Connecting directly to your PC/Laptop

If your Apex is operating in a wireless mode and you can’t run a cable from it to your home network router, you can load the firmware by connecting your PC or laptop directly to the base unit. The basic process is to define a mini-network consisting of just your PC and Apex. Because you’re not using your home network’s router, you will not have Internet or email access this way. So download the appropriate firmware file to your laptop first. Also, you do NOT need a special Ethernet ‘crossover’ cable for this – any good quality ‘straight through’ Ethernet cable will do. So take your PC/Laptop to your Apex, connect them with your Ethernet cable, and follow these instructions being careful to write down what your options were before making these changes so you can change things back:

Windows XP

1. Disable the wireless interface on the PC/Laptop by using Control Panel – Network Connections. Find your wireless interface, right click and select Disable.
2. From the Apex Display module, disable DHCP by using System – Net Setup - DHCP.
3. Again, from the Display module, use System – Net Setup – IP Address. Write down the current IP address of the Apex. You will need it for the next step.
4. Now, you have to select an address for the PC (normally you would have DHCP enabled and your router would do this for you). You have to match the first 3 pieces (octets) of the Apex’s address and have something different for the fourth. For example, if the Apex is 192.168.1.50, you could use 192.168.1.10. Next, we have to put this new address into the PC and turn off some other controls.
5. On your PC, go into Control Panel - Network Connections. You may have multiple network interfaces displayed. Identify the one that is your Local Area Connection or Ethernet Adapter.
6. Right-click on the icon for the Local Area Connection interface, and select Properties.
7. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), then click Properties
8. On the General tab, Obtain an IP address automatically will be selected. We need to change that so we can define one our self. Click the button Use the following IP address.
9. Complete the three fields using the IP address you selected above. The Subnet Mask should be 255.255.255.0. Make sure Default Gateway is blank because we’re not using a router anymore (that’s usually your Gateway).
10. Leave all the other options alone.
11. Click OK as needed to get out of the network configuration windows.
12. Now you’re ready to load the firmware.

Windows 7 and Vista
1. From the Control Panel – Network and Sharing Center, select your wireless interface if you have one, right click and disable it.
2. Follow steps 2, 3 & 4 above.
3. Again, from the Control Panel – Network and Sharing Center select your Local Area Connection.
4. Select Properties, then find and select Internet Protocol Version 4, then click Properties.
5. Follow steps 8 – 12 above.

Mac
1. Make sure have the release flash utility downloaded
2. What is the IP address of your Apex? Let's say it is 10.0.0.78
3. Now Open the system preferences in your Mac
4. Got to Network
5. Turn off your wireless
6. Select Ethernet
7. Change it to Automatic, to Manual
8. Set the IP address to 10.0.0.25 *Notice how the first three numbers, octets, match?*
9. Set the Netmask to 255.255.255.0
10. Click Ok/Apply
11. Connect the Apex to the Ethernet port on your computer **NOT USB PORT**
12. Open the flash utility in your Applications folder
13. Update the firmware according to the instruction on our website
14. When all is complete Turn WiFi back on and change your Ethernet settings on your mac back automatic