (short).
Modifiers may be R (register) or S (byte swap).
Register names are: D0-D7, A0-A6, SS, US, SR, and PC

>O
Bit#    Configuration register option settings:
15      Diagnostic mode disabled
14      IP broadcasts do not have network numbers
13      Do not boot default ROM software if network boot fails
12-11   Console speed is 9600 baud
10      IP broadcasts with ones
08      Break disabled
07      OEM disabled
06      Ignore configuration disabled
03-00   Boot file is cisco2-2000 (or 'boot system' command)

>
 
Did some more searching and found this doc which shows the ROM monitor syntax O/R <hex value> to modify the configuration register value. Using that to set bit 6 of the configuration register causes the DECbrouter 90 to ignore the configuration saved in NVRAM so solves that issue. This is the first time I have ever touched any Cisco gear so I have some learning to do.

Password Recovery Procedure for the Cisco 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000, AccessPro, 7000 (RP), AGS, IGS, and STS−10x
Document ID: 12722
https://supportforums.cisco.com/kxi...hysical-security/511/1/71567-pswdrec_2500.pdf
 
You'll have better luck searching for documentation and examples pertaining to the Cisco 2500 series routers, which are architecturally similar and run comparable IOS versions.

I've got a DS1244 replacement made up, I haven't done a writeup on it yet, but you'll likely need/want to replace yours. Installed in my DECbrouter 90T1:



Interestingly, it doesn't seem that IOS makes use of the Phantom RTC feature of the DS1244. I intend to try a FeRAM swap in my 90T2.
 
I just received my DECbrouter 90T1 today. I haven't opened it up to take a look inside yet. Didn't know there was a DS1244 in there. Is that where the 32KB configuration file is stored? If that is dead does that then require downloading the configuration file from a TFTP server on every power on? The configuration file still appears to have valid contents from when it was previously in use.

I have to get some BC12G-06 V.35 cables now. Those don't see to be too expensive as far as cables go.

I don't know what I'll actually be able to do with this. I was cheap enough I just bought it mostly out of curiosity. The only other V.35 interface equipment I currently have are some M3108 DSV11 boards. I don't know if it is possible to configure OpenVMS DECnet-Plus over HDLC on a DSV11 to inter-operate with the DECbrouter 90T1.

What software version do you have in your flash? I uploaded the firmware file igsbfpx1025.sys from mine to save a copy. No idea if they released different revisions of the firmware for these.

Code: 
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) 3000 Software (IGS-BPX-L), Version 10.2(5), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Copyright (c) 1986-1995 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Thu 23-Mar-95 01:52 by kmac
Image text-base: 0x03025DC0, data-base: 0x00001000

DECbrouter 90 router (68030) processor (revision A) with 6140K/2048K bytes of memory.
Processor board serial number 00000000
SuperLAT software copyright 1990 by Meridian Technology Corp).
X.25 software, Version 2.0, NET2, BFE and GOSIP compliant.
1 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface.
1 Serial network interface.
32K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
8192K bytes of processor board System flash (Read ONLY)
 
Yep, the DS1244 is your NVRAM on the DECbrouters -- it's not backed by flash. One of mine still held data, the other was dead and dropped the config every time you power cycled it. Figure they're all well past their expiration dates. The DS1244 is soldered so I opted to create a maintainable replacement rather than desoldering the original and putting in a new DS1244 (the new ones are also expensive). There's no room for a socket since the Flash mezzanine is directly over it.

You can get the V.35 cables from Vnetek, they're pretty reasonable considering that big V.35 connector isn't cheap to start with! I've got mine hooked up over V.35/HDLC to a Cisco 2801 that I use mostly as an aDSL modem. It's set up to look like a T1 line :)

I think my 90T1 is running 10.0.6 and the 90T2 is running 11.1.6 -- definitely dump your Flash to a file, I'd be interested in having an image of it if you don't mind :) The 11.x image is in an 8 MB Flash, so I can't put it on the 90T1. Been thinking about duplicating the 8 MB Flash board, if I can find mating connectors, so that I can experiment with different OS images without worrying about destroying mine!
 
Looks like I have 8 MB Flash in mine. Is each firmware version the same between the 90T1, 90T2, and 90T2A and it auto configures the installed interface options on boot, or is each firmware version specific to the each model?

If it's the same between the 90T1 and 90T2, would it be worth trying to update mine from the version 10.2(5) it is currently running to the version 11.1.6 you have your 90T2?

Code: 
>SHOW FLASH ALL
System flash directory:
File  Length   Name/status
        addr      fcksum  ccksum
  1   4464128  igsbfpx1025.sys
        0x40      0xA104  0xA104
[4464192 bytes used, 3924416 available, 8388608 total]
8192K bytes of processor board System flash (Read ONLY)

   Chip    Bank    Code      Size      Name
    1      1       89A2      1024KB    INTEL 28F008SA
    2      1       89A2      1024KB    INTEL 28F008SA
    3      1       89A2      1024KB    INTEL 28F008SA
    4      1       89A2      1024KB    INTEL 28F008SA
    5      2       89A2      1024KB    INTEL 28F008SA
    6      2       89A2      1024KB    INTEL 28F008SA
    7      2       89A2      1024KB    INTEL 28F008SA
    8      2       89A2      1024KB    INTEL 28F008SA
Executing current image from System flash
 
That I'm not sure about. I've heard rumors online of people using Cisco 2500 images on them, that the hardware was similar enough. That's why I think it might be worthwhile to make a few new Flash mezzanine boards for experimenting.
 
I sent you a copy of the version 10.2(5) igsbfpx1025.sys firmware image that I uploaded from my DECbrouter 90T1. I just now realized that with its size of 4,464,128 bytes it would be too big to fit in your DECbrouter 90T1 if it only has 4 MB (4,194,304 bytes) of Flash.

If you have already uploaded a copy of the version 11.1.6 firmware from your DECbrouter 90T2, or you get around to doing that sometime, send me a copy and I'll try loading it on my DECbrouter 90T1.
 
glitch said:
That I'm not sure about. I've heard rumors online of people using Cisco 2500 images on them, that the hardware was similar enough. That's why I think it might be worthwhile to make a few new Flash mezzanine boards for experimenting.
Click to expand...
Thw whole IGS / 3000 / 2000 / 2500 family (that's just the Cisco models) was compatible. The 3000 was a cost-reduced IGS. The 2500 (at least the original 2501) was pretty much a 3000 with a lot of the logic moved into semi-custom chips. The 2000 was a stop-gap cost-reduced 3000 because the 2501 was well behind schedule. 20+ years ago I posted an article to comp.dcom.sys.cisco about how to upgrade a 2000 to a 3000. It involved swapping out the EPROM SIMMs for flash, installing a DC/DC converter to power the flash, and burning the (then) latest 2501 PLCC boot ROMs to DIP EPROMs.

Cisco did remove detection of older models from later IOS versions to try to keep the code bloat down. I think IOS 11.1 was the last to run "officially" on the 3000. Later versions stared bumping info flash size limitations, and I helped a number of people write "mz-maker" utilities to compress the IOS and store the compressed version in flash (the utility prepends an unzipper to the beginning of the flash image) in order to fit into smaller flash memories. The last IOS to support anything in the 25xx family was 12.3(26) but that was restricted to the commserver image (Cisco took a long time to replace the 2511/2511RJ async server models). I don't have anything older than 12.2(28) and the smallest 12.2(28) image is 9MB+, so likely a non-starter on a DECbrouter even if it still supported it. You could give it a try, though (I'd suggest netbooting rather than trying to stuff it into flash). I just built a compressed version which is ~ 6MB. It will require a unit with 16MB of RAM - not sure that's possible in a DECbrouter. It is here if anyone wants to try it. No guarantees...
 
Ordered some DECbrouter 90 BC12G-06 V.35 cables from Vnetek on Tuesday and they arrived today.

I'll have to see if I can get the DECbrouter 90 to talk DECnet over HDLC to an M3108 DSV11 in an OpenVMS VAX system. I currently don't have anything else with a V.35 interface.
 
I grabbed a DEC RouteAbout EW recently to see what it's like compared to the DECbrouters. It's a DEChub 90 module as well, but having disassembled it, it seems to be quite a bit different inside.

Had a thought about the 4M vs. 8M Flash on the DECbrouters -- I've got one of each, I can just swap the mezzanines around and see if 11.x works on the 90T1!
 
glitch said:
I grabbed a DEC RouteAbout EW recently to see what it's like compared to the DECbrouters. It's a DEChub 90 module as well, but having disassembled it, it seems to be quite a bit different inside.
Click to expand...

Did you get a RouteAbout Access EW/IP (Internet Protocol) or an EW/MP (Multiprotocol)?

Were you able to get it configured to do anything useful yet?
 
gslick said:
Did you get a RouteAbout Access EW/IP (Internet Protocol) or an EW/MP (Multiprotocol)?

Were you able to get it configured to do anything useful yet?
Click to expand...

It just says "Route About Access EW" on the front. Totally different architecture, someone else makes it. Looks like mine wants an image from a MOP boot source, which of course I don't have. I took a chance on it as it came in a DEC MultiStack frame (rackmount that holds one DEChub 90 module and power supply) so I figured I'd at least get the MultiStack frame if it was a dud. I made up a RJ45 to DB25 adapter for it but I doubt I'll continue much with it since it's not CIsco-based. PM me if you want it, happy to send it along for shipping!
 
Maybe the RouteAbout devices have some Proteon software in them instead of Cisco. Can't find a lot of information about them.

I found some basic RouteAbout Access TW and RouteAbout Access EI docs with not a lot of operational detail for those, and nothing at all specific about the RouteAbout Access EW. Maybe the only WAN connection option is PPP.

If you have lost interest in the one you got I might like to try poking around with it to see how much I can figure out about one.
 
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