This guide applies to Netopia Enterprise Series, the 4000 Series and R-Series gateways and routers. If upgrading your Netopia firmware, this guide assumes you have already visited our firmware update page, and know the version of firmware currently available for your model of Netopia router. The firmware update section contains a matrix with all current firmware versions available for each model of Netopia products. For an Xmodem file transfer, you will need to download the firmware file to the computer you are going to console to, or save the firmware file to a disk.

PLEASE NOTE: Before installing new firmware in your Netopia router, it is Strongly Advised that you first confirm with your service provider that the newer version is supported on their network. Failure to take this precaution could result in a loss of your internet connection and/or loss of your support privileges with your ISP.

Netopia can continue to provide technical support, but in many cases will be a paid service.

Before upgrading, please note the following:

CAUTION: If you are upgrading the firmware on a model 4541 router, it may take as long as Five Minutes for the router to go through the reboot phase after the firmware has upgraded. Do Not interrupt this process before the router has completed its reboot!

If your ISP has set non-routable WAN IP addresses for you, (i.e. 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, 172.16.x.x - 172.31.x.x), you will not be able to use our TFTP server and must use the XMODEM method. Conversely, you can ask your ISP if they have a TFTP server with Netopia firmware that you can use.

This guide will provide step-by-step instructions for both a TFTP file transfer, and Xmodem file transfer. A TFTP file transfer involves using Telnet to connect to your router over Ethernet, while Xmodem file transfer entails connecting to your router using a serial console connection and a terminal emulator, such as HyperTerminal or Zterm. Either type of file transfer can be used for either updating the firmware of your router, or for sending/receiving a config file.

For instructions on transferring a config file see Quick Guide NQG_035.

Using the TFTP file transfer method via a Telnet session

1. Verify that your computer's IP address is on the same ethernet subnet as your router.
   
   (Note: Unconfigured or Factory Defaulted R-Series routers have a default IP address of 192.168.1.1 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0.)

   From a PC with Microsoft Windows:

   Please see Quick Guide NQG_100.
   
   

   From a Macintosh computer:

   Please see Quick Guide NQG_004.

2. Establish a Telnet session with the router.
   
   
   From a PC with Microsoft Windows:

   1. Open the Windows Telnet application by going to:
      
      Start Menu
      --->Run
      
      
   2. Type "telnet" followed by a single space
      and the Ethernet IP address of your router.
      
      
   3. Click "OK."

   From a Macintosh computer:
   
   

   1. Install the NCSA Telnet program supplied on your Netopia CD in the "Software Tools" folder. Run the CD and:
      
      Contents (Browse CD)...
      ---> Internet Tools...
      ---> Software Tools...
      ---> "Drag" NCSA Telnet onto hard drive
      
      
   2. Close and eject the Netopia CD.
   3. Open NCSA Telnet from your hard drive.
   4. Go to:
      
      File Menu
      --->Open Connection
      
      
   5. In "Host/Session Name" type in the Ethernet IP address of your router.
   6. Click "Connect."

   Initiate the TFTP file transfer from your router's configuration screens.

   (Note: The following example details firmware upgrade via tftp. In order to do this procedure, your router will need to have internet access. You will also need to verify that the WAN IP address of your Netopia is a valid, routable IP address.)

   1. From the Main Menu, go to:
      Quick Menus
      --->TFTP
   2. Enter the TFTP Server Name "tftp.netopia.com."
   3. Enter the Firmware File Name and select "Get Router Firmware From Server" and "Continue."
   4. Example:
      ENT-Series firmware version 8.3.1 is filename n831r0.bin.
      ENT-Series firmware version 8.4 R1* is filename n84r1.bin.
      4000 Series firmware version 5.3.9 R4 is filename nir539R4.bin.
      R-Series firmware version 4.11.3 is filename nir4113.bin.
      

      *Caution If your Netopia Enterprise Series Gateway is currently running firmware version 8.0.10 or below, please first do an interim upgrade to version 8.2 R1 (Filename n82r1.bin) before upgrading to v8.4. Failure to take this precautionary step may cause the router to malfunction.

      *Please Note: If your Netopia R910 router has a serial number lower than #11171916, your firmware platform is 4.x. Routers falling below that serial number CANNOT be upgraded to 8.x level firmware. Likewise, routers with serial numbers starting at #11171916 must run firmware version 8.x to avoid equipment failure.

      Note: To upgrade daughtercard firmware on the R2020, R6100 or R7200 enter the firmware file name, respectively v2210c.bin, 6100-113.bin or 7200-118.bin in the "Firmware File Name" field and then hit enter on "Get Wan Module Firmware From Server".

   5. Once the TFTP file transfer has begun, you will see the "TFTP Current Transfer Bytes" increasing.

      (Note: If the file transfer fails due to a 'DNS ERROR' verify that the correct DNS Server IP information has been configured in your router.)

   6. Be sure to leave your router alone, and allow the TFTP transfer to continue until complete.
   7. At the end of the firmware download, all the lights on the router with flash for about 30 seconds, and the router will restart itself.
   8. You will need to reinitiate your telnet session to access the router's configuration screens. (Your current telnet session will hang even after the router has restarted itself.)

   NOTE: Under no circumstances should you interrupt this process. When you telnet back to your router, the new firmware version supplied at the top of the Main Menu will indicate a successful firmware download. Every release of firmware includes changes, and may include feature variations not applicable with your current configuration. These variations can sometimes cause corruption of the router configuration, which will require you to reset the router to factory defaults, and erase your existing configuration. It is unlikely that you will have to reset your router to factory defaults, however, as a precaution, we recommend that you save either a written copy of your configuration or a configuration file from the Netopia router prior to upgrading the firmware. Your router's configuration file can be saved for backup via either an Xmodem or TFTP file transfer as well.

Using the Xmodem file transfer method via a console connection:

1. Change your Hyperterminal/Zterm Settings and establish a session.
   From a PC with Microsoft Windows:
   1. Power the router off.
   2. Connect you router to your PC using the serial console cable that shipped with your router (DB-9 to DB-9).
   3. The console cable needs to be connected to the console port on the back of your router, and an available Com port on your CPU.
   4. Open Hyperterminal by going to the:
      Start Menu...
      ---> Programs...
      ---> Accessories...
      ---> Communications...
      ---> Hyperterminal...
      ---> Accessories...
   5. Double click on the "Hypertrm" icon.
   6. Enter a name and choose an icon to identify the connection.
   7. Select OK.
   8. For "Connect Using:" select the Com port the console cable
      is connected to, or "Direct to ComX."
   9. Select OK.
   10. Port Settings should be set to:

       Bits per second = 9600
       Data bits = 8
       Parity = None
       Stop bits = 1
       Flow control = None

   11. Select OK.
   12. The Hyperterminal window should be blank
       with a flashing cursor in the top left corner.
   13. Turn on the Router.
   14. The router Main Menu should appear within a few seconds.
   15. If not, press ctrl+L or hit the enter key to refresh the screen.
   Initiate the XModem file transfer.

   From the Main Menu, go to:
   Quick Menus
   ---> PC Card/Xmodem

   1. Select either "Send Firmware To Netopia" to upgrade your router firmware, or "Send Firmware to Netopia Wan Module" to upgrade your daughtercard firmware (option applicable to the R2020 or R7200).
      

      Please Note: The current firmware along with previous firmware versions are available on the Netopia website on our ftp server. The current firmware version, 4.11.3 (R-Series), is file name fel3.bin. Firmware version 5.3.8 (4000 Series), is file name fteR1.bin. For hyperterminal transfer, the file should be saved to your hard drive.

   2. Select "Continue."
   3. You will now have 10 seconds to start the file transfer through your Terminal program.

   
   
   From the Hyperterminal Menu Bar, go to:
   Transfer...
   ---> Send File...

   1. Use the protocol: Xmodem, and select the Directory and Folder in which you saved the firmware file/config file.
   2. Using the "Browse" option will allow you to select the correct Directory and Folder.
   3. At the end of the firmware download, all the lights on the router with flash for about 30 seconds, and the router will restart itself.

NOTE: Under no circumstances should you interrupt this process. When you telnet back to your router, the new firmware version supplied at the top of the Main Menu will indicate a successful firmware download. Every release of firmware includes changes, and may include feature variations not applicable with your current configuration. These variations can sometimes cause corruption of the router configuration, which will require you to reset the router to factory defaults, and erase your existing configuration. It is unlikely that you will have to reset your router to factory defaults, however, as a precaution, we recommend that you save either a written copy of your configuration or a configuration file from the Netopia router prior to upgrading the firmware. Your router's configuration file can be saved for backup via either an Xmodem or TFTP file transfer as well.

Don't forget! If you are upgrading the firmware on a model 4541 router, it may take as long as Five Minutes for the router to reboot after the firmware upgrade.