ASIAIR Pro FW Update Fails

klaus

Hi, upon updating the ASIAIR app on IOS to version 1.5 this evening the app is stuck on "Transferring Firmware", i.e. the result after several minutes is always "Transferring Firmware failed". There is also no way out of this, so my ASIAIR PRO is now de facto bricked. Is this a serverside problem? My ASIAIR PRO worked just fine this afternoon.

w7ay

As long as you have a backed up copy of the firmware, it is very unlikely that your ASIAIR is permanently "bricked."

For the most reliable way to update firmware, try not to rely of WiFi (especially with the ASIAIR Pro).

Can you temporarily relocate the ASIAIR box near to your home network's router (or one of the mesh network's nodes, if you are on a mesh network)? You just need the ASIAIR itself and 12V power (make sure the battery is fully charged if you run off battery power), no need for cameras and mount.

If so, try to connect the ASIAIR LAN port to the router after applying power to the ASIAIR and let it boot up (probably best to connect after you hear the single beep).

Wait a minute or three and check the router to see if the ASIAIR is on the network. This will also confirm that the ASIAIR will at least boot up properly with the existing firmware.

If you don't see ASIAIR in your router's list and if the ASIAIR WiFi hotspot is also not seen by the tablet, you may need to restore a copy of the ASIAIR firmware (the one you backed by when you received the ASIAIR). The firmware will need to be at least up to v1.4 for the LAN port to work.

If the router sees the ASIAIR, try to run the new ASIAIR app with the tablet connected to your home network (make sure the tablet is not connected to the ASIAIR's hotspot).

This is probably the most solid way to update firmware. It does not depend on the iffy WiFi radio in the ASIAIR Pro.

An even more solid way to update is to directly connect the ASIAIR LAN to an Ethernet adapter on an iPad. But not many people have Ethernet adapters handy.

With the v1.5 release that just came out, it took just a second or two to transfer the firmware from an iPad pro to the ASIAIR. Installation took a bit longer. At about 12% in the install progress circle, it jumps suddenly to about 50% and a short while later, jumps to 82%, and then reporting firmware update is done an instant after that. Click on the Green confirmation button at the bottom of the update window, and you show be running the latest firmware.

I just finished updating two ASIAIR Pros that are connected through LAN to my mesh network.

Good luck,
Chen

klaus

Hi Chen,
a couple of minutes ago it went through smoothly (as before via ASIAIR WiFi hotspot at same location) in under a minute.
Thank you for comprehensive advice though, good to know how to fix this should it happen again.
Regards,
Klaus

w7ay

Hi Klaus,

Glad everything went through. It was probably earlier caused by a poor WiFi connection.

You don't need to fear bricking in the future as long as you can replace the micro SD card.

You might want to make a copy of the just updated firmware too, just so you have newer copy to update in the future :-). I keep a copy of the firmware of every major update since about v1.2 (disk space is cheap). v1.5 is especially good to save since ZWO apparently built in a more solid firmware update process.

Chen

klaus

Hi Chen,

the ASIAIR was sitting 6ft from the router...

By de facto bricked I meant that the ASIAIR app 1.5 was unsuccessfully trying to update the ASIAIR Pro's firmware upon every launch without an option to skip that. In fact, the ASIAIR Pro was still at the old firmware at that time. So the only way out would have been to downgrade the app on the iOS device which I'm not aware of a way to achieve that.

But I'm happy now and above all it recognises my Nikon Z 50 as main camera. 😄

Klaus

newtonml

My new ASIAir Pro will not update the firmware. It is right out of the box new. I have tried the hotspot and also attached directly to my home network. My iPad sees it and it connects but will not update. I have no backup.

Louis

guitarmaker

Be sure to reboot your iPad BEFORE doing the firmware update!

I updated ASIAIR Pro to 1.5.1 but the new firmware wasn't updating - just the "Transferring Firmware" spinning ball and "not started" text!

Thankfully, ASIAIR allowed me to exit the app and reboot the iPad and the update went right through then!

I now need to make a backup in case...

Godspupil

Hi, I have version 9.88 on my ASIAIR Plus. When I switch on I am told there is an update Latest 9.97.
But when I try to update it gets stuck on the transferring firmware page. Then it tells me its taking too long and to restart, which I have done 7 or 8 times now. I rebooted the Tablet, I restarted the ASIAIR but the update will not work. It doesnt have trouble with the wifi normally. Can anyone shed a little light on this ?

w7ay

Godspupil I rebooted the Tablet, I restarted the ASIAIR but the update will not work. It doesnt have trouble with the wifi normally. Can anyone shed a little light on this ?

Couple of things that you can try out:

(0) first remove all connectors (USB, power, etc) from the ASIAIR, leaving nothing but the 12V input.

(1) stay no more than 50 cm from the ASIAIR's antenna, and connect the network of your tablet to the ASIAIR hotspot. If you are on iOS, make sure to remove Auto Join from the other networks that you can see. And disable any cellular connection.

(2) if that still fails, connect an Ethernet cable directly between the ASIAIR and your tablet. If you do not have an Ethernet dongle, connect the Ethernet cable from the ASIAIR to your router, and then connect your tablet to the home network.

(3) if direct connection still fails, the problem is not with communications. Try performing a factory reset (check the ASIAIR documentation for the procedure) -- on your ASIAIR, that should bring back a good working (albeit very old version) of the firmware. For older ASIAIR, just use a new copy of the microSD card.

Chen

Tech@ZWO

Godspupil Is it possible to remote your computer and ASIAIR Plus?
If it is, please submit a ticket here, choose 'Product' tab.
https://support.astronomy-imaging-camera.com/
Thank you.