Firmware Update¶
This guide will help you update your gateway's firmware using the 4PointX Dashboard, so you can follow it step-by-step. This method will work if no major changes (configuration changes or files and directory structure updates) are present in the new firmware.
Requirements¶
A gateway device that is online and running
User access to the 4PointX Dashboard
Step-by-Step Instructions¶
1. Log in to the 4PointX Dashboard¶
Open your web browser and go to the 4PointX Dashboard
Enter your username and password
3. Find Your Gateway¶
Select your gateway’s Site, Plant, and Function using the drop-down filters to narrow down the list
Look for the gateway you want to update
4. Check Gateway Status¶
Make sure the gateway you want to update shows a green heartbeat indicator. This tells you the gateway is online
5. Start the Firmware Update¶
Click the “Firmware Update” button next to the gateway. This will start the update process for that specific device
6. Wait for the Update to Complete¶
The firmware update may take up to 10 minutes
During this time, the gateway will download and install the latest firmware automatically
7. Verify Completion¶
After about 10 minutes, check that your gateway is back online and the heartbeat indicator remains green
If there are any errors, check the Gateway to see if it is operational
Check if the configuration file (settings.json) is not empty
Check if cron is set by running: crontab -l
Tips¶
Always double-check that you have selected the correct site and gateway before starting the update
Do not disconnect the gateway from power or network during the update
If the firmware update option is not visible or greyed out, check if any other action is in “in progress “ status If not, contact your system administrator or technical support
Note: This dashboard method is suitable for routine firmware updates. For major updates involving configuration changes or structural modifications, use the manual update method instead.
This guide explains step-by-step how to update the firmware on your Gateway device manually, so follow each step carefully.
Requirements¶
A laptop
Latest firmware ZIP file: To obtain the latest firmware, contact the module lead for your device’s firmware. They will provide you with a file named similar to 4px-gateway-firmware.tar.gz.
Steps¶
1. Connect to the Gateway via SSH¶
Open Terminal on your laptop.
Enter the command below (replace <gateway_ip> with your device’s IP address):
ssh 4px@<gateway_ip>
When prompted, enter the password for the 4px user.
After successfully connecting, type exit and press Enter to log out.
2. Copy the Firmware ZIP File to the Gateway¶
Back on your laptop, use this command (update the file path and IP address):
scp /path/to/4px-gateway-firmware.tar.gz 4px@<gateway_ip>:/home/4px/
This copies the firmware file to the 4px user’s home directory on the Gateway.
3. Update the Gateway Firmware and Libraries¶
Reconnect to the Gateway:
ssh 4px@<gateway_ip>
Remove scheduled tasks (crontab):
crontab -r
Set up the network firewall:
sudo iptables -F sudo iptables -P OUTPUT ACCEPT sudo iptables -P INPUT ACCEPT sudo iptables -P FORWARD ACCEPT
Update DNS settings:
sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf
Add these two lines at the top:
nameserver 8.8.8.8 nameserver 1.1.1.1
Save and exit.
Check if the ZIP file is present:
ls /home/4px/
Ensure you see 4px-gateway-firmware.tar.gz listed.
Install required Python and system libraries:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3.8 python3.8-dev python3-pip -y
pip3 install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
pip3 install pymodbus==2.5.3 getmac==0.9.3 deepdiff==6.3.0 requests==2.30.0 kafka-python==2.0.2 opcua==0.98.13 cryptography==41.0.5 dateparser==1.1.8 pandas==1.5.2 numpy==1.20.3 python-dateutil==2.8.2 pycomm3==1.2.14 pyarmor==9.1.1
Install and verify hardware sensors:
sudo apt-get install lm-sensors sudo sensors-detect sensors
Clean up unnecessary packages:
sudo apt remove python3-pip -y sudo apt install vim -y sudo apt autoremove sudo apt clean sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
Install required network tools:
sudo apt install net-tools util-linux netfilter-persistent iptables-persistent
Restrict sudo permissions for the 4px user:
sudo visudo
Add this line at the end:
4px ALL=NOPASSWD: /sbin/reboot, /sbin/ifconfig, /usr/bin/truncate, /usr/bin/find, /usr/bin/timedatectl, /usr/bin/date, /usr/sbin/hwclock, /sbin/iptables, /usr/sbin/netfilter-persistent
Save and exit.
Switch to the 4px user:
su 4px
Create necessary directories:
mkdir -p /home/4px/4px.data /home/4px/4px.files /home/4px/4px.firmware /home/4px/4px.firmware/config
4. Install the Firmware¶
Navigate to the firmware directory:
cd /home/4px/4px.firmware
Create the update script:
nano firmware-update.sh
Paste the following into the file and save:
cd /home/4px
tar -xf 4px-gateway-firmware.tar.gz --directory /home/4px/4px.firmware
# running firmware encryption
cd /home/4px/4px.firmware/4px-gateway-firmware
python3 firmware-encrypt.py
rm -rf firmware-encrypt.py
cp /home/4px/4px.firmware/4px-gateway-firmware/config/handshake.py /home/4px/4px.firmware/config/
cp -r --no-clobber /home/4px/4px.firmware/4px-gateway-firmware/config/* /home/4px/4px.firmware/config/
rm -rf /home/4px/4px.firmware/4px-gateway-firmware/config
# Copy everything except 'config' into 4px.firmware
rsync -av --progress /home/4px/4px.firmware/4px-gateway-firmware/ /home/4px/4px.firmware/
# Remove extracted directory
rm -rf /home/4px/4px.firmware/4px-gateway-firmware
# Reload the crontab
crontab /home/4px/4px.firmware/crontab
sleep 10
pkill python3
sudo /sbin/reboot
Run the firmware update script:
sh firmware-update.sh
The Gateway will reboot automatically. Wait for it to restart.
Enable scheduled tasks (crontab):
cd /home/4px/4px.firmware crontab crontab
5. Verify the Updates¶
Log in again as the 4px user and check the contents of the firmware directory:
ls /home/4px/4px.firmware
You should see several files and subfolders related to your updated firmware.
Tips¶
If you are unsure where to get the firmware ZIP, ask your module lead.
If a command gives an error, check your typing carefully and ensure you have the correct permissions.