FlexEdge Controller Quick Start Guide
Abstract
This document describes the best practices to follow to update a new FlexEdge Controller.
Products
DA50A – (all variants)
DA70A – (all variants)
Required Software
Crimson 3.2
Use Case
This document applies to all new FlexEdge Controllers. There are potential issues that you need to be aware of. Current versions of Crimson 3.2 are using an updated version of the Linux OS, which we call Alpine. However, new devices are still shipping with the older Linux version installed. Once you upgrade to an Alpine release build, which is 3.2.0071 and later, then you cannot go back to any build older than the first Alpine release. Failure to follow proper procedures when upgrading the operating system may result in the unit becoming non-functional and require sending it in for repair.
At the time of this writing, new FlexEdge DA50A and DA70A are being shipped with firmware version 3.2.0053 installed. This applies to all units with a serial number date code of YU01NOV22_____ and later. The 3.2.0053 firmware is the oldest that this version of hardware will support.
Units made before this date had a slightly different version of the CPU, and they shipped with firmware 3.2.0008. Caution: If your device still has this original older firmware, you MUST update these older units to at least 3.2.0016, but no higher than 3.2.0067, before you try to update to any “Alpine” release (build 3.2.0071 or later). If you do not do this interim update, the Linux operating system upgrade will fail to complete properly, and it will render the FlexEdge inoperable. You would need to send it in for repair if this happens, there is no way to recover from this in the field. For older units, after you have done this interim update, then you can proceed with the next step.
Initial Update Procedure
It is highly recommended that you only do the first Crimson update on a new unit over Ethernet. The Ethernet download will require using the default Admin password printed on the label.
Using the USB programming port (or RS232) is not recommended for the initial update for a couple of reasons. One of those is because the USB programming port is slow, and the first update will upgrade all firmware as well as the Linux OS. The USB programming port on a FlexEdge running on Linux is not a USB2 connection. Instead, it uses a built-in USB to serial converter, and therefore it downloads at serial speeds (like RS232). At serial speeds it could take up to 40 minutes or more to do the initial upgrade via USB.
But more important than that is there is a known issue with the serial COM port number will chang during the operating system upgrade. The new Alpine release uses a different Windows driver for the USB/COM ports, and it installs two new COM ports in Device Manager. One of these COM ports is used for Crimson downloads, and the other is for the SSH Console. The COM port number for downloading will change be cause it is a different driver. If/when this happens, the download will fail to complete before the OS upgrade has fully completed, which is problematic.
It is possible to recover from this; but only if you immediately go into Device Manager to find out the new COM port number. Then use Link | Options to set the new COM port number and resume the download/upgrade process with a Link | Update. If you do all this immediately after the USB download failed to complete, then it should resume the upgrade process where it left off and finish it. However, if you tried other ways to “recover” from this problem (such as a factory reset etc.) you could render the unit inoperable, and you may need to send it in for repair.
Ethernet Update
On a new unit, the Ethernet 1 port is set to DHCP by default. The Ethernet 2 port is set to a static address of 192.168.222.222 by default. If you want to download to Ethernet port 1, you’ll need a DHCP server running on that network to assign it an IP address. You can search for its IP address using the Crimson 3.2 Find Devices tool. However, note this tool will not work in all applications. It cannot find devices over any routers, only on the local subnet. Also, the Find tool may not work if there is a managed switch on that subnet with IGMP filtering enabled.
Assuming the Find tool works on your local network, you can select the device you want to download to from the list and click on OK. This will populate the Link | Options dialog’s TCP/IP field with the selected unit’s IP address. You can also enter an IP address in this field manually if you know what it is. Note that it does not matter if the Find tool actually found your unit’s IP or not. As long as there is a valid network path to the target IP address you set, this will work.
You can also use Ethernet 2 if you want to download to a static IP address. New units are always shipped with Ethernet 2 set to the factory default IP of 192.168.222.222. To use this, set the Ethernet adapter on your PC to an IP in the same subnet range, e.g., 192.168.222.100, and set the mask to 255.255.255.0. Then select Link | Options, select TCP/IP, and enter the address 192.168.222.222 in this field. Then you can download a database for that model to the unit.
Assuming you are using the current build to download, this will upgrade its OS to Alpine. The default IP does not change with Alpine. Therefore, this OS upgrade should be able to complete without any interruption (like what happens with USB).
Using USB Programming Port After the Alpine Upgrade
The upgrade to the Alpine OS also installs a new USB to Ethernet converter, which uses a standard Windows driver called “Remote NDIS Compatible Device”. This USB to Ethernet adapter will be configured for DHCP on your PC, and the FlexEdge will have a static IP address of 192.168.241.241, with a mask of 255.255.255.240. The FlexEdge will also have a DHCP server running for this connection, and it will assign your PC an IP address in the range of 192.168.241.242 to 192.168.241.254.
This USB/Ethernet connection allows you to download using the USB programming port at Ethernet speeds of 100 MHz, which is much faster than the USB/serial adapter speed. You can use this fixed IP with any FlexEdge Controller running a database that has the USB1 Interface option set to Enabled.
You can use this connection for anything that uses Ethernet. This included full access to the System Web Server. This also includes FTP. This means if the database running in that unit has the FTP Server service enabled. you can use the USB programming port along with an FTP Client application (such as FileZilla) to manage the unit’s internal memory. You can also use the FTP connection to access the microSD card and a USB memory stick, assuming these are installed and properly formatted to FAT32.
Disclaimer
It is the customer's responsibility to review the advice provided herein and its applicability to the system. Red Lion makes no representation about specific knowledge of the customer's system or the specific performance of the system. Red Lion is not responsible for any damage to equipment or connected systems. The use of this document is at your own risk. Red Lion standard product warranty applies.
Red Lion Technical Support
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