Netgear website says no firmware available for C7800 (AC3200) Nighthawk cable modem/router. Why not? Thanks.

Did you read the firsr reply? ISPs control firmware updates on cable modems. There is nothing that you or Netgear can do about it. The ISPs don't want anyone else messing around with hardware on their networks. If you have fears about the security of your internet connection, talk to your ISP. Or, to take back control of your security, buy a router and work out how to put your C7800 into modem only (bridge) mode.

While the updates to a modem/router are pushed out via the ISP, the software update *comes from* Netgear. The R7800 standalone router had security updates as recently as May 2018 it appears. My C7800 is up-to-date per Netgear documentation but has not been updated in the last 6 months as far as I know. When was the last C7800 update? If not as recently as R7800, why not? A lot of security vulnerabilities have been discovered recently...

Please pay attention. I know firmware updates are rolled out by the ISP. But the updates themselves come from the vendor-- Netgear in this case-- and are rolled out when the vendor provides the ISP with a new update. I have confirmed this with both my ISP (Comcast) and Netgear. The question is whether or not Netgear is PROVIDING AS TIMELY UPDATED FIRMWARE for newly discovered router vulnerabilities for these modem/router combos, as it does for standalone routers. If Netgear can't or won't keep them up-to-date, Netgear should not be selling them, period. This is totally Netgear's responsibility-- the ISP is just the conduit.

As I said, I have asked Comcast and they say they do updates whenever the vendor, Netgear in this case, makes one available. Netgear also says they have to make an update available to the ISP for modem/routers. You seem to be saying "maybe Netgear is making updates available but Comcast isn't taking them". If true, that would be a serious problem in its own right-- but this is not what Comcast tells me they do and I have no evidence to the contrary. However Comcast policy was not my question here obviously. Rather it is this: does Netgear make firmware updates for new router vulnerabilities available to ISPs on roughly the same schedule for modem/routers as it does for standalone routers? If not, modem/routers are inherently less secure and in my opinion Netgear should not be selling a device that cannot be properly secured. However, if the updates are more or less simultaneous, then great! To get specific, when was the last update for my C7800 released compared to the date of the latest update for a comparable standalone router like perhaps the R7800? I can see from the Netgear site that I have the latest Comcast version, V3.01.38 but I can't see a date nor compare to a similar standalone router. Ultimately I want to know Netgear's policy on making available timely security updates for modem/routers (Comcast already claims to deploy them when they get them). Here is a related anomaly I'd like to understand: while the Comcast "Deployed" version is listed as V3.01.38, two other vendors are listed with "Approved" versions of V3.01.36 and "All other ISPs (Current Production Firmware)" are listed as V3.01.06 as well. Why would Comcast have a version seemingly ahead of "current production"? -- not that that would reassure me since updates for the router side are my concern and I can't yet compare those to Netgear standalone routers. But why the discrepancy? If anyone can address any of these concerns I'd appreciate answers.

Mine was at V3.01.36 for over a year. It looks like they finally pushed V3.01.38 to mine either last night or today. I had done a factory reset yesterday due to an unrelated issue and noticed today that it had been updated. No idea if it was just a coincidence or not however. May be worth a shot if you dont have dozens of reserved IP addresses to reenter or other reasons not to try it.

Why no firmware updates for C7800 Nighthawk

20 Replies

michaelkenward
Guru - Experienced User
Jun 06, 2018
Because Netgear does not control firmware on cable modems.

What’s the latest firmware version of my NETGEAR cable modem or modem router? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

If your firmware is outdated, you cannot manually upgrade your cable modem’s or modem router’s firmware. You must contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to upgrade your firmware.
- lellsworth3
  Tutor
  Jun 14, 2018
  While the updates to a modem/router are pushed out via the ISP, the software update *comes from* Netgear. The R7800 standalone router had security updates as recently as May 2018 it appears. My C7800 is up-to-date per Netgear documentation but has not been updated in the last 6 months as far as I know. When was the last C7800 update? If not as recently as R7800, why not? A lot of security vulnerabilities have been discovered recently...
  - michaelkenward
    Guru - Experienced User
    Jun 15, 2018
    Did you read the firsr reply?
    
    ISPs control firmware updates on cable modems.
    
    There is nothing that you or Netgear can do about it. The ISPs don't want anyone else messing around with hardware on their networks.
    
    If you have fears about the security of your internet connection, talk to your ISP.
    
    Or, to take back control of your security, buy a router and work out how to put your C7800 into modem only (bridge) mode.
- dmac1026
  Tutor
  Nov 14, 2018
  That is not true theISP will not do firmware upgrades on third party modems only theirs!
  - michaelkenward
    Guru - Experienced User
    Nov 14, 2018
    
    dmac1026 wrote:
    
    That is not true theISP will not do firmware upgrades on third party modems only theirs!
    
    Funny that people have reported that their Netgear cable modems got updated. Perhaps they imagined it.
    
    But here's the official, line to remind people.
    
    What’s the latest firmware version of my NETGEAR cable modem or modem router? | Answer | NETGEAR Support
    
    If your firmware is outdated, you cannot manually upgrade your cable modem’s or modem router’s firmware. You must contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to upgrade your firmware.

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Why no firmware updates for C7800 Nighthawk