Here's a shorter version of the upgrade FAQ, specifically for upgrading nodes from firmware versions older than 3.0.4.x. This information applies to all one-port, two-port and four-port nodes. If you are upgrading from version 2.x.x.x firmware, call our office first.

The following instructions are for upgrading nodes currently using a firmware version of 3.0.2.x or lower (3.0.3.x versions were never released).  This process must be done using Pathport Manager 3.  Once nodes are upgraded to a firmware version of 3.0.4.x, further firmware upgrades are easily done with Pathport Manager 5.

1.  Download and install Pathport Manager 3, if you don’t have it.  Download the latest firmware file for all nodes, which is found here .  All firmware files will be named with a convention of 'nodetype-version#.bin'.  

2.  Find the ‘firmware’ subdirectory of the PM3 installation. Copy the latest firmware files into this directory. 

3. Rename the firmware files so the version# is no longer in the name.  Ie., ppimage-3.2.0.3.bin' becomes 'ppimage.bin', or 'merger-3.2.0.1.bin' becomes 'merger.bin'.  (Check that Windows is showing file extensions, or you may end up with a file called ‘merger.bin.bin’, which won’t work.)

4.  Unplug your computer from the node or switch. If you plan to upgrade multiple nodes, unplug all DMX consoles and other sources from the Pathport network.  Attempting upgrades with active DMX may result in problems. We also recommend upgrading one node initially, before attempting a system wide upgrade.

5.  Start PM3.  Select Options>Pathport Communications>Set-up.  Enter your computer’s IP as the Local IP Address.  Ignore the other boxes.  Click OK.

6.  Select Options>Pathport Communications.  Put a check mark in the box next to ‘Enable Firmware Uploads’.  If a check mark is already there, go to step 8.

8.  Restart PM3. 

9.  Select Options>Pathport Communications>Configure Bootp Server.  The values should look like this: 

            Broadcast address:  255.255.255.255

Address range start:  A couple numbers higher than your computer’s IP.  (So if your computer is 10.0.0.10, start the range at 10.0.0.20)

Address range end:  The difference between range start and range end needs to be greater than the number of nodes on the network. (10.0.0.20 start, plus 30 nodes, equals range end of at least 10.0.0.51.  Make it 10.0.0.100 to be safe, but no greater than 10.0.0.254)

Subnet mask:  For 10.x.x.x domains, use 255.0.0.0.  For 192.168.x.x domains, use 255.255.255.0.  Use of other domains is beyond this FAQ.

Ignore default gateway.

Check that Local IP is the same as your computer.

Click exit.

10.  Quit PM3.  Plug your computer back into the node or switch.  It is best practice to attempt upgrading one node before doing a system wide upgrade.  It is also best to only have one type (one-port, two-port or four-port) connected during the process, so that each type gets upgraded separately.  Restart PM3. 

11.  Select Options>Pathport Communications>Upgrade All Nodes.  Click yes, you're sure you want to upgrade.  You almost certainly have no version 2 Pathports.  Click no. 

12. After a moment, the target node will reboot.  Use PM5 to confirm the upgrade was successful.  Now upgrade the remainder.