How Do I Update the Firmware On My 2GIG GC3?

You can upgrade the firmware on a 2GIG GC3 by downloading the proper files to the root directory of a USB drive with a single partition. Insert the USB drive into the port on top of the GC3 panel. The panel will prompt you to upgrade. Press Upgrade and enter the Master or Installer Code.

The instructions for updating a 2GIG GC3e are exactly the same as the instructions for upgrading the firmware on a 2GIG GC3. So, these instructions also apply to those panels. There are two (2) ways to upgrade the firmware on a 2GIG GC3 panel. The easiest way is for the alarm dealer to push the firmware to the alarm panel Over-the-Air (OTA). This is a free upgrade as long as the 2GIG GC3 panel has a connection to WIFI. If the update has to be pushed to the panel via cellular, it can be done, but then there is a small one-time charge for it. The charge varies based on the firmware update, and how large the file is. This fee is charged by Alarm.com. Some dealers may mark-up this fee, but at Alarm Grid, we simply pass the fee along to the customer on their next monthly payment, with no mark-up.

For those customers who prefer to update using a USB flash drive, either because their GC3 panel isn't monitored or because they prefer not to pay for the OTA update, Alarm Grid hosts the firmware update files. There are two possible pages where these files can be downloaded. The reason for this is that when the 2GIG GC3e first came out, it was released at version 3.2.1, which was also an available update for the 2GIG GC3. Eventually, though, 2GIG consolidated these updates into a single firmware update file for both the 2GIG GC3 and the 2GIG GC3e. Both links are listed below:

To download 2GIG GC3 and/or GC3e firmware files from 3.0.1 up to version 3.2.4, click here
To download 2GIG GC3 and/or GC3e firmware files 3.2.3 and higher, click here

For those firmware files that are available on both pages (3.2.3.6713 and 3.2.4.6725) it does not matter from which page you download them. They are identical. To update the firmware of a 2GIG GC3, follow these steps:

1. Download the files. As the note at the top of the 2GIG GC3 firmware page states, we have seen issues when a user attempts to jump from a very old firmware version all the way to the newest version in a single upgrade. It is sometimes best to take a stepped approach to upgrading if you find yourself in this situation. However, according to 2GIG when updating a 2GIG GC3 or GC3e via USB, any current panel version can be updated directly to the current version.

Determine which firmware file you need and then click on the appropriate link to download that file. This will take you to the dropbox directory where the files are hosted. You can either click Download > Direct Download, or you can click on the Download icon, in the upper right, and choose Direct Download from there:

You have another two (2) options when choosing to download. You can download the file to your computer, then move the file to the USB flash drive. Alternatively, you can download directly to the USB flash drive.

2. Prepare the USB Drive. There are a few rules regarding the USB Flash Drive that you will use. It must have only one partition. It should be formatted for FAT or FAT32 and it is recommended that you perform a format on the drive before proceeding. Do not format it for NTFS or APFS or any other file format that you may have available. It is best to work with this file within Windows, rather than through an Apple computer, as Apple may support file formats that will not work for this process. The capacity of the USB drive should be as small as possible while still having the capacity to hold the update file. As you can see from the screenshot above, the update file will usually only be about 100 MB in size. Using a USB Flash Drive with a capacity that is too large will cause issues. Finally, it isn't a requirement, but it is recommended not to have any other files saved on the USB Flash Drive.

Once you have a USB Flash Drive that meets the requirements and recommendations, insert it into the computer used to download the firmware file. Allow the driver for the USB drive to install. Once the driver is installed, the flash drive should show up as a drive letter within windows. As noted above, you can either download the firmware file directly to the USB drive, or you can download it to a location on your computer and then move it to the USB drive.

Below you can see the drive letter created when my USB Flash Drive was installed in Windows. In my case, Drive F:/:

When you get ready to download the file from the link above, you can choose to either download it to the hard drive of the computer first, then move it to the USB Flash Drive, or if you already have the USB Flash Drive installed, you can download the file directly to the removable drive. In our case, that would be drive F:/. By default, Windows will attempt to send the file to the Downloads folder. The File Name should not be changed when you perform this step.

Whether you choose to download to a different directory, and then move the file to the USB drive, or download it directly to the USB drive, when you're finished, you should see the Firmware Update File in the root directory of the USB Flash Drive. Preferably with no other files in that directory.

3. Perform the Update. Remove the USB Flash Drive from the Windows computer. Insert the USB drive into the USB port on top of the 2GIG GC3. The USB port will be covered with a small rubber boot. You'll have to remove it, and be careful not to lose it. When you insert the USB Flash Drive into the USB port, the 2GIG GC3 will recognize the Firmware files and will prompt you to Upgrade. Press the Upgrade button. The GC3 will prompt you to enter a valid code. Enter either the Installer Code (default 1561) or the Master Code (default 1111). Once a proper code has been entered, the update process will begin. This will take several minutes, and the panel will reboot to finalize the upgrade. Once the GC3 panel boots back up, you can remove the USB Flash Drive, and replace the rubber boot at the top of the panel. Check the version by clicking on System Info and Usage at the bottom of the Home page. Then select System Info. The Firmware Version will be displayed in a list with other system information.