Help me upgrade firmware of SPA504G

[solace10]

Hello

I received a single IP phone SPA504G from a friend to use in my SOHO.   Yes, I know it's an older phone, but it seems to work well - except fot the constant red light when a voicemail has been left (the red light doesn't clear when VM has been deleted). 

I understand from reading various threads on here that it needs firmware update, but I am not really sure how to do this.  I am relatively savvy with a good instruction!  I just can't seem to work out what process steps I need to take.  Can anyone walk me through it?

The current firmware is (stock) 7.4.3a and I can see from this page that the latest firmware is 7.6.2SR4

On this page - it mentions that "you must first upgrade to 7.5.2b before you upgrade to a later release"

So how do I upgrade?  What's the process?  There are no actual "steps to upgrade" instructions anywhere that I could find.

Thanks in advance.

[Dan Lukes]

It seems you missed Administrator's guide - the basic manual for the SPA504G device.

In short:

1. place firmware on a HTTP, FTP or TFTP server
2. reset phone to factory default (optional but recommended to be on safe side)
3. configure 'Upgrade Rule' to refer it.

Start with 7.5.2b firmware, continue with a more recent firmware according your wishes.

See also:

• SPA504G phone does not upgrade
• MWI on Cisco SPA303 won't clear

[solace10]

That's great thank you.

What is the best way to do part one ?

1. place firmware on a HTTP, FTP or TFTP server

Could I, for example, upload the file onto an external webhosting server and then point the phone to that IP address - or is there an easier way e.g. from my own computer?

Also - I'm not really sure what 3. means - how / where does one  "configure 'Upgrade Rule' to refer it".

Thanks for your help.

[Dan Lukes]

If the external server is reachable for the phone, then it's easiest way.

---

where does one  "configure 'Upgrade Rule' to refer

You didn't discovered WWW phone UI yet ? Just place phone's IP in your browser, login, switch to advanced view and inspect "Provisioning" tab, Firmware Upgrade section.

Assuming you have retail kind of phone and you did reset to factory default, the login credentials are admin/admin.

[solace10]

Thanks

I've downloaded and installed solarwinds TFTP as I read it may be easier to do this locally.

I've downloaded the 7.5.2b firmware - but now what?  Are there no instructions on how to use the TFTP server to configure to upgrade the IP Phone?  - I couldn't find them!  There's a bunch of youtube videos.... I gave that a try but they are all mostly to do with servers..... can't believe it's so complicated!

I am trying this article to see if I can follow it!

So Please, if you can, enlighten me on how to upgrade using the firmware and TFTP.

[Dan Lukes]

The article you referred is for enterprise phones. You have SMB class of phone.

Upgrade is very simple process - I provided full step-by-step description to you already. Just:

1. place firmware on a HTTP, FTP or TFTP server
2. reset phone to factory default (optional but recommended to be on safe side)
3. configure 'Upgrade Rule' to refer it.

Ad 1 - you considered to use TFTP, so start it and place firmware on it. I'm not familiar with the TFTP server you decided to use - follow it's documentation how to start it and where the files needs to be saved to be server by it.

Feel free to ask in doubt, but those three steps seems to be very simple to follow.

[solace10]

I think it's very patronising to say it's a simple process.  It's quite the opposite and rather complicated - especially the usage of the TFTP software which I found very confusing, so I guess I will need to stick to the old firmware for now.

[Dan Lukes]

I would like to clarify my claim a lot.

It's very simple job for an IT administrator - file needs to be published on a server and it's URL needs to be written into Upgrade Rule then. Just very basic level of skills is required (well, TFTP and FTP are rather old protocols, so even IT guy may not be familiar with them, but HTTP isjust  common).

End user may not consider process simple, but firmware upgrade is not end-user-level of maintenance.

Regardless of level of skills you have, I'm ready to help you. But there's not so much to help with. As mentioned already - just publish file with new upgrade on a TFTP/FTP/HTTP server of your choice and write URL into Upgrade Rule then.

[solace10 · Accepted solution]

After all of that complicated discussion, I since found a very easy method...

Simple instructions https://www.ukvoipforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=158

Just download the firmware you need, unzip it and double click it to install.

It works perfectly!

I don't know why no one has already mentioned this ??

[Dan Lukes]

At the first, I assumet you tried it.

Because it often doesn't work because of local firewall and/or configuration of Windows.  This method is known to take a pile of time on both sides in attempt to solve those issues and it's often unsuccessful. 

I would like to note you not me) turned simple three-step method I advised into nightmare "complicate discussion". You correctly identified you can place firmware to a public WWW server then write URL of it to phone. Quick, simple and reliable method. It's almost as quick as EXE method and it works almost everytime.

You consider to install tftp server instead. It's plausible method, but somewhat uneasy to someone who is not familiar with it. You considered not to use quick and simple solution. It has been your decision to use software and protocol you are unfamiliar with and it caused "discussions". You have full sovereignty do to it, but don't complain it's so complicated ;-)

All at all, glad to hear you solved it.

[solace10]

saving for the future:

https://web.archive.org/web/20201002034005/https://www.ukvoipforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=158