Can't upgrade firmware on WAP2000

[Ken Whitmore]

• Opened Internet Explorer 11.0.9600.17420, running under Windows 7 Professional.
  • Very good performance, internet speed, etc. 
• Downloaded WAP2000 Firmware Release 2.0.8.0 (WAP2000-FW-2.0.8.0-K9.img)
• Browsed to the WAP2000 unit's Firmware Upgrade page, logging in as required.
• Clicked the Browse... button and selected the downloaded WAP2000-FW-2.0.8.0-K9.img file.
• Clicked the Update button in the WAP2000's firmware upgrade page.
  • MSIE displays "This page can't be displayed
    • Make sure the web address https://192.168.0.7 is correct.
      • It is.
    • Look for the page with your search engine.
      • Why. It's already showing up in the browser.
    • Refresh the page in a few minutes.
      • (no improvement when I do this)
• Double-clicked the downloaded .img file in Windows Explorer.
  • I figured maybe it has to be burned to a DVD first, in order to access the actual firmware inside the image.
  • Windows Disc Image Burner window opens.
  • Marked the verify disc after burning checkbox and clicked the "Burn" button.
  • The Status box shows "The selected disc image file isn't valid."

What do I do now????

How can I carry out the firmware upgrade?

[Ken Whitmore]

Anyone out there?

I'm still stuck. We have 4 identical WAP2000 units and a WET200 unit.

The version numbering for both models is identical for the latest releases.

The WET200 upgraded from 2.0.5.0 to 2.0.8.0 without a problem.

One of the WAP2000 units is on version 2.0.0.5 and the others are all on 2.0.6.0.

I downloaded the WAP2000 firmware version 2.0.8.0-K9 again, extracted it with 7zip and tried upgrading each of the WAP2000 units. All of them failed with the same error, immediately after displaying the text:

"Updating Firmware

Please Wait.....

Warning: This process must not be interrupted."

The error screen appears so quickly that it took several attempts before I even recognized it was appearing at all, and once I did recognize it, I could only discover what the text said by capturing the video output and stepping through it frame by frame.

I'm running Windows 7 Pro SP1.

In Google Chrome  40.0.214.111 m, the web page lower-right frame shows a sad face and the text "The connection was reset.". The upgrade doesn't proceed.

In Internet Explorer 11.0.9600.17501, update 11.0.15 (KB3008923), it shows instead "This page can't be displayed

* Make sure the web address http://192.168.0.xx is correct.

* Look for the page with your search engine.

* Refresh the page in a few minutes."

Obviously the frame's page must be correct, since it is part of the device's web interface. (Or, Cisco screwed up the URL for the frame, or worse yet, the server-side script that generates it?)

Searching is not an option, since the device doesn't include a search engine.

Refreshing the main page reverts to the top level menu page of the device.

Refreshing only the lower-right frame doesn't change anything.

The upgrade doesn't proceed in any case.

We can't do anything to upgrade these units until this is resolved.

What does it take to get the device to upgrade the firmware?

For that matter, what does it take to get a quick response on this site?

[cchamorr · Accepted solution]

Hello, 

This is definitely very particular as it is not a known bug on the device.

I only have a few suggestions but I really have no idea why this issue will occur and not allow you to update the devices.

1- On IE try to use the compatibility view.

2- Try different PC's.

3- Make sure you are not trying to do the firmware upgrade via WiFi.

Lastly, the img file is the actual firmware file, no need to burn it or try to open it or anything, just upload it to the unit.

I hope this helps.

[Eric Moyers]

Carlos, hit the nail on the head.

The img file should not be opened, it should be loaded as is.

Eric Moyers
.:|:.:|:. CISCO | Cisco Presales Technical Support | Wireless Subject Matter Expert

Please rate helpful Posts and Let others know when your Question has been answered.

[Ken Whitmore]

Eric,

Thanks for that piece of advice. Though not the final solution, it's surely helpful to set me on the right path.

I tried that in the beginning and again after doing the compatibility settings, and it still shows: 

This page can’t be displayed

• Make sure the web address http://192.168.0.68 is correct.
• Look for the page with your search engine.
• Refresh the page in a few minutes. 

[Eric Moyers · Accepted solution]

Ken,

I am sorry, I just saw this. Where are you getting the IP Address from. Normally when these have been reset back to factory they should be 192.168.1.245.

Since your network seems to be a 192.168.0.X network I would statically set your PC to 192.168.1.100 and plug directly into the WAP. you should then be able to get into the GUI using 192.168.1.245.

Eric

[Ken Whitmore]

Eric,

The IP is correct, as that's what I set it to as a static address, and the unit is responding on that IP with it's web based management console. It's just that one frame within the page that shows an error messages.

Ken

[Ken Whitmore]

Thanks cchamorr.

IE compatibility settings did eliminate one error, so that is the correct solution for part of the issue I raised, and I wanted to click the "Correct Solution" button, but we're not out of the sticks just yet.

I'm not using WiFi for this, (though reading your advice, it's surprising that yesterday's upgrade of a WET200 worked fine over it's own WiFi bridged connection).

I've tried it from a Windows 7 Pro box and from a Windows Server 2003 box, both after adding the device IP to the compatibility settings.

Per Eric's post, I've deleted the extracted file and am now trying only with the originally downloaded 2.0.8.0-K9 firmware file.

Google Chrome still shows "The connection was reset" in the lower-right frame.

MSIE shows the following message inside the lower-right frame. Again, the IP is correct, the search option doesn't apply here and the refresh changes nothing:

This page can’t be displayed

• Make sure the web address http://192.168.0.68 is correct.
• Look for the page with your search engine.
• Refresh the page in a few minutes. 

• Check that all network cables are plugged in.
• Verify that airplane mode is turned off.
• Make sure your wireless switch is turned on.
• See if you can connect to mobile broadband.
•  

[cchamorr]

Hello,

I'm glad we are moving on the right direction.

Can you let us know what your current firmware is and what firmware are you trying to upgrade to?

[Ken Whitmore]

It's on 2.0.6.0 and I'm trying for 2.0.8.0-K9.

[cchamorr · Accepted solution]

Hello Ken, this is the last thing that comes to mind

1- Try this, download a backup of your current configuration.

2- Factory reset the device.

3- Connect your device directly to your PC.

4- Assign a static IP address of your PC, it could be 192.168.1.100

5- Access the WAP using IE running compatibility mode using IP address 192.168.1.245

6- Do not configure anything or try to restore the backup yet, just try to upload the firmware, the actual IMG file you downloaded from cisco. It should have this name: WAP2000-FW-2.0.8.0-K9.img and be about 3 Mb in size.

By doing this we will be eliminating every possible issue not related to  hardware defect on the WAP.

If it works, then after the upgrade, restore your config and you will be good to go,

If it doesn't then I really don't know what else we could do, but I'm hopping this won't be the case.

If you are willing to, try this and let us know.

[Ken Whitmore]

Well, that's what I was hoping to avoid in all of this. I'd have to dismount it from a pretty precarious, dirty and smelly location in the company's fish offal processing area and bring it into the office. The unit is encased in a ziploc bag to keep it safe from the elements and the offal, but getting at it is just plain disgusting.

The down time is the critical point for timing the effort. The facility is operating 24/7, with the only window of opportunity being around 5:30-6:30 PM, (starting in about 4-1/2 hours). If it takes any longer than one hour to get up there, dismount it, bring it in, reset, upgrade, reload the config, test and re-install it, I'll have issues with the shipping department.

[cchamorr]

I understand the situation, unfortunately I don't really see anything else that can be done.

As I said before, I think that we have tried everything we could at this point so, I'm out of ideas.

Please let us know what you decide to do.

[Ken Whitmore]

I guess I'll change tactics and grab the Maintenance Department unit instead, since it's much more accessible and in a cleaner, warmer and dry environment. That'll be quicker, much cleaner and easier, but will ruffle a few feathers, to be sure. I'll try doing it in place there to save time.

[Ken Whitmore]

Thanks Eric & cchamorr.

I connected directly with one of the 4 units and it worked and I didn't have to restore the configuration, because it was retained. How great is that?!!! I guess that's a nice consolation prize to make up for having to get out of my office to do it.

It's so strange that it won't work when the device is connected to the same network as the PC. That's a royal pain in the derriere for some of these units. Why doesn't Cisco make them so they can upgrade over the LAN? It looks like I need a pocket-sized thin PC or some means of connecting my iPhone over Ethernet, to get into some of these installations without having to drag a laptop and ethernet cable up a ladder.

Worse yet, we've got a few Cisco devices in a remote facility that I would like to be able to upgrade without having to drive out there to do it. I can RDP into a server on the remote network and manage the devices that way, but if it won't upgrade that way, that's a real good reason for Cisco to rethink it's approach.