Manually Updating Access Point Firmware

Use one of the following to manually update the firmware:

The files required for firmware updates are DSAP_FW.BIN and INTL_HTM.bin.

Updating Firmware with TFTP

The Ethernet TFTP update method requires a connection between the access point and a computer on the same Ethernet segment. Make sure the computer has a TFTP server running on it. Running the server requires third-party software like NetManage, Inc. PC/TCP* for DOS or OnNet* for Windows*. The wireless TFTP update method requires a connection between the access point and a TFTP server. The TFTP server can be running on a computer connected to the network though a wireless network card.

To update the access point firmware

  1. Copy the firmware files DSAP_FW.BIN and INTL_HTM.bin on the terminal or computer hard disk.
  2. Telnet to the access point using its IP address.
  3. At the prompt enter the password. The default password is Intel (the password is case-sensitive). The access point displays the Main Menu.
  4. Select Special Functions from the Main Menu and press ENTER.
  5. Select Alter Filename(s)/HELP URL/TFTP and press ENTER.
  6. Type the firmware file name in the Download Filename field. The defaults are DSAP_FW.BIN and INTL_HTM.bin . Make sure you use these names unless you changed the file name. Also make sure the path for the file is correct. See step 1.
  7. Type the TFTP Server IP address in the TFTP Server field and press ENTER.
  8. Select Save Configuration to save settings.
  9. Select Special Functions from the Main Menu.
  10. Under the heading Use TFTP to Update Access Point, select Firmware HTML or Both and press ENTER.
  11. Type Y to confirm. This ends the Telnet session. 

During the transfer the Wired LAN Activity light on the access point does NOT flash. To view the file transfer log, switch to the TFTP application. The access point resets when the file transfer and FLASH programming completes.

CAUTION: If using Telnet to connect to the access point through an Ethernet interface, do not use the Use XMODEM to Update Access Point's Firmware option. This option causes the access point to reset and look for the firmware file over the serial interface.

To verify the accuracy of the firmware version number

  1. Telnet to the access point using its IP address.
  2. At the prompt enter the password. The default password is Intel (the password is case-sensitive). The access point displays the Main Menu.
  3. View the version number on the System Summary screen.
  4. Press CTRL+D to end the Telnet session.

Updating Firmware with Xmodem

The Xmodem upgrade method requires a direct connection between the access point and computer using a null-modem serial cable and software like HyperTerminal* for Windows 98*. Xmodem supports file transfers between terminal emulation programs and the access point.

Before you update the access point:

  1. Copy the configuration file AP_CFG.TXT to the computer hard disk of the computer that you will use to transfer the file to the access point.
  2. Attach a null-modem serial cable from the access point to the computer serial port.

The instructions below describe how to use Hyper Terminal on a computer running Windows.

To update the access point configuration

  1. On the computer connected to the access point, start the HyperTerminal* communication program.
  2. Type a name for the session, and then click OK.
  3. Select the correct communication port and set the following parameters:
  4. emulation

    ANSI

    bits per second

    19200

    data bits

    8

    stop bits

    1

    parity

    none

    flow control

    none

  5. Click OK and press ENTER to display the access point Main Menu .
  6. Select Enter Admin Mode and enter the password. The default password is Intel (the password is case-sensitive).
  7. Select Special Functions from Main Menu.
  8. Under the function heading Use XMODEM to Update Access Points, select Firmware HTML. Selecting Both downloads the DSAP_FW.BIN and INTL_HTM.bin files separately. Make sure that both files are located in the same directory before the download begins. Press ENTER.
  9. At the confirmation prompt type Y to display:
Downloading firmware using XMODEM.
Send firmware with XMODEM now ...
CAUTION: Make sure the file is correct before sending. An incorrect file can render the access point inoperable.
  1. On the HyperTerminal Transfer menu, click Send File.
  2. Select the Browse button and locate the one files, DSAP_FW.BIN or INTL_HTM.bin .
  3. Select the XModem protocol from the drop-down list.
  4. Click Send.

Hyper Terminal displays a progress bar during the transfer process. The download is complete when the terminal screen displays:

Download Successful
Updating AP
Update Successful

If the transfer fails, the access point displays an error message indicating the cause.

If you are downloading both files, repeat the steps, beginning at step 10, to download the next file and avoid a transfer time-out error.

The access point automatically resets after the file transfer completes. Exit the communication program to terminate the session.

Auto Update All Access Points Through Messaging

The Use TFTP to update ALL Access Points option upgrades or downgrades the firmware of all associated access points with the same Network Name (SSID) on the same subnet and includes all recognized hardware platforms regardless of firmware version. The initiating access point sends the correct file name for each Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN Access Point. The initiating access point does not send update commands to non-Intel devices.

You can find the specific access points that will have their firmware upgraded or downgraded on the Known APs screen. The interval between the update firmware commands for each access point is two seconds. This interval prevents multiple one access points from accessing the TFTP server and causing network congestion.

The Ethernet TFTP update method requires a connection between the access point and a computer on the same Ethernet segment. Make sure the computer has a TFTP server running on it. Running the server requires third-party software like NetManage, Inc. PC/TCP* for DOS or OnNet* for Windows*.  The wireless TFTP update method requires a connection between the access point and a TFTP server. The TFTP server can be running on a computer connected to the network though a wireless network card.

To update the access point firmware

  1. Copy the firmware files DSAP_FW.BIN and INTL_HTM.bin on the terminal or computer hard disk.
  2. Telnet to the access point using its IP address.
  3. At the prompt type the password. The default is Intel and is case-sensitive.
  4. Select Special Functions from the Main Menu.
  5. Select Alter Filename(s)/HELP URL/TFTP Server and press ENTER.
  6. Type the firmware file name in the Download Filename field.
CAUTION: Make sure the file name is DSAP_FW.BIN and INTL_HTM.bin unless the you changed the filename.
  1. Type the TFTP Server IP address in the TFTP Server field and press ENTER.
  2. Select Save Configuration to save settings.
  3. Select Special Functions from the Main Menu.
  4. Select Use TFTP to update ALL Access Points and press ENTER.
  5. Type Y to confirm. This ends the Telnet session.

To view the file transfer log, switch to the TFTP application. The access point resets when the file transfer and FLASH programming completes.

To verify the accuracy of the firmware version number

  1. Telnet to the access point using its IP address.
  2. At the prompt type the password. The default is Intel and is case-sensitive.
  3. View the version number on the System Summary screen.
  4. Press CTRL+D to end Telnet session.


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