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RAX45 Bricked After Firmware Update
Router had a firmware update and was tracking progress on the app. Upgrade process never finished and router was rebooted. It is now not functional. The power LED is just on solid, but none of the Ethernet ports have link lights, WiFi indicators off, etc. I tried to connect directly to my PC via Ethernet cable and do not get any response. Any way to recover? Reading through multiple posts, normally power LED flashing or amber if firmware was corrupted. Afraid it is just toast.
9 Replies
I think your router got bricked during the update. Try resetting your router or restoring the firmware. Advice for the future: when updating the firmware, you need to make sure that the process goes smoothly
Best regards, Leopoldo
https://kb.netgear.com/000059634/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-Windows-TFTP
Need to press the reset button for 30 seconds then release, then it send to PUT the command and upload the FW.
Make sure you enable tftp: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/enable-tftp-windows-10
Video walk through using a tftp client. Use the built in one for windows 10 though. the video is more of an example of how its done:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXhMgQS5k1o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9DLrLQrpaw
I had a problem on a Windows 10 PC where this didn't work to use TFTP, so I switched to a Windows 7 PC and the TFTP worked.
Mac TFTP: https://www.petenetlive.com/KB/Article/0001247
Try nmrpflash:
https://github.com/jclehner/nmrpflash
krk_ wrote:
Router had a firmware update and was tracking progress on the app. Upgrade process never finished and router was rebooted. It is now not functional. The power LED is just on solid, but none of the Ethernet ports have link lights, WiFi indicators off, etc. I tried to connect directly to my PC via Ethernet cable and do not get any response. Any way to recover? Reading through multiple posts, normally power LED flashing or amber if firmware was corrupted. Afraid it is just toast.
krk_ wrote:
The power LED is just on solid, but none of the Ethernet ports have link lights, WiFi indicators off, etc.
If the LED is "solid white" that is usually a sign that the firmware on the router is OK.
Before you embark on drastic measures that could drag you deeper into the mire, start simple.
You don't say if you have tried anything.
First try a simple reboot (power on/off).
If that fails, restart the network as specified:
- Turn off and unplug modem.
- Turn off router and computers.
- Plug in and turn on modem. Wait 2 minutes for it to connect.
- Turn on the router and wait 2 minutes for it to connect.
- Turn on computers and rest of network.
If that fails, the next one to try is the simple "factory reset", as Leopoldo154 suggests.
Still stuck? I used to suggest the 30:30:30 reset:
- Press reset for 30 seconds
- Keep pressing reset while removing power
- Keep pressing reset for another 30 seconds while apply power
Then someone who understands these things, and whose views I trust, told me here that it doesn't work on newer routers. They even suggested that it could be harmful, but as you have a kaput router, there isn't much to lose.
No progress? Then you are finally into TFTP territory. At least you will have ruled out the simpler and safer options.
- Thank you. Tried most of these but the 30:30:30 item. TFTP is not an option currently because I can’t even get link on any of the Ethernet ports.
krk_ wrote:
Thank you. Tried most of these but the 30:30:30 item. TFTP is not an option currently because I can’t even get link on any of the Ethernet ports.No link detected or the LEDs don't work?
