First of all, do you need an update?

Does the update fix a known problem that you are experiencing, or add a new feature you require? If not, then there is probably no real justification for disrupting operation with an update. In a limited number of cases, updating from very old firmware to the very newest firmware can even result in having to do some additional configuration of the device due to the addition of new features. You know the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

Are you sure a firmware update will fix whatever problem you seem to be having? We have seen a number of cases where incorrect configuration was resulting in incorrect operation. The user insisted on updating firmware, believing this would fix the problem. But it didn’t. What now? What happened next was that the user opened a support ticket to get help fixing the configuration problem, and correcting the configuration would have fixed the problem without any firmware update.

How do you update firmware?

The method for performing the update depends on the device, but applicable instructions are always included in the zip file containing the firmware. Server products are updated using an FTP upload. Other products require other methods that vary by device, but are explained in the instructions.

Where do you get firmware updates?

Please use the Support Ticket link on this page or in the Support menu above to request a user id/password if you need a firmware update but don't have a login. The firmware update support site contains software updates for the products you own. When you request a password, please indicate what product model you are updating, your current firmware revision if known, and reason you believe you need an update. Sometimes a firmware update fixes a bug, but sometimes it may just add a feature that doesn't really apply to you. We recommend doing firmware updates only to address a known problem or to add a needed feature, because sometimes updating from very old to very new firmware will require that you also do some work on configuration changes.

Can firmware updates be done remotely?

That depends on the device. Devices with only RS-485 network links will require that you perform the update locally, and will require removing them from the network while performing the update. Web based devices can usually be updated with an FTP upload, which in theory can be done remotely. However, if anything about the update process goes off track, such as a broken Internet connection during the update, the recovery will need to be done locally and generally with the device offline.

What’s in a firmware update?

Each update is downloaded as a zip file. It will generally include three things: (1) The binary image of the firmware to be uploaded into the device; (2) Instructions on how to perform the update; (3) The revision history (change log).

What does a firmware update cost?

Nothing! Once you buy our hardware, firmware updates for that hardware are free for the life of the product. The only potential exception would be any software applications for Windows or Linux that are licensed through third party resources, but you will know it if you have such a license.