Home  |  Helpdesk  |  Product Help  |  Hardware  |  ADSL  |  ADSL Kernel

Process for Updating Router Kernel

Please see our Important Notice, we recommend that you read it before you proceed.

The following process covers upgrading the kernel version on the BT router that is supplied as part of the Demon Express Plus, Pro and Gold managed services, so that you benefit from the enhancements mentioned in Appendix A at the end of this document. Please read the process very carefully, as it will clarify firstly whether you are required to perform the upgrade, and if so, how to proceed

PLEASE NOTE, this upgrade process does not apply to customers using the Demon Express service, as you are using a USB Modem, not an ADSL Ethernet Router.

During the upgrade process, you will be required to disconnect your ADSL service, and log in using a different username. Consequently, throughout the upgrade process, your internet connection will not function normally, so it is recommended that you perform the upgrade during a period where the temporary loss of your ADSL connection will present the least amount of inconvenience.

Firstly, you will need to identify the type of router you have. Each router has the model number clearly labelled on the base e.g. 5861. If you have either a 2025 or 2035 model router, these cannot be upgraded using the automated process below, and you will need to book a manual upgrade with the ADSL Helpdesk. This can be arranged by sending an email to adslsupport@demon.net with your Name, Demon ADSL User Name and a telephone number where we can contact you between 09:00 and 18:00 weekdays. You will then be contacted in due course by our support team to arrange a suitable date and time for the upgrade. If however, you have a 5861 router, please follow the procedure as detailed below.

Upgrade Procedure

Before starting, please make sure you know your existing username and password for the ADSL connection, as once you have completed the upgrade procedure you will be required to re-enter this information in order to get back online. These details should be on your Welcome Letter, although if you are unable to locate them, please call the ADSL Helpdesk on 0845 272 0040 to discuss these details.

NOTE: Routers type 5861 supplied from November 2001 will already have the latest kernel loaded and will therefore not require the upgrade, although there is no harm in performing the upgrade procedure even if your router is already on the latest kernel due to the way the upgrade is designed to work.

Step - 1

Using a Java-Enabled browser (all fairly recent versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape have this functionality) browse to the IP address of the ADSL router. For NAT customers this should always be 192.168.254.254. For NON-NAT customers, this will be as specified on your Welcome Letter, and could also be the gateway IP address of each of your client computers. You should see a screen like the one shown in Diagram 1. Please disconnect your active session by clicking the "Disconnect" button.

Step - 2

After several seconds, the router should disconnect, and you should then be presented with a "Change Login" button. Click on this. A new screen should appear which prompts you for a username and password. Enter the username as "bt_upgrade@startup_domain", leaving the password box blank, and press "Done" as in Diagram 2. (Please note that an underscore is required between bt and upgrade, and between startup and domain)

Step - 3

You should now be presented with another screen, containing a button marked "Connect". If the router has not already connected (sometimes the router will not automatically reconnect, if this happens do not be concerned), then please press the "Connect" button. After several seconds, the router page should change yet again, stating that you are connected to this new login. Please leave this page open to allow you to monitor the status of the upgrade.

Step - 4

PLEASE NOTE: throughout the duration of step 4, it is critical that you do not power down your ADSL router, as it is possible that the router will cease to function normally if the power is cut during the kernel upgrade. In the unlikely event that a powercut occurs at your premises, the same results could occur. If either of the above should happen, and you are not able to get the router to connect normally after, a fault will need to be raised with the ADSL Helpdesk on 0845 272 0040.

The router will now be automatically checked to ensure it is not already running the most recent kernel version (see above note about routers supplied after November 2001). If it is running the newer version of the kernel, you should see the username contained within your browser automatically change from bt_upgrade@startup_domain to bt_test@startup_domain (there is no progress bar displayed in your browser, and the change could take between 5 minutes and an hour, so please be patient). Once this has occurred, you can disconnect, and reconnect using your Demon username and password by following the above numbered steps.

If however, your router is running an older kernel, the newer version of kernel software will be downloaded. This download should begin no longer than 5 minutes from when you connect, but dependant on conditions could take up to an hour to start. A good indication of when the kernel download starts will be when the WAN LED on the router begins to flash rapidly, as this light represents traffic coming down your ADSL line.

After the download has taken place, the router should automatically reboot. Once this has happened, the router may need to re-synchronize with the local BT exchange. This will take between 15 seconds and 3 minutes, and will be complete once the "Link" LED on the router has returned to a solid green state, as opposed to flashing red or amber which shows the router being "out of synch".

Upgrade Completion

After the router has synched with the exchange, it will then be automatically checked again, to ensure the upgrade went ahead as planned, and if the results are positive, you should see the username contained within your browser automatically change from bt_upgrade@startup_domain to bt_test@startup_domain (there is no progress bar displayed in your browser, and the change could take between 5 minutes and an hour, so please be patient).

Once the username has changed to bt_test@startup_domain then the router should be running the new kernel. At this point, you can disconnect, and re-enter your Demon username and password, using the same steps as above, and re-connect, which should re-establish your normal Demon connection.

If however the automated upgrade system detects a failure you should see the username contained within your browser automatically change from bt_upgrade@startup_domain to upgrade_failed@startup_domain (again, please be patient as no progress bar is displayed). BT will be automatically notified of the failure and will attempt to resolve the problem remotely, although at this point you should contact the ADSL Helpdesk on 0845 272 0040 to log a fault.

After the 60 minute period you may still see the login as bt_upgrade@startup_domain. There are two likely reasons for this. The solutions are listed below and should be tried several times, if possible, before contacting the ADSL Helpdesk to report a fault:

1. The upgrade process may not have started correctly. Please try disconnecting and reconnecting using the username bt_upgrade@startup_domain, using the same procedure as the one used to change the login, which is detailed above. If this was the problem before, it should start correctly this time. The above steps regarding the upgrade procedure would then apply.

2. The upgrade procedure did complete correctly, and the router rebooted, but the testing phase which verifies whether the upgrade was complete did not go ahead. If this is the case, you should find that you can simply disconnect, and then reconnect using the username bt_upgrade@startup_domain, and as the router will now be running the new firmware, the login should change to bt_test@startup_domain as per the above steps (once again, there is no progress bar).

If both of these solutions fail, please repeat the process once more after turning the power off to your router, and back on again after a period of 30 seconds, and if that fails, and you are unable to get back online using your original Demon username and password, it is likely you will need to contact the ADSL helpdesk to report a fault. As stated above, the contact number for the ADSL Helpdesk is 0845 272 0040.

IMPORTANT NOTE

On completion of the upgrade, the end user will notice that the behavior of the TEST LED may change if the previous kernel was version 4.X or earlier. Instead of solid green the LED will now blink green with a 2-second interval. This is known as the heartbeat function.

Appendix A

The key benefits of upgrading the kernel are that it will provide improved application support for the TCP/IP based communication standard H3.2.3 that is primarily used for video conferencing, applications such as NetMeeting and for various voice applications. In addition it provides improved kernel stability against external influence and from noise generated from the PSTN network.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

These walkthroughs have been provided only in order to assist you and are intended for use in conjunction with your ADSL. These walkthroughs are available for use at the user's own risk and we accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss you may incur arising out of your use of these walkthroughs. You expressly accept this by following the walkthroughs. If you have difficulty following these walkthroughs, please contact our customer support service on the number given below.

Back to top