Hello dear community, I got a new customer that has an unlicensed FortiGate 50E and FortiAPs 221E on firmware 6.0.x. They want to replace the FortiGate with the 50G model but want to keep the APs for now. The target FortiOS for 50G would be 7.4.12. As the config would be converted/migrated, what would be the best upgrade path to avoid losing the APs management?Put the 50G on 7.4.12 and convert the 50E configuration as is Upgrade the 50E and 221E APs to latest possible 6.2 branch and then convert the 50E configuration for 7.4.12 Upgrade the 50E and 221E APs to latest possible 6.2 branch, convert the 50E configuration for 7.0.19, then upgrade the 50G to 7.4.12 Please let me know if more details are needed. Best Regards

New Member

Solved

FGT-50E with FAP 221E on 6.0.x, to be migrated to a FGT-50G

Forum|Forum|19 days ago
June 26, 2026
4 replies
78 views

Hello dear community,

I got a new customer that has an unlicensed FortiGate 50E and FortiAPs 221E on firmware 6.0.x. They want to replace the FortiGate with the 50G model but want to keep the APs for now. The target FortiOS for 50G would be 7.4.12.

As the config would be converted/migrated, what would be the best upgrade path to avoid losing the APs management?

Put the 50G on 7.4.12 and convert the 50E configuration as is
Upgrade the 50E and 221E APs to latest possible 6.2 branch and then convert the 50E configuration for 7.4.12
Upgrade the 50E and 221E APs to latest possible 6.2 branch, convert the 50E configuration for 7.0.19, then upgrade the 50G to 7.4.12

Please let me know if more details are needed.

Best Regards

Best answer by sjoshi

You need to choose step 3. FGT 50G does not have any build on 6.2 series and the lowest build starts from 7.0.15.

I would suggest to upgrade the FGT 50E to v7.0.19 and then do the config migration.

The new converted config will be in 50G v7.0.19.

So you need to reimage the new box 50G on v7.0.19 and then restore the config file and the proceed with the upgrade to 7.4.12

sjoshiAnswer

Staff

You need to choose step 3. FGT 50G does not have any build on 6.2 series and the lowest build starts from 7.0.15.

I would suggest to upgrade the FGT 50E to v7.0.19 and then do the config migration.

The new converted config will be in 50G v7.0.19.

So you need to reimage the new box 50G on v7.0.19 and then restore the config file and the proceed with the upgrade to 7.4.12

Thanks, Salon

Toshi_Esumi

SuperUser

I think the highest version a 50E can be upgraded to is 6.2.17. Can’t a converter convert it to a further higher version of 50G config? I don’t know because I never used a converter.

Toshi

sjoshi

Staff

if using a license forticonvertor there should be an option to convert to higher version

If not you can still use the manual way of changing the version directly from the config file.

Copy the first four lines from the factory default configuration file, which include config-version, conf_file_ver, buildno, and global_vdom. Then, paste and replace these lines in the backup of the previous configuration file.

Thanks, Salon

kaman

Staff

Hi Solutions79,

The highest supported firmware version for the FortiGate 50E model is FortiOS 6.2.17.

You can replace the appliance (e.g., move to a 50G). Once the new hardware is running a supported 7.x firmware, use FortiConverter to translate the 50E configuration file.

https://community.fortinet.com/fortigate-3/technical-tip-fortigate-configuration-migration-using-forticonverter-190089

https://community.fortinet.com/fortigate-3/technical-tip-how-to-load-convert-a-fortigate-configuration-file-from-one-unit-to-another-file-conversion-for-a-different-model-98833

Note: Fortinet offers a free license if converting the configuration file from FortiGate to FortiGate. For a detailed explanation on how to get this license, follow this document

https://docs.fortinet.com/document/forticonverter-service/25.1.0/online-help/724941/get-free-license-for-fortigate-conversion

Regards,
Aman

Solutions79Author

New Member

Thanks for your input sjoshi and kaman and confirming the best way, it is appreciated!

I will indeed be using FortiConverter.

I was also told by a Fortinet rep to directly upgrade the APs to 7.0 straight from the 50E, then put the 50G in place on 7.0 as well with the converted config and start upgrading. What are your thoughs about this?

Best regards

sjoshi

Staff

@Solutions79 , you can check the compatibility matrix of FortiAP E series.

https://docs.fortinet.com/document/fortiap/7.6.0/fortiap-and-fortios-compatibility-matrix/209640/fortiap-w2

I do not think it is compatible with FGT 50E 6.2 series but is compatible with FGT 50G 7.0 series

Thanks, Salon

Solutions79Author

New Member

Thanks for the reply and the link sjoshi. I noticed the client has a 7.0 FortiAP and two 6.0 managed by the FortiGate. I try upgrading both 6.0 to 7.0, the file would upload but it wouldn’t move from 1% when trying to apply the firmware. Tried rebooting the AP, still didn’t work.

At that point, I think I don’t have choice to put the 50G in place with a 7.0 converted config and hope it will be able to see and manage the 6.0 APs so they can be upgraded afterward. If not I guess I’ll need to reset them and manually upload a new firmware while in Standalone and re-link them to the FortiGate.

Thanks again for your time and help! 🙏

Solutions79Author

New Member

I am sorry but I must re-open this thread. I tried re-imaging the 50G with firmware 7.0.19 (FGT_50G-v7.0.19.M-build7662-FORTINET), but the unit won’t boot (PWR led is lit but nothing else). Unit is stuck at “Initializing firewall”.

If I re-image with 7.4.12 or 7.6.6, it works without problem, and I also tried downgrading to 7.0.19 from those branch, but nothing works.

Has anyone experienced this before? In case, attached is the output for image checksum and re-imaging with 7.019.

Best regards

50G_re-image_in_7.0.19_output.txt

Stephen_G

Staff & Editor

Hi Solutions79,

Sorry to hear you’re still experiencing issues. There are a few possible causes - are you getting an error or is it just staying on initializing forever? This article may be relevant if you eventually get an error (worth checking either way):

It could be an issue with flash memory, or even BIOS version. See this article too, which seems relevant to your issue:

Stephen_G - Fortinet Community Team

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