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Forum Discussion
All about TFTP
The use of TFTP as a last resort has become a common advice lately. I want to unserstand that process (in case I need to use it at some point in the future).
1. About NG's KB article: How to upload firmware to a NETGEAR router using Windows TFTP
What are steps 1 through 5? The web page starts out at step 6
2. Using TFTP on the RBR:
The steps in the above article assumes that the RBR is available on ethernet LAN at 192.168.1.1. after a factory or 30-30-30 reset.
What if the RBR is "bricked" and does not show up at that IP address?
How do we find out the RBR's IP address to send the .img file to?
If the RBR is missing, and not reachable on the LAN, then are we SOL?
3. Using TFTP on a RBS:
Does this require a functioning RBR?
Often, after a failed update, Neither RBR nor RBS is available on the LAN. Then what?
If the RBS is not synced to the RBR over WiFi, how do we communicate with the RBS to TFTP to it?
Should we connect the RBS to the RBR via ethernet in that case?
How to find RBS on the LAN?
What IP address to use to communicate with the RBS?
Many of my doubts are because after a failed update, the devices are unreachabel or flashing magenta or white and not otherwise functioning normally.
How should we proceed when
a) devices are not established on the LAN?
b) if they are on the LAN, what IP address are they at?
11 Replies
TFTP should not be use commonly. It's only for recovery of the RBR and RBS when and IF a FW update goes bad or a bad mis-configuration or a bad operation happens on these devices where the units don't function correctly, reset doesn't work or the web page can't be accessed due something mention above.
Need to press the reset button for 30 seconds then release, then it send to PUT the command and upload the FW.
https://github.com/jclehner/nmrpflash
Some others experiences with Bricked units:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-RBR50-seems-stuck-in-boot-loop/m-p/2010016/highlight/true#M107358
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Is-my-13-month-old-RBR50-bricked/m-p/2011090/highlight/true#M107511Bricked Orbi Recovery:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-orbi-rbk50-rbk53-rbr50-rbs50-v-9-2-5-1-18sf-hw-v-9-2-5-1-18-1sf-hw.64414/page-3#post-590839
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Is-my-13-month-old-RBR50-bricked/td-p/2009904/jump-to/first-unread-messageThx.
Any input to my specific questions?
alokeprasad wrote:The use of TFTP as a last resort has become a common advice lately. I want to unserstand that process (in case I need to use it at some point in the future).
1. About NG's KB article: How to upload firmware to a NETGEAR router using Windows TFTP
What are steps 1 through 5? The web page starts out at step 6
What browser are you using? I'm using Opera GX and see steps 1 thru 5 displayed on the web page in reference.
2. Using TFTP on the RBR:
The steps in the above article assumes that the RBR is available on ethernet LAN at 192.168.1.1. after a factory or 30-30-30 reset.
What if the RBR is "bricked" and does not show up at that IP address?
How do we find out the RBR's IP address to send the .img file to?
If the RBR is missing, and not reachable on the LAN, then are we SOL?
If the RBR is bricked to the point that normal TFTP methods doesn't work, Then you can try this:
3. Using TFTP on a RBS:
Does this require a functioning RBR? No
Often, after a failed update, Neither RBR nor RBS is available on the LAN. Then what?
If the RBS is not synced to the RBR over WiFi, how do we communicate with the RBS to TFTP to it? If bricked or normally in a bad state, then the TFTP method would work as it would on the RBR using same process.
Should we connect the RBS to the RBR via ethernet in that case?
How to find RBS on the LAN?
What IP address to use to communicate with the RBS?
When the RBS is normally operating with out any bad operations or bricked, or if the RBS isn't synced, the IP address of all RBS, if not synced, is 192.168.1.250
Many of my doubts are because after a failed update, the devices are unreachabel or flashing magenta or white and not otherwise functioning normally.
How should we proceed when
a) devices are not established on the LAN?
b) if they are on the LAN, what IP address are they at?
First step if a RBS has failed to update or didn't sync right, Power OFF both the RBS/RBR for 15 seconds then back on. Check to see if it startes to Blink WHITE first the slowly pulse WHITE. IF it re-syncs on it's own then good. If not, try pressing the sync button on the RBS then RBR while the RBS is in the same room as the RBR. This should get it synced. If not, then a factory reset maybe needed on the RBS and also the RBR, then setup from scratch. IF the RBS still fails to sync, then I would reset the RBS and let it time out and after 5 minutes with a wired PC connected to the RBS, a web browse check would be need to see if you can access the RBS web page at 192.168.1.250. If you can, then I would manually re-send the FW file directly to the RBS again. If you can't access the RBS web page, then the TFTP recovery should be tried.
On Item 1:
Firefox display is incorrect (it is counting the 5 bulleted items!!)
Chrome displays it correctly.
Thx for your replies. this is how I understand it.:
The RBR establishes itself at 192.168.1.1. Make sure no other device has that IP address assigned to it. If one cannot ping the RBS at that IP address after various resets, then we are done. We cannot send anything to it if it is unreachable.
The RBS establishes itself at 192.168.1.250. Have a functional RBR and try to sync it to RBS by resetting the RBS using different methods. If that fails, wire-connect the RBS to the RBR and ping the RBS at 192.168.1.250. If one cannot reach the RBS at 192.168.1.250, then we are done, as we cannot send any file to it.
