Room Alert 7E Firmware Release Notes Room Alert 7E Firmware v4.5.0 Released 3 April 2012

Firmware for your Room Alert products is available at RoomAlert.com.

v4.5.0

April 3, 2012

• Added support for all modern web browsers. The web interface should now be fully functional in all web browsers, including IE8/9, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera and others that conform to modern web standards. With full support for Chrome and Safari, the web interface can now also be viewed in mobile devices running Android and iOS.
• Added support for the JSONP protocol. This makes it much easier for users to incorporate sensor data from TemPageR devices into their own web pages without the challenges previously posed by cross-domain scripting restrictions.
• Updated the sensor output to conform to valid JSON formats.
• Added the ability to configure the date format displayed on the web interface and in email notifications to allow for customization in different international locales.
• Improved the way time is displayed in email notifications to more fully conform to the RFC standard.
• Added timestamps to the trace output to make it easier for our Technical Support team to identify the timing of certain background activities to facilitate quicker resolutions.
• Added a webpage that displays prior to accessing the Settings page that explains the default passwords used with AVTECH devices.

v4.0.1

June 24, 2011

• Resolved an issue that could cause the time included in email alert notifications to be off by one hour depending on the Daylight Saving Time setting.
• Removed the link to a PageR Enterprise FAQ since it is no longer supported in favor of Device ManageR.

v4.0.0

November 16, 2010

• Removed the ‘Logging’ feature so this and all future versions will no longer log sensor data to internal flash memory.
  • Over a period of time, the flash memory becomes un-writable, causing the unit to stop functioning properly. Disabling the Logging feature will prevent this from happening so the device can continue functioning reliably. Advanced Logging of unlimited sensor data is now possible through Device ManageR, which is the recommended method to use to log sensor data from any AVTECH device.
• Optimized the size of the web page files so they fit entirely in flash memory that was not previously used for logging.
• Added the ‘Display URL’ feature to email alert notifications so users can modify the link included at the bottom of email messages.
• Added the ability to define a timeout for SMTP Email communications. This timeout was previously hard-coded and could expire with slower internet connections.
• Added an option to automatically update the date and time via NTP at regular intervals.
• Added an option to disable Gratuitous ARP Packets from being sent periodically.
• Improved the ‘Save Settings’ and ‘Reset Settings’ features to be consistent with newer models.
• Removed the embedded ‘Trace Applet’ due to size restraints. When trace is enabled, it can be viewed by opening a telnet connection to the IP address of the device on the configured port.

v3.1.0

December 29, 2008

• Changed the default MTU to 1024 instead of 1400. This should reduce the occurrence of network connectivity issues with some managed switches and VPN connections.
• Added a MTU option to the Network settings so the MTU can be set to whatever is appropriate for the network it is connected to.
• Added additional error checking to SMTP requests to better diagnose email sending issues.
• Added the ability to define and save the default refresh interval of the Status page via the Advanced section of the Settings.
• Added the Device Name to email messages to make it easier to identify which unit the alert message was sent from when multiple units are installed.
• Resolved an issue that could cause the dates of December 29, 30 and 31 to be calculated incorrectly. These dates should all display properly with this version.
• Resolved an issue with the header response of the /mobile.txt page that could prevent it displaying in the BlackBerry browser.

v3.0.4

August 21, 2008

• Resolved an issue that caused some mail servers to prevent proper email authentication if the username or password contained a null character at the end.
• Resolved an issue that could cause email messages to fail to send if the mail server replies with a long response to the EHLO command. We now check for a 250 response indicating it is ‘OK’ to send and discard the remaining unused message.
• Resolved an issue that could cause email messages to fail to send if the mail server responded with an alternative error code to the EHLO command. We now correctly fall back to using HELO if the initial EHLO attempt fails and returns a code other than the 250 ‘OK’ message.
• Added an ‘Uptime’ value to the ‘/getdata.htm’ output for future use as a way to determine how long the device has been powered on.
• Added an ‘Uptime’ value to the trace output for future use as a way to determine how long the device has been powered on.

v3.0.3

May 30, 2008

• Combined the Email Server IP and Domain Name fields into a single field in the SMTP Email Settings Screen. It will now automatically determine whether an IP address or a domain name was entered and use the appropriate method to send the email. This previously caused an issue if a user entered a local IP address for their mail server and also added a domain name. In this situation, Room Alert 7E would attempt to resolve the IP address from the domain name instead of using the configured local IP address.
• Improved the validation of IP address fields in the Settings screens to prevent invalid IP address entry.
• Modified the prompts that appear during password modification on the Security Settings screen.
• Resolved an issue that could cause trace output to stop responding if email messages were too long.

v3.0.2

May 8, 2008

• Resolved an issue that could cause the MTU setting to not be applied correctly, preventing web access over VPN and other secure protocols.
  • MTU settings from 512 to 1400 can now be configured for users experiencing an issue viewing the web interface over a VPN connection.
• Resolved an issue that caused SNMP Trap messages to always be sent with a ‘public’ community string instead of the configured SNMP Community Name.
• Added a ‘View Tracing Output’ option to the Advanced Settings screen. This is especially useful for determining the cause of SMTP email issues as it shows all activity happening ‘behind the scenes’, including communicating with the email server.
• Added an option to disable the web interface for use in highly secure environments.
• Added an option to disable TFTP firmware updates for use in highly secure environments.
• Added an option to disable SNMP for use in highly secure environments.
• Added additional entry validation checks to the settings pages to prevent against invalid settings entry.
• Resolved an issue that could cause some Room Alert 7E units to appear as an unknown device with our new Device ManageR application.
• Modified the Security Settings screen to require the current password when changing to a new password.

v3.0.0

March 13, 2008

• Completely redesigned the Settings screen to use HTML forms instead of the Java Applet previously used. This provides a much more user friendly configuration interface that does not require any additional browser plugins to operate properly.
• Due to the additional space required for the updated Settings interface, the files used are now stored in a section of flash that was previously used by the Room Alert 7E logging function.
  • With this update, one of the archived logging sections is removed meaning that Room Alert 7E will actively log to one file and keep one (1) archived log file. For long term logging of sensor data, we highly recommend using AVTECH Device Manager.
  • If logging is currently enabled on your Room Alert 7E unit, please DISABLE logging before applying this firmware update to avoid any potential conflicts.
• Modified the way sensor thresholds are saved so they can be entered in the currently configured temperature scale (Fahrenheit or Celsius).
  • Previously, thresholds could only be configured in Fahrenheit.
  • If thresholds were previously configured, be sure to review the Sensors section of the Settings screen after applying the update to be sure all sensor thresholds are configured correctly.
• Modified the way sensor calibration values entered in the ‘Adjust’ field are saved so they can be entered in the currently configured temperature scale (Fahrenheit or Celsius).
  • Previously, the ‘Adjust’ value could only be entered in Celsius.
  • If ‘Adjust’ values were previously configured, be sure to review the Sensors section of the Settings screen after applying the update to be sure all sensor calibrations are configured correctly.
• Modified the Settings authentication to prompt for a password using the standard browser authentication entry display. The username field will *always* be left blank and the password (if configured) should be entered in the password field.
• Added SMTP Authentication capabilities to the email configuration and sending modules. A username and password can now optionally be provided for SMTP Authentication for use on servers that do not allow anonymous SMTP email messages.
• Added the ability to modify the SMTP port used for sending email. This will also benefit users who have mail servers that use alternate ports or do not allow mail submission on port 25.
• Modified the trace output feature to allow the port number to be modified. By default, a port of 143 is used if tracing output is enabled.
• Added an option to display the time in the default 24 hour format or in 12 hour AM/PM format. This applies for the display on the Status screen as well as in email alert messages and logging data.
• Added the ability to configure the DNS Server IP address via the telnet configuration menu.
• Added the MAC Address to the Status screen display to make it easier to identify multiple devices on the network.
• Added a new feature that allows users to send a test email by accessing the URL ‘http://(IP of Device)/cmd.cgi?action=SendTestEmail’.
  • A button is also provided on the SMTP Email section of the Settings screen that will trigger a test email to be sent. Both of these new functions will only work if valid email settings are configured on the SMTP Email section of the Settings screen.
• Added a function to check the return code from a SMTP server on the initial connection instead of after each command. This resolves an issue that could occur if a SMTP server responds with an error code on the initial connection.
• Added a URL alias so sensor data can be accessed in JSON format at both ‘/getData.htm’ and ‘/getdata.htm’.
• Resolved an issue that could cause DHCP Names less than 8 characters long to save incorrectly.
• Resolved an issue that could cause the SNMP ‘SysObjectID’ variable to return an incorrect value.

v2.7.0

September 19, 2007

• Added a ‘tracing’ function to help diagnose issues such as email alerts not being sent.
  • When enabled through the telnet menu, tracing information will now be output to port 87223.
  • This tracing information can be saved to a file that can be sent to AVTECH Support by executing the command ‘telnet 87223 -f C:\RA7E.tra’, replacing with the IP address of the Room Alert 7E and modifying the file path if desired.
• Updated the timezones so now intermediate timezones such as Newfoundland (GMT-3:30) and India (GMT+5:30) are supported.
  • As a result of this change, some users might have to update their timezone setting on the ‘Advanced’ tab after the firmware upgrade. Most should be updated automatically.
• Added a link to our ‘Live Sales Support’ on the About screen. This makes it easy to speak with one of our Product Specialists regarding purchasing additional sensors or devices.
• Added a new webpage display option designed specifically for mobile devices such as mobile phones and PDAs. The new URL ‘http://(IP of Device)/mobile’ will display a text only output of all current sensor data.
• Added a new feature that allows users to reset the high and low values for sensors by accessing the URL ‘http://(IP of Device)/cmd.cgi?action=ResetHighLow’.
• Added the ability to modify the SMTP port used for email via the Telnet configuration menu.
• Added an option in the telnet interface to configure the Ethernet speed and duplex and the MTU size.
• Added an option to return sensor values in a two digit format instead of the default four digit format when queried via SNMP. This option can be configured through the Telnet configuration menu.

v2.6.0

March 7, 2007

• Added support for Email-To-SMS messages. When this option is selected, Room Alert 7E will send email alerts with minimized text content for more efficient display on mobile devices.
• Resolved an issue that caused logging to stop functioning after writing the third logfile instead of overwriting the oldest file.
• Resolved an issue that caused web pages not to load after a firmware update if the web interface was open while a firmware update was in progress.
• Resolved an issue with email notifications that caused email not to be sent if the mail server sent telnet control characters to Room Alert 7E.

v2.5.1

December 22, 2006

• Resolved an issue with Internet Explorer 6 and 7 that caused the settings password to not be accepted. Other browsers were unaffected.
• Added a progress bar to the settings applet to indicate when the device is saving settings or rebooting.

v2.5.0

December 12, 2006

• Major update of the Room Alert 7E operating system. AVTECH Device Discovery Utility v2.5.3 or higher *MUST* be used to install this update.
• Increased the memory available for the web interface which will result in increased responsiveness.
• Increased the size of the ‘Return Address’ field on the Email tab so email addresses up to 42 characters may be entered.
• Modified the ‘Recipients’ field on the Email tab. Multiple email addresses can now be entered in a single field and separated by a semi-colon. If an email address had previously been entered in the ‘Email Recipient 2’ field, it should be re-entered in the new field.
• Added support for Dynamic DNS. The name of the device should now be registered as the hostname on the DHCP and DNS servers if the network is configured to allow this.
• Improved the Alarm engine to reduce repetitive alarms. The temperature will have to return one (1) degree below the defined threshold before the alarm will be cleared. This prevents alarms from being set and cleared repetitively if the current temperature is very close to the threshold defined.
• Resolved an issue that caused the Settings page not to display after entering a valid password.
• Added a ‘Help’ menu option that provides links to support resources on AVTECH.com and lists the available Technical Support contact methods.
• Added the data and time the alert was generated to the body of email alerts.
• Improved the email alert functionality to provide more detailed email alert messages.
• Added an option to disable the email footer send by default in email alert messages. This is useful if email alerts are sent primarily to mobile devices with character limitations.

v2.0.3

November 1, 2006

• Resolved web interface issues introduced with the release of Internet Explorer 7.
• Added a ‘Help’ screen to the web interface that provides quick access to various support resources.
• Improved the Sensor Loading function on the Status screen to retry if the initial connection fails.
• Removed the ‘X-Priority’ header from email messages and added an extra line break before the body text to resolve an issue with certain mail servers.

v2.0.2

March 22, 2006

• Resolved an issue that prevented negative temperatures from displaying correctly.
• Added negative threshold support. Negative temperature thresholds can now be specified on the ‘Alerts’ tab.
• Resolved an Internet Explorer specific issue that caused the Status screen to ‘flicker’ when the data refreshed.
• Adjusted the thermometer display to improve visual accuracy and match the current temperature more closely.
• Resolved an issue that caused periodic device reboots when accessing the Status screen.
• Updated the firmware update process so logfiles are no longer erased. A future version of the Device Discovery Utility will provide an option to erase the logfiles. Logfiles can also be cleared on the ‘Logging’ tab in Settings.
• Resolved a display issue that occurred when only two external sensors were connected.

v2.0.1

January 5, 2006

• Modified the ‘Network’ tab to only save static IP settings if a valid Gateway and Subnet Mask has been specified.
• Resolved an issue that caused incorrect status icons to be displayed when certain alarm thresholds were defined.
• Edited some text and default field values in the Settings applet.

v2.0.0

December 23, 2005

• Added floating point support. Temperatures are now recorded and logged with floating point precision up to one-hundredth of a degree.
  • NOTE: Users monitoring their Room Alert 7E devices via SNMP will have to update the SNMP Queries to support the new floating point feature (i.e. 75 is now 7500).
• Added additional logging capability. Up to three logfiles are now stored. When the file size limit is reached, the current logfile is automatically archived and available for review on the ‘History’ screen.
• Added the ability to reset the logfiles via URL (http://IP of device/cmd.cgi?a=ClearLog). This is valuable for users with scripts that automatically retrieve the logfile at a specific interval and can now clear the file after it is retrieved.
• Added the ability to syncronize the time via URL (http://IP of device/cmd.cgi?a=SyncTime). When the URL is called, Room Alert 7E will use current NTP settings to update the current date and time.
• Major updates were made to the ‘Status’ page.
  • Only the sensor data is updated on refresh to greatly increase refresh speed.
  • Custom refresh rates can be specified to update the sensor data.
  • Users can choose to display all sensors or only connected sensors.
  • Users can choose to display Fahrenheit or Celsius temperature values.
  • The thermometer graphic was enhanced for realism and now displays a different scale for Fahrenheit and Celsius values.
• Updated the ‘History’ page to provide links to the current ‘sensors.csv’ file as well as all available archived logfiles. Archived logfiles are renamed using the date the last entry was recorded.
• Improved the alert cleared functionality to only clear an alert after the temperature is at least one degree above or below the defined threshold. This greatly reduces multiple alerts caused when the current temperature hovers close to a defined threshold.
• Added a link to the ‘About’ page to connect to AVTECH.com and check for firmware updates.
• Added a status icon to the switch sensor display. The icon will be red is there is an alarm and green otherwise.
• Improved the NTP feature to try to obtain the network time before logging sensor data if the time has not been set yet. It will attempt to obtain the network time up to 5 times. This is in addition to obtaining the network time when TemPageR boots and should eliminate an issue where the time is not obtained if TemPageR boots before the NTP server in the event of a power loss.
• Improved the Alarm engine to reduce repetitive alarms. The temperature will have to return one (1) degree below the defined threshold before the alarm will be cleared. This prevents alarms from being set and cleared repetitively if the current temperature is very close to the threshold defined.

v1.3.6

October 11, 2005

• Resolved an issue that caused the hour to be calculated incorrectly for some timezones.

v1.3.5

October 7, 2005

• Added a ‘Logging Interval’ option and a new ‘Logging’ tab to the Settings applet. Users can now change the logging interval from the default of one (1) minute to any number of minutes up to 65,535. This allows users to store logging data for much longer periods of time before the file wraps back to the beginning again.
• Improved the time display by adding support for Daylight Saving Time (DST). Users can optionally configure DST and the time will be updated accordingly.
• Added the ability for users to specify their own Network Time (NTP) server to obtain the current time and date.

v1.3.2

September 30, 2005

• Added date support. The current date now appears next to the current time on the Status screen and in the ‘sensors.csv’ logging file with NTP enabled.
• Improved the layout of the Settings applet making it easier to navigate and change the settings on the device.

v1.3.1

September 8, 2005

• Added timezone support so the time is displayed in the correct local time both on the Status screen and in ‘sensors.csv’ logging file.
• Improved the Settings applet so settings are saved and loaded almost immediately. In most cases, there is no longer a wait for the settings to load from the device.
• Improved DHCP support so the ‘DHCP Device Name’ on the ‘Network’ tab of the settings will register properly with the DHCP server on the network.
• Added a link to the Status page in alert emails. This makes it easy to click a link and see the current temperature status when an alert email is received from Room Alert 7E.
• Resolved an issue that prevented negative temperature readings from displaying.
• Resolved an issue with the settings password that would prevent users from accessing the settings page after an extended time period.
• Modified the browser refresh to perform reliably in all modern browsers.
• Many more updates!

v1.0.0

• First official release of Room Alert 7E firmware.