Hello, I have never posted on a forum before and never had technical experience with a circuit board. I am pretty handy though.

I have a Franklin 10 mobile Hotspot and I went on the web UI settings page and disabled the factory reset button. I then activated mac filtering, and input my device mac address wrong, hence accidently blocking all devices from connecting to the wifi. The 30/30/30 method was unsuccessful to reset. I tried to hardwire using a USB c cable and my device wasn't recognized.
I can not go into the store to get help. I can not hook the device up to the computer. I have tried everything to reset. The only thing the reset button does near the battery is activate the display screen, so it is "physically" not disabled, only disabled in the web UI settings interface. A device must be able to connect to that settings interface to be able to change any settings. No devices can. The company cannot remotely change anything for "security" reasons.

So I have taken pictures of the circuit board in the hope that someone here can tell me a possible way to force a reset by prodding a few points on the board? Idk it's my last option. I mean no disrespect by maybe asking something completely stupid. I don't have access to any special cables or adapters or computers. I cannot upgrade or downgrade any firmware... I can only poke around on the board.

The problem. Disabled reset button, enabled Mac filtering and locked out all devices. No access to cables and firmware. Need to factory reset circuit board.

Please see pictures attached and give me any information that may help. I appreciate your time and effort in this matter. Thank you.

(If you need me to remove that blue sticky pad on board let me know and I will add the picture of the device without it.)

 

Welcome to AAC.

Since the issue is with a software configuration, there will be no strictly hardware solution.

Unfortunately, your photos are extremely out of focus. The best I can offer with what you have provided is that a serial terminal may be able to be connected to the three top most pads in the row of test points:

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If these pads are what they appear to be—access for debugging—you might be able to get console access and find command(s) that set the options needing changes, or performs a reset. You would need a UART ←→ USB interface, and a serial terminal program on a computer, you would also need to solder or otherwise attach wires to the PCB at those pads.

If you can get one good, sharply focused shot of the PCB there might be something else that I can’t see in the current photos.

 

Thanks for your reply. I will try to take a better photo and post it soon.

 

The problem. Disabled reset button, enabled Mac filtering and locked out all devices. No access to cables and firmware. Need to factory reset circuit board.

1. Did you try a power on reset? Hold power button down for 10 seconds.
2. Even with the factory reset button disabled, you should still be able to connect to the hotspot, logon to the web-ui and re-enable the reset button, using your computer.

 

The problem with that is that I had firstly enabled mac filtering

Max filtering: MAC filtering is a way to control which devices can connect to your WiFi network based on their physical addresses.

In the web ui interface i tried to input mac filtering and then add my device mac address into a list of permitted devices that would then be the only devices allowed to connect to that network, I ended up inputting the wrong Mac address and so it made it impossible for any device to connect to the network. That is the reason I need to do a factory reset.

 

I have tried the power on reset , also

 

I have tried the power on reset , also

Do you know the mac address you have permitted?
You can try to change your network adapter mac setting:
Change adapter setting (link)->Configure (button)->Advanced (tab)->Network address

Also-
Did you remove the battery without the unit plugged into AC power? This should have cleared memory, otherwise, it wouldn't need a battery.
Try this: Make sure AC power is removed from unit, remove the battery, then, with no power to the unit, short the battery terminals on the PC board.

 

I tried to change the Mac address of the tablet I use with an app called Mac address ghost, to match the mac address on the hotspots permitted list. I was unsuccessful connecting still. I also tried to do it in a terminal emulator for changing the Mac address on an Android device. I successfully changed the Mac address but the device is still not recognizing me and allowing access.

 

I tried to change the Mac address of the tablet I use with an app called Mac address ghost, to match the mac address on the hotspots permitted list. I was unsuccessful connecting still. I also tried to do it in a terminal emulator for changing the Mac address on an Android device. I successfully changed the Mac address but the device is still not recognizing me and allowing access.

That suggests that the mac is not being changed. You can verify the mac address being transmitted on the network with wireshark.

 

Yeah I had a feeling that my mac address hadn't really changed.

How do I short the battery terminals on the pc board?

 

Is this the correct Wireshark app? I have to download it on my tablet because I don't have access to a Computer. My tablet is android 8.1

 

Yeah I had a feeling that my mac address hadn't really changed.

How do I short the battery terminals on the pc board?

I can't see the battery terminals on the picture of the battery. But look at the battery and match the terminals to where they connect on the PC Board.

 

So then I would just connect the positive and negative together on the pc board? Sorry I'm a beginner at all this.

 

Hello,

https://www.wireshark.org/

bertus

 

Is this the correct Wireshark app? I have to download it on my tablet because I don't have access to a Computer. My tablet is android 8.1

No.

Google "Wireshark capture for android"

 

So then I would just connect the positive and negative together on the pc board? Sorry I'm a beginner at all this.

Yes. But there may be 3 terminals for the battery. (plus, minus, and temperature signal)
Just make sure there is no power connected to the pc board or it will burn up.

 

I successfully changed the Mac address but the device is still not recognizing me and allowing access.

Also, be aware that if you did actually reset the device, and you had previously changed the logon name and/or password, the admin logon name and password will return to the default logon name and password.

 

I'm going to look at that Wireshark link tomorrow thanks bertus.

 

Also, be aware that if you did actually reset the device, and you had previously changed the logon name and/or password, the admin logon name and password will return to the default logon name and password.

That is the outcome in trying to achieve.I'll try to short it tomorrow I got caught up today with work. Thanks for the help so far. I'll be back soon

 

I'm having a problem finding the right Wireshark app for my android. I went to the official site and didn't see a version option for android.

Also, I sorted the battery terminals w.o power and had no results.

Any other ideas?

Clear picture of the board coming soon.