Installing updates: online or from a file

Updated 9 October 2026SmartKnob

With Camper Jarvis you get new functions and improvements through updates. There are exactly two ways to do this: automatically over the internet or from a file. And no matter which way you choose: an update cannot break anything.

Way 1: automatically over the internet

If your SmartKnob is connected to a Wi-Fi network with internet, it checks by itself whether there are new versions. For this, "Online updates" must be switched on in the settings. If there is something new, it lets you know. It only installs once you agree. Nothing happens secretly in the background.

Settings in the dashboard with online updates switched on

Way 2: from a file, without any internet

If you have no internet in the van, download the update file beforehand, for example to your phone or laptop. You can find all current files for the SmartKnob and every module on our Firmware & updates page.

  1. In the dashboard, open "Connections" and then "Modules".
  2. Tap "Update" next to the device you want. This works for the SmartKnob and for every module individually.
  3. Tap "Select update file" and choose the matching .jarvis file from your downloads.
  4. Confirm, done. The device then restarts by itself.

Connections, Modules: Update button next to the SmartKnob

Update page with the Select update file button

An update cannot break anything

This is especially important to us. That is why every update is protected several times over:

  • During the update: if the power fails halfway through or the transfer is interrupted, the previous version is kept. Your device simply carries on running with it.
  • After the update: if the new version ever fails to start properly, the device automatically goes back to the previous version and lets you know in the dashboard.
  • Always reachable: the SmartKnob and modules stay safe and reachable at all times. You will never be left with a dead device.

Only genuine Camper Jarvis updates

Before a device installs an update, it checks whether the file really comes from Camper Jarvis and has not been changed. It rejects third-party or modified files. This way nobody can put the wrong software on your SmartKnob or your modules.

Something not working?

Simply try again. An interrupted update does not harm your device. Also make sure the file matches the device: the SmartKnob file for the SmartKnob, the Ampy file for Ampy and so on.

Related questions

How do I connect a new module to the SmartKnob?

Pairing practically takes care of itself. You start it on the SmartKnob or in the dashboard and then power up the module. An LED and a sound on the SmartKnob confirm that the connection is up. That is all there is to it: no cable to the SmartKnob, no configuration, no searching for networks. The only thing that matters is that your SmartKnob is already running, because the modules always connect to it. With Lighty: right after pairing, its wall push buttons stop responding. Create a light widget for each light in the dashboard and switch on "Push button" in it, then they switch again.

Can I use several modules at the same time?

Yes, up to 20 modules at the same time, in any combination. That is enough for almost any camper conversion, from a compact panel van to a fully equipped motorhome. If you want to add several modules one after the other, the SmartKnob stays ready to receive for a short while after each successful pairing. You simply power up the next module.

What is the difference between AP and STA mode?

The two modes only decide which Wi-Fi network you use to open your dashboard on your phone or tablet. They have no effect on your modules. • AP mode: the SmartKnob opens its own Wi-Fi network and you connect your phone or tablet directly to it. You need no router and no internet, ideal when you are parked off-grid. • STA mode: the SmartKnob joins your existing Wi-Fi network, for example your camper router or your phone's hotspot. That is handy if you want internet access at the same time, for instance for online updates. You can switch between the two at any time.

What happens if my Wi-Fi drops out?

You are still never locked out. If the SmartKnob loses the connection to your Wi-Fi network, because the router is off, you have moved to another pitch or you are simply out of range, it automatically opens its own Wi-Fi network again. You can then reach the dashboard directly through it straight away. As soon as your usual network is back, it reconnects to it by itself. You do not have to do a thing.

What happens if the SmartKnob fails?

Ampy and Lighty keep their settings and carry on working. You simply keep switching and dimming lights and appliances at the wall switch, fuses and voltage protection stay active, and the outputs stay as they are. The display, dashboard, scenes, automations, the double tap for all lights and the wireless push buttons pause. This is a fallback, not a permanent state: without the SmartKnob you cannot change settings such as fuse values, and dimming only works with push buttons, not with switches. The one exception: an Ampy output set up as a heating element switches itself off after 10 minutes for safety, so that no boiler keeps heating unattended. We are also working on a backup function where a module takes over the dashboard, so that the whole system can still be operated from your phone and tablet.

What do I need to watch out for when mounting the SmartKnob?

The wall surface under the mounting plate must be flat: no more than 0.5mm of unevenness across the whole area of the mounting plate. If the wall is bent, curved or warped, the SmartKnob will not click in cleanly. Check the surface with a straight edge before screwing the plate on. Double-sided tape on the back of the mounting plate gives extra hold.

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