Firmware update process for Sierra Wireless MC7455

Two methods are available : Over-The-Air (OTA) or Manual. Both mehods will be described in this article.

This article only applies to the following cellular module:

Sierra Wireless MC7455

To identify which cellular module your device is using, look at the part number of your device:
WRxx-M8 is a Sierra Wireless MC7455

This module is only used in the WR44R/RR & WR31
 
Please note:  Upgrading the cellular router will cause the unit to reboot a few times and disconnect. 
Do not reboot or remove the power from the unit during the update process to prevent any damage to the module

Method 1: Over-the-Air (OTA)
This method assumes the router has internet connection.

Open a CLI session (Telnet or SSH) to the router (this can also be performed via the GUI using "Execute a command") and issue the following command:
carrier ftp-carrier-info
The below text should appear, wait for the OK:
Checking the firmware and the carrier Please wait while retrieving files...
Done updating carriers list

​OK
The next step is to identify which carrier you are currently using.
To do so, the easiest is to issue the modemstat ? command and look for the Firmware Carrier ID line. It should state which image is currently in use. For example in the below output, we can see that the image in use is "ATT"
Outcome: Got modem status OK
                   Time: 30 Mar 2020 12:18:44
             SIM status: Ready
        Signal strength: -51 dBm
       Radio technology: LTE
   Signal quality (LTE): RSSI -48 dBm, RSRP -79 dBm, RSRQ -7.0 dB, SINR 11.2 dB
             Radio band: E-UTRA Operating Band 3
                Channel: 1300
           Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                  Model: MC7455
                    MDN: Not provisioned
                    MIN: Not provisioned
               Firmware: SWI9X30C_02.20.03.00 r6691 CARMD-EV-FRMWR2 2016/06/30 10:54:05
               Bootcode: SWI9X30C_02.20.03.00 r6691 CARMD-EV-FRMWR2 2016/06/30 10:54:05
       Hardware version: 1.0
    Firmware Carrier ID: ATT_002.020_000
             APN in use: Context 1: orange.m2m.spec
 GPRS Attachment Status: Attached
      GPRS Registration: Registered tac:99E2 ci:015D4B07
                Network: Orange F, 20801
       Preferred system: Auto
     Network Technology: LTE
            Temperature: 41C
OK
This means that you will want to specify "ATT" when downloading the upgrade. You can also see the list of available carriers by issueing: 
carrier ?

Now that the carrier has been identified, next step is to issue the following command which will download the firmware and upgrade it (this process will take at least 5 minutes or more depending on the speed of the internet connection). 
Replace xxx with the carrier name as described in the step above.

Once again: Do not reboot or remove the power from the unit during the update process to prevent any damage to the module
carrier xxx -ftp

The following will appear while it is downloading and installing:
Checking the firmware and the carrier
​Please wait while retrieving the file.......
Installing 321100.cwe 1% ... 100%

After a few minutes, the following should appear:

Download speed: 5024000 bps time 102570ms
Waiting for modem to complete firmware download

Firmware download completed

Resetting modem...

Done.
OK

The firmware update process is now complete.

Method 2: Manual

First, identify which carrier you are currently using.
To do so, the easiest is to issue the modemstat ? command and look for the Firmware Carrier ID line. It should state which image is currently in use. For example in the below output, we can see that the image in use is "ATT"

Outcome: Got modem status OK
                   Time: 30 Mar 2020 12:18:44
             SIM status: Ready
        Signal strength: -51 dBm
       Radio technology: LTE
   Signal quality (LTE): RSSI -48 dBm, RSRP -79 dBm, RSRQ -7.0 dB, SINR 11.2 dB
             Radio band: E-UTRA Operating Band 3
                Channel: 1300
           Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
                  Model: MC7455
                    MDN: Not provisioned
                    MIN: Not provisioned
               Firmware: SWI9X30C_02.20.03.00 r6691 CARMD-EV-FRMWR2 2016/06/30 10:54:05
               Bootcode: SWI9X30C_02.20.03.00 r6691 CARMD-EV-FRMWR2 2016/06/30 10:54:05
       Hardware version: 1.0
    Firmware Carrier ID: ATT_002.020_000
             APN in use: Context 1: orange.m2m.spec
 GPRS Attachment Status: Attached
      GPRS Registration: Registered tac:99E2 ci:015D4B07
                Network: Orange F, 20801
       Preferred system: Auto
     Network Technology: LTE
            Temperature: 41C
OK
You can also see the list of available carriers by issueing: 
carrier ?

The carrier and image correspondence list can be found in the car_7455.txt file found here: http://ftp1.digi.com/support/firmware/transport/MC7455_carrier_firmware/car_7455.txt
The below list is an extract and will show which firmware image corresponds to which carrier (identified above). For example, for att you will want to obtain the 321100 file:

verizon "Verizon" 330300
att "AT&T" 321100
generic "Generic" 321100
telus "Telus" 321100
sprint "Sprint" 321100
rogers "Rogers" 321100
usc "USCellular" 321100
bell "Bell" 240506
voda "Vodafone" 240300

Once the carrier & file number is identified, download the three required firmware files from the Digi Web site http://ftp1.digi.com/support/firmware/transport/MC7455_carrier_firmware/ :

- car_7455.txt
- (carrier).nvu
- xxxxxx.cwe

the .nvu will be corresponding to the identified carrier
the .cwe will be corresponding to the identified file used for said carrier

Using S/FTP, upload all of the files to the root directory of the router.
Once the files are uploaded, issue the following command to start the update process:

carrier xxx

Where xxx is the carrier name as identified before. Refer to the list above.

The following will appear while it is downloading and installing:

Checking the firmware and the carrier
Waiting for the modem...................................
Installing 321100.cwe
100%


After a few minutes, the following should appear:

Download speed: 5023200 bps time 102590ms
Waiting for modem to complete firmware download

Firmware download completed

Resetting modem...

Done.
OK

The firmware update process is now complete.

 

Last updated: Jun 11, 2020

Filed Under

Cellular/Transport

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