Router wifi settings gone after power outage

For those of you recommending being on a UPS, or backing up your settings....read on.

I woke up this morning to find our network down. Couldn't log into router. Rebooted. All wifi still down, logged in from wired connection. Took my login like others have stated, but all settings gone, factory SSIDs, but worse yet, SSID broadcast enabled with NO SECURITY.  Same thing you've been reading. I tried restoring setting from a backup. FAILED.

I ended up trying to download new firmware (minor version upgrade from what I was on), failed first 2 attempts, succeeded third time. Afterwards, tried to restore backup settings again. Failed. SSID still wide open and broadcasting. Immediately shut that down, so I could get my settings applied. Tried to use smart connect, and asked "are you sure that you do not want any wireless security on your network?" - which all 3 radios had WPA-PSK selected.  Then I got an error saying the 2.4 and 5Ghz SSID aren't the same, so SMART CONNECT will be disabled (they WERE the same).  Then I was immediatley prompted to log back in (wasn't idle or anything). Logged back in, started SSID setup again, this time cleared SMART CONNECT, and typed in all fields manually, which oddly enough it allowed the same SSID name across the 3 radios without smart connect enabled. Applied, successful. Then Turned SMART CONNECT back on, applied, successful. 

Lost all of my other settings, device naming, and the like. An hour and 20 minutes later, having missed my treadmill time I'm sitting here wondering if Netgear will be in my list of future purchases. No router should EVER default to open SSID or any other open security after any type of fault, blip, or reset. 

Oh, and the UPS never lost power - UPS been up all night.