Update gateway firmware (OTA)
You can update an online ESP32 gateway's firmware remotely — no USB needed. Its Wi-Fi, broker and account settings are kept.
Start an update
Web app: open the Gateways page. When a newer build is available on a gateway's channel, its card shows the new version next to the current one and a download button (cloud icon) at the bottom of the card. Click it and confirm. When the gateway is up to date the card says latest and there is no button.
- The button needs the Edit gateways permission.
- It's greyed out while the gateway is offline, because an offline gateway wouldn't receive the update.
- The gateway's own page shows which version is available, but the update button is only on its card.
Mobile app: open the gateway and tap Update firmware under Actions.
How you know it worked
- Synacl sends the gateway a single message naming the version.
- The gateway downloads the new firmware, checks it, switches to it and reboots. Allow about a minute.
- When it reconnects it reports its firmware version again. The new version on its card is your confirmation.
Your events show firmware/update/requested when the update is sent. The gateway doesn't report
progress, success or failure, so there's no "complete" event to wait for. Watch the version
instead. If it hasn't changed after a few minutes, the update didn't happen: see
a firmware update failed.
While an update is running
Rebooting a gateway mid-download cancels the update. So for up to 5 minutes after you send it, Synacl refuses Restart, Resend config, Reset config and network changes for that gateway, and the gateway's page shows Firmware update in progress. Because the gateway doesn't say when it's done, this window only ends early when the gateway comes back after its reboot. If the update fails, or the gateway was offline, the full 5 minutes run out first. A second update request is refused during the window too.
Offline gateways miss the update
The update isn't queued. A gateway that's offline when the update is sent never receives it, and nothing changes when it comes back. Send the update again once the gateway is online.
Firmware channels
Every gateway is on a release channel: Stable (the default) or Beta. Beta builds carry pre-release features for testing and are only available when beta access is enabled for your account. When it is, the gateway's page shows a Channel button. A gateway on the Beta channel is offered the latest beta build, both over the air and for browser re-flash. Once the matching stable release ships, it's offered that instead. Nothing installs by itself: you still start each update. A beta build only goes to a gateway on the Beta channel. Switching back to Stable never downgrades the gateway remotely; it simply stops being offered pre-releases.
The version each channel offers is published by Synacl. If a release is withdrawn, the channel may temporarily offer an earlier version. Gateways already running a newer build simply keep it and show no update until the next release ships.
Updates only move a gateway forward. Putting an older build on a gateway, or replacing an update that is still in progress, is done by Synacl support. Contact support if a gateway needs to go back to an earlier version.