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Forum Discussion
RBS750 Firmware Won't Upgrade
Hello. I picked up an additional Orbi satellite second hand, an RBS750 to go with my RBR750 and an existing satellite. Needed to extend coverage in the house.
The satellite is stuck on firmware V4.6.14.93. My own RBR and satellite are on 7.2. It's connected to the mesh without a problem, it's synced and working fine.
I've tried updating the firmware on the satellite, and have had no luck. I've done it via the Web UI, using the Manual Firmware update on WiFi, then tried using Wired LAN, nothing. It keeps saying the firmware upgrade failed and I should "check my update file". I'm getting the firmware files from Netgear's official KB.
It's really odd, it's been documented that 4.x to 7.x updates have been an issue and hence a manual updates have been required, which is what I'm trying - but it's still failing.
Also, tin-foil hat, but I can't find firmware V4.6.14.93 for the RBS750 anywhere. Since I picked it up second-hand, hoping it's not some kind of custom firmware up to no good.
Has anyone had any similar issues, and have you found a solution? Any ideas?
5 Replies
VERY strange. v4.6.14.93 does not appear in the list of "previous versions", but it does appear in the GPL code web site:
https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/2649_GPLv1.html
It might be worth trying to manually install the last v4 firmware on the support page (v4.6.14.3) and if that works, then manually install the same version as is on the router and the existing satellite.
Has anyone had any similar issues,
swong65 did, as did MahoneyR did. Details are here:
Unfortunately no resolution is in that discussion thread.
VERY strange. v4.6.14.93 does not appear in the list of "previous versions", but it does appear in the GPL code web site:
Agreed. It's not in the KB repository either (unlike 4.16.4.3, etc)
Also the sku is rather odd (RBR750-1STSQS). There's a couple of other variants nearby with odd extensions (-1RDQAS) and different firmware from the main branch.
I am wondering if they were built for a specific ISP? If so, the firmware might not be upgradable.
That’s an interesting hypothesis and to add additional context, I suspect the router and satellites I can’t upgrade were probably ones that came with my plan from Singtel (the Singapore phone company/ISP) while I also have an additional satellite I purchased separately. Maybe that’s the one I have that did allow a firmware upgrade. (Hard for me to know which was which after the fact.)
I gave up in the end as they became increasingly unstable and bought a new setup.
Since the satellite appears to be working correctly, this might be a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Since manual firmware install appears not to work, it might be possible to flash firmware directly to the satellite. Not a simple or risk-free endeavor.
Thanks for chiming in everyone! Yeah, it does seem to be working, I just wanted to make sure that it’s an official firmware signed by Netgear, and it’s not something custom that a bad actor flashed onto the Orbi Satellite that could allow it to send network traffic / data elsewhere? Is there anyway for me to be sure about this? I connected to the Satellite via the Orbi UI on the web and couldn’t find anything in the settings to check whether or not the current firmware is signed by Netgear and is untouched.
Do you thinkStephenB that the ISP would be able to update the firmware if it was built custom for them?
AlsoCrimpOn, I’m considering downloading the firmware versions from the website that you linked to, to see if I can update it to the same (or newer) firmware from what you linked to be sure that it’s signed by Netgear. Not sure if I’m being paranoid.
AndMahoneyR, did you ever try to get Singtel to ever update the firmware? Did the V4.6.14.93 firmware get auto-updated and after that you couldn’t ever update?
