Noahlink Wireless Firmware

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darylm

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I recently bought a Noahlink Wireless unit from Amazon to use with Genie 2 for self-fitting my Oticon Opn S and Real hearing aids. (Mainly for clearing the pairings, in case I'm having connectivity problems.)

The Noahlink Wireless unit did not not come with any drivers and no driver was installed by Genie 2, so initially, it would not connect. (There were no drivers on the USB stick that came with the Noahlink Wireless unit.) Thanks to the DIY School, I found that a driver was available on the manufacturer's website. After I installed the driver, the Noahlink Wireless unit connected right away to Genie 2.

After I got the Noahlink Wireless unit connected to the Genie 2, the software updated the firmware to version 2.23, which is bundled with the software. The firmware update was successful and I was able to connect my Real hearing aids.

When I was downloading the driver, I noticed version 2.24 firmware is available on the manufacturer's website. Should I install this firmware?
 
btw> Good work finding out where to obtain that driver!

Oh Yeah, I see that 2.24 firmware version. I am still running 2.23 and have not been prompted to update to 2.24. Maybe wait a while until we can poke around to find out what's in 2.24?

just FYI> I believe that you can avoid the missing driver if you install the fitting software first (before plugging in Noahlink Wireless) which should install a NoahLink Wireless Driver first.

Also, there is a DIY School Hearing Aids PDF file named (Noahlink Wireless - DIY User Guide) which describes this and other connection options.
 
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This Himsa -> Link says (among other things);
  • Updated versions of the Noahlink Wireless firmware are posted on the HIMSA website when released to HIMSA Member Companies. It is not necessary to update the firmware in the Noahlink Wireless to latest version until the fitting module you work with requires it. At that time the fitting module may prompt for the Noahlink Wireless to be updated, or the company will notify you it is time to upgrade.
  • Noahlink Wireless firmware is always backwards compatible with previous firmware versions. This means that you can safely upgrade your Noahlink Wireless firmware without worrying about losing the connection with your fitting software.
I guess that means it is not necessary to upgrade your Noahlink Wireless firmware until whatever manufacturer's software you are using calls for the upgrade. But they go on to say that it's okay to upgrade even if your manufacturer's software doesn't need the upgraded firmware.

So I upgraded my Noahlink Wireless firmware to 2.24. Hang on. Let me see if it still works? Yikes, No instruments detected. Just a minute while I off/on cycle the HAs. Yep, now it works. I am using Noahlink Wireless firmware 2.24.
 
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As to what is in the Noahlink Wireless firmware update 2.24, all I can find is -> When - November 2022, and not what it was for? Oh well, I'm not going to worry about what it's for. Remember that -> Noahlink Wireless 2 is due to be released soon, so why fret over this Noahlink Wireless firmware update 2.24?

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I did install the Genie 2 software first and it did not install a driver. I also tried installing the software with the Noahlink Wireless unit connected and it also did not install a driver. The only way I could get it to work was to download and install the driver from HIMSA.

I just bought the Noahlink Wireless unit. I have no plans to replace it with a new version.
 
  1. Well installing the fitting software first is what -> HIMSA says about how to do it. But who knows? Maybe you also need to do a restart?
  2. Yep, I will be keeping my old/trusty Noahlink Wireless too! AFAIK: The new -> Noahlink Wireless 2 due in 2023-Q3 will do exactly the same thing as Noahlink Wireless. I think that it will just be manufactured with more modern/standard hardware components.
 
I initially installed the software, then connected the device. Normally, when you do this, there is a notification from Windows that the device was detected and the driver is being installed. In this case, nothing happened. The software did not see the device, because there was no driver. Rebooting made no difference, so I uninstalled the software and reinstalled it with the device already connected. That also did not work. At that point, I looked further and found your reference to the driver on the HIMSA website. After I installed the driver, the software detected the device and offered to upgrade the firmware. Possibly the driver was not included in the software package because it's a point release. I guess we will never know. Thanks again.
 
Thanks @darylm for starting this topic. When/if one of the DIY School Hearing Aids PDF files is stating something that is not correct then I like to know about the problem so that I can correct the PDF file. But also, since HIMSA certifies each of these fitting software modules, I tend to take it seriously when they claim that the Noahlink Wireless driver is installed by the fitting software.

So I tested this with both (Phonak Target 8.1.2 and Oticon Genie2 2023.1). Here's how. On a second PC;
  • Used AMOEI Backupper (free version) to save a disk image of my normal/current C:\ drive (as backup before testing)
  • Used MS tool Reset PC and then load a new/fresh/Win11 version of Windows 11 Pro on C:\ drive
  • Used AMOEI Backupper to save that disk image of my new/fresh/Win11 C:\ drive

Test#1
  • Starting from the new/fresh/Win11 C:\ image (and with Noahlink Wireless unplugged) install Phonak Target 8.1.2
  • After the fitting software install completed, plug-in Noahlink Wireless and the HIMSA/Noahlink Wireless device immediately appears in the Device Manager with a valid Noahlink Wireless driver. So far, so good.

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Test#2
  • Used AMOEI Backupper to start again from a new/fresh/Win11 C:\ image (and with Noahlink Wireless unplugged) install Genie2 2023.1
  • After the fitting software install completed, plug-in Noahlink Wireless and the HIMSA/Noahlink Wireless device immediately appears in the Device Manager with a valid Noahlink Wireless driver. Same as previous test. Thus far, HIMSA seems correct by saying the Noahlink Wireless driver is installed by the fitting software.
Test#3
  • Used AMOEI Backupper to start again from a new/fresh/Win11 C:\ image
  • Plug-in Noahlink Wireless without any fitting software installed. Voila! Noahlink Wireless device immediately appears as the same HIMSA device in the Device Manager with a valid Noahlink Wireless driver. Same as both previous tests. Pfft, this result appears to be USB Plug and Play. Maybe it's dependent on other things aside from the fitting software loading a device driver???
I am going to change the (Noahlink Wireless – DIY User Guide) PDF file to recommend using the HIMSA Noahlink Wireless driver tool anytime you encounter driver problems, period.
 
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Dang! It is difficult to specify the correct advice when the (hearing-aid-programming-device-universe) keeps changing. So I made more changes to the (Noahlink Wireless – DIY User Guide) PDF file.
 
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