====== Upgrade Firmware ======
Internet Gate's firmware (the program running inside the product) can be upgraded to releases newer than your unit was shipped with.

New firmware releases may include improvements (additional functionalities, bug fixes, etc), but they might also be incompatible with old configurations.

===== Manually =====
To see if there is any new firmware available for your specific unit click on **Check for newer** at lower left on the [[:web GUI:Login page]] of your unit, or **Get latest firmware** on the [[:web GUI:Upgrade page]].

:!: There are different firmwares suitable for different models of Internet Gate. It is therefore important that you use the above described links, as they always automatically link to the proper firmware version suitable for your unit.\\
<if !media5>
Or you can select suitable firmware version manually on the [[firmware:start|firmware download]] page.
</if>

New firmware is delivered in a [[wp>tar (file format)|tar]] file.

:!: Do not unpack the tar file containing the firmware. Supply the whole untouched tar-file to Internet Gate for upgrade.

New firmware versions are usually backwards compatible, meaning they understand and can use most configurations of previous firmwares, but there are exceptions. Some firmwares **demand** reset to [[:settings and administration:factory defaults]] before or after upgrade - see release notes of the new firmware. Some configuration combinations might cause problems in new firmware even if release notes does not mention it.

Thus even though most upgrades can be performed while keeping the configuration unchanged, you should nevertheless consider performing a reset to factory defaults after an upgrade.

Suggested steps for performing an upgrade:
  - [[:settings and administration:backup files|Backup]] your current configuration.
  - Write down your specific settings of your unit on a piece of paper
  - Download a [[:troubleshooting:lifeboat]] if you can find one for your device
  - Using the **Get latest firmware** link on the [[:web GUI:Upgrade page]] locate and download latest firmware tar-file available for your unit to your PC
  - Click on **Prepare for upgrade** on the [[:web GUI:Upgrade page]] ((In some rare cases the unit may reboot at this point to free enough memory. That is perfectly normal.))
  - Load the tar-file containing the firmware and burn it into the flash memory of your unit using the page that appears
  - After unit has finished burning firmware (99 reached on front panel display) it reboots and now runs the new firmware

If the upgrade has failed for some reason use the [[:troubleshooting:lifeboat]] to restore the unit.

If the new firmware behaves strangely, or lists error messages in system log after start, then you should perform a reset to [[:settings and administration:factory defaults]], and reenter your settings **manually** (NOT using the backup file).

If you have forgot your configuration and cannot manually configure your unit the way it used to be configured then you can try to load the backup file you created in step 1 above - but be warned that it might not work correctly with some new firmwares and/or units.

===== Upgrade server =====
Some Internet (or other) providers may supply you with new firmware using an upgrade server.

If you have such a provider then you can use the **Check now** button on the [[:web GUI:Upgrade page]] to upgrade your unit to new firmware.

===== Automatic upgrades =====
Some Internet (or other) providers may supply you with new firmware using [[:web GUI:automatic upgrades]].

If you have such a provider your Internet Gate will regularly check for new firmwares and upgrade itself automatically if it founds one. After such an automatic upgrade the Internet Gate's display might display "**Press SEL to install**" - press then SEL button on front panel of the unit to restart it with the new firmware.