Can I Update the Lyric Controller Through the USB Port?

Yes, you can update the Lyric Controller through the USB port. This is located on the bottom edge of the panel. Only Lyric Panels that have been registered and activated with AlarmNet 360 can be updated. An alarm dealer must provide the needed files to the customer for this type of update.

Each Lyric Security System comes with a USB port available on the bottom edge of the unit. This port can be used to load images for the slideshow feature. It can also perform a firmware update when over-the-air (OTA) updates are not possible.

Updating the Lyric System via USB is not as simple as simply getting a copy of the latest firmware. In order to perform an update, the USB drive must contain the firmware file, as well as a key file. The key is generated by AlarmNet 360, and it is based in part on the MAC address associated with the account. To generate the key, the system must be activated and registered with AlarmNet. Without the key file, the firmware update will not complete successfully. That is why an alarm dealer must provide the files necessary for the update.

To successfully complete a firmware update of a Lyric System via the USB port, follow these steps:

1. Request update files. Your alarm dealer must provide you with the firmware file and the proper key file for your system.

2. Load the files. When the files are received from the alarm dealer, load them into a folder on the USB drive. The folder should be called "Update", and it should exist on the root directory of the USB device. The two files will look similar to the example below. The .manifest file is the customer specific key file, and it will be named based on the MAC address for the Lyric. The firmware file itself will appear to be zipped with a .tar.gz file format. Leave the file in its compressed state when you save it to the USB drive.

3. Eject the USB. Properly eject the USB drive from your computer, and take it to the Lyric Alarm Panel. Make sure there are no trouble conditions, including low battery, on the Lyric System. Insert the USB drive into the bottom of the Lyric Controller.

4. Begin the update. On the Lyric home screen, press Security > Tools > Enter Installer Code (default is 4112) > Program. The panel should now return to the home screen and reboot* to apply the firmware update.

*This process can take 5 - 10 minutes. The panel should reboot, the display will show a message saying "System Standby" then go back to showing system status, such as "Ready to Arm". At this point, you can remove the USB drive. If, after 10 minutes, the system has not rebooted, you can manually reboot by pressing Security > Tools > Master Code > Advanced > Reboot.

5. Verify the update. After the panel reboots to indicate that the firmware update has been processed, go to Security > Tools > Master Code (default is 1234) > Advanced > System Information. On the top row, the software revision (Sw. Rev.) should be displayed. Verify that your system is on the latest version.

Please Note: SiX Series Wireless Device updates are bundled into the Lyric's firmware update package. The updated software is loaded to the alarm panel. Then the alarm panel will send these updates to each SiX Series device. This will allow them to be updated as well. This process can take up to 24 hours to complete after the panel has been updated. The firmware for the SiXFOB must be updated manually.