# Fairwaves XTRX Rev. 4 use with new gateware and Lime Suite NG
**URL:** https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289
**Category:** LimeSDR
**Created:** [2 May 2024 12:53 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289 "2024-05-02T12:53:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dchard](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/dchard)
#### Post date: [2 May 2024 12:53 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/1 "2024-05-02T12:53:46Z")
@ricardas sorry to annoy you with this. There is a large XTRX rev.4 userbase (myself included), and I am trying to forward the cause by willing to test the new GW on these units.
Theoretically, the only difference between Lime XTRX and the old rev.4 boards is the SoC’s memory. I tried to get some answers before about what would happen, if I just load the new GW on the old rev.4 board and try to use low bw (5-10MHz) and/or using only 1T/1R instead of MIMO. Is there a chance for it to work? But more importantly: if the new GW is unstable, can I reprogram the old GW via the USB interface? I am willing to try it out, but rather not permanently brick my rev.4 boards 🙂
Thanks in advance!
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### Author:  [@andrewback](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/andrewback)
#### Post date: [2 May 2024 14:56 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/2 "2024-05-02T14:56:19Z")
I’ve split this off to a new topic, as it has nothing to do with officially supported hardware.
As you know, we will commit to supporting Fairwaves XTRX Rev. 5, along with LimeSDR XTRX boards. However, we cannot support Fairwaves Rev. 4 and earlier, and this includes providing support to people who want to experiment and perhaps try to backport the gateware to earlier boards.
All I can suggest is that you find someone who has FPGA development experience who could look into this for you.
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### Author:  [@gorkem](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/gorkem)
#### Post date: [7 November 2024 21:53 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/3 "2024-11-07T21:53:40Z")
@andrewback thank you for replying. I understand you are only committed to XTRX Rev 5. On the other hand, we, the rev 4 purchasers, like @dchard and myself, were promised it would be open source. I cannot find the FPGA source for XTRX Pro rev 4. Is it the case that it has been released and it is just me who cannot find it?
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### Author:  [@andrewback](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/andrewback)
#### Post date: [10 November 2024 12:24 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/4 "2024-11-10T12:24:19Z")
Let me see if I can find out.
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### Author:  [@markpaz](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/markpaz)
#### Post date: [19 November 2024 17:26 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/5 "2024-11-19T17:26:44Z")
Like gorkem, I am also looking for FPGA source and schematics.
I could reverse engineer it by looking at the boundary scan and PCB, but it would be very tedious.
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### Author:  [@andrewback](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/andrewback)
#### Post date: [19 November 2024 18:00 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/6 "2024-11-19T18:00:01Z")
Fairwaves XTRX wasn’t open source and Rev 4 is two generations before the LimeSDR product, but again I’ll see what I can find out.
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### Author:  [@vjarao](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/vjarao)
#### Post date: [12 January 2025 17:41 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/7 "2025-01-12T17:41:40Z")
Hello, I bought a RPI5 and have been, so far, unable to get working the Fairwaves XTRX Rev 5 to be recognized a run on GNURadio. I have the PiHat (mPCIe) that is recommended in other forum but still cannot make it work.
Anyone have an image or any hint about how to install all the required software? I can easily erase the SD card if necessary.
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### Author:  [@andrewback](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/andrewback)
#### Post date: [13 January 2025 09:55 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/8 "2025-01-13T09:55:06Z")
Does it still have the original Fairwaves gateware loaded? If so you would need to flash gateware which works with Lime Suite NG and then install this.
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### Author:  [@vjarao](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/vjarao)
#### Post date: [13 January 2025 14:18 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/9 "2025-01-13T14:18:00Z")
I do not remember to have done it but no sure if it came with it. I will figure out how to find that and flash it if necessary. I will assume I have everything I need for it.
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### Author:  [@andrewback](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/andrewback)
#### Post date: [13 January 2025 14:21 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/10 "2025-01-13T14:21:34Z")
It will have been supplied with Fairwaves gateware, which will not work with Lime Suite or Lime suite NG.
@VytautasB could you please advise how they should update.
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### Author:  [@VytautasB](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/VytautasB)
#### Post date: [13 January 2025 14:37 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/11 "2025-01-13T14:37:12Z")
Hi @vjarao, you can check this guide [JTAG programming — LimeSDR XTRX Boards 23.01 documentation](https://limesdr-xtrx.myriadrf.org/documentation/jtag-programming#connecting-limesdr-xtrx-v1-2-board-to-jtag-adapter).
Take in mind that is written for LimeSDR-XTRX v1.2 board, but procedure would be similar to Fairwaves rev5 board.
You will need JTAG adapter. You can access JTAG pins with [LimeFEA mPCIe Carrier Board | Crowd Supply](https://www.crowdsupply.com/lime-micro/limefea-mpcie-carrier-board) or you can solder directly some wires and header on JTAG pads.
Also be cautious and use correct programming file suitable for Fairwaves rev5 board: [LimeSDR-XTRX\_GW/bitstream/flash\_programming\_file.bin at LimeSDR-XTRX\_fairwaves\_rev5 · myriadrf/LimeSDR-XTRX\_GW · GitHub](https://github.com/myriadrf/LimeSDR-XTRX_GW/blob/LimeSDR-XTRX_fairwaves_rev5/bitstream/flash_programming_file.bin)
Regards,
Vytautas
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### Author:  [@vjarao](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/vjarao)
#### Post date: [19 January 2025 15:00 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/12 "2025-01-19T15:00:06Z")
Thank you Andrew and Vytautas. I will share my progress when I get necessary HW and SW.
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### Author:  [@jofewi](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/jofewi)
#### Post date: [20 March 2025 21:21 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/13 "2025-03-20T21:21:59Z")
> [@andrewback](#):
>
> Fairwaves XTRX wasn’t open source and Rev 4 is two generations before the LimeSDR product, but again I’ll see what I can find out.
I hope you would be successful. I also have a xtrx hardware revision 4 and am also interested in getting any progress on this part. For example the ability to use some lite-firmware that would fit on the memory of the xtrx fpga and also the ability to flash back to the old firmware and use the old driver [GitHub - myriadrf/xtrx\_linux\_pcie\_drv: XTRX PCI driver for linux](https://github.com/myriadrf/xtrx_linux_pcie_drv) would be great progress.
Have fairwaves send you over their hardware files? Do you know if the only difference between version 4 and version 5 is the FPGA chip? If yes, this could be promising for professional soldering work to solder out the smaller FPGA and solder in the bigger FPGA.
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### Author:  [@caseylaurensen](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/caseylaurensen)
#### Post date: [10 December 2025 07:30 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/14 "2025-12-10T07:30:11Z")
Did you dind any way to get the xtrx to work on the pi5 i seem to be having the same issue, in my case it doesnt even detect no message not even a failure message on the dmesg | grep pci
my email is [caseylaurensen@gmail.com](mailto:caseylaurensen@gmail.com) if you can get me any information i will appreciate
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### Author:  [@vjarao](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/vjarao)
#### Post date: [13 December 2025 18:59 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/fairwaves-xtrx-rev-4-use-with-new-gateware-and-lime-suite-ng/8289/15 "2025-12-13T18:59:30Z")
Sorry for my delayed response. Unfortunately still does not work. I bought the **LimeFEA mPCIe Lite** [LimeFEA mPCIe Carrier Board | Crowd Supply](https://www.crowdsupply.com/lime-micro/limefea-mpcie-carrier-board) yet still cannot make it work. It is always possible that I am doing something wrong. I wish there where a way to do it directly from the RPi5