Linux forum: What to do with Verizon hub after service cancellation?

The hardware is too proprietary and I am pretty much sure that is done for. Perhaps some Google Search might turn some, but I think the chances are very slim.

I found all of the software used on the Verizon Hub.
It is all open-source. This pdf contains all of the links.
https://hub.vzw.com/hub/opensource/OSS.pdf
I just got a Hub and it is connected to my router and on-line, but the hub uses www36.verizon.com for a portal.
Anyone know how to hack it?

I just got one cheap from ebay to see what can be done with it. Only had it for a couple hours but found that if you hold the speaker button and the volume down button down right as your powering up the device and hold it until it fills the second circle on the boot screen it will go to a system information page and after about 2 minutes you can telnet into the device, you'll have to know what IP was assigned to it though which can be found on your routers administrative site. Then when asked for a login just type "root" whichout the quotes and your into the file system. Only thing is every change I make gets set to default after a reboot.

Using the Speaker Button/Volume Down trick, I logged in via telnet to the device and did some looking around. It looks like the only way to save anything is by using the /sbin/nvram to write to nvram. The command option -a lists all the nvram settings of which some interesting values are boot.stage, boot.att and more. boot.stage seems to control the boot mode set in /etc/init.d/boot.d/S11boot.monitor startup script.

Now, to do anything useful, you will need to mount /dev/mtdblock1 ( mount -o rw -t yaffs2 /dev/mtdblock1 /boot) which does save data across reboots and take a look at the files there.

I've only spent a few minutes looking into this thing, so yeah, it's hackable, but requires some experience with unix and there's no easy script for this one (yet). I'm sure there is a nvram setting (probably with boot.stage) that can be written so the hub always boots into failsafe mode instead of normal operation. But really, this things is mostly a piece of junk, always was a piece of junk and a ripoff.

Another persistent mount point is /user and if you dig down in that directory, you may find /user/Data/VoiceMail which is a directory that contains voice mail, obviously. I am reasonably sure that the directory contains all voicemails, at least on mine, including deleted voicemails. There is also another file that is in xml format that seems to contain all or some of the calls to and from the VZ Hub. I don't think Verizon planned on anyone digging into the device like this and I'm really not surprised. My Pro Tip - if you have one of these and want to sell it for 5 bucks on ebay, might want to think twice about it because of the voicemail thing!

As far as what to do with it, I think it would make a good thin client for MagicJack. The display is also useful. Making it a VOIP phone might be tricky but that's what it is, so it can be done!

I have a HUB that I was using for the gadets after I had disconnected the VOIP service and, now that there is no service period, I am really only interested in using it for an internet radio and digital picture frame. Being that I am completely ignorant of all things programmable, I'm asking those that are all-knowing "will this thing ever be useful for simple folk?".

If I'm reading this thread correctly, Verizon was operating a web address through which all HUB's operated and without that site, the HUB's can't function independently. Am I close?

Namaste