Cannot SSH into PogoPlug after installing ArchLinux

[ppheat]

I recently bought Pogoplug E02 revision model and initially set it up at my.pogoplug.com to make sure it is able to access my 2 external HDD (2TB, 0.5TB). Then I went thru below instruction page to install ArchLinux and now this box is totally unusable and cannot SSH to box.

Instruction Page: http://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv5 ... 2-pinkgray

More Information about my settings:
1. I only have Windows Vista desktop to setup Pogoplug machine.
2. I went thru above instruction twice (1st time used 16GB flash drive and 2nd time used 2GB flash drive), and connected them to last USB port # 4 on back of the box.
3. After installation, when I reset the device thru step # 9, device becomes not accessible thru SSH (and pogoplug front panel LED remains in static Orange color). I checked my router's DHCP IP address assignment and pogoplug shows connected with 192.168.1.10 IP address (same IP was used before ArchLinux installation). NOTE: I kept USB flash drive connected to port # 4 during this step.
4. When I removed USB flash drive from port # 4 and turned power off/on to pogoplug, it actually came up and was able to SSH to 192.168.1.10 IP address using my.pogoplug.com password and it shows device prompt as "Pogoplug:~$". So it looks like removing USB flash drive from let me boot but my.pogoplug.com does not see any HDD when I plug them to this box.

Can someone please help on what might be going wrong on this? I am totally clueless at this point since I am new to Linux environment.

[jkillebrew]

You have the EXACT same issue as myself. I am convinced that the current version of ArchLinuxARM-armv5te-latest.tar.gz is not working with pogoplug v2. I just find it strange that more people aren't having this issue.

I have two E02 units, followed setup instructions exactly and they are unresponsive once the kernel tries to load. I don't have a serial cable to investigate the kernel issue, only used netconsole to monitor the uboot process which is successful on both units.

Unplugging the usb drive prevents the kernel from loading, but the pogoplug software is not running anymore so this is why you wont see it working on pogoplug.com. That much seems to be normal.

[jpmurray]

I've installed it with success 3 days ago. Everything works fine here.

[ppheat]

Update:
I spent a good chunk of time last night to troubleshoot this problem, and I have fixed it. I have got Samba, Webmin and miniDLNA setup on my box. I am now able to access my both external hard drives thru all home computers connected in network as well as also played DVD movies thru DLNA compatible Sony BluRay Player BDP-BX59 which I bought from Costco last week. I am all set now except need to figure out compatible .mkv format that my bluray player is going to accept, right now none of .mkv files play on my bluray.... which is off topic for this forum

I think problem I was having earlier was that after doing device reset in step # 9, I was not waiting long enough (it takes about 3 minutes to boot) for ArchLinux to boot and start SSH. So when I tried to connect thru SSH on putty it was not going thru for first few minutes.

[jkillebrew]

Glad you got it work, still no luck here.

I read that archlinux has major network problems behind a wireless bridge because of problems with proxy arp, so I moved it to the main router and still no luck. I'm totally stumped. Two units, neither even request an IP address when booting from a usb drive, and I tried three different hard drives and flash drives. I don't think its totally hung because the hard drive does have some intermittent activity. It must be a network issue, but I have no serial cable to troubleshoot, nor would I know what to look for.

[ppheat]

just making sure........ are you connecting your usb flash drive (in which you install archlinux) back of pogoplug device (3rd port adjacent to Ethernet port)? Connecting it to other usb ports may cause weird issues.

BTW I have connected my pogoplug ethernet directly hooked up to Verizon FiOS Modem (comes with in-built router as well), and this modem serves as DHCP server to assign IP address to pogoplug. Do you see orange static LED on pogoplug front panel? If not, chances are that it crashed during boot and can be debugged thru netconsole. Just some thoughts if you find helpful in your debug effort. Good luck! Keep us posted!

[madapple]

Hi ppheat,

Can you tell me how to install samba and miniDLNA? Thanks a lot.

[Voidless]

Hi, I also have a similar issue with my pogoplug, I followed all the instructions, plugged the stick ( a 16gb Kingston ) to the back port closest to the Ethernet, and when I reboot on the last step I cannot ssh back into the device, it's also unreadable when pinged, my router doesn't says it switched ip so I still should be good... I do not have a serial to investigate the problem. I rebooted the device without the stick in and followed the instruction again just to make sure but I end up with the same results.

Any advice on what I should do??

Thanks!

[jkillebrew]

Turns out it was my stupid Verizon FIOS Westell 9100em router. I used another router just to get an IP so I could ssh in and it was working all along, but when connected to the westell router, DHCP times out according to messages.log. The Westell router never acknowledges a DHCP request has occurred so nothing shows up in its log at all.

I think I can just configure a static IP and should be good from there on out but this is very odd... I tried two brand new E02 pogoplugs, neither works when plugged directly into the westell which has a completely stock configuration... I blame Verizon yet again. Their equipment blows.

[dmcky]

Having this same issue. First thing is first, Im confused as to step 9.

The SSH key of your device will be different, so you need to tell Mac OS X or Linux to remove it from ~/.ssh/known_hosts before using SSH again:
ssh-keygen -R 192.168.1.123 # Use your device's IP

How do I run that command if I dont ssh into the pogoplug to being with?

Im still at the same point where if I leave the flash drive in, it boots with the orange light and I cant find its IP address on my router. If I remove the USB drive, it boots up green but I cant see the device in my.pogoplug.com and the command prompt when I ssh into it also says "Pogoplug:~$"