OTA auto-update not working and incorrect default state of auto-update flag

[Ludovich88]

OTA auto-update not working and incorrect default state of auto-update flag

Repository: https://github.com/airalab/altruist-firmware

Description

Devices Altruist Urban and Altruist Insight do not automatically update firmware from OTA servers.

Two related issues were identified:

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1️⃣ Altruist Urban – Auto-update enabled but OTA not triggered

Firmware: R-URB_2025-08/RU (Jan 1 1980)
(also observed in R-URB_2026-01/RU (Jan 1 1980))

• The “Auto update firmware” checkbox is enabled in Settings.
• Device successfully connects to WiFi.
• OTA server contains newer firmware R-URB_2025-08/RU (Jan 1 1980).
• Automatic update does not start.

Expected behavior:
If auto-update is enabled and the device has internet access, it should check for updates and perform OTA automatically.

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2️⃣ Altruist Insight – Auto-update disabled by default

Firmware: R-INS_2025-08/RU (Jan 1 1980)
(also observed in R-INS_2026-01/RU (Jan 1 1980))

After flashing firmware:

• The “Auto update firmware” checkbox is disabled by default.
• User must manually enable it.

This creates a risk that new users will not receive critical updates, bug fixes, or future improvements because they may not notice that automatic updates are disabled.

Expected behavior:
Auto-update should be enabled by default for production firmware builds.

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Impact

• Devices do not receive updates automatically.
• Users may assume the device is up to date.
• Critical bug fixes and security improvements may not be delivered.
• Inconsistent default behavior between device models.

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Screenshots

Urban – auto-update enabled but not working:

Insight – auto-update disabled by default:

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Suggested improvements

1. Ensure OTA check is triggered automatically after WiFi connection when auto-update is enabled.

2. Enable auto-update by default for production firmware builds.

3. Add OTA status feedback in UI (e.g. “Last update check” timestamp or status log).

4. Trigger immediate update check after first boot.

5. Implement safe timeout behavior:

   • If OTA server is unavailable,
   • or firmware download cannot be completed within a defined timeout period,
   • the device must continue normal operation without blocking boot or main functionality.
   • OTA failure should not prevent the device from entering working mode.

This ensures reliable device behavior even under unstable network conditions or temporary server issues.

[zirreal]

Fixed.

1. Auto-update not triggered: the OTA server had firmware with the same MD5 as the device due to stale cached builds (__DATE__ showing "Jan 1 1980"). Fixed by forcing recompilation of the web header on every build, ensuring each build produces a unique binary.

2. Insight auto-update disabled by default: AUTO_UPDATE is now enabled for all production builds (both Urban and Insight). DEV builds default to disabled.

3. Failover and abort mechanism: firmware download now tries two servers (upd.sensors.robonomics.network and updru.sensors.robonomics.network) with 30s timeout each, up to 4 attempts, 10-minute total limit. WiFi disconnect and flash space errors cause immediate abort. On failure, the e-ink display shows an error screen for 15 seconds, then the device returns to normal operation. Next automatic retry in 24 hours. OTA never blocks the device.

4. Manual OTA trigger: added /ota web page to check for updates manually, even when auto-update is off.

airalab/altruist-firmware#63