DO NOT ATTEMPT TO UPDATE YOUR APEX SOFTWARE OVER A WIRELESS CONNECTION.

If you need to connect your Apex base unit to a wired connection, please review the steps in our article on connecting your Apex to your network before proceeding.

Step 1: Log Into Apex Local

In order to begin, you'll need to log into your Apex Local dashboard. You can do this by going to Apex.local in your web browser. Unless you have made some configuration adjustments (which is unlikely at this point in the process), your username and password will be:

• Username: admin
• Password: 1234

Step 2: Verify Current Version of AOS

Once you've successfully logged into the dashboard of Apex Local, locate and click the configuration button in the row of buttons at the top left of the dashboard.

Once you click that button, it will open up several additional buttons within the row. Locate and click the network button.

This will take you to the Network Configuration page. On this page, compare the software versions for Current AOS and Newest AOS. In the screenshot below, you will notice that these versions are different. The Current AOS version is older (as indicated by the lesser number of 5.03_2C18) than the Newest AOS version (5.04_7A18), which indicates the need to update the Current AOS so that it coincides with the Newest AOS.

Step 3: Update to Newest Version of AOS

In order to update your AOS software, you MUST have your network connected to the network via a wired connection. Again, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO UPDATE OVER A WIRELESS CONNECTION.

Additionally, it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that your Apex base unit remain connected to power the entire time that the update is being carried out. If necessary, take extra precautions to guard against any power disruption during this process.

Once you have confirmed that your Apex base unit is connected via a wired connection and have ensured that there should not be any power disruptions, you may continue to update the software.

Begin this process by clicking the Update AOS button.

Once you click on this button, you will see a screen indicating the process has begun (and warning you to avoid any power disruption during the process).

You will also notice that the status indicator light (the Neptune logo) on your Apex base unit will change colors during this process (as shown in the video below). This is normal and indicates that the update is being carried out successfully.

Once the status indicator light returns to orange, there is still a last step to the update (so don't disconnect anything yet). You can monitor the progress of the update on your computer screen which will show a progress bar that gives you the percentage value of the last step as it nears completion. This process may take a few minutes, so be patient.

Once this last step is complete, you will receive a completion message (as shown below) stating that the AOS has been updated successfully. Click OK.

Step 4: Verify Update to Newest Version of AOS

Once you click OK on the update completion message, you may be redirected to log into Apex Local again.

Go to Apex.local in your web browser. Unless you have made some configuration adjustments (which is unlikely at this point in the process), your username and password will be:

• Username: admin
• Password: 1234

Next, repeat the steps within the dashboard to verify your current version of AOS.

Once you've successfully logged into the dashboard of Apex Local, locate and click the configuration button in the row of buttons at the top left of the dashboard.

Once you click that button, it will open up several additional buttons within the row. Locate and click the network button.

This will take you to the Network Configuration page.

However, this time in the network configuration screen, you should notice that both the Current AOS and the Newest AOS are the same (as shown in the image below).

If these two numbers are the same, then you know that your update has been carried out successfully.

Congratulations! You have successfully updated the AOS on your Apex. Next, we will begin to configure some of the settings within the Apex as we set it up for monitoring and controlling your aquarium.