Converting a German targeted Fritz!Box Fon Wlan to an International version

[imagomundi]

Good news: Yesterday AVM published the fw 04.57 for the english-"Speaking" international boxes. (29.04.57 for annex b and 58.04.57 for annex a). This might make rikroks idea to flash a 7170 fw to his 7140 even more attractive as he could finally even get en english interface. The difficulty remains the flashing itself - another bright idea from el_valiente to have it done by rikrok himself with his assistance. I was since several weeks trying to buy a used 7140 at an acceptable price to do just this kind of experiment.
At the end it's may deep conviction that rikroks call diversion problem is neither a problem of HIS box nor one of the 7140 firmware. I would continue to guess that it is either one aspect of his telephony configuration or a matter of his landline (POTS) telephony provider.

 

[rikrok321]

converting my Fritz!Box 7140 into a 7170

My repectable Gurus el_valiente & imagomundi,

I agree with you Guru imagomundi. It could simply be a problem with the landline (POTS) telephony provider.

However since i have bought this Fritz!Box 7140 few weeks ago its becoming more and less like an obsession now I have been spent most of vacation playing around with my Fritz!Box 7140. My family is even surprised about my determination

I really want to try out the English firmware "FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7170 (Annex A) Firmware Version 58.04.57" on my Firtz!Box 7140(ogirnally Annex B,Aol/AVE - but patched to Annex A, AVME).

If both of you gurus can assist me in a stepwise manner then i shall certainly do all to assist you with the test results and findings...I would certainly like to help you guys and contribute with my findings to all others....

So please let me know how can i upgrade to "FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7170 (Annex A) Firmware Version 58.04.57"??

Kindest regards and waiting anxiously for the instructions.....

 

[el_valiente]

... please let me know how can i upgrade to "FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7170 (Annex A) Firmware Version 58.04.57"??

@rikrok321: Read my post#640 [post=1151724](this one)[/post] and you will know ...
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[el_valiente]

New firmware for 7170 in english!

Good news: Yesterday AVM published the fw 04.57 for the english-"Speaking" international boxes (29.04.57 for annex b and 58.04.57 for annex a) ...

@imagomundi:
This is really good news! rikrok321 can be happy! Now he is able to use the newest FW of the 7170 in english with his 7140 box. Furthermore, he can use either AnnexA or AnnexB, because with optic fibre cable (Internet connection via LAN1) the Annex doesn't matter.

Thank you for supporting my idea to motivate rikrok321 to help with the translation. If we three work together it will be fine, because my english isn't good enough to do it alone (despite of lack of time).

btw: AVM did good work yesterday: they published a new labor FW for the 7170, too.
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[el_valiente]

Converting a 7140 into a 7170; english manual

@rikrok321 and @imagomundi:

I suggest to do the translation in the other thread [post=1102236](this one)[/post], which is dedicated specifically to the topic ...
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[rikrok321]

Converting a 7140 into a 7170

@rikrok321: Read my post#640 [post=1151724](this one)[/post] and you will know ...
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@ Guru el_valiente:

Ok let me recap all what you want me to do so i can get on with it immediately....

1. Shall i ignore the insturctions in post# 634 & 639 for time being??

2. Shall i translate the who thread "FBF7140 mit FW der FBF7170 (V29.04.57)" for you this evening in English... and i can put it in a document form for you and you can proof-read it from the technical aspect?!?!

Please let me know as soon as possible....

//from your humble student...

 

[el_valiente]

Converting a 7140 into a 7170

Ok let me recap all what you want me to do so i can get on with it immediately ...

@rikrok321:
Nice to hear that you are willed to collaborate! We'll do as you suggest. Let's start ...
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You should read all posts of [post=1102236]this thread[/post], and try to understand the most possible.
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There is no need to translate all posts. Only the most importants: #1, #6, #11, #12, #13, #41 and #42. Do you agree, imagomundi?
These posts describe two different methods for a 7140 to become a 7170. Try to filter them out and try to write easily understandable.
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Post #639 of the present thread describes a third method of conversion (the most important for you). Try to understand it, too. In the present thread you will find many posts which may help you.
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Post #634 of the present thread is not so important. No need to include it.
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I guess this is enough for the moment ...
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Good luck!
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[el_valiente]

Converting a 7140 into a 7170

@rikrok321:
Don't hesitate to translate any other post, if you find it important ...
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[rikrok321]

Converting a 7140 into a 7170

@rikrok321
The latest international FW version for the 7170 is 58.04.56 - and it is practically the same as the 39.04.56. That means, it makes no sense to load it into the 7140.
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Dear Gurus,

Please confirm the above quotation that i want to clarify. I was looking at the new firmwares:

1. FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7140 (Annex A) Firmware Version 39.04.57

2. FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7170 (Annex A) Firmware Version 58.04.57

I was reading the firmware release notes about these two new firmware releases. As mentioned before that previously both firmware are almost identical. So when i read the Firmware release notes for the latest firmware for 7140 -or- 7170, i can see that only update that AVM has brought into this release is:

Changes in 58.04.57:
- Telephony: Improved emergency call handling

Changes in 39.04.57:
- Telephony: Improved emergency call handling

So i dont see all the other feature being introduced what are available in the German version of the Fritz!Box 7170 Firmware Version "29.04.57 " ?!?

Can you please clarify this??:spocht:

thanks a million..

 

[el_valiente]

... i can see that only update that AVM has brought into this release is:

Changes in 58.04.57:
- Telephony: Improved emergency call handling

So i dont see all the other feature being introduced what are available in the German version of the Fritz!Box 7170 Firmware Version "29.04.57" ?!?

Can you please clarify this??

@rikrok321:
You are right! The english release 58.04.57 seems to be nearly identical to the 58.04.56.

For the german FW release CH/A 58.04.57 AVM writes:
Verbesserungen in der 58.04.57:
- DSL: Verbesserter DSL-Treiber
- Internet: NEU - VPN für sichere Verbindungen über das Internet. Professionell per IPSec
- Internet: NEU - Sichere Fernwartung mit Hilfe von HTTPS. So helfen sich Freunde
- Internet: NEU - Einrichtungsassistent unterstützt jetzt auch Kabelmodem
- System: NEU - Anzeige eines Sicherheitshinweises bei nicht gesetztem Kennwort
- System: NEU - Verfügbarkeitshinweis bei neuer Firmware
- System: Menüpunkt Internet/Freigabe für Portfreigaben, Fernwartung, USB-Freigabe, Dynamic DNS und VPN
- System: Push Service leichter Einrichten. Sprach-, Fax- und FRITZ!Box-Infos per E-Mail
- Telefonie: NEU - Faxempfang ohne Faxgerät. Auf Wunsch mit Weiterleitung per E-Mail
- Telefonie: NEU - passive Faxweiche für analoge Anschlüsse
- Telefonie: Faxübertragung via Internet verbessert
- Telefonie: Verbesserte Zeitansagen im Anrufbeantworter
- Telefonie: Speichermanagement des Anrufbeantworters überarbeitet*
- WLAN: WLAN-Monitor-Grafik überarbeitet

Sometimes the same release number has less features in the english version than in the german one. It may be the case for 58.04.57.
We will certainly know that only after having tested the new english release 58.04.57.
What I definitively know, is that the german releases 29.04.57 and 58.04.57 (for the 7170) as well as the german release CH/A 39.04.57 (for the 7140) have all the features listed above by AVM.
Perhaps the new english release 58.04.57 has not? Could be! We will see.
But it doesn't matter. If the english release turns out to be less powerful, than one can install one of the german releases and will have all those comfortable features.
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[rikrok321]

Converting a 7140 into a 7170

@rikrok321:
What I definitively know, is that the german releases 29.04.57 and 58.04.57 (for the 7170) as well as the german release CH/A 39.04.57 (for the 7140) have all the features listed above by AVM.
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@ Guru el_valiente:
Please clarify the above sentence. It doesn't make real sense Perhaps you have been writting too late at night

 

[fritsv]

I have both the german 7170 and the international 7170 annex a. I can tell you that the 58.04.57 release is only a shadow of the 29..57 german one. Not even half the functionality

 

[imagomundi]

Sorry, I don't have so much time in these days. Very brief: GERMAN B fw 29.04.57 for 7170 and GERMAN A (D-A-CH) 39.04.57 for 7140 offer virtually (only slight differences) the SAME features = avm description. These are basically also the same as fw 58.04.57 for 7170 A GERMAN for D-A-CH el_valiente is right. Recently I helped another user to switch an ORIGINAL 7170 A from ENGLISH 58.05.56 to GERMAN 58.04.57 (both fw are for A) which is a world of difference. SO: it's only the GERMAN firmwares that offer the latest features - no matter if A or B -annex.

IN lack of time only a basic note: A box "born" as annex B will ALWAYS remain annex B because this is a sort of description for the HARDWARE installed in the box. You can NEVER change the hardware! You can make the box believe that it is an annex B or is avme instead of avm - but these are only superficial -software- changes. That's the reason why these fundamental changes in one case might work - and in another not.

As it seems 7170 and 7140 are nearly the same hardware - so changes might be less difficult to do - if finally all the features of the NEW fw work correctly remains in doubt. Besides the hardware aspect the functions of the box also depend on the network environment (DSL - telephony) in each country. So even if you manage to SEE all the features in the box's interface this does not mean that they REALLY work.

This happens to rikrok321 and his call diversion problem. I could also tell you some stories about the same effect with my 7150. I can see "remote maintenance" but cannot do it. I can see "fax to email" but in fact cannot do it - reason: my DSL environment.

Changing annex from a to b or vice versa is NEVER (and cannot be) a REAL annex change. It only changes the mode for the modem of the box to be able to connect through one or the other tecnical surrounding. Annex B uses wider frequency ranges, but has shorter reach, annex A uses lower frequencies and has wider reach. So it is possible to make an annex B (ISDN) box's modem to work under a (analog) conditions - viceversa it should be problem - and was described as such by the first REAL GURU of this forum HAVEANICEDAY.

 

[rikrok321]

Converting a 7140 into a 7170

...Recently I helped another user to switch an ORIGINAL 7170 A from ENGLISH 58.05.56 to GERMAN 58.04.57 (both fw are for A) which is a world of difference. SO: it's only the GERMAN firmwares that offer the latest features - no matter if A or B -annex.
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@ Gurus imagomundi & el_valiente:

So they way forward i see is, if what has been said in last two posts then if you can kindly assist me to upgrade the firmware (given if its possible) of my FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7140 (Annex A) Firmware Version "39.04.56" -to- FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7170 Firmware Version "29.04.57"

Remember that my Fritz!Box is originally Annex B which was patched to Annex A. And then i can try to translate the each web page of the German web interface from German -to- English

 

[el_valiente]

@ Guru el_valiente:
Please clarify the above sentence. It doesn't make real sense Perhaps you have been writting too late at night

@rikrok321:
I still believe that my sentence makes sense.
I wanted to say that 58.04.57, 29.04.57 and 39.04.57 german versions do offer all those excellent features quoted in my post - and (yesterday) it seemed to me that the new 58.04.57 english version does not.

Meanwhile @imagomundi affirmed my statement in his post#653.

And @fritsv tested the new english release, confirming in his post#652 that my assumption was right:
English release 58.04.57 has much less features than german release 58.04.57!
Thank you, fritsv, for this contribution.

btw: The same happens with english and german firmware releases for the 7140: Same version number (39.04.56), but totally different functionality.

 

[el_valiente]

@rikrok321, post#654:

Look, rikrok321, it is easy:
If you cooperate, we will help you to install FW 29.04.57 (german) at your 7140. That's all.
It must be the german version, because the english one, despite of having the same minor numbers (58.04.57), is much worse.

Remember that you have optic fibre connection! And you use "Internet connection via LAN1" !!
That means it doesn't matter which Annex you have, you can equally use both A and B !!!

Your box was only switched to AnnexA in order to install the english release 39.04.56, which existed only for AnnexA.
It has absolutely nothing to do with the functioning of your box.
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[rikrok321]

Regarding post#654

@ Guru el_valiente post#654: Yeah you are correct!!

Your sentence did make sense. I think it was me who had been awake for too long

 

[el_valiente]

You can NEVER change the hardware! ... Changing annex from a to b or vice versa is NEVER (and cannot be) a REAL annex change. It only changes the mode for the modem of the box to be able to connect through one or the other tecnical surrounding ...

@imagomundi
Thanks a lot for these comments. I totally agree with you: one cannot change the hardware!
And you are right: The real "Guru of annexA" was @haveaniceday. I learned a lot from his contributions. Unfortunately, he did disappear 2 years ago.

Let me specify a little more your statements about "hardware and annex":
There are two ways of "patching" the other annex (e.g. annexA):

1. The first is adding the parameter "kernel_args annex=A" to the environment. This (presently) works with all boxes which have the new kernel 2.6 - even for those which have no annexA release from avm.
A box patched in this way behaves as you describe: After every reset the box overwrites the parameters "annex" and "HWRevision", returning to the original factory settings! The box "believes" to be the annex given by the parameter "kernel_args", but actually it is not!

2. The second way to "patch" a box is to permanently change the parameters "annex" and "HWRevision" in the environment. These changes are permanent, but they only work for the old kernel 2.4, e.g. in the good old 7050 (FW older than xx.04.30).
If you load the new kernel 2.6 (FW newer than xx.04.30) into such a modified box, the changes become permanent! That means, you need no more "kernel_args", the box is permanently annexA!
The box behaves exactly like an annexA box, in spite that the hardware is still annexB, naturally.

This more sophisticated "patching" is only possible, if the old kernel exists for the specific model. This is the case for FBF WLAN and 7050, but not for the 71xx an 72xx families. (At least I dont know any 2.4 kernel working with these boxes - I actually killed my 7140 by loading the 2.4 kernel extracted from a 7050. !Never try to do this!)
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[rikrok321]

To install FW 29.04.57 (german) at 7140

@rikrok321, post#654:

Look, rikrok321, it is easy: If you cooperate, we will help you to install FW 29.04.57 (german) at your 7140. That's all.

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@ Guru el_valiente:

So how do you want me to cooperate?? Do you still want me to translate the the other thread's posts #1, #6, #11, #12, #13, #41 and #42 into English?

Let me know what would you like and i shall be more than delighted to be of assistance

 

[el_valiente]

Do you still want me to translate the the other thread's posts #1, #6, #11, #12, #13, #41 and #42 into English?

@rikrok321:
Yeah, that seems a good plan to me!
The goal is not to translate those posts literally, but to write an easy instruction "how to become my 7140 to be a 7170"
But those posts may be a good help to reach that goal.