Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Upgrade Guide

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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Upgrade Guide

Cellular modem firmware upgrade

Updated: July 1, 2026

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Provides instructions for upgrading cellular modem firmware on network devices using vManage. This process ensures devices maintain optimal connectivity and performance through updated firmware versions.

Cellular modem firmware upgrade is the process of updating the internal software of a cellular modem to improve device functionality and security that

  • requires firmware files downloaded from the Cisco Software Download site.

  • utilizes a file server accessible by the network devices.

  • is managed through the SD-WAN Manager interface to automate the deployment process.

Notification of available firmware upgrades

You can configure notifications on the Cisco Software Download site to receive alerts when new firmware versions become available for their specific devices.

Firmware upgrade workflow and notifications

The upgrade process follows these steps:

  1. Save the downloaded firmware upgrade files to a file server accessible by the devices in the network. For details, refer to Before You Begin in Upgrade the cellular modem firmware of a device.

  2. Select the devices for which to upgrade the modem firmware using the workflow described in Upgrade the cellular modem firmware of a device .

  3. Indicate the location of the file server and directory; vManage automatically determines the correct file to use and upgrades the modem firmware on the device.

The workflow enables you to schedule the firmware upgrade for a specific time, such as to align with a maintenance window.

Example illustrating cellular modem firmware upgrade

This example scenario demonstrates how the firmware upgrade process selectively updates only the active firmware type on a cellular-enabled device.

The following steps outline the firmware upgrade process:

  • Initial state: The device shows the GENERIC firmware type as active with version 02.24.05.06.

  • Available upgrades: Upgrades are available for both GENERIC and DOCOMO firmware types.

  • Upgrade execution: The device upgrades the active GENERIC firmware to 02.24.05.07 but ignores the DOCOMO upgrade because it is not the active firmware type.


                Router#
                show cellular 0/2/0 firmware
 Idx Carrier               FwVersion        PriVersion   Status  
 1   DOCOMO                02.24.05.06      001.007_000  Inactive  
 2   GENERIC               02.24.05.06      002.026_000  Active
 3   KDDI                  02.24.05.06      001.005_000  Inactive
Firmware Activation mode  =  AUTO

After the upgrade, the status confirms that only the active GENERIC firmware was updated:


                Router#
                show cellular 0/2/0 firmware
 Idx Carrier               FwVersion        PriVersion   Status  
 1   DOCOMO                02.24.05.06      001.007_000  Inactive  
 2   GENERIC               
                02.24.05.07
                      002.026_000  
                Active
 3   KDDI                  02.24.05.06      001.005_000  Inactive
Firmware Activation mode  =  AUTO

Benefits of cellular modem firmware upgrade

A cellular modem firmware upgrade is a maintenance process that updates the internal software of a modem to improve performance, security, or compatibility.

  • Centralized management through Cisco SD-WAN Manager .

  • Bulk deployment capability across multiple devices.

  • Reduction of manual CLI intervention.