This page described how to install UpSlug2 on MacOS X. For basic information about UpSlug2, see its wiki page.

UpSlug2 and OSX

UpSlug2 works well with Mac OS X. You must use/install three pieces of software, the primary one being UpSlug2, and also libpcap, a library needed for UpSlug2 to run, and finally, you need MacPorts, the installation conduit by which you install libpcap. This has been tested on a PPC G5 under Mac OS 10.4.7. The Mac OS X UpSlug2 binary is PPC only while the most recent version of libpcap accessed by MacPorts is an intel binary. Until a universal binary of UpSlug2 is made available, UpSlug2 will have to be compiled from source for Intel Macs (tested on a Macbook Pro running 10.4.9).

Installing UpSlug2 on Intel MacOS

The binary version on SourceForge (mentioned in 2.4 below) is a PowerPC binary and will not work with the Intel binary lipcap. Until a universal binary of UpSlug2 is made available, UpSlug2 will have to be compiled from source for Intel Macs.

1.1 Download and install the MacPorts software.

1.2 Install libpcap sudo port install libpcap

1.3 Install GNU autotools sudo port install autoconf automake

1.4 Download the UpSlug2 source code upslug2-11.tar.gz from http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=116564

1.5 Double click on upslug2-11.tar.gz and relocate the folder upslug2-11 to an appropriate location.

1.6 Build the UpSlug2 source

Installing UpSlug2 on PowerPC MacOS

2.1 Download and install the MacPorts software.

2.2 Update the available ports for installation by opening up a new terminal window and typing: port sync

2.3 Install libpcap in the Terminal by typing: sudo port install libpcap

2.4 Download and install the UpSlug2 binary package for OS X. [The current version at the time of this writing is 2-11, the file for OS X is named "upslug2-11-osx.tgz"

2.5 After the upslug download archive has been expanded, locate the file named "upslug2" This file needs to be moved to the operating directory of the Terminal.

2.6 Use the Terminal to move the upslug2 file to the /usr/bin/ directory

[ For Fink, upslug2 version 0.11 is available: fink install upslug2 (20080721)]

Using UpSlug2 to Flash your NSLU2

If your system MTU is not 1500, UpSlug2 may fail with the following error message: Message too long: transmit error N12NSLU2Upgrade9SendErrorE. Therefore, temporarily change your MTU size to 1500. I was using 1492. - Farhan Yousaf

The default factory assigned IP address of the NSLU2 is 192.168.1.77 . Use the following steps if you have not changed the default address of your NSLU2. If your NSLU2 is currently on your network and accessable via its Web interface then skip step 3 below and go straight to step 4.

3.1 Connect your NSLU2 directly to your computer's ethernet port [be sure you have downloaded the flash file for reflashing]

4.1 Put your NSLU2 into upgrade mode by restarting it with only the ethernet cable connected while holding a paperclip in the reset hole in the back of the NSLU2. When the ready/status light on the front turns red, remove the paperclip. The NSLU2 should now be blinking red.

4.2 Run upslug2 with a command line option to specify your ethernet device, sudo upslug2 -d en0 It should find your NLSU2 and tell you it is ready for upgrade and display its MAC address. If this doesn't find your Slug it means that either you have not put it in upgrade mode successfully, or the network connection between the PC and the Slug is not working.

4.3 Open a new Terminal window and type the following command:

So, for example, the command would be typed as:

4.4 Let the command run and let the NSLU2 reboot

4.5 You can now access the NSLU2 via SSH e.g. ssh -v root@192.168.1.77 You can find the default password here.