Upgrading to V2 - read me first

Mike va3mw

When you upgrade to V2, there are a few things that you want to do before you jump in.

There is no requirement to uninstall any previous version of SSDR but you can if you wish.  Personally, I just delete the icons off my desktop first so I don't get confused.  Also, there is no requirement to actually upgrade to V2 unless you wish to.  You can always continue to use V1.

Spend a few minutes review these great videos by Dave WO2X. 

These will cover just about everything and make your experience a whole lot easier especially if you didn't look at the manual.  

• SmartSDR SmartLink upgrade https://youtu.be/Umt3q0Uwk0Y

• Maestro SmartLink upgrade https://youtu.be/l1UaRxjfPAU

If you don't want to use SmartLink, there is no requirement to create an account, so you can skip all that part.  SmartLink is only required for a WAN type of connection.  Like being at Starbucks and working the latest DX.

Ok, so you are ready to go.  The radio has to communicate with the Flex Servers, so it has to have access to the internet.  If your radio is plugged  into your home internet just like your SSDR computer, you should be good to go.  This is a must have.

If your radio is plugged directly into your computer and it's IP address begins with something like 169.****.****.****, then the radio can't call FRS and the upgrade will not completed.  Simply put this is because Windows does not link the LAN/WIFI ports together (more on this coming) and Microsoft does this by design.  

You can see the radio IP address within SmartSDR or your Maestro.

If that is the case, you have 2 options.  

1. Connect the LAN cable on your radio directly to your router and power it on.  This will allow the radio to complete the licensing.  You can continue to use SSDR as usual and it will find the radio (for 99% of you).   Your IP address of your radio will likely now look like 192.168.****.**** or some other home router assigned IP address (DHCP assigned).  You only have to do this once for the licensing process to complete.  After that, you can go back to the way you had it connected.
2. You can set up Internet Connection Sharing (ICS).  Matt describes it here:  https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/v2-0-for-those-connecting-their-radios-directly-to-....  This will link your LAN ports together.

At this point, if you  licensing fails, please open a help desk ticket, but only after you have confirmed your radio has internet access.  https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/.  

Make sure you send in your radio's serial number so we can look it up and make the required changes.

If you are never going to use SmartLink, then there is no need to login to or create an account.  If that is the case, you have completed your upgrade and use the radio as you did before.

 If you are, review the above videos and the manual which can be downloaded from here:  http://www.flexradio.com/downloads/smartlink-quick-start-guide-for-smartsdr-pdf/

For your Maestro to update, both it and the radio must have access to the internet.

I think I have covered most of the basic items.  

73, Mike va3mw

Ken Hansen

Wish I could have liked this more than once! Excellent resource, really appreciate your taking the time to compile this. I know this will lead me to success when I upgrade tonight, thanks. Ken

Mike va3mw

I apologize for a few typo's.  For some reason, I can't go back and edit it.

Brad A. Steffler

I normally connect the radio to the router through a 4-port switch. The switch then goes to the 4-port switch/ router/cable modem combination on the second floor of my house. Is this the same as connecting directly to the router, for IP purposes?

Brad
KE4XJ

K1UO Larry

Yes Brad,  You should be good to go.  That is the same hookup I use and the update went perfectly.

Tim - W4TME

Yes.  It is the preferred way to connect your radio to your local LAN.

Ken - NM9P

Michael, I don't think you can go back and edit once someone has commented to it. At least that has been my experience. It can be especially frustrating when someone posts comments while I am in the middle of editing the typos in my post, and it shuts me out and won't accept the edits, giving me a red-top error screen....,

Kevin Hartley

Upgrade went smooth after a re-boot of the Maestro, and both it and my 6500 synced up with Smartlink. The above was very helpful, along with the Flex upgrade manuals. Next step for me is to buy smartdsr for iOS.

Mel, K0PFX

I am attempting to update a 5+ year old Maestro to the same version 2.76x as my 6700. Maestro is connected to the same switch as the 6700 and sees the Flex in the Maestro menu and responds. The Flex is connected to the internet so I "assume" the Maestro should be also. However, the download fails and responds with "Waiting for internet" with a "Pass 1 of 3" that appears to retry with no timeout. No other error information. The Maestro was never used and has what ever version Flex shipped it with back in June of 2016. The only change I made since receiving the Maestro was to replace the dead battery in the Dell tablet. I have scanned my network and the Maestro has a 192.168.2.**** address so it "should" be ok. The Flex radio its self works FB. Where do I go form here? Thanks

Ken Hansen

I was going to suggest try wired internet, it appears you have. Have you tried a complete reset on the Maestro? I'm away from home, so I can't research myself but there must be some method to 'wipe' all settings and start over again.

Good luck, keep us posted,

Ken, N2VIP

John WA7UAR

Upgrading Maestro “B” versions of the hardware takes a VERY long time. @Tim - W4TME wrote about the process to update a Maestro unit some time ago. Does anyone here have a quick link to those instructions still?

Mel, K0PFX

I believe I've found all and read the docs on the process. No, have not tried a hard reset. I will have to find that one in the docs but this was the first time it had been booted up since received from Flex. I did try power cycle and re-try several times. Yes, I did read about the "long time" to update so I left it on for several hours. I think it "tried" 962 times and then I finally turned it off. :) This one is "A" model.

Mike-VA3MW

This document, that I wrote before I worked for Flex in 2017 should not be the one you follow for updating a Maestro B as there has been a lot of changes since then.

You really want to follow this video

73

https://youtu.be/IFbk7D8TzCs

Mel, K0PFX

Thank you, Mike. However, I have the Model "A" Maestro (switch on TOP left). Is there a video for this original model? Again, I am not getting past the first "Pass 1 of 3" in the download process with a "Waiting for internet." What does "waiting" exactly mean? No connection or ? I am at a loss in isolating problem for troubleshooting since the Maestro appears to be connected to the internet and linked to the 6700.

Mel

Mike-VA3MW

There is in the YouTube channel. The A model updates very quickly.

If you are stuck, please open a support ticket. They know the exact steps to solve your issue.

https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202118688-How-to-Submit-a-Request-for-Technical-Support

Mike VE3CKO

A friend of mine that you know Mike, has this problem with his Maestro A. He is quite busy with a new build north of Huntsville and assigned me to get his Maestro going as it was sitting boxed for a couple years. After getting it going so it powers up normally, it goes into a continuous pass 1. "Waiting for Internet (retry #)", the number keeps increasing. Went pass 800 retries several attempts. I did fill in a support ticket and was told the unit had to go back to the mothership "in order to have the Maestro's Tablet Reimaged".

If there is a solution on hand that does not require it to be shipped for service, please let me know. The support ticket I created is # #47187

Mike-VA3MW

If they send it home, it has to go home and they don't just make that request unless it is the only possible step for a positive outcome.

Reimaging is not a trivial process (I tried once and failed terribly) as Microsoft does not make it simple and their documentation on how to do it is not well written.

Sorry. It sounds like it needs a spa day.