New - RBR850 / RBS850 Firmware Version 7.2.6.31 Released

It is really unfortunate that Netgear provides no documentation explaining how the firmware update process works.

The Terms & Conditions we all agreed to when first installing Netgear Orbi products clearly state that (a) Netgear reserves the  right to update firmware whenever it wants, and (b) if this does something horrible to the product Netgear accepts no responsibility. For entertainment, check out sections 15 and 23 of this:

https://www.netgear.com/about/terms-and-conditions/ 

When a number of firmware updates actually wreaked havoc with customer systems, Netgear added a feature to some models to allow the user to prevent these automatic updates from taking place.  (Not to the older models, of course, because..... well, who cares about 'old' routers?)

This means, literally, that Netgear is not supposed to silently push a firmware update to the system if the user has set this feature to "No. Don't do that."

This does not mean that the Firmware Update feature will detect and install firmware updates.  That is a whole different situation.  (Since there is no documentation) it appears that this is Netgear's firmware update practice:

• New firmware appears on the Netgear support site.  Users who discover the firmware can download and manually install it on their product.  At their own risk.  This allows Netgear to observe how well their internal Quality Assurance process worked.  If weeks go by with no hue and cry on the forum about, "This firmware sucks!", one might conclude that it is relatively safe to install it.
• During this period of time, the Firmware Update feature does not detect the new firmware and does not offer to install it.  How long does this period last?  Well, the latest 750 firmware was released in Sept, 2023, and Firmware Update still does not report it.  Firmware for the 50 series was published in Feb, 2023, and Firmware Update still does not report it being available. (14 months!)
• At some point, some Netgear employee "does something" and Firmware Update will detect and offer to install the new firmware.  If the user never opens the web interface or the Orbi 'app' and specifically opens Firmware Update, then they remain blissfully unaware of the new firmware.
• At another point, simply opening the web interface or the Orbi 'app' causes a pop-up message to appear, "New Firmware Available!!!"  If the user does not manage the firmware, nothing happens.
• Finally, at some point, Netgear can force systems to update to the new firmware.  (It has happened to my RBR50.)
  THIS is what people believe that "Automatic Firmware Update" feature will prevent.  If the feature is set to "Enable", then when Netgear gets damn good and ready, they can force an update.  Until then....(9 months? 14 months? ???) nothing happens.  Will this actually "work"?  No one knows.