Cisco IXM

The Cisco IXM base station models supported are:

• Standalone model

• Multi-box model.

Both models share the same firmware version. The LRR installation procedure is also generic for both models.

Software pre-requisites and compatibility matrix

Base Station Model	LRR Version	Firmware Version	FPGA Version
Cisco IXM	2.6.53	2.2.0	61

If your base station's FPGA version is not at the version stated, you need to first upgrade the base station with an OS image that has the desired FPGA version.  For further details, refer to Cisco documentation on https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/routers/interface-module-lorawan/series.html.

To upgrade your base station's firmware version, see the procedure provided in Installing Cisco IXM Firmware.

LRR installation

After downloading the base station image as described in Retrieving the base station image, follow the steps provided below to flash your base station with the new image.

Host console access

The first steps of the installation process require access on the host console. Follow the below diagram to connect to the terminal:

Then, use the terminal emulator with the following configurations:

Baud rate	115200
Data	8-bit
Parity	None
Stop	1 bit
Flow Control	none

Note If you are not familiar with Cisco IXM LoRaWAN® CLI interface, you may refer to Cisco IXM LoRaWAN® documentation:

• For standalone mode: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/interface-module-lorawan/software/configuration/guide/b_lora_scg.html

• For IOS mode: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/access/800/829/software/configuration/guide/b_IR800config/b_vlpwa.html

First, you must enable the CLI console:

Gateway> enable
Gateway#

If your base station comes with factory settings: no password is required to access the console.

If your base station already has a LRR Software installed: You need to provide the password (secret) that you have set during the first installation.

Checking the firmware version

To get and verify versions, run the "show inventory" command:

Gateway#show inventory
Name          : Gateway
ImageVer      : 2.2.0
BootloaderVer : 20180130_cisco
SerialNumber  : FOC20304ZDA
PID           : IXM-LPWA-800-16-K9
UTCTime       : 08:45:26.001 UTC Wed Aug 18 2021
FPGAVersion   : 61
FPGAStatus    : Ready
ChipID        : LSB = 0x28750a03 MSB = 0x00f14086
TimeZone      : UTC
LocalTime     : Wed Aug 18 08:45:26 UTC 2021ACT2 Authentication: PASS

Your acquired Cisco base station should come with those FPGA and Cisco IXM Firmware versions. If not, contact your Cisco partner, distributor or reseller and refer to Cisco IXM documentation. To learn more about IXM LoRaWAN® firmware update and release notes, see Cisco documentation on https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/routers/interface-module-lorawan/series.html

Preparing the USB install key or TFTP server

Extract the LRR Software package \<LRR_SOFTWARE_PACKAGE_FILENAME> (.tar.gz file) previously downloaded with the following command:

# tar -zxvf <LRR_SOFTWARE_PACKAGE_FILENAME> -C <DESTINATION PATH FOLDER>

The software package contains the following files:

• \<lrr installation package>: the LRR installation package (.cpkg file)

• \<ixm firmware>: the firmware package to be installed (.tar.gz file)

• \<pubkey file>: the pubkey needed to allow the LRR installation (.pubkey file).

All files above need to be copied into a USB stick file system or on a TFTP server depending on the method you will use to flash the base station.

Installing Cisco IXM Firmware

Only if your IXM LoRaWAN® gateway is not running release 2.2.0, you need to install the Cisco IXM base station firmware.

If you are using TFTP to transfer the IXM firmware file on base station, run the following command:

Gateway# copy tftp://<tftp server address>/<ixm firmware> flash:

If you are using usb to transfer the IXM firmware file on base station, run the following command:

Gateway# usb enable
Gateway# copy usb:/<ixm firmware>flash:

Install the Cisco IXM base station firmware with the below archive command on CLI (host console):

Gateway# archive download-sw firmware /factory /save-reload flash:<ixm firmware>

Note \<ixm firmware> should be changed to match the version and software itself.

Note /factory option is recommended to avoid potential problems while performing upgrade.

Transferring installation packages

If you are using TFTP to transfer the installation packages on base station, run the following command:

Gateway# copy tftp://<tftp server address>/<lrr installation package> flash:                   
Gateway# copy tftp://<tftp server address>/<pubkey file> flash:

Note Cisco IXM base station is delivered with its firmware pre-installed in manufacturing, therefore it should not be necessary to copy and install the IXM firmware file.

If you are using USB to transfer the installation packages on the base station, run the following command:

Gateway# usb enable
Gateway# copy usb:/<lrr installation package> flash:               
Gateway# copy usb:/<pubkey file> flash:

Running configuration settings for host machine

Note All the settings done in this section are on the host machine. The LRR software requires an account created on the host machine for CLI access through a "ssh" connection.  Perform the configuration with the commands provided below:      

• Enable the CLI configure terminal to set the following configurations:

Gateway#configure terminal

• Username and password creation (this username and password are the ones used to connect via ssh):

Gateway(config)#username actility password actility

• Secret enablement (this password is the one used to enable host console):

Gateway(config)#enable secret cisco

• SSH enablement:

Gateway(config)#crypto key generate rsa

• SSH from outside gateway enablement:

Gateway(config)#ip ssh admin-access

• IP/DHCP settings

  • IP domain lockup:

Gateway(config)#ip domain lookup

• IP name server:

Gateway(config)#ip name-server 8.8.8.8
Gateway(config)#ip name-server 8.8.4.4

• Interface(VLAN/DHCP) setting:

Gateway(config)#interface FastEthernet 0/1
Gateway(config-if)#ip address dhcp                    
Or
Gateway(config-if)#ip address <IP_address> <Netmask>

Note The example above describes how to set-up an IP address on the FastEthernet 0/1 interface. If a VLAN interface should be configured, see Cisco documentation to set it up.

Note If you have enabled DHCP, you can retrieve the IP address of the base station with the following command:

Gateway#show ip interface FastEthernet 0/1

• Saving startup configuration:

Gateway(config-if)#exit
Gateway(config)#exit
Gateway#copy running-config startup-config

Note You may check the running-config with the following command:

Gateway#show running-config

Installing packet forwarder (LRR)

The packet forwarder installation corresponds to the LRR software and custom configurations setup.

1. Ensure the LRR package and pubkey exist in the flash drive:

Gateway#dir flash:

1. Install the public key you have extracted during the step " Preparing the USB install key or TFTP server":

Gateway# configure terminal
Gateway(config)#packet-forwarder install pubkey flash:<pubkey file>

1. Once the pubkey file is installed, install the LRR using the following command:

Gateway(config)#packet-forwarder install firmware flash:<lrr installation package>

1. Once the packet forwarder is installed, wait for 5 minutes to allow the LRR background tasks to complete the setup of the CLI setting.  During this time, DO NOT reboot the base station.

2. After 5 minutes, check the running-configuration and NTP server list, the settings shall be as shown below:

Gateway#show running-config                   
Warning: Try to get lock. Please wait...
!
enable secret 8 ****
!
hostname Gateway
!
interface FastEthernet 0/1
 ip address dhcp
 exit
!
username actility password 8 ****
!
radio off
ip ssh admin-access
!
ntp server ip 0.pool.ntp.org
ntp server ip 1.pool.ntp.org
ntp server ip 2.pool.ntp.org

For first time installation of the LRR packet forwarder, or if you installed a new FPGA version, it is recommended to reboot your base station to properly start the necessary services.

Gateway#reload

Finally, you must exit the configuration mode first and then enable the container console

Gateway(config)#exit
Gateway# request shell container-console
Password: admin

You may then access SUPLOG to verify that the LRR version installed on the base station is as per the version stated on the ThingPark base station image.

For Cisco IXM base station, the LRR is installed in a container. To access the SUPLOG menu, connect in SSH to the base station using the IP address, the username and the password set during the step "Running configuration settings for host machine".

Once you have enabled the CLI console, you need to request access to the LXC and connect to support account.

The password asked while enabling host command line is the secret you had set during configuration:

Gateway>enable
Password (secret)               
Gateway# request shell container-console
Password: admin                  
bash-3.2# su support

You also need to edit the credentials.txt file in the LRR within the container:

Gateway>enable
Password (secret)
Gateway# request shell container-console
Password: admin
bash-3.2# vi /tmp/mdm/pktfwd/firmware/usr/etc/lrr/credentials.txt

The credentials.txt file holds the following information (in this order):

IXM "secret" password
IXM username
IXM user's associated password.

Please edit the file with the 3 passwords you configured.

Note Especially for SAAS installation, this is required for the base station to automatically download its IPSEC certificates and allow remote operations and troubleshooting. A reboot of the base station after the file is updated is needed to complete the connection towards the ThingPark SaaS core network.

You may also verify the base station with the following command: 

# cat $ROOTACT/usr/etc/lrr/versions.ini