In this wiki we show how to flash the Crankk firmware to a Sensecap M1 gateway. You will:

- extract the SD card from the device;
- flash the SD card with the Crankk firmware;
- re-insert the SD card and boot your Crankk operating system.

*Consult the Sensecap M1 device specifications on the official Sensecap M1[product page.](https://www.seeedstudio.com/SenseCAP-M1-LoRaWAN-Indoor-Gateway-EU868-p-5022.html)*

⚠️If you consider participating in Helium alongside Crankk, please remember that you need to **onboard your gateway with Helium first**. \
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*Check out the official Helium Discord server to learn how to onboard to the Helium network[here](https://discord.com/invite/helium)*

Prerequisites:

- a fine crosshead screwdriver to undo the two screws of the front lid;
- a computer with an SD-card reader *(or use an SD card adapter)*;
- the latest[Crankk image](https://downloads.crankk.io/image_2023.12.21.0.zip) file. *Visit[crankk.io/downloads;](https://crankk.io/downloads/)*
- the latest[Balena Etcher](https://etcher.balena.io/) flashing software.

Use a crosshead screwdriver to undo the two front screws of your SenseCAP M1 gateway and remove the front lid from the device.

Notice the SD card. It is the 'hard drive' of your Senecap M1. You need to extract it to be able to flash it with Crankk firmware.

*A yellow sticker usually holds the SD card in place (not in this picture). Peel the sticker back if this is the case for you.*

Insert the extracted SD card into an SD card reader/adapter and connect it to a computer.

⚠️ A message "Format Disk" might appear on your screen. **Do not** format the SD card. Close the notification.

The notification appears because your computer's operating system cannot read the SD card's file format. Neglect any further notices.

ℹ️ **If you plan to overwrite the original SD card** with the Crankk firmware\
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✔️ **Backup** your SD card first.\
*Browse to the folder contents of your SD card and backup the [[config.json]] file. Copy it somewhere safe. It would allow you to revert your device to its current hardware configuration if needed.*

ℹ️ **If you plan to flash a new SD card** with the Crankk firmware\
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✔️ **Store** the original SD card somewhere safe.\
Use a *'High Endurance' SD card with at least 64 GB.*

Now is the time to download the latest **Crankk Image** from[crankk.io/downloads/](https://crankk.io/downloads/)

ℹ️ *This image contains the Crankk operating system for Sensecap M1 devices. Next you will use the Balena Etcher tool to flash the image to your SD card.*

Download the Balena Etcher software from the official download page[here,](https://etcher.balena.io/) install and run the software on your computer.

✔️ Select the **Flash from file** option.

Select the[Crankk image](https://downloads.crankk.io/image_2023.12.21.0.zip)file you have **downloaded** and click 'Open'.\
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*⚠️ Do **not** unzip the file, just select it as it is.*

✔️ Select only the target SD card and click 'Select 1'.

*If your SD card doesn't show in the list, click 'Show hidden'. Make sure you flash the correct drive.*

Click 'Flash!' to start the flashing process. This process will wipe existing data from the SD card and replaces it with the Crankk operating system.

*The flashing process usually takes about 20-30 minutes.*

First stage: Decompressing 🔵

*This action will extract (unpack) the files from the image and prepare them for flashing to the SD card.*

Second stage: Flashing 🟣

*The Crankk operating system is being installed. This action writes (flashes) the extracted files to your SD card.*

Final stage: Validating 🟢

*This action verifies that all image files were successfully flashed to your SD card.* *Do not skip this step.*

Neglect any notice from your operating system about the SD card.\
*Patiently wait for the flashing procedure to fully finalise.*

✅ Flash Completed! You can now safely extract the SD card from your computer.

If the flashing process fails, **try again**. Cases have been reported where multiple flashing attempts were needed. This usually happens when using a used SD card.

Insert the SD card back into your gateway. Push it all the way in.

Screw the front lid back on. 

*Make sure the ventilation holes are on the bottom left so they align with the heat sink in the device*.

✔️ Attach the antenna.\
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*⚠️ **It is important to connect the antenna before powering on the device.**\
If your gateway beacons without antenna attached, the internal LoRa-concentrator might break.*

✔️ Connect the gateway to your router with a **UTP (Ethernet LAN)** cable.

*⚠️ You **need** to connect your gateway with a UTP cable for the first boot of the Crankk Operating system. You can activate [WiFi ](https://crankk.wiki/docs/connect-to-a-wifi-network/)later.*

✔️ Plug in the power.

*Patiently wait a few minutes for the gateway to boot up and then return to your PC.*

✅ Congratulations Crankkster.

You have successfully installed the Crankk operating system to your SD card and you are ready to continue with configuring your gateway's settings by accessing your gateways **Local Dashboard** *(User Interface)*.

Next up: access your gateway's **Local Dashboard**  and complete the initial configuration. Learn how to access the Local Dashboard[here.](https://crankk.wiki/docs/local-dashboard/)

Sensecapmx

The Crankk operating system is completely free and can be used freely even without a Crankk license, allowing users full root access to their devices. It enables you to manage various gateway's settings, configure WiFi connections, consult radio charts, see blockchain information, add multiple mining projects and consult your device's system load with easy access to logs and visual graphs from within a lean and attractive User Interface. You own your device. Get the most out of it.

Flashing Crankk firmware to a SenseCAP M1 gateway