• SonicOS 7
• About Device Settings
• Managing SonicWall Licenses
  • Licenses
  • Managing Security Services
    • Services Summary
    • Managing Security Services Online
      • Managing Services from SonicOS Management Interface
      • Synchronizing Changes
    • Manual Upgrade for Closed Environments
  • Registering Your SonicWall Appliance
  • Activating the Gateway Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, and IPS License
  • Activating FREE TRIALs
• System Administration
  • Configuring the Firewall Name
  • Enabling Wireless LAN and IPv6
  • Changing the Administrator Name and Password
  • Configuring Login Security
    • Configuring Password Compliance
    • Configuring Login Constraints
  • Multiple Administrators Support
    • Working of Multiple Administrators Support
      • Configuration Modes
      • User Groups
      • Priority for Preempting Administrators
      • GMS and Multiple Administrator Support
    • Configuring Multiple Administrator Access
  • Enabling Enhanced Audit Logging Support
  • Configuring the Wireless LAN Controller
  • Enabling SonicOS API and Configuring Authentication Methods
  • Enabling GMS Management
  • Configuring the Management Interface
    • Managing through HTTP/HTTPS
    • Selecting a Security Certificate
    • Controlling the Management Interface Tables
    • Enforcing TLS Version
    • Switching Configuration Modes
    • Deleting Browser Cookies
    • Configuring SSH Management
  • Client Certificate Verification
    • About Common Access Card
    • Configuring Client Certificate Verification
    • Using the Client Certificate Check
    • Checking Certificate Expiration
    • Troubleshooting User Lock Out
  • Selecting a Language
• Configuring Time Settings
  • Setting System Time
  • Configuring NTP Settings
    • Using a Custom NTP Server for Updating the Firewall Clock
    • Adding an NTP Server
    • Editing an NTP Server Entry
    • Deleting NTP Server Entry
• Managing Certificates
  • About Digital Certificates
  • About the Certificates Table
  • About Certificate Details
  • Importing Certificates
    • Importing a Local Certificate
    • Importing a Certificate Authority Certificate
    • Creating a PKCS-12 Formatted Certificate File (Linux Systems Only)
  • Deleting Certificates
  • Generating a Certificate Signing Request
  • Configuring Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol
• Administering SNMP
  • About SNMP
  • Setting Up SNMP Access
    • Enabling and Configuring SNMP Access
      • Configuring Basic Functionality
      • Configuring SNMPv3 Engine IDs
      • Configuring Object IDs for SNMPv3 Views
    • Setting Up SNMPv3 Groups and Access
      • Creating Groups and Adding Users and Access
        • Creating a Group
        • Adding Access
        • Adding Users
  • Configuring SNMP as a Service and Adding Rules
• Firmware Settings
  • Firmware Management and Backup
    • Firmware Management & Backup Tables
      • Local Table
      • Cloud Table
      • Show Configuration Files Table
    • Searching the Table
  • Creating a Backup Firmware Image
    • Creating a Local Backup Firmware Image
    • Creating a Cloud Backup Firmware Image
    • Scheduling Firmware Image Backups
      • Scheduling a One-Time Backup
      • Scheduling Recurring Backups
      • Deleting Scheduled Backups
  • Updating Firmware
    • Updating Firmware Manually
    • Firmware Auto Update
    • Using SafeMode to Upgrade Firmware
  • Importing and Exporting Settings
    • Importing Settings
    • Exporting Settings
  • Configuring Firmware and Backup Settings
    • Send Settings or Reports by FTP
    • Sending Diagnostic Reports to Technical Support
    • Boot Settings
    • One-Touch Configuration Overrides
    • Enabling FIPS Mode
    • Enabling NDPP mode
• Storage
  • Installing or Replacing Storage Modules
  • Setting Storage Options
    • Configuring the Storage Module for Log File Storage
    • Purging a Storage Module
    • Viewing Trace Logs
• Restarting the System
• SonicWall Support
  • About This Document

Using SafeMode to Upgrade Firmware

Please verify this topic

If you are unable to connect to the SonicOS management interface, you can restart the security appliance in SafeMode. The SafeMode feature allows you to recover quickly from uncertain configuration states with a simplified management interface.

To use SafeMode to upgrade firmware

1. Connect your computer to the X0 port on the appliance and configure your computer with an IP address on the 192.168.168.0/24 subnet, such as 192.168.168.20.
2. To force the appliance into SafeMode, use a narrow, straight object, like a straightened paper clip or a toothpick, to press and hold the Reset button on the front of the SonicWall appliance for at least twenty seconds, until the Test light begins blinking.
3. The Test light begins to blink when the SonicWall security appliance has rebooted into SafeMode.
4. Enter 192.168.1.254 into your computer’s Web browser to access the SafeMode management interface.
5. Click Upload New Firmware.
6. Browse to the location where you saved the SonicOS firmware image.

7. Select the file and click Upload.

8. Select the Boot icon in the row for one of the following:

   • Uploaded Firmware - New! – Use this option to restart the appliance with your current configuration settings.
   • Uploaded Firmware with Factory Default Settings- New! – Use this option to restart the appliance with default configuration settings.

9. In the confirmation dialog, click OK to proceed.

10. To connect to SonicOS through the LAN or WAN interface of the firewall:

    1. Disconnect your computer from the MGMT port.

    2. Either:

       • Reconfigure it to automatically obtain an IP address and DNS server address.
       • Reset it to its normal static values.

11. Connect your computer to the local network.

12. Point your browser to the LAN or WAN IP address of the SonicWall appliance.

13. After successfully booting the firmware, the log-in screen displays. If you restarted with factory default settings, enter the default user name and password (admin/password) to access the SonicOS management interface.