Advantech FWA-2320 LCD display module

PFSense can interact with the LCD display on this model, pics below. I spent some time playing around with it to figure out the drivers needed and how to manipulate it and also a workaround for when PFSense reboots or makes a change to the LCDd.conf file it will regenerate a new config file…(not cool).

So the LCD display the following specs (pulled from the product file)…

In PFSense, you have to go to System > Package Manger > Available Packages.

Find LCDproc. Install it.

After its installed go to Status > Services.

Find the LCDd service and start it.

Go to Services > LCDproc.

Here is where you configure the display to use the right drivers, baud, etc. I’m going to save you some trouble and tell you the driver to use considering there are tons of them.

Check the box to “Enable LCDproc at startup”

Com port = Serial COM port 2 alternate (/dev/cuau1). (PFsense picked it up as this)

Display size = 4 rows 20 columns. ( I personally edited the webgui php page to offer 4 x 21, if you can do this go for it, if not leave it.)

Driver = CwLnx

Port speed = 9600 or 19200. (I chose 19200)

pfSense control menu = check box

Now Click Save.

Go to the “Screens” tab at the top on the same page you are on.

Choose the screen display info you want.

I chose Time, System Up-time, and down near the bottom Interfaces link status.

Click Save at the bottom.

So now here is the fun part. You need to SSH into your PFSense firewall and edit the LCDd.conf file.

Its located at /usr/local/etc/LCDd.conf

TIP: I seriously advise you to read the LCDproc website documation and find out what you can do with the LCDd.conf file. There are other cool things you can do or display like a Hello or Goodbye message on the screen.

Once you are in the file add the following or at least make sure its in there.

###########

ToggleRotateKey=Enter
PrevScreenKey=Left
NextScreenKey=Right
ScrollUpKey=Up
ScrollDownKey=Down

[menu]
UpKey=Up
DownKey=Down
MenuKey=Enter
EscapeKey=Left
EnterKey=Right
PermissiveGoto=true

[CwLnx]
Model=12832
Device=/dev/cuau1
Size=21×4
Reboot=no
Speed=19200
Keypad=yes

#########

After you got that info in your config, restart the LCDd service with “service LCDd onerestart”

You should see the display eventually update and start showing you your screen you selected.

That is it! Almost! not yet….dont stop reading… lol

As I mentioned, every time you make a change in the web gui under the LCDproc options, PFsense blows away the config and puts a new on there even thru a reboot. With that said, if you dont plan on changing these options often or at all then you only need a way to put your custom config file back after a reboot.

That is simple… Use crontab!

So make a copy of the LCDd.conf file and put it in /root directory.

Create you a simple shell script file like so….

#!/bin/sh

cp /root/LCDd.conf /usr/local/etc/LCDd.conf

service LCDd onerestart


save the file as whatever name you want. do a “chmod a+x myLCDd-script.sh” to make it executable.

Add the following line into your crontab…

@reboot sleep 20 && /root/myLCDd-script.sh

(the sleep command just waits 20 seconds before running to make sure all your boot processes are done)

save it and you are finally finished!

Tags: Advantech LCD display, Advantech LCDproc, FWA-2320 LCD Display, PFSense LCD display