[LinuxAP] Dell Truemobile 1184: where is it?

[Bruno Lopes F. Cabral]

Hello there

In july 2003 there was a hype on linux-ap mailing list
about Dell True Mobile 1184 having linux inside. Since
that, ppl became very silent.

Now I found the unit has dissapeared from Dell's site.
The URL I got don't work anymore and searches on the site
only returns support question pages. The same happen on
shopper.com and other on-line stores where the units used
to be. IMHO this was problably because Dell didn't like
the hype the code discovery caused

If any of you knows where one can buy on-line a (working)
Dell Truemobile 1184 (besides ebay), please share

Jon Burford was reported to get a console prompt through
the use of a "level shifter" on some pins of the board.
He confirmed it to me and, by his aid, I managed to arrange
a circuitry and PCB design that can be repeated to make
your own. The PDFs are available upon request _or_ you can
buy one level shifter ready-made (write me directly in
either case).

(After doing this, I actually find level-shifters on
the internet on the following links

http://www.acroname.com/robotics/parts/R115-INT-BRD-KIT.html
http://www.kevinro.com/cable.pdf

there are others so your mileage may vary)

this said, I'm wishing if any of you have any luck on
the port or have hear any other news about this, perhaps
from other forums.

a fellow actually wrote Vital Systems to see how much
would cost the development version of their board
(the same that is inside Truemobile 1184) but I don't
know the result, if any. Their board URL is

http://www.armlinux.net/Eng/solution/vls_4510_ip.htm

the interesting part is that there is a russian design
that uses the same processor and have a cross-development
environment that one can try on Truemobile (in case
i.e. NFSv2 mount ever works, or by downloading a test
binary somehow to the unit). I would test it, if I ever
get my hands on one non-doorstep unit ;-)

this cross-development environment it's at
http://www.ucrouter.ru/english/download.html

their forum also have instructions on how to use a
parallel port JTAG connector in linux (including links
on where you can buy such beasts!)

Well, that's it. thanks for your time and hope
hearing from you soon.

Cheers
!3runo
from Brazil

[Christopher R. Hertel]

Interesting news.

Those of us who already own Dell 1184s still have rights to the source.
I did hear that Dell was looking at the "next generation". I have
contacted a few resources to follow up on this. I have no further news at
present but I'm not sitting idle.

Wish I had more to say.

Thanks, Bruno!

Chris -)-----

Post by Bruno Lopes F. Cabral
Hello there
In july 2003 there was a hype on linux-ap mailing list
about Dell True Mobile 1184 having linux inside. Since
that, ppl became very silent.
Now I found the unit has dissapeared from Dell's site.
The URL I got don't work anymore and searches on the site
only returns support question pages. The same happen on
shopper.com and other on-line stores where the units used
to be. IMHO this was problably because Dell didn't like
the hype the code discovery caused
If any of you knows where one can buy on-line a (working)
Dell Truemobile 1184 (besides ebay), please share
Jon Burford was reported to get a console prompt through
the use of a "level shifter" on some pins of the board.
He confirmed it to me and, by his aid, I managed to arrange
a circuitry and PCB design that can be repeated to make
your own. The PDFs are available upon request _or_ you can
buy one level shifter ready-made (write me directly in
either case).
(After doing this, I actually find level-shifters on
the internet on the following links
http://www.acroname.com/robotics/parts/R115-INT-BRD-KIT.html
http://www.kevinro.com/cable.pdf
there are others so your mileage may vary)
this said, I'm wishing if any of you have any luck on
the port or have hear any other news about this, perhaps
from other forums.
a fellow actually wrote Vital Systems to see how much
would cost the development version of their board
(the same that is inside Truemobile 1184) but I don't
know the result, if any. Their board URL is
http://www.armlinux.net/Eng/solution/vls_4510_ip.htm
the interesting part is that there is a russian design
that uses the same processor and have a cross-development
environment that one can try on Truemobile (in case
i.e. NFSv2 mount ever works, or by downloading a test
binary somehow to the unit). I would test it, if I ever
get my hands on one non-doorstep unit ;-)
this cross-development environment it's at
http://www.ucrouter.ru/english/download.html
their forum also have instructions on how to use a
parallel port JTAG connector in linux (including links
on where you can buy such beasts!)
Well, that's it. thanks for your time and hope
hearing from you soon.
Cheers
!3runo
from Brazil

[Bruno Lopes F. Cabral]

Post by Christopher R. Hertel
Interesting news.
Those of us who already own Dell 1184s still have rights to the source.
I did hear that Dell was looking at the "next generation". I have
contacted a few resources to follow up on this. I have no further news
at present but I'm not sitting idle.
Wish I had more to say.
Thanks, Bruno!
Chris -)-----

Hello there

it's a pitty that Dell simply remove the product from the shelves,
but hey, that's life! but I have better news on another front:

for a few weeks I'm lurking at the actiontec dual pc modem "hack" list,
on which (with actiontec's help) ppl are working on linux code for
their 2 LAN+1 modem device, the "actiontec dual pc modem" (which is at)

http://www.actiontec.com/products/modems/dual_pcmodem/dpm_overview.html

last friday (Oct 17 2003) actiontec actually released their source
code and building environment at

http://opensource.actiontec.com

you can get more info on the actionhack list at
http://www.express.org/mailman/listinfo/actionhack/

and on this wiki site
http://www.embeddedlinuxinterfacing.com/wiki.php/ActiontecDualModem

I now this isn't exactly what we need (due to the absence of a
pccard slot) but it shows that things can change. I have also
heard some rumors about uClinux running on DLINK DWL900AP+
and other cheap SOHO-ROUTERs hardware. I'm trying to collect
this type of info right now

Cheers
!3runo
from Brazil

[Chris Hedemark]

Post by Bruno Lopes F. Cabral
In july 2003 there was a hype on linux-ap mailing list
about Dell True Mobile 1184 having linux inside. Since
that, ppl became very silent.

I was one of the people who jumped on this early on. I'm also the guy
that comes up first if you google for Dell TrueMobile 1184. I'm no longer
very enthused about the hardware. I'd rather spend my time working with
something that's a little easier to re-flash (safely). I've also had
problems with Dells own firmware of the 1184 dropping out when traffic
levels get too high. For ~$70 a pop I was willing to give it a try but
I'm not an embedded systems guru and I think that is what would be needed
to figure out how to reflash these things without making $70 bricks.

Post by Bruno Lopes F. Cabral
Now I found the unit has dissapeared from Dell's site.

It was hard to find even when they were selling 'em.

Based on my access logs, the unit is still enjoying quite a lot of
popularity, especially within the US Government and military
applications. I only ever got one hit from inside of Dell itself.

Post by Bruno Lopes F. Cabral
The URL I got don't work anymore and searches on the site
only returns support question pages. The same happen on
shopper.com and other on-line stores where the units used
to be. IMHO this was problably because Dell didn't like
the hype the code discovery caused

I don't think they ever even realized it to tell you the truth. I never
heard anything from Dell suggesting I should take it down or adjust my
content at all. If there were internal controversy over it, you'd expect
to see a brief flurry of traffic coming from inside of Dell against my web
site but like I said there was only one quick hit and that was all.

Post by Bruno Lopes F. Cabral
this said, I'm wishing if any of you have any luck on
the port or have hear any other news about this, perhaps
from other forums.

Honestly, I'm going to take the lazy way out and find something that is
already well known to spin my own distro onto.

-=[magnus]=-