ISP will not update customer owned equipment

plemans
Guru - Experienced User
May 01, 2020
CantFixIt wrote:
I am having the same issue with a Netgear C7000 cable,modem,router. My ISP is WOW and they have never pushed a firmware update. Their modems are costly, run hot, and a waste of money per month. I am going to start giving Netgear lousy reviews for not letting customers do their own firmware updates. If anyone has a solution-please respond- I am just about ready to install 3rd party software if I can find something decent.
Then you better put those reviews out there for all manufacturer's of combo devices as its currently a whole industry that has their combo device firmware controlled by the isp. Its not isolated to netgear.

And combo devices don't have "third party" software you can install. If you want to run your own firmware or be able to upgrade it yourself, you need to buy a router seperate from the modem.
- Usr184
  Guide
  May 01, 2020
  Here's where it all falls apart for me: Customers that own their own equipment can't get firmware updates to said equipment from the manufacturer because of some BS agreement the manufacturers choose to honor with all the ISPs saying they'll only give firmware updates to ISP's. Now supposedly this is because the ISP claims the only way they can "guarantee" reliablility to their customers is by vetting the firmwares. Fine, I'll ignore the part that I'm not prevented from using a modem that's not on the ISP supported list (which they clearly never vet). So apparently that poses no harm eh? Wait, the logic falls apart even if you are on the ISP supported hardware and here's why:
  
  I bought a new modem that is on the ISP (Mediacomm) "supported hardware list". Sweet! I'm back in my IPSs good graces!
  Me to ISP: Please update my firmware. Its on your supported list of modems.
  ISP response: Um, you're firmware is 3 revisions newer than the latest we support for that modem. Unless you're having problems with it we see no reason to roll it back. Would you like us to roll it back?
  Me: WTF? Absolutely not. And what do you mean you're "supported" firmware release is years behind the current manufacturer's release? No I don't want it rolled back, I want it updated to the actual manufacturers current firmware that shuts down Cable Haunt.
  ISP: We rigorously test the firmware before we release updates and that take time.
  Me: Really? Three years behind on firmware....that's some test plan you got there.
  
  So if I can buy a new modem that is supported by the ISP, but its likely to come out of the box behind the manufacturers current release yet still newer than what the ISP supports. Explain how that is any different than the manufacturer giving me that latest and greatest firmware so I can stay secured? Because it is overwhelming clear the ISPs do not maintain current firmware whether you are using something on their supported list or not.
  
  There is so much blame to go around on its like the chicken and the egg. I don't care which came first I want the most secure firmware I can get. The excuse about only ISP tested firmware is the only way to ensure "reliability of the network" as to why manufacturers won't give out the firmware to customers, simly doesn't hold water and it should be considered criminally liable on both the ISP and the modem manufacturers parts.
  - antinode
    Guru
    May 01, 2020
    > [...] Netgear won't allow me to do it, [...]
    
       Netgear can't allow you to do it. It's a DOCSIS requirement, not a
    Netgear requirement.
    
          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOCSIS
    
          https://kb.netgear.com/000036375
    
    > [...] some BS agreement the manufacturers choose to honor with all the
    > ISPs [...]
    
       Yes. A manufacturer could "choose" not to meet the DOCSIS standard.
    This would be equivalent to not selling any cable modem or modem+router
    devices. How, exactly, would that improve your situation?
    
       Blame assignment is Job One. Complain to your ISP. If that fails,
    then complain _about_ your ISP. Presumably, in your jurisdiction, your
    ISP operates as a regulated monopoly. Complain to the regulator. Can't
    be any less effective than complaining here.

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ISP will not update customer owned equipment