Updating Firmware

This guide will walk you through updating your Ryzer firmware to get the latest features, bug fixes, and improvements.

What is a Firmware Update?

Firmware is the software that runs on your Ryzer controller. Updates can include:

• ✨ New features (LED patterns, printer status reactions)
• 🐛 Bug fixes (connection stability, LED rendering)
• ⚡ Performance improvements (faster response, smoother animations)
• 🔒 Security patches

OTA (Over-The-Air) updates mean you don’t need to connect Ryzer via USB - everything happens wirelessly!

Before You Update

Requirements Checklist

• ✅ Ryzer connected to WiFi (stable connection)
• ✅ Access to Ryzer web interface at http://ryzer.local
• ✅ Ryzer powered on and working normally
• ✅ At least 5 minutes of uninterrupted time
• ✅ Stable power supply (don’t let it lose power during update!)

Important Warnings

Step 1: Check Current Version

Let’s see what version you’re running:

1. Open Ryzer web interface:

   • Navigate to http://ryzer.local
   • Go to Firmware page

2. Find current version:

   • Look for “Current Version” section
   • Example: 0.0.3
   • Write this down for reference

Step 2: Check for Available Updates

1. On the Firmware page, click “Check for Updates” button

   • Ryzer contacts update server
   • Takes 5-10 seconds
   • Shows list of available versions

2. Review available versions:

   • Versions newer than yours are available
   • Each version has:
     • Version number (e.g., 0.0.4)
     • Release date
     • Brief description (if available)

3. Choose which version:

   • Latest version (recommended) - Most recent features
   • Specific version - If you need a particular release

Step 3: Read Release Notes

Before updating, check what’s new:

1. Click on version number or “View Details”

2. Read the changelog:

   • New features added
   • Bugs fixed
   • Known issues (if any)
   • Breaking changes (rare)

3. Understand what’s changing:

   • Will your workflow change?
   • Are there new features you’ll use?
   • Any compatibility notes?

Where to find detailed release notes:

• In Ryzer interface (if available)
• Releases Page
• GitHub Releases

Step 4: Start the Update

Ready to update? Let’s do it!

1. On the Firmware page, click “Update to [version]” button

   • Replace [version] with the version you selected
   • Example: “Update to 0.0.4”

2. Confirm the update:

   • You may see a confirmation dialog
   • Read it carefully
   • Click “Yes, Update Now” or “Confirm”

3. Update begins immediately:

   • Progress indicator appears
   • Browser shows update status
   • LEDs change color to indicate progress

Step 5: Watch the Update Process

What Happens During Update

The update happens in several stages, each with a different LED color:

Total time: Usually 1-3 minutes depending on connection speed

Progress Indicators

In the web interface:

• Progress bar showing completion percentage
• Current stage text (“Downloading firmware…”)
• Estimated time remaining (if available)

Via LEDs:

• Purple: “Looking for update”
• Orange: “Downloading/installing”
• Green: “Success!” (brief)
• Red: “Error occurred” (see troubleshooting)

Step 6: Wait for Reboot

After installation completes:

1. LEDs turn GREEN briefly (2-5 seconds)

   • This means update succeeded!

2. Ryzer reboots automatically:

   • LEDs go black (off)
   • Then white briefly (booting)
   • Then back to normal state (usually black)

3. Wait 30 seconds for Ryzer to fully boot

4. Web interface may disconnect:

   • This is normal
   • Just refresh the page after reboot

Step 7: Verify Update Success

Let’s confirm the update worked:

1. Refresh browser:

   • Reload http://ryzer.local
   • May take 30-60 seconds for Ryzer to come back online

2. Go to Firmware page:

   • Check “Current Version”
   • Should now show the NEW version
   • Example: 0.0.4 (if that’s what you updated to)

3. Verify functionality:

   • ✅ Can access web interface
   • ✅ WiFi still connected
   • ✅ Connection settings preserved (check Connection page)
   • ✅ LED settings preserved (check Lighting page)
   • ✅ LEDs respond normally

What If Update Fails?

Red LEDs During Update

If LEDs turn RED during update:

What it means:

• Update download failed, OR
• Installation failed, OR
• Verification failed

What happens:

• Ryzer stays on OLD firmware (safe!)
• No changes were made
• Device still functional

What to do:

1. Wait for Ryzer to finish (don’t power off!)
2. LEDs will return to normal state
3. See Troubleshooting Updates below

Update Gets Stuck

If update seems stuck (orange LEDs for more than 5 minutes):

Don’t panic! Ryzer has watchdog protection.

What to do:

1. Wait 10 minutes - Maybe slow connection
2. Check WiFi - Is your internet working?
3. Check router - Is device still connected?
4. Power cycle - As last resort:
   • Unplug Ryzer
   • Wait 10 seconds
   • Plug back in
   • Ryzer boots to OLD firmware (safe)

Troubleshooting Updates

“No Updates Available”

Possible reasons:

1. You’re already on the latest version (good!)
2. Update server is temporarily unavailable (try later)
3. No internet connection (check WiFi)

What to do:

• Check your internet connection
• Try again in 5-10 minutes
• Visit Releases Page to manually check

“Download Failed”

Common causes:

• Poor WiFi signal strength
• Internet connection interrupted
• Update server temporarily down
• Firewall blocking connection (rare)

Solutions:

1. Move closer to router - Improve signal
2. Check internet - Browse a website to test
3. Try again - Click update button again
4. Wait and retry - Server might be busy
5. Check firewall - Ensure storage.googleapis.com is accessible

“Installation Failed”

Common causes:

• Corrupted download
• Insufficient storage space (rare)
• Power fluctuation during install

Solutions:

1. Try update again - Often works second time
2. Power cycle Ryzer - Fresh start
3. Check power supply - Ensure stable voltage
4. Different version - Try previous version first

Web Interface Won’t Load After Update

What to do:

1. Wait 2 minutes - May still be booting
2. Refresh browser - Hard refresh (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
3. Clear browser cache - Old UI files cached
4. Try different browser - Chrome, Firefox, Safari
5. Use IP address - Instead of ryzer.local
6. Check WiFi - Is Ryzer connected to network?

If none of these work, see Connection Issues.

Settings Are Lost After Update

This should never happen! Updates preserve settings.

If settings are gone:

1. Double-check - Maybe just default view
2. Reconfigure - Shouldn’t take long
3. Report bug - This is a firmware issue
4. Keep backups - Note down your settings before updates (good practice)

Downgrading to Previous Version

Need to go back to an older version?

When to Downgrade

• New version has a bug affecting you
• New features aren’t stable yet
• Prefer previous behavior

How to Downgrade

1. Go to Firmware page
2. View all available versions
3. Select older version you want
4. Click “Update to [old version]”
5. Follow normal update process

Downgrading works the same as upgrading - just select an older version number!

Automatic Updates (Future Feature)

Future firmware may include:

• Automatic update checking (daily or weekly)
• Notification when updates available
• Scheduled updates (install at night)
• Automatic rollback if issues detected

Stay tuned!

Update Best Practices

Before Every Update

• ✅ Read release notes - Know what’s changing
• ✅ Note your settings - WiFi, MQTT, LED count
• ✅ Ensure stable power - Use quality power supply
• ✅ Check WiFi signal - Strong connection helps
• ✅ Pick good timing - Not during active print

During Update

• ✅ Don’t touch anything - Let it run
• ✅ Watch LED colors - Monitor progress
• ✅ Stay patient - 1-3 minutes is normal
• ❌ Don’t unplug - Ever!
• ❌ Don’t reset - Let it complete

After Update

• ✅ Verify version - Confirm update succeeded
• ✅ Test functionality - Check all features work
• ✅ Recheck settings - Ensure preserved correctly
• ✅ Report issues - Help improve firmware

Getting Help

If you encounter problems updating:

1. Check troubleshooting above - Common issues covered
2. Read Update Troubleshooting - Detailed solutions
3. Visit FAQ - Common questions
4. Community Forum - Ask for help
5. GitHub Issues - Report bugs

Next Steps