Omnimaga

Omnimaga => News => Topic started by: critor on July 05, 2012, 08:13:36 pm

Title: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: critor on July 05, 2012, 08:13:36 pm
The TI-Navigator Access Point is the proprietary WiFi router used to build a wireless network of TI-Nspire handhelds in class. It connects to the host teacher computer through USB.

(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=medium&album_id=84&image_id=1137)(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=medium&album_id=84&image_id=1138)


In a previous news (http://ourl.ca/16207), we were discovering the included motherboard together:
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=medium&album_id=84&image_id=944)(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=medium&album_id=84&image_id=945)



And I was telling you that there was something else in the TI-Navigator Access Point...

Just think it again:



The propriety TI-Navigator Access Pointer router is just built around... a perfectly standard NetGear ProSafe WAG102 router! ;D(http://www.omnimaga.org/Themes/default/images/gpbp_arrow_up.gif)

(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=medium&album_id=84&image_id=1142)

(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=medium&album_id=84&image_id=1145)



And what if you could now build your own TI-Nspire wireless network for cheap ? ;)



Other photos available in the TI-Planet news:
http://tiplanet.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9629
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: jwalker on July 05, 2012, 08:44:12 pm
that would be awesome
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: apcalc on July 05, 2012, 09:24:28 pm
Great news and pics critor! :)
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: Deep Toaster on July 05, 2012, 10:52:00 pm
Wonder how TI's gonna fare when the testing authorities find out O.O

Anyway, that's some really interesting news. Can't wait to see what Nspire developers will do with it.
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: AzNg0d1030 on July 05, 2012, 10:58:25 pm
O.M.G. That is AMAZING!
Great find, how long did that take?
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on July 06, 2012, 01:43:07 am
Oh wow... if 3rd party networks are possible that's gonna be amazing, considering how cheap routers are. One thing that might be discouraging people from attempting making multiplayer games or online stuff is how expensive the navigator devices are.
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: Adriweb on July 06, 2012, 02:12:15 am
Quote from: Deep Thought on July 05, 2012, 10:52:00 pm
Wonder how TI's gonna fare when the testing authorities find out O.O

Anyway, that's some really interesting news. Can't wait to see what Nspire developers will do with it.

Don't worry, I bet they made all that very legal :P
And anyway what in this packaged thing could be illegal ?
For example, if I have the right to sell a product, can't I just be selling a product of mine which improves/modify some other company's product directly, from the outside ? (I dont think TI modified the inside of the NetGear router)
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: Deep Toaster on July 06, 2012, 02:15:54 am
Oh, I was just imagining how teachers/proctors who are paranoid about cheating would react to finding out there's basically a router inside the Navigator.
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: critor on July 06, 2012, 04:03:16 am
Quote from: Deep Thought on July 06, 2012, 02:15:54 am
Oh, I was just imagining how teachers/proctors who are paranoid about cheating would react to finding out there's basically a router inside the Navigator.

I think that the interfacing card has an important role which might be related to security and explain why non-Nspire clients can neither see or connect to this private WiFi network.


We might find out by digging into the TI-Navigator Access Point Firmware (based on Linux and uBoot):
http://tiplanet.org/forum/archives_voir.php?id=6071

Note that I don't know if that firmware is flashed into the interface card ROM, into the NetGear router (custom firmware) or into both.
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: TIfanx1999 on July 06, 2012, 08:00:45 am
Nice find! It looks like some really interesting things could be developed if we are able to figure out how to let regular routers "see" the nSpire. :)
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: TheNlightenedOne on July 06, 2012, 09:33:22 am
This seems too good to be true...
*TheNlightenedOne goes on EBay to look for a Netgear ProSafe WAG102
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: critor on July 06, 2012, 11:35:01 am
Quote from: TheNlightenedOne on July 06, 2012, 09:33:22 am
This seems too good to be true...
*TheNlightenedOne goes on EBay to look for a Netgear ProSafe WAG102

Do not forget the proprietary interfacing card... ;)
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: Juju on July 06, 2012, 12:54:36 pm
They didn't even removed the case of the Netgear router? Oh wow. Way to go, TI.
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: critor on July 06, 2012, 01:19:51 pm
Yes exactly. I thought I was going to find NetGear PCB/chips inside the Navigator Access Point... not a complete NetGear router :P
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: aeTIos on July 06, 2012, 01:55:43 pm
Lol. That is really weird O.o
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: Keoni29 on July 07, 2012, 04:08:52 am
TI is my greatest hero again. They are even bigger hackers than I am XD XD XD
Edit: I'd be even weirder if every TI-Navigator had a second hand router in them. Each one comes with a different router inside XD
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: TIfanx1999 on July 07, 2012, 08:00:21 am
@Keoni: That'd actually be pretty funny if they used second hand or refurbished routers. I've heard of companies trying to cut costs, but that would be ridiculous! :D
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: Keoni29 on July 07, 2012, 10:59:42 am
Maybe factory leftovers? Unsold routers?
Title: Re: TI-Navigator Access Point greatest secret
Post by: linuxgeek96 on July 07, 2012, 07:18:58 pm
has anyone dumped the router PROM?