Changes to Firmware Distribution in UpdaterAtor 7.0.0
Overview
As of UpdaterAtor 7.0.0, the UpdaterAtor program now uses a modern CDN (content distribution network) to retrieve device firmware packages from ETC's servers. This replaces the older FTP (File Transfer Protocol) method which was used in versions 6.4.1 and lower.
What does this mean for me?
Downloading new firmware packages in UpdaterAtor still works the same way. However, there are a few situations to be aware of where the change from FTP to CDN can have an impact.
FTP freeze and end of support
Following the release of UpdaterAtor 7.0.0 on 7 May 2026, ETC does not plan to add any future device firmware releases to the FTP server; new firmware will be added to the CDN only. This means that UpdaterAtor 6.4.1 or lower will be unable to access new firmware released after this date.
The FTP server is currently "frozen"; it still hosts all firmware versions that were released before 7 May 2026, and these can still be retrieved by UpdaterAtor 6.4.1 or lower.
At a future date, ETC plans to take the FTP server entirely offline, meaning that UpdaterAtor 6.4.1 or lower will no longer be able to retrieve any firmware. An announcement will be made in advance to allow time to update to UpdaterAtor 7.0.0 or higher.
"Save for Console" feature
UpdaterAtor has a "Save for Console" feature which allows the user to launch UpdaterAtor on an internet-connected computer, download device firmware files, and package those device firmware files into a single archive which can then be transferred onto a non-internet-connected console for use with that console's instance of UpdaterAtor. See this article for instructions on the Save for Console process.
Due to the changes made in UpdaterAtor 7.0.0, the following limits apply to archives created via the "Save for Console" function:
- Firmware archives created by UpdaterAtor 7.0.0 or higher can only be read by other instances of UpdaterAtor 7.0.0 or higher.
- Firmware archives created by UpdaterAtor 6.4.1 or lower can only be read by other instances of UpdaterAtor 6.4.1 or lower.
It is not possible to create an archive with UpdaterAtor 7.0.0 and then install this archive onto a device running 6.4.1 or lower, or vice versa. Both devices must be running 7.0.0 or higher (or alternatively, both devices must be running 6.4.1 or lower) before the Save for Console function is used.
