FOTA
FOTA Operation
The FOTA (Firmware Over-The-Air) is an additional feature for Advantech routers that enables automatic or manual firmware updates for their cellular modules. Note that only the cellular module's firmware is updated — not the router's main firmware.
For proper operation, the router must have an active Internet connection to access a FOTA server — either the default Advantech server or a custom-configured one.
FOTA Router App
Caution
Uploading incorrect cellular module firmware may irreversibly damage the device. Updating firmware from any source other than the Advantech FOTA server is done at your own risk!
Once the FOTA Router App is installed, access its web interface by clicking on the Router App name. The left side of the interface displays the Router App menu.
To return to the router's main web interface, use the Return button in the Administration section.
Status
Supported Cellular Modules
The Supported Modules page provides a list of cellular modules compatible with the FOTA Router App. These modules are grouped by their respective manufacturers for easier navigation.
Logging Information
The System Log page displays log messages specifically related to the FOTA Router App, allowing you to monitor the app's operation and identify configuration issues. Log messages can be downloaded as a text file (.log) by clicking the Save Log button. A detailed report (.txt) for communication with technical support can be generated by clicking the Save Report button.
Configuration
Automatic Updates
To configure automatic updates, navigate to Configuration → Settings. Select the Enable automatic update checkbox and click Apply. If you prefer to perform only manual checks and updates, refer to the Administration → Online Update section instead.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable automatic update | Enables scheduled automatic updates using a preset connection to the Advantech FOTA server, which contains up-to-date firmware information. |
| Update Window Start | Specifies the hour when automatic updates should be performed. You can also choose between daily or weekly update frequencies. Note that the update process may start with a delay of a few minutes from the scheduled time. |
| Custom Server URL | Optional field to specify a different FOTA server address. You can specify either an https: path or a local file: path. A local path for a mounted flash drive may look like: file:///mnt/update. The custom URL must host a JSON file containing firmware information along with the actual firmware files. For more details, contact the Support department. |
| Skip Certificate Verification | When enabled, allows the router to bypass the server's certificate verification process. |
| Use Custom CA Certificate | Enable to use a custom CA certificate instead of the default Advantech CA certificate. |
| CA Certificate | Field for pasting or uploading your custom CA certificate. |
FOTA configuration items
Firmware Update Process
Once automatic updates are enabled, the router connects to the configured server to check for new firmware according to the interval defined in Update Window Start.
The FOTA server hosts a JSON file containing cellular module names, firmware release numbers, dependencies, and links to firmware files. The Router App downloads this JSON file and compares available firmware releases with the version currently installed on the device. If a newer version is available, the corresponding file is downloaded. A stable Internet connection and continuous power supply are required for a successful download.
The Router App checks for new firmware updates whenever it is connected to the Internet, regardless of which interface is in use.
Once a new firmware file has been downloaded, the update is applied automatically. The cellular module will restart during this process. The router remains operational throughout the update, but cellular connectivity will be temporarily unavailable until the module completes its restart.
Administration
Online Update
The Update page displays available FOTA packages, with the newest version shown first. Click the Reload Available FOTA Packages button to manually refresh the list.
Depending on the cellular module, the FOTA system may use a delta upgrade mechanism. In this case, instead of a single universal update package, multiple installation files may be listed, all targeting the same final firmware version.
The figure below shows an example of a module using the delta upgrade mechanism. The module model is SIM7070, with the currently installed firmware version 1951B14SIM7070. Three packages are listed, all targeting version 1951B17SIM7070. Each package is designed for a specific source firmware version. As a result, only the package matching the currently installed firmware can be used — in this example, only the package for upgrading from 1951B14SIM7070 to 1951B17SIM7070 has the Install button enabled.
Tips
The Upgrades field, displayed as a tooltip for each entry, indicates the source firmware version the update package applies to — not the version that will be installed.
The list below describes messages that may appear in the last column of the firmware list, along with recommended actions:
- not upgradable from your version → choose the highest upgradable version
- requires ICR-OS x.y.z → update the router's firmware first
- requires FOTA x.y.z → update the FOTA Router App first
Tips
When hovering over a firmware entry, a pop-up window shows the compatible firmware versions available for an upgrade. Hovering over the firmware size displays the actual filename of the firmware.