This guide shows new firmware upgrade procedure ZLD appliances.

Overview

Firmware updates are necessary to ensure you are running the latest security patches and enhancements.  Firmware upgrades can enhance performance, fix bugs, strengthen security, etc.  It is highly recommended that appliances be updated to latest firmware release when they become available.  Please keep in mind that there are changes in the ZyXEL firmware upgrade policy.  Future firmware upgrades to ZLD appliances will be released via myZyxel.  The appliance must be registered and running the latest 4.20 firmware patch before firmware version 4.25 or newer can be downloaded from myZyxel.

Supported Devices

ZyWALL 110
ZyWALL 310
ZyWALL 1100
USG40
USG40W
USG60
USG60W
USG110
USG210
USG310
USG1100
USG1900
USG20-VPN
USG20W-VPN
USG2200-VPN

Accessing the WebUI

Login to your ZLD appliance and go to Configuration → Licensing → Registration → Service and click the Service License Refresh button.  This must be done before you can access your myZyxel account to download new firmware patches.  This will sync necessary info with the myZyxel server (info like running firmware version, MAC Address, S/N, etc.), info the server needs to make sure you are running the latest software updates.

Access myZyxel

Open an internet browser and go to URL: https://portal.myzyxel.com/ and login to your account.

Once in your account dashboard, find the ZLD router you wish to download firmware for and click on the Download button under the "Firmware Update" column.

A new window will pop-up showing the currently installed firmware and available patches that can be downloaded (on drop-down menu).  Select the firmware patch you wish to download from the drop-down option(s).

Older firmware patches (pre-4.25) can be downloaded from our FTP site:  ftp://ftp.zyxel.com

Upgrading Firmware

There are four ways you can update the firmware on the ZyWALL/USG routers, you can update the firmware manually via the Web GUI, you can FTP into the router and upload the firmware, you can utilize the Automatic Cloud Firmware update feature introduced on firmware version 4.25, or upgrade via USB flash drive.

Manual Upgrade via WebUI

In the routers WebUI go to menu Maintenance → File Manager and click on the Firmware Management tab.

Click the  button to select the location of the firmware file on your device (computer).

On the Local Firmware window click the Browse button to specify the BIN files path.

Click the Upload button to start the firmware upgrade process.  Firmware upgrade process takes about 5 minutes to complete.

Cloud Firmware

In the routers WebUI go to menu Maintenance → File Manager and click on the Firmware Management tab.

Click the  button to automatically download the firmware from the cloud server and install.  A window will appear showing the firmware release notes and enhancements.

Click the Upgrade Now button to start the process.  Firmware upgrade process takes about 5 minutes to complete.

Firmware Upgrade via FTP

Once the firmware file has been obtained (pre-4.25 firmware can be downloaded from FTP site, post-4.25 firmware is available from myZyxel), open a command prompt/terminal window and type the following commands:

C:\> ftp
ftp> open
To <IP Address of router>
ftp> bin
ftp> put <path of firmware file>

The firmware process takes about 5 minutes to complete.

Automatic Firmware Upgrade

Firmware version 4.25 introduces the firmware cloud helper feature.  This option can automatically update the firmware on your appliance at a set time.  To configure the automatic firmware upgrade feature login to the ZLD appliance and go to menu, Maintenance → File Manager → Firmware Management.  Under the "Cloud Firmware Information" options, make the following changes.

1. Check the box for "Auto Update"
2. Specify when the ZLD appliance should check for firmware and upgrade.
• Daily – Specify time in 24hr format to conduct the firmware upgrade when update is available.
• Weekly – Specify a day of the week and time (24hr format) the appliance should conduct the firmware upgrade.
3. Check the box to "Auto-Reboot".  A reboot is required to complete an upgrade.  Leaving this option unchecked will require a manual reboot before firmware upgrade can take effect.
   

USB Firmware Upgrade

To update the firmware on your ZLD appliance using a USB flash drive do the following.

1. Obtain a USB flash drive formatted using FAT32
2. Download firmware file from myZyxel
3. Create a folder on the flash drive to store the firmware.  First a folder for the device directory needs to be created (Ex: usg210_dir).  Within the device directory (usg210_dir) create a folder called "firmware".  Note:  The ZLD appliance can automatically create the directory folder and all sub-directories automatically by plugging in the USB drive and enabling the "Activate USB storage service" option under Configuration → System → USB Storage.
4. Save the firmware file (*.BIN) to USB. (Ex: Root_DIR\usg210_dir\firmware\*.bin)
   
5. Enable the USB firmware upgrade function via CLI command.  You will need to SSH/Telnet/Console into the device to issue the command(s).
• Router> configure terminal
• Router (config)# usb-storage update-firmware enable
6. Plug the USB flash drive (with firmware file) into the ZLD appliance.
   
7. The appliance will copy the firmware file to RAM, once detected.
8. The appliance will run checks on the firmware to verify checksum and that it is for the correct model.
   
   Note:  If firmware update fails, the following message will appear on the open SSH/Telnet/Console connection:
   Router (config)# USB update-firmware failed: firmware copy fail
   This error may appear if the firmware patch is for the incorrect appliance or the folder structure on the flash drive is incorrect (usg210_dir\firmware\*.bin).