AX1800 firm fails and bricks

Question

Got a hand-me-down RAX15 ( ax1800 ) that probably had not had the firmware updated since 2020. The Android app identified it and asked for an update. The update failed with an unprovided message, effectively bricking the device.

The KB provides directions for using TFTP from Windows, but the device NEVER gives the signal to start the TFTP.

Has anyone successfully manually updated an RAX15?

michaelkenward · Answer

mhmoran&nbsp;wrote:
Got a hand-me-down RAX15 ( ax1800 ) that probably had not had the firmware updated since 2020. The Android app identified it and asked for an update.&nbsp; The update failed with an unprovided message,&nbsp; effectively bricking the device.

First check if the thing really is "bricked". What do the LEDs look like after the router boots? The power LED is the important one.
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How did you try the update? The app us generally pathetic. Wired and manual is best.
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How do I manually upgrade firmware to my NETGEAR router? | Answer | NETGEAR Support
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The KB provides directions for using TFTP from Windows, but the device NEVER gives the signal to start the TFTP.&nbsp;
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TFTP is a picky process. It needs careful management and several attempts. It isn't the only option. There are a few videos out there that may help. Here's one:
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Different device. same process.
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Just another user with time on their hands.

plemans · Answer

I'd agree with&nbsp;michaelkenward&nbsp;on the bricking. What makes you think its bricked?&nbsp;
What are all the led's on it doing? (color, blinking, solid, etc)

mhmoran · Answer

||&gt; mhmoran wrote:|&gt; Got a hand-me-down RAX15 ( ax1800 ) that probably had not had the firmware/&gt;|&gt; updated since 2020. The Android app identified it and asked for an update. The|&gt; update failed with an unprovided message, effectively bricking the device.Well, in my case the definition of bricked is the lights are on, but nothing responds. It is not issuing DHCP addresses, no traffic is moving ( wired or wireless - traffic scanners see nothing from it ), and finally, the internet port doesn't light when connected to the broadband modem.&nbsp;|&gt; How did you try the update? The app us generally pathetic. Wired and manual is|&gt; best.&nbsp;Unfortunately, I let the Android version of the app to the upgrade.&nbsp; I told me that the update failed and asked if I wanted to send in a crash report.&nbsp; I sent it in.&nbsp;The manual attempt was made by trying to follow the cited article&nbsp;|&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I manually upgrade firmware to my NETGEAR Router? | Answer | NETGEAR Support&nbsp;&nbsp;The problem I'm having is that the directions is the article do NOT match what I'm seeing ( or their definition of blinking is different&nbsp; from mine ).&nbsp; Specifically, it says to start the TFTP transfer when the power light is blinkingFrom the article:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 9.&nbsp; Wait for the Power LED to light orange and start flashing.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10. When the Power LED is flashing, return to the Command Prompt app and&nbsp; press Enter to execute the&nbsp;tftp&nbsp;command and initiate the firmware upload.&nbsp;The problem I'm having is that the Power LED&nbsp; NEVER&nbsp;flashes.&nbsp; It goes from solidorange to solid white, and shortly thereafter the Internet light goes orange, followed by the WIiFi light going white.&nbsp; Even though port 1 is connected between a Windows matching and the router, the port light stays dark.&nbsp;Thanks for the link to the video.&nbsp; I watched it, it says the same thing as the original article .. power light flashing to be able to connect.&nbsp; I never get a flashing power light.

michaelkenward · Answer

mhmoran&nbsp;wrote:
Well, in my case the definition of bricked is the lights are on, but nothing responds. It is not issuing DHCP addresses, no traffic is moving ( wired or wireless - traffic scanners see nothing from it ), and finally, the internet port doesn't light when connected to the broadband modem.

The "bricked" label is widely abused, partly because it has no real technical meaning. No surprise then that your definition is at odds with the more widely used notion of busted firmware.
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What do the lights actually look like? What colour is the power LED and what is it doing? Flashing or solid?
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The problem I'm having is that the Power LED&nbsp; NEVER&nbsp;flashes.&nbsp; It goes from solidorange to solid white, and shortly thereafter the Internet light goes orange, followed by the WIiFi light going white.&nbsp; Even though port 1 is connected between a Windows matching and the router, the port light stays dark.
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If it is "solid white" it isn't bricked in the sense that the firmware shows no sign of being damaged.
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Step back and explain what you are doing. What is the router connected to? What do you mean by " port 1 is connected between a Windows matching and the router"? Machine?
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You can get odd behaviour of you try adding another router to your existing router. If you can plug it into a PC with nothing else in there, what happens when you try to use a web browser and the graphical user interface (GUI)? 
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The bottom line may be that this is a dead router. But there are a few things that you can try to pin that down.

Just another user with time on their hands.

mhmoran · Answer

What do the lights actually look like? What colour is the power LED and what is it doing? Flashing or solid?&nbsp;|&gt; &gt; The problem I'm having is that the Power LED NEVER flashes. It goes from solid|&gt; &gt; orange to solid white, and shortly thereafter the Internet light goes orange,|&gt; &gt; followed by the WIiFi light going white. Even though port 1 is connected|&gt; &gt; between a Windows machine and the router, the port light stays dark.&nbsp;|&gt; If it is "solid white" it isn't bricked in the sense that the firmware shows no sign of |&gt; being damaged.&nbsp;The power light comes on initially solid orange and then flips to solid white,&nbsp; no flashing at all.&nbsp; &nbsp;The directions from support say to start the TFTP when the power light flashes.&nbsp;&nbsp;|&gt; Step back and explain what you are doing. What is the router connected to? What |&gt; outer"? Machine?&nbsp;Router is currently disconnected from everything but the windows machine being used as the TFTP host.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;|&gt; You can get odd behaviour of you try adding another router to your existing router. |&gt; If you can plug it into a PC with nothing else in there, what happens when you try |&gt; to use a web browser and the graphical user interface (GUI)?The current configuration is a Win11 box with wired ethernet connecting to port 1 on the router.&nbsp; Wifi is light goes solid white.&nbsp; &nbsp;My wired and wireless traffic sniffers see no traffic on either ethernet or Wifi, even though both have solid white lights.&nbsp;The browser is unable to connect and eventually times out, even though port 1 is lit as active to the router.&nbsp;&nbsp;|&gt; The bottom line may be that this is a dead router. But there are a few things that |&gt; you can try to pin that down.So yes, the router might be dead as nothing seems to be flowing out from it but it is still showing solid white lights on 1, 4, &amp; 5.&nbsp; The Android app is telling me the upgrade from 2020-era firmware to the latest failed and a support ticket was created.&nbsp;The support AI is telling me to reflash the firmware from a machine using TFTP and to only start the TFTP once the power light flashes.&nbsp; Unfortunately, the power light NEVER flashes.&nbsp; It comes on white, then goes to orange, and back to white all in about 60 seconds.&nbsp;I've tried starting the TFPT on the first white to orange transition and on the return orange to white transition.&nbsp; &nbsp;TFPT never connects.&nbsp;So, I guess the real question is the lack of a flashing power light an indication that some bit of hardware has failed rendering the router unconfigurable.

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AX1800 firm fails and bricks

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