OsmocomBB

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= Background =

The OsmocomBB source code comes with several applications for various purposes.

Those applications can be devided into two separate classes, applications:

 * running on the baseband chip of the phone

 * running on a PC, communicating with the baseband firmware over serial

Applications running on the PC can further be partitioned into:

 * Firmware management software (loading, flashing, ...)

 * GSM Layer 3 applications

The following will provide you a rough overview of the most commonly used software pieces.

= Baseband firmware =

Binary location: src/target/firmware/board/*/*.bin

Source locations: src/target/firmware/, particularly apps and layer1

== layer1 ==

A simple GSM layer 1 proxy, communicating over the [wiki:L1A_L23_Interface].

This allows you to run a full-blown GSM implementation on your host machine, communicating through the phones radio interface.

== l1test ==

Layer 1 development application.

This application does what layer1 does, but automatically tunes to the strongest ARFCN it can find.

It can be used for stand-alone-testing of the phones radio.

== loader ==

Our [wiki:Bootloader], available in various build configurations.

== compal_dsp_dump ==

Application for dumping the contents of the DSP in the Calypso chip.

== compal_dumper ==

The old compal device dumper. Use [wiki:Bootloader] instead once it is available.

== hello_world ==

The initial obligatory "Hello, world!" application.

Currently, this does more than say hello. Intended as a template for new applications.

== rssi ==

The [blog:rssi-firmware] can be used to monitor the received signal indication (RSSI) of ARFCNs or the entire spectrum.

= Firmware management software =

Location (source and binary): src/host/osmocon

== osmocon ==

[wiki:osmocon] is a console tool for interfacing our baseband firmware on the phone with applications on the host PC.

It is responsible for downloading a baseband firmware or bootloader into the phone and relay communication between Layer 3 applications and baseband firmwares over serial.

== osmoload ==

[wiki:osmoload] is used to write, dump and examine flash memory of supported phones

You will need this program for example if you intent [wiki:flashing] an application to the phone (the software is usually loaded into RAM).

= GSM Layer 3 applications = 

Location (source and binary): src/host/layer23/*

Layer 3 applications implement various functionality based on GSM Layer 3.

== mobile ==

[wiki:mobile] is the most sophisticated OsmocomBB application so far.

It implements most of the behavior of a regular GSM telephone, but is extended in many ways with features interesting to researchers.

== cell_log ==

The cell_log application scans through valid available carrier frequencies, attempts to sync to them and dumps information gathered from the BCCH.

It is usually used to create a list of used ARFCNs and information such as their reception levels, MNC, MCC, and System Information.

== ccch_scan ==

The ccch_scan application can sync to a carrier ARFCN and logs power measurement and CCCH information (paging requests and Immediate Assignments).

== bcch_scan ==

bcch_scan is basically a predecessor of cell_log and logs information as observed on the BCCH (System Information).

== cbch_sniff ==

cbch_sniff dumps cell broadcast channel information such as, e.g., GPS location of the cell.