Is there a way to install firmware via USB? I just bought a dozen additional units for a big group outing and I’d like to get them all ready so that everyone isn’t sitting around for 20+ minutes waiting for updates and such.
5 Likes
No USB support yet. I grab every available phone and tablet and do batches, since the app can update in the background it’s not a big deal when at home. I also
keep older phones and cheap android phones just for stuff like this and testing (or preloading maps and pairing and handing to friends when off grid) Once you start a firmware update it won’t show up to Pair and you can start the next one.
1 Like
Unfortunately from my understanding the lack of USB support is in the firmware so it will take a firmware update via Bluetooth to enable firmware updates over USB if Gotenna implement that function at all.
EDIT: There is currently no compelling reason I am aware of to update the firmware for a Gotenna Mesh unless you plan to use it as a stand alone Relay.
1 Like
Besides of course the “legally in some cases” required spectrum management updates per a number of regions. I think in this day and age we love to get firmware updates on our phones as fast as they come out, but in terms of communications operations uptime takes priority over additional features. Perhaps give it a month or so before even worrying to check if there is an update available or simply wait to receive the notification email and see if the update addresses recurring issues that you may have been having.
1 Like
Or to get the firmware update nags to stop appearing? 
For SDK stuff, at least, I think you are right. However even a utility that could update firmwares from a PC via bluetooth would be super handy.
1 Like
That would be nice. Someone would have to write a program to do that. The cool part however I think a computer could support multiple Btle connections if you used multiple adapters. Even with one adapter really. I just don’t know if one adapter could simultaneously update multiple Gotennas.
Dang, you just inspired me for an Android app. I think I might be able to automate firmware updates over Bluetooth to multiple Gotennas.
1 Like
Alright I had to test it first but it appears my phone has no problem pairing with multiple Gotennas at once. I can even talk back and fourth between the two devices. I don’t know how many Gotennas would be supposed at once but with this in mind someone could write an automatic firmware update utility.
Only one device would get the update at a time but you would pair multiple devices and the app would update them one at a time in unattended mode. There would be a button you could press that would make the finished devices blink and another button you would click to pair devices meant to go into the queue.
What say you?
EDIT: I think the app should check the battery level of both the phone / tablet and the Gotenna device before each update. I don’t know what the minimum should be but one should be set. Ideally the device running the app should be plugged in. The rate of a Gotenna discharging should be reasonably predictable but the device doing the update could be doing any number of other actions and therefore could have a short battery life even if it is fully charged. I figure if the Gotennas all start with a 100% we could easily update 24 safely even if none were plugged in. I would not say the same about a random phone or tablet.
Battery checks should be done during the pairing process as well as just before updating and devices that don’t meet a minimum level should be rejected at that time unless plugged in.
Devices should be updated in priority of shortest battery life with an option to prioritize by pairing order.
4 Likes
Woah, missed your initial replies. This sounds incredibly handy!
@akraut we hear your pain around updating FW.
For now, updating FW using iOS devices should save your ~5 minutes per device. Also, all the FW updates we released since July 2017 are optional. You can choose to skip all of them.
As you maybe aware, early next year, we will be releasing a USB SDK with support for FW updates. Stay tuned!
Early next year will also bring much faster FW updates using the goTenna app (we are attempting to reduce FW update times by atleast 50%).
5 Likes
I’m getting ready to take two new goTenna over to a buddy’s house to setup an additional relay node and this meant getting my two goTenna and his two goTenna out of the box and up to date. Since it was not clear to me if I needed the updates for relay mode, and because it just seems like a bad idea to deploy something knowing there is a firmware update I had to update 4 goTenna devices firmware with one phone. It wasn’t horrible, but it was not the best experience either. Being able to pair all 4 to my Mac (or PC) and update the firmware at once would have been really nice.
Anything that can be done to make this process easier should be done to continue to encourage mass adoption. If we are going to try and get goTenna deployed to fire stations, REI stores, etc… Then I think this needs to be as low friction a process as possible for batches of goTenna.
Thanks
4 Likes
@Turnerb we hear you. Watch out for an update in the next couple of months that will increase FW update speed 4X.
2 Likes
Hi, is this coming with the big 5.0 update, or before?
Yes! 5.0 will include much faster firmware updates from there on out!
1 Like