Please Help

[alexonay]

Hi friends. I need help, I'll explain the situation: My aunt bought me a new Kindle Paperwhite as a gift (Firmware 5.3.3). I live in Cuba, here we don't have Wi-Fi Internet Connection, so I can't register my Paperwhite with Amazon using Wi-Fi. I have Internet on my Pc, so what I want to do is to connect my Kindle Paperwhite to my Pc and use my Pc's Internet Connection to register my Kindle PW with my Amazon account. I'm not asking how to do tethering, I don't want to do anything illegal, I don't wan to cause anyone legal troubles (myself included), and I don't want to go against Forum Rules, I just want to register the PW with Amazon so I can use it normally. I have a BIG e-books collection on my Pc so I won't need to use internet to buy books from Amazon, but I want to register my PW so it can work as it should.
Thank you very much in advance.

[knc1]

That question / problem may take some time to solve.

The way my K5 Paperwhite behaved lead me to think they have the registration process hardcoded to us the Wifi connection.

Can you PC act as a WiFi access point?
That would be one way to provide the Kindle with its required Wifi connection.

Can you add a WiFi access point to your PC?
(That is the way my Kindle reached the Internet to register - worked great.)

You will very likely want to use our Collections Manger for your e-book collection.
That will require that you have "Jailbreak" the Kindle.

Your firmware version of 5.3.3 can not be Jailbroken.
But you can install the Amazon firmware version 5.3.1, Jailbreak that, then upgrade back to version 5.3.3
Directions in the forum here.

Once that is done (the Jailbreak) - then you could also install the USBnetwork package.
That, plus some special purpose routing and firewall rules, would make the Kindle re-direct everything to/from the Wifi device to the USB networking device (with your PC on the other end of the cable).

I have not done that myself to a Kindle - but I am familar enough with the features of the Linux network stack to know it can be done.

[alexonay]

knc1 Thanks for your answer.

The fact is that my KPW is still in the USA with my aunt, she received it from Amazon three days ago and she will bring it to me as my birthday gift in the next weeks. Since I don't know how the KPW behaves when it's unregistered (and being afraid of not being able to use it at all without registering it first) I told my aunt about the Wi-Fi registration process so she opened it and successfully registered it with my Amazon account. So I'm theoretically Ok, but I'm still concerned because once it's here with me and no Wi-Fi at all, if someday something happens and I have to reset my PW, then I would have to register it again, that's why I'm researching how to register it here in case someday I have to.
Is there a way to backup the entire file system of the Kindle PW so the registration status and Amazon account configuration is also backed up? (I mean like a Windows image backup, where everything is backed up including the Windows activation status, partitions, etc). Since my Kindle is already registered and new, if I back it up, reset it and restore the backup, will the registration status be restored too? If this is possible, would you please tell me how to do it?
In case that it doesn't work that way, I'm thinking about buying a USB Wi-Fi Adapter and configure it to act as an Access Point, that way I could connect my Kindle Paperwhite via Wi-Fi to my PC. Would the PW then register with Amazon using my Pc's Internet connection?

About the Jailbreak. I've been reading many articles here in the forum and I have the pages explaining how to do it. I also have the Jailbreak files for the PW 5.3.1, the kindle-usbnet-0.7.N file for installing the USBNetwork and the Collections Manager 2.3.5. BTW I'd like to know a little more about what for is USBNetwork (everything I've read just says that it will let my Kindle to connect via SSH with my PC but I'd like to know some examples of what for is it).

I've seen some tools/applications/mods here in the Forum for the Paperwhite, can you recommend the best ones?

I apologize for the many questions, it's just that I want to be sure of knowing the possibilities and the options before doing anything when my PW arrives.
Thanks in advance.

[dsmid]

I think all you need is to install rescue pack and backup all the partitions.
Then you should be safe if you don't unregister Kindle by accident.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by dsmid

I think all you need is to install rescue pack and backup all the partitions.
Then you should be safe if you don't unregister Kindle by accident.

If the Kindle was purchased from Amazon, it "auto registered" the first time it made a network connection.

After installing the 5.3.1 image, jailbreaking, then upgrading to 5.3.3 the **DEVICE** Jailbreak will survive - other parts of the Jailbreak package will have to be re-installed.

What good is USB networking?
I could ask the same question: What good is an Ethernet cable between two computer systems?

The USB networking package enables the use of a driver on the Kindle that allows Ethernet-over-USB (handy, since the Kindle does not have an Ethernet cable connection).

Your PC (be it MacOSx, Linux, or Windows) will also have a similar driver for its end of the cable already.

[GoSharks]

@alexonay-
I think a simple answer is...if you don't know why you would want usbnetwork, then you don't want it. If you know what you are doing, you can gain access to parts of your kindle you can't get to otherwise. If you don't know what you are doing, you can gain access to parts of your kindle you don't want to!

[alexonay]

Boys, my Kindle PW is already registered, my aunt did it for me using her Wi-Fi, so I'm theoretically Ok, but I'm still concerned because once it's here in Cuba with me (and no Wi-Fi at all), if someday something happens and I have to reset my PW, then I would have to register it again, that's why I'm researching how to register it here in case someday I have to.

Is there any way to backup the entire file system of the Kindle PW including the registration status and Amazon account configuration? (like a Windows image backup, where everything is backed up including the Windows activation status, partitions, etc). If I back it up, reset it and restore the backup, will the registration status be restored too?

@knc1
Again thanks for your answer and time, answering your question: I know that an Ethernet cable between two computer systems is very useful because (among other things) it allows you to share an Internet Connection between devices. In the case Kindle-Pc it would be GREAT because (among other things) it would be the solution to the regitration problem, but I had to answer about it because I've read that this is not the case because Kindle registers over Wi-Fi, and it doesn't share an internet connection even if it's connected via USBNetwork to a computer with an Internet connection (my only reason to do this is for registering it with Amazon if I have to reset my PW).

@GoSharks
I'm afraid you are totally wrong: I DO want to use usbnetwork, but I want to be sure to know what I'm doing BEFORE touching anything because I'm "playing" with an expensive device (mine was $119 USD, in cuban currency it would be $2975, our salaries are about $350 per month cuban currency, do the maths). As you can see, even if my aunt bought it as a birthday gift, I can't afford a new one if I brake this one, and, even if I could, the Kindle is not available in my country by any means. About the "if you don't know it, then you don't want it" advice: I really hope that you never get the same answer the day you have to ask about something new to you. I'm a teacher, I teach at school about computer systems so I know a thing or two (maybe more) about devices, firmware flashing, Windows, Linux, etc. It's just that I'm not a mr-know-it-all, so when I'm not familiar with a specific device, system or procedure, I ask for advice before touching anything. Thanks anyway for your time.

So boys, any idea?

[ixtab]

The very first thing you'll want to do when it arrives is to downgrade it to 5.3.1, and jailbreak it. Whether you upgrade it back to 5.3.3 afterwards is your own decision, I personally don't see a need for it.

You can then reboot to diags mode, SSH into it, and make a backup of /dev/mmcblk0p3. That's the partition where user data is kept, including the registration information. You don't necessarily have to back up the other partitions.

About usbnetwork: well, if you know that you want it, then install it. But it sounded like you didn't know why you would want it, so GoSharks' suggestion was completely correct: if you don't know why you'd want it, then you don't need it.

Anyway, it does exactly what you think it does: it gives you a root shell on the Kindle. Which allows you to do whatever you want with the device - including breaking it. All of the modifications that you'll find here have in one way or another required usbnetwork access to the device, in order to be developed in the first place.

More information (but you need to filter it to find the parts that are interesting to you): https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kindle_Touch_Hacking

[alexonay]

@ixtab,
thank you for your advise. Why do you think it's not necessary to upgrade again to 5.3.3? Isn't it an improved upgrade? (I've been looking for the changelog of 5.3.3 but I couldn't find it).

I'm not new to flashing, hacking and customizing devices. In my other devices, if I don't like something I installed, I just reset the device to factory settings and problem resolved: I get a fresh new OS, but with the PW it is more complicated (to me) because of the registration process. If I reset PW to Factory Settings I'll have to register again and I can't do it because I don't have Wi-Fi with Internet Connection here in Cuba. Besides, since I don't have the PW here yet, I don't know how it behaves without registration (or if registration is mandatory to use the device).

So my problem is not jailbraking, installing custom mods or updates on the PW, my problem is to keep the registration status backed up so I can restore it later, (or to find a way to register it).

I've been thinking of two possible solutions, but both of them requires to un-register my PW in order to test if they will work.

My first proposed solution would be to backup the partition with the user registration data. That way if I have to reset the device to Factory settings, I could later restore the backed up partition and then the registration status would also be restored to the PW. I don't know if it's possible or how can I do it. What do you think about it?

My second solution would be buying a Wi-Fi USB adapter and configure it on my PC as an AP, then connect the PW via Wi-Fi to my computer (it has Internet Connection). But I don't know if that way the PW would register using my PC's Internet Connection.

Please forgive me for asking so many questions, and for talking so much.

Thank you so much for your help.

[ixtab]

I didn't find anything massively improved in FW 5.3.3 vs. 5.3.1 - except that the jailbreak can't be installed anymore.

Concerning the registration: you don't need to register your device with Amazon. Registration only really makes sense if you buy a lot of stuff from Amazon, and want it pushed to your Kindle - which, in turn, requires Wifi anyway. The only useful feature that is missing from unregistered devices is the collections, and you can use CM to handle them.

As mentioned in my earlier post, a full backup of partition 3 will also back up your registration data (but other stuff as well, like settings, collections etc.). So restoring that partition will also restore the registration state, and whatever settings you had at the time of backup.

The alternative would work just as well - get a USB Wifi stick, and make your computer act as an access point. It's up to you.

Just for the record: I now tend to keep my devices unregistered and in airplane mode. No "automatic update" surprises, no Amazon logging what I'm doing with my device. And I'm only sideloading books anyway.

[GoSharks]

@alexonay-
I stand by my earlier advice...if you don't know what you are doing, don't use usbnetwork. If you do, God love you, have at it. My advice was in no way meant to be snarky, however this forum is littered with people asking how to unbrick their devices after getting themselves in way too deep. As a "teacher", you should know that SAFETY is paramount when teaching a new skill. In your post you made NO MENTION of being in ANY WAY knowledgeable with regards to the utilization of usbnetworks... in fact, the phrasing of your question suggested the EXACT OPPOSITE. A simple 'I know what I'm doing, thanks' would have sufficed without the condescention, especially when asking for advice/help. I wish you joy with your PW.

[twobob]

^-- that

[alexonay]

Originally Posted by GoSharks

@alexonay-
I stand by my earlier advice...if you don't know what you are doing, don't use usbnetwork. If you do, God love you, have at it. My advice was in no way meant to be snarky, however this forum is littered with people asking how to unbrick their devices after getting themselves in way too deep. As a "teacher", you should know that SAFETY is paramount when teaching a new skill. In your post you made NO MENTION of being in ANY WAY knowledgeable with regards to the utilization of usbnetworks... in fact, the phrasing of your question suggested the EXACT OPPOSITE. A simple 'I know what I'm doing, thanks' would have sufficed without the condescention, especially when asking for advice/help. I wish you joy with your PW.

Once again thanks for your time and your advice. Sometimes people ARE snarky even when they don't mean to. Precisely because the forum is full of people with bricked devices, I asked before do anything. Like you say in your post, as a "teacher" (graduated with honors by the way, using the same amount of your unnecessary sarcasm) I DO know that safety is paramount when teaching a new skill, but as a mr-I-know-it-all, YOU should know that safety is not about to keep being ignorant about a skill, safety is about asking about it first, learning how to do it, and then doing it safely. Reading is about interpretation, and it was YOUR interpretation the one suggesting you that I had no knowledge at all, I didn't say I do, but neither say I don't, (I clarified it some posts ago, but here you are writing again and assuming things). I can't control how people interprets while reading, I just can gladly explain myself if someone ask me to (something you didn't do). You didn't understand my post, but neither tried to, and it's ok, I get it, I'm the one who needs help, but you are the one being mean with the "Hey get off my cloud, you don't have the knowledge to ask here" attitude. I didn't compel you to answer or to help me since my post was not written only for you, it was written for anyone with the desire to help, you had the choice to just ignore my post like other people did, that's the beauty of Forums, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. In the end it doesn't really matter if my first post "suggested" one thing or another, I asked for help, and your advice was "don't know about usbnetwork, don't need it". Well, FYI I DO need it because the closest solution to my problem is to backup my device, and in order to do it, (as you probably know) I have to first jailbrake it and then use usbnetwok.

Anyway, I got the help I needed, some people answered politely without judging my amount of knowledge (this is what REAL intentions to help are about).

I thank you (again) and I'm cool with you and your words, because I understand that not everyone has the time, patience (or knowledge) to teach others about something, or to explain something in a right way. Maybe you don't understand me now, it's ok, don't worry, everybody has to ask something sometime, and you definitely will someday. If that day you get the "don't know about it, then you don't need it" answer, that day you're gonna understand why you advice was snarky.

Oh, and about you wishing me joy with my PW, thank you (again) I'm sure I'll definitely enjoy it (because of the other people's help) jailbraked, registered and completely unlocked to its full potential .

[alexonay]

Originally Posted by ixtab

I didn't find anything massively improved in FW 5.3.3 vs. 5.3.1 - except that the jailbreak can't be installed anymore.

Concerning the registration: you don't need to register your device with Amazon. Registration only really makes sense if you buy a lot of stuff from Amazon, and want it pushed to your Kindle - which, in turn, requires Wifi anyway. The only useful feature that is missing from unregistered devices is the collections, and you can use CM to handle them.

As mentioned in my earlier post, a full backup of partition 3 will also back up your registration data (but other stuff as well, like settings, collections etc.). So restoring that partition will also restore the registration state, and whatever settings you had at the time of backup.

The alternative would work just as well - get a USB Wifi stick, and make your computer act as an access point. It's up to you.

Just for the record: I now tend to keep my devices unregistered and in airplane mode. No "automatic update" surprises, no Amazon logging what I'm doing with my device. And I'm only sideloading books anyway.

Ok, Thanks for your help, now I'm sure of what I have to do.

[GoSharks]

@alexonay-
I suspect that your continued misinterpretation of my posts may be due to a simple language / communication barrier, so I will try to briefly clarify my thoughts for you... adios.