Installing and updating Huawei and Honor firmware

Even in days of total “social turbulence,” Huawei continues to train its partners and customers. Of course, for our common good, it is now strictly online. We have a whole series of webinars planned for April and May: some of them are devoted to the product and technology strategy of Huawei Enterprise, and some are an overview of specific products and projects. For those who are more comfortable reading than watching, we decided to “package” the webinar material in text format. We bring to your attention the first such material, with a panorama of Huawei’s network solutions and the company’s product strategy for 2021. We will definitely report on new educational content on social networks - stay tuned for updates.

From the pages of Nassim Taleb’s book, a “black swan” suddenly arrived to us - a rare event that is difficult to predict and whose influence extends to the entire globe or most of it. COVID-19 turned out to be such a bad bird. What the pandemic hasn’t turned upside down. Among other things, it forced our industry to abandon its traditional offline events. The MWC 2021 conference in Barcelona, ​​which was eventually held online, was no exception. Our story is a condensed excerpt of what Huawei shared at that event.

How can I find out the current firmware version?

To check the current software version, you need to go to Settings – About phone/About tablet PC – System update. The version is the three numbers after the letter B. For example, build number V100R001C00B122 means that you have firmware version 122 installed. Any firmware with numbers greater than these is newer.

More details about firmware versions:

So, let's take a look at the firmware numbering of Huawei smartphones. For example, let's take the firmware from Huawei Ascend Mate - MT1-U06 V100R001C00B907.

As you probably guessed, MT1-U06 is the name of the device. MT1 is the main base, that is, Huawei Mate, U06 is a revision of the device. Devices come in different revisions, in this post I will not go into details of their designation, I will only say that the letter U is UMTS (regular 3G), and the letter C is the CDMA version. Devices with revision MT1-U06 are supplied to Russia.

CxxBxxxSPxx - This is the most important option in the firmware, it shows which version of the “base” the firmware is built on. Bxxx - the numerical class of the base for the SPxx firmware - Service Pack number. The higher Bxxx and SPxx, the newer the firmware. (Bxxx has higher priority than SPxx). Cxx is a region of the country.

Next, let's look at the firmware version itself - V100R001C00B907. V100 and R001 are the main version and firmware revision. They change in very rare cases, when there is a big change compared to the previous firmware version (for example, the transition from Android 2.x to 4.x). Even within Android 4.x versions, these values ​​usually do not change.

C00B907 - for most new devices, the value of C00 no longer changes, and in general it means binding to the region. Now the region can be determined in the “Special version” menu item - CUSTC10B907.

So, for smartphones, the Russia region (channel/ru) is CUSTC10. The binding to the region can easily be changed with a special firmware file; in some official firmware there is an update.app file in the cust folder weighing several megabytes or kilobytes, which changes the region to Russia.

B907 is the firmware version itself. I think there is no need to explain that the higher it is, the newer the firmware.

Where can I download the official firmware for my model?

Currently, most smartphones with original software without modified system firmware files receive firmware updates using FOTA updates (Over-the-Air Update). If you received root rights, or you have not yet received the over-the-air update, then you can download the current firmware version yourself from the official website and install it manually.

Official Russian firmware:

You can download the current official Russian versions on the official consumer support website: https://consumer.huawei.com/ru/support/downloads/index.htm.

To search for the required firmware, enter the correct model name in English, for example, Honor 5X, or the service model number, for example, KIW-L21.

The Russian version of the firmware has full localization, a full set of Google Apps services, as well as pre-installed regional applications, such as Yandex search, Odnoklassniki, Vkontakte, etc.

Official European firmware:

You can download the latest versions of the official global and European firmware on the official Emotion UI download site: https://emui.huawei.com/en/plugin.php?id=hwdownload&mod=list, as well as by using the search on the consumer support portal: https:/ /consumer.huawei.com/en/support/index.htm.

To search for firmware on the emui.huawei.com portal, you must indicate the service model number of your smartphone or tablet, which can be found in Settings->About phone->Model.

Search on consumer.huawei.com supports searching by full model name and by service model name.

The official global firmware contains support for all major world languages, including Russian, as well as a pre-installed set of Google Apps applications.

Official Chinese firmware:

You can download the current version of the official Chinese firmware for your device on the official EMUI website: https://emui.huawei.com/cn/plugin.php?id=hwdownload, as well as by using the search on the support portal: https://consumer.huawei .com/cn/support/index.htm.

After selecting the desired model from the list on the firmware portal emui.huawei.com, you will be taken to the model card, where the latest firmware version is presented. To download it, click on the turquoise button with the hieroglyph.

Please note that by default, Chinese firmware does not have Google Apps services, as well as Russian language in the system settings.

After downloading the firmware, use one of the manual installation methods described below.

Firmware installation and update

A local update always deletes user-supplied data and settings from the device's memory. Before you start updating the software using this method, we recommend that you make a backup copy of all data that is important to you using a backup application, as well as save other necessary information from the device’s memory (for example, to a memory card).

When updating online or FOTA, user data is saved. Despite this, we also recommend performing a backup before this update.

Before starting the procedure, make sure that your device's battery is charged to at least 60%.

To connect Huawei smartphones and tablets to a PC, you need the HiSuite utility. Install it on your PC before starting the update.

What you need to know before updating your smartphone firmware:

• Only FAT32 format cards can be used. Preferably less than 4 GB;
• The firmware must be located on the SD card in the dload folder;
• You cannot use the device’s built-in memory (except for those devices that do not have a Micro-SD slot);
• The firmware file should be called UPDATE.APP;
• During the firmware installation, the device will reboot several times - this is normal;
• If there are several folders in the archive with the firmware (step1, step 2, etc.), then flash all the files one by one.
• During a local firmware update, all data on the internal memory of your smartphone will be deleted!

Attention! Everything you do with your device is at your own peril and risk! No one guarantees the correct operation of the device during and after installing third-party firmware and/or other actions not provided by the manufacturer!

Local firmware update:

A local update is used if the innovations are large-scale; in addition, this method restores the system to its original form and, in most cases, eliminates the possibility of problems with increased battery consumption in the first days after the update.

1. Create a dload folder in the root directory of the SD card.
2. Copy the UPDATE.APP file from the archive with the firmware to the dload folder on the memory card.
3. Go to the Settings-Storage-Software Update menu and start the update process (Settings->Storage->Software Upgrade->SD card Upgrade->Confirm->Upgrade).
4. Wait for the update process to complete.

Forced local update via 3 buttons:

This firmware update mode is an emergency mode and will work even if the device does not boot normally.

1. Create a dload folder in the root directory of the SD card.
2. Copy the UPDATE.APP file to the dload folder on the memory card.
3. Turn off your smartphone.
4. Press the Volume Up + Volume Down keys and turn on the smartphone, while the Volume Up + Volume Down keys should remain pressed for ~5 seconds after pressing the power button.
5. Wait for the update process to complete.

What app is this on your phone?

Huawei Device is a stock application whose only function is to open the shop.huawei.ru store, which is the default home page address on many pre-installed browsers.

You can purchase smartphones in the store, including at special prices (discounts):

Store screenshots:

There was also a comment on the w3bsit3-dns.com forum (w3bsit3-dns.com/forum) - Huawei Device on an Android phone has a support function where the company answers user questions (the information could not be verified).

Often on Huawei phones you can also find the Booking application for booking hotels and rooms.

I found a message on the w3bsit3-dns.com forum - it says that Huawei Device (translated as Huawei device) is the shell of some smartphones, with which you can install themes to suit every taste.

In general, Huawei Device is a division of the Chinese company Huawei, responsible for the production of mobile devices - smartphones, modems (for example for 3G Internet), tablet computers, regular mobile phones, network equipment:

Over the air (FOTA) update:

For this type of update, it is advisable to use a high-speed network connection, such as Wi-Fi.

1. To update using this method, you need to go to the Settings – About phone – System update section and select “Online update”.
2. After which the device will connect to the network and if an update is available, click the “Download” button. After clicking it, the update files will be downloaded, then the “Install” button will appear. When you press it, the device will reboot, install the update and turn on in normal mode. The update package files will be deleted from memory automatically.

Please note that if the device has been elevated (root), a recovery other than the original one has been installed, and the system has been modified using this elevation, the update using this method will most likely fail and the phone will turn on in normal mode after rebooting.

Login

For most HUAWEI devices, the standard login address is 192.168.8.1.

After power is applied, routers and modems based on mobile networks usually begin to work successfully on their own, but sometimes you need to fine-tune them. To do this, connect them via USB to the computer or connect to them via Wi-Fi, go to the address indicated above. If it asks for a login and password, try admin and admin . It should work if you haven't changed anything before.

The standard name of the Wi-Fi network and the password for it are written on a sticker under the cover - open it and look.

Update using HiSuite:

1. Download, install and update to the latest version the HiSuite program - a utility for synchronization, backup and much more from Huawei (contains ADB drivers).
2. To further flash the phone firmware, enable USB debugging in the phone settings in the developer section.
3. Launch the HiSuite program on your computer.
4. We connect the phone using a USB cable in HiSuite mode.
5. When you first connect, HiSuite begins installing drivers on your computer and Daemon on your phone. (a shortcut to the HiSuite program will appear on the phone - this tells us that the drivers have been installed successfully).
6. Select the EMUI ROM item in the HiSuite program.
7. If we DO NOT have a pre-downloaded firmware version, then select the Download ROM item, follow the link and download the required firmware version from the site. If we HAVE, or you have just downloaded it, a firmware version, then select the Loading ROM item, we will be prompted to select the location of the firmware file. We find the file and confirm the choice.
8. The file download process begins.
9. We are asked to save our phone data. We select the necessary backup items, if necessary, and confirm the choice. Or refuse if we think that we already have saved data. After saving or refusing, select NEXT.
10. The HiSuite program begins the firmware process.

Important!

• During the firmware installation process, do not disconnect the cable from either the phone or the computer.
• Don't touch the phone at all.
• Do not switch to other processes on your computer.
• Wait for the firmware to finish.
• After flashing the HiSuite program, the phone will reboot and enter Recovery mode. A message will appear on the white screen indicating that the phone itself has started flashing the firmware.
• We are waiting for the successful completion of the firmware in the form of a tick. The phone will reboot itself.
• We turn off the phone and see a window on it about updating applications. We are waiting for the operation to complete.
• We go to the settings and in the update item we make sure of the version we have installed.

Possible errors during updating and how to resolve them:

Q: When turned on with the volume buttons held down, the firmware process does not start. A: Try writing the firmware file to the dload folder again. If it still doesn't start, try starting the update process through the settings menu.

Q: The device turned off and will not turn on. A: Wait a few minutes. If it doesn’t turn on, turn it on yourself, the process should continue normally.

Q: During the update, the process froze at some point and does not go further. A: Wait five to ten minutes. If the device continues to hang, remove and reinsert the battery. For devices with a non-removable battery, you need to press and hold (15 seconds) the power button and both volume buttons.

What's new for data center networks

Several approaches are used to implement Huawei's new concept in data center networks.
In 2021, Broadcom, and in particular its member Brocade, for geopolitical reasons abandoned their partnership with Huawei as a Chinese manufacturer. It wasn't long before our storage division began to focus on using Remote Direct Memory Access (RoCEv2) systems, and for good reason. In tests, we recorded a performance increase compared to standard Fiber Channel. Thus, Dorado and software-defined FusionStorage 8 show at least a 20% performance gain in RoCEv2 scenarios due to the use of machine learning algorithms (six licensed algorithms are used that work at the level of machine learning acceleration cards directly on the switches).

In fact, the Huawei DCN line, together with our new storage systems, makes it possible to obtain a “three-in-one” solution and, according to the most conservative estimates, opens up a new market for storage networks worth about $5 billion.

Using a new, integrated approach in the case of Huawei SDN allows you to work with applications in a more granular manner. In this regard, flexible configuration of containers and configuration of connectivity with them become increasingly important. The management model itself has become much clearer and simpler, not least thanks to the use of Drag-n-Drop and WYSIWYG principles. Ultimately, our model ensures the deployment of a data center network with unprecedented efficiency, including through pre-testing (on average three times faster than common competitive solutions).

Our network automation approach is put into practice through a range of innovative solutions. Among them is event simulation. To put it simply, before setting anything up, we simulate the effect of the selected options, including from the point of view of the network component. For example, if changes threaten to block some traffic flows, the system will warn the engineer about the corresponding risk before making these changes. This type of feedback, implemented in a proactive rather than reactive model, greatly simplifies the operation of the data center.

Another distinctive feature of Huawei's new approach to building networks in data centers is the use of the previously mentioned intelligent O&M 1-3-5 platform. This is done primarily with the goal of obtaining 100% visualization of the network. The administrator sees, without exaggeration, everything of any significance that is happening in the data center or campus network. Accordingly, it is necessary to understand how what is happening relates to the operation of applications. In standard scenarios, when visualizers from other manufacturers are used, in the end you either have to be satisfied with collecting information using NetFlow, which does not lead to an accurate picture in the data center network, or you have to install expensive traffic sensors at critical points. Neither option can be considered acceptable in 2021. In the case of O&M 1-3-5, switches and wireless devices, such as access points, can record the ERSPAN of all traffic passing through them up to the Layer-4 level and return this information, and therefore the panorama of network activity acquires the highest degree of detail. Thus, it is possible to solve network problems much faster. On average, each Huawei system - for a data center or for a campus - provides the user with a solution to more than 75% of failure cases, which are collected in machine learning mode.

— In the case of single node deployment, is an AP/AA cluster possible? — Single node deployment makes more sense when the task is to assemble a demo laboratory and obtain a proof-of-concept. Whenever we have a more complex problem, we use ClusterWare based on GaussDB - our massively parallel floating address database - and then we get an active-active scenario. In serious implementations this requires three to four servers.

Tablet firmware update:

• Only FAT32 format cards can be used. Preferably less than 4 GB;
• The firmware must be located on the SD card in the dload folder;
• You cannot use the device’s built-in memory (except for those devices that do not have a Micro-SD slot);
• The file with the firmware should be called update.zip;
• During the firmware installation, the device will reboot several times - this is normal;
• If there are several folders in the archive with the firmware (step1, step 2, etc.), then flash all the files one by one.

In order to install any original firmware, you must do the following:

1. Copy the dload folder with all its contents to the root of the SD card;
2. Turn off the tablet;
3. Insert the SD card if it was removed;
4. While holding the Volume Up key, press and hold the Power button until the screen blinks. The Volume Up button must be held until the installation process begins (a green robot and a progress bar will appear);
5. Finally, when prompted, remove the SD card or hold the Power button for 10 seconds.

Note: In some cases there is no need to press the buttons at all and the process will start automatically after turning on/rebooting.

If the update process does not start, you need to open the calculator, enter ()()2846579()()= and then select Project Menu Act -> Upgrade ->SD Card upgrade.

Attention!

• Do not remove the card or press the power button until the process is complete and the appropriate prompt appears on the screen;
• If the power is lost during the installation process, repeat the firmware process;
• After you copy the firmware to the SD card, check if it is damaged (copy the firmware files, disconnect and then connect the SD card, check that the *.zip files in the firmware open without errors on the computer).
• Delete the firmware file from the SD card or rename the dload folder if you don’t want to accidentally update your tablet again!

What Huawei is preparing for core networks

If 2019 was the year of data centers for Huawei, then 2020 is definitely the year of core networks. And for a variety of clients. The most common tasks are ensuring connectivity of data centers, connectivity with a branch network, with a higher-level organization, etc. Based on market demand, we have simplified our product line. With all the wealth of choice, we admit that before it was really difficult to navigate. It was easy to get lost in the routers alone: ​​NE5, NE08, NE20, NE40, NE80, NE5000. From now on, for most customers, the product line will stop at the NetEngine 8000 family: “9000th” are more likely carrier-class devices, although, of course, they can serve well for a corporation that is actively absorbing other companies, and therefore needs to provide serious bandwidth ability.

So, in the enterprise segment, the 8000 family is most in demand - intelligent routers for all conceivable operating scenarios in 5G networks. The model range is divided into classes: X, M, F. Those devices marked with the letter F are best suited for building metro networks. Let's say on the F1A model the ports start at 1 Gbps: 1, 10, 25 Gbps on the left side of the device, 40 and 100 Gbps on the right. By flexibly switching these ports (most importantly, without exceeding the hardware throughput of 1.2 Tbit/s), you can flexibly expand and modify the network within one form factor, which will clearly be a trump card in the eyes of those who are not ready to change their hardware fleet every three of the year.

The most popular models are M8 and M14. They are designed for medium and large customers and are intended primarily for building aggregation networks. For example, they will come in handy when solving problems of aggregating branch networks, aggregating serious channels to the Internet, peering with providers, etc.

Finally, X8/X4 are heavy artillery. This is a platform on which 100 and 400 Gbps ports can be implemented. Its capacity is quite suitable for providing transcontinental connections.

The flagship architectures in 2021 are HiCampus

and
HiDC
.
In turn, the key products are AirEngine Wi-Fi 6
, equipment for optical data multiplexing
OptiXtrans DC908
, smart uninterruptible power supply devices
SmartLi UPS

OceanStor Dorado
data storage system .

As for Huawei's own chips, they cover the entire range of network equipment applications. In the Solar line, the letter in the model name actually indicates the main area of ​​​​use of the processor. Marked R are intended for installation in routers, S - in heavy switches, W6 - in devices for Wi-Fi 6 networks. Chips for general purpose devices, such as small routers, are labeled A and C. Further, Kunpeng 920 is designed primarily for use in servers, and Ascend 310 - in heavy switches, routers and network security devices, so that we can use machine learning models directly on devices (among other things, prioritize traffic on switches and routers and perform complex operations that the central processor is not capable of).

Also, 2020 is also, without a doubt, the year of Wi-Fi 6. Currently, Huawei has a line of relevant solutions both for customers in the enterprise segment and for end consumers - AirEngine Wi-Fi 6.

There are already more than ten access points available to enterprise customers that operate on Wi-Fi 6 networks. Among the main challenges our customers face is ensuring that Wi-Fi 6 works with both old and new devices. Last year, very little telecom equipment supporting the “six” was produced in the industry - I only remember the adapter from Intel, which was inserted into the M2 slot (as an option, additional modules could be purchased); user gadgets were practically not supported. In 2021, the situation has changed dramatically. Laptops and wearable devices with native support for Wi-Fi 6 are coming out, and Huawei is ready to provide the appropriate level of service on sixth-generation networks.

Although Wi-Fi 6 is seemingly a year away, work is already actively underway on the seventh generation standard, which is expected to implement more dense work with channels. But even the sixth brought us many innovations compared to the fifth. Along with the rest - a normal energy saving function.

Not everyone is ready to install open protocols like LoRa on their network. Many people still prefer to use a single wireless environment, especially within small premises where, for example, there is no additional coverage. And here the wireless environment on Wi-Fi 6 is most suitable for us - due to the technological advantages of OFDMA, MU-MIMO and TWT.

Let us note three primary factors in which Wi-Fi 6 bypasses the previous standard:

• throughput;
• number of users per access point;
• low latency for new applications (gaming, AR/VR, telemedicine, etc.).

Huawei's strategy includes transforming the very concept of the campus: in our understanding, it should become completely wireless, and at its heart there will be Wi-Fi 6 based on 5G.

We know that our “100 Mbps everywhere” statement confuses some in the industry. Skeptics simply do not believe that up to 500 people can be associated with one access point. However, if we start from even 50 or 100 connected, it will be 10 Gbit/s per point, adjusted for overhead costs. In this context, “100 Mbit everywhere” no longer seems out of the ordinary.

We also note that in new solutions we will use additional technologies, such as OFDMA and Multi-User MIMO, which in the past were presented mainly in the networks of mobile operators. However, being integrated into the corporate network, they help achieve a significantly higher quality of service.

We are achieving radical changes in the implementation of wireless access primarily through the use of smart antennas and lossless roaming functions. Previously, in order to reassociate to a new point, the consumer had to disconnect from the old one. In Wi-Fi 6, the situation is different: before disconnecting from the old one, the device first connects to the new one. These innovations dramatically change the approach to the wireless environment.

In addition, Wi-Fi 6 has less overhead when transmitting traffic: by and large, the WiFi environment is beginning to represent a “pseudo-TDM environment”, where we can “cut” as many slots as needed for users, and service traffic will be created much less load than in previous networks. Regarding the use of additional applications, such as VoIP, the advantages of sixth generation networks are even greater.

We ourselves are the first to follow our declarations: at Huawei, which has more than 180 thousand employees, campuses are built only on the basis of wireless technologies. Telephony equipment, printers, smart boards, consumer devices - all equipment uses exclusively a WiFi environment.

Using more spatial streams results in impressive TCO and ROI. Our points with the 16T16R antenna - especially the flagship one (the illustration shows the indicators for it) - clearly proved this during tests.

Our specialists often hear: “Well, the new Wi-Fi is great, but the old one is enough for me.” Meanwhile, the fundamental thesis in favor of the “new Wi-Fi” is the transition from the Best Effort model to guaranteed application delivery. Especially with regard to solutions related to the movement of autonomous devices.

For example, in China - by the way, Europe is catching up here - fully automated warehouses and factories are being built with the help of new generation networks (previously, there could be problems in managing devices due to roaming in the old wireless environment). A striking example is the Chinese logistics company SF Express, whose warehouses are automated from top to bottom. For retailers, such solutions are also of considerable interest in the future.

To test an “adult” access point, our laboratory uses special firmware, thanks to which Wi-Fi points are connected to each other. In real time, we get a maximum point-to-point load of about 8.31 Gbit/s. Next, several Iperf connections are launched, that is, “server to server” via a Wi-Fi environment. And the next connecting devices will already reach the range that these points did not select.

Huawei has been involved in optics for quite a long time - both in the operator and corporate class. Moreover, we are talking not only and not so much about transmitting traffic over long distances. Now that our company receives 60% of its revenue from the data center segment, building connectivity models between data centers is becoming extremely in demand. To implement such projects, we must ensure the use of one hardware for at least five to ten years.

To solve such problems, we created OptiXtrans DC908 - a product for DCI that combines high utilization per fiber (up to 88 Tbps) and low power consumption. It is also noteworthy that machine learning technologies have reached such a classical area as DWDM. With their help, we solve a significant number of management and efficiency problems here.

Here are the best features of the OptiXtrans DC908 in a nutshell: ultra-wideband, high throughput, using Super C+L bands.

The machine learning technologies embedded in the OptiXtrans DC908 (we talked about them earlier in relation to the iMaster NCE) already contain about 500 thousand ready-made samples. Using these patterns, we can collectively predict about 60% of errors, such as fiber degradation.

What does the operation of our optical solutions look like from the end customer's point of view? The first thing you'll notice is the noticeable reduction in the number of internal cables; The secret is that “adult” models use OXC - an optical cross-connection board, which eliminates the need to make internal fiber-optic connections.

The new solution is also radically simpler to operate. It does not require endless trips to the field setting up logical connections. According to our measurements, where in the standard case it takes about four days to launch the infrastructure, when using OptiXtrans DC908 with intelligent O&M it takes about eight minutes with a competent approach. A good way to save time and spend the saved hours and days on development rather than on operational tasks.