It’s hard to imagine a smartphone and tablet servicing workshop, like any other workshop, without soldering or measuring equipment. But the main place here is always occupied by tools for software repair: unlocking, recovery and firmware. They are the ones who help the technician unlock, flash or revive a non-working device.
Let's get to know them better.
BOXING
What is boxing?
How to choose?
Dongles can also be divided into more universal ones, supporting the maximum number of models from popular manufacturers and the most popular operations, and dongles designed for specific devices and operations.
Universal solutions:
Specialized solutions:
Reset FRP
Samsung and LG
SMART CARD
What is a smart card?
The smart card is used to authenticate your purchase and identify your device to the developer's server. In fact, it looks like a regular mobile phone SIM card. The smart card is designed to store data about the firmware version, the firmware itself and other special information.
Smart card chip structure
Important! A smart card has a limited number of information recording cycles. Usually the software warns the user that an update is required. That's why do not update the smart card unless necessary. It may simply get blocked, and as a result you will no longer be able to use this smart card or even the box (it all depends on the developer of the box). If you are unable to update your smart card when required, your best bet is to contact technical support.
What to choose: boxing or dongle?
Boxing is suitable if:
- connection via COM port is required;
- Phone recovery is only possible using JTAG or eMMC interface.
Dongle is suitable if:
- you are going to work with the phone in working condition;
- you need to unlock, flash, repair IMEI, remove FRP;
- The PC recognizes the phone;
- you are not going to work with the hardware of the device.
In the continuation of this article, you will learn about possible errors and problems that arise when working with dongles and boxes, and how to detect and eliminate their cause.
Of course, in Russia no one uses the word “dongle”; we use the more familiar “adapter”. But this absurd situation, when the word exists but is not used, must stop. Moreover, we live in a world where dongles have become a pervasive aspect of our existence.
New iPhone users who can't give up the headphone jack are regular dongle users. Many people use streaming devices that transmit images to the TV - Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter or its analogues. Even Google is now making dongles so you can connect your headphones to the Pixel 2.
Yes, Google, which just recently announced a huge commitment to developing devices that use sophisticated AI technologies, is also in the dongle business. Plus they made Chromecast.
Since we have unknowingly found ourselves in a society filled with dongles, this is a good time to think about the origin of such a stupid word. In simple terms, a dongle adds functionality to another device.
However, the word “dongle” is not new. It first appears in print in New Scientist, back in 1981:
“A dongle is an additional piece of memory that is connected to the computer, and without which the program refuses to work.” Such a device was connected to the Commodore Pet computer. Later the word gained popularity and at some point may well have seemed new - a fairly common occurrence.
“What you find new is likely not new,” Stanford University linguist and lexicographer Sarah Ogilvy tells Mashable. “Many new words have much older origins than you might think.”
But what happened about 40 years ago for such a curious word to arise?
"As for its actual origin, I think it's just a playful variation on the word 'dangle,'" says lexicographer Ben Zimmer. This explanation seems plausible, since dongles do get loose a lot. It is also possible that the word "dongle" comes from "dong" (bell tongue), which also naturally dangles.
You know the problem when in a store you say that you need “printer ink”, and they tell you that “there is no ink, only ink”? To avoid such cases, there is a wonderful word dongle, which we should spread as much as possible for our own convenience. When we want a device that expands the functionality of something, a seller or friend will always understand us perfectly.
In this article, we will look at the problem of obtaining remote access to a USB dongle, in particular, to a 1C electronic key using , and also consider the technology of electronic keys.
What is a USB key?
An electronic key, or dongle, is a reliable means of protecting software. Its use prevents illegal copying, use and distribution. Software manufacturers thus protect their copyrights and guarantee buyers the authenticity of the product.
The technology is based on a special microcontroller with its own unique operating algorithm. Electronic keys are equipped with a small volume of non-volatile memory; some may even have a built-in cryptoprocessor.
The main mystery of the operation of USB keys lies in the principle of their operation. First of all, for its operation you need an interface of a certain program. Only interaction with the desired version allows you to use the dongle. Accordingly, the program itself is launched for full operation only after receiving the correct response from the electronic key.
Types of electronic keys and their distribution
The most complex and expensive types of USB keys are equipped with a built-in licensing function, which allows them to be used on all computers on the local network. There is no need to buy a separate dongle for each machine. But this option is suitable only for those who plan to use the key within one room.
But there are software keys that strictly prohibit sharing. They must be used on one computer and not transfer access. Otherwise, the response algorithm with the application does not work.
Another common scenario is that the local computer does not support the operating system that the application will need to work with. In this case, a virtual OS (VMware, Hyper-V, VirtualBox, etc.) is installed on the computer and the application is launched in it. But the essence of the problem is not so much this, but the fact that not a single virtual environment gives access rights to the physical serial or USB ports of your computer. What to do in this case?
For example, you work on Mac OS and you need to generate reports in the program 1c accounting, which only supports Windows and requires a dongle to run. You install any virtual Windows OS and launch the 1C program, having previously installed the dongle in the USB connector of your Mac. As a result, the software does not start and the key is not recognized. How to provide remote access to 1C key?
Recently, a friend asked me for help. He occasionally needs to transfer documents/photos from his mobile phone, but his landline does not have bluetooth. All the dongles that he bought in transition and in stores either did not have all the functions out of the box or did not have drivers at all. He asked to find him a normal “USB bluetooth without problems and with drivers.”
The agony of choice is not my thing. I chose something branded on Aliexpress, like “ORICO BTA-403-BK Mini Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter Support Windows8/Windows 7/Vista/XP-Black”.
Arrived within 17 days from payment. The parcel was tracked, paid 2015-07-28, received 2015-08-14. Arrived in a postal bag with bubble wrap.
Inside was a blister with the device. Not wrinkled anywhere, looks great. 
As a result, we have the device itself and the CD. Let's start with analysis. 
The assembly is tight, the CSR 8510 chip is visible in the center. This is a fairly well-known company and detailed characteristics can be read on the official website of Cambridge Silicon Radio.
Here are the main characteristics:
Fully qualified Bluetooth v4.0 system
Dual-mode Bluetooth/Bluetooth low energy operation
HCI mode operation with full Bluetooth stack
HID proxy mode for boot mode support and stackless operation
High-sensitivity Bluetooth and Bluetooth low energy receiver
Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 support without external power amplifier or TX/RX switch
Baseband processor running Bluetooth HCI firmware stack
Reference design with worldwide qualification
Green (RoHS compliant and no antimony or halogenated flame retardants)
Full-speed USB 2.0 interface
RFKill functionality for PCs (hardware and software radio enable controls)
WLAN coexistence interface
External EEPROM I2C interface
Integrated balun
Minimal external components required: 15 passives plus crystal
28-ball WLCSP package
On-chip synthesizer
Internal power regulation for self-contained operation from USB vbus for dongles
Selectable I/O voltage
Real-time signal strength indicator (RSSI)
The photo shows that there is an LED on the board. But the plastic case is opaque, so you can’t make a Christmas tree garland out of your computer.
Let's move on to installing drivers. There is an installer on the disk, after which the CSR Harmony Wireless Software Stack appears on the system. At the beginning of the installation, you are asked to choose one of 30 languages, including Russian. Next, select the “detection mode”, enable the “SCMS-T” mode (some kind of data protection method during transmission) and whether to enable power saving if you have a laptop. 
After installation, a blue icon appears in the tray on the computer; the software version from CSR is 2.1.63.0. Let's look at the new functionality. The Russian language has disappeared a little, well, at least Chinese has not appeared. In the settings you can see all the services that the module can do. 
To check, I connected my phone, headset and smartphone. Everything is working. 
I thought for a long time about how to test it. I decided to compare it with an older bluetooth radio module from the well-known company “Noname”, standard v2.0+EDR on a CSR 41B13 chip. Fortunately, working Windows 7 recognizes it with minimal functionality.
The rivals are warming up. 
In testing, it was decided to determine the speed and range of both devices by transferring files from computer to mobile and back.
(the graph shows speeds in megabytes per second, distances in meters) 
Finally, I want to show you one more function of the driver of this device. This is the ability to unlock your computer when a certain Bluetooth device appears nearby. Unfortunately, not just any one, namely the Bluetooth Low Energy Security Token. I don’t have this, so I’m showing the settings for this function from the description found with the program. 
I've heard before about the possibility of linking any of your bluetooth devices to unlock your computer. This is implemented in MacOS, Chrome OS, Android and variations of Linux. On Windows, this can be implemented by third-party software. For example, through the Btprox utility, which is on sourceforge.net. But out of the box, CSR drivers only recognize a certain Bluetooth Low Energy Security Token, alas. 
That's all. I hope I helped you in your choice.
(I don’t have a cat, I’ll order it on Aliexpress someday if I get the chance)
