How to Upgrade a 10G TCVR Via USB-C

How To: Upgrade a TCVR's Firmware Via USB

This article describes how to upgrade a 10G TCVR’s firmware via a USB connection from your PC. A firmware update via USB can be performed for a variety of reasons, such as convenience, attempt to “refresh” the device if it's showing abnormal behavior, or loading firmware on an older unit that is unable to be upgraded via the web GUI (such as units that are on V1.25). 

This article utilizes the “Firmware Uploader Tool V1.25” program, that can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.


Step One: Physically connect the 10G TCVR to your computer with a USB-C sync cable. 

Step Two: Open up “Device Manager”. Search for a dropdown menu labeled “Ports (COM & LPT)”. Within this dropdown menu, find a driver labeled “USB-SERIAL CH340 (COMx)”. Note the COM port that is listed for later. 

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 Note: If the driver is showing a yellow exclamation point, download and install the "CH340 USB Driver" attached to this article. Then disconnect and reconnect the USB-C cable from your computer.

Step Three: Locate and download the proper firmware file for the TCVR you’re trying to upgrade. If you’re uncertain which firmware to utilize, please visit this article here, then return to this page.

Step Four: Once the proper firmware file has been chosen, run the “Firmware Uploader V1.25” program.  The program will appear similar to the screenshot below:

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At the top left of the program is a dropdown labeled “COMx”, with "X" being a COM port number. Click on this dropdown and select the COM port found in Step Two (Note, the Firmware Uploader tool may have already chosen this COM port for the default selection). Leave the baudrate settings at 57600 and click “Open”. The status should change from “Unconnected” to “Connected” if the connection is successful.


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NOTE: You can use the "Get Version” button to try to pull the TCVR’s current firmware version, to indicate whether or not the program is truly talking to the TCVR.


Step Five: Within the “Firmware Upgrade” section of the program, click on the Folder icon, and then choose the desired firmware file to upload onto the unit from where you downloaded it onto your computer. 

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Step Six: Once the COM port has been chosen and firmware has been loaded, click on the “Upgrade” button to proceed with the firmware upgrade. You will see messages populate in the “Messages” window, indicating the current upgrade status. A progress bar will fill as well. Once the progress bar gets to 100%, the firmware upgrade is complete.

NOTE: if the unit was discovered in an MXnet 10G system during the time of the upgrade via USB, you may need to power cycle the device for MENTOR to refresh the firmware version.