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Forum Discussion
Why no firmware updates for C7800 Nighthawk
Netgear website says no firmware available for C7800 (AC3200) Nighthawk cable modem/router. Why not? Thanks.
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.
I am not the one with ADD.
Let's try again.
- You are worried about the security of your cable modem/router
- Your Internet service provider demands control over firmware updates for devices on its network
Here's a strange idea, ask your ISP what it is doing to guarantee the security of your modem router.
I know you find it hard to accept the way things work, so try reading this for yet more evidence that you should start with the ISP.
Who and how can update cable modem firmware? - Information Security Stack Exchange
Netgear and all the other modem makers can write all the updates they like, but if the ISP won't play ball you are stuffed.
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.
- I am in Las Vegas & even though Netgear's firmware page lists Cox's approved firmware as V3.01.36 they sent V3.01.38 out a while back. The firmware page is not accurate.
One way to check out concerns about security issues is to read the advisories that Netgear puts out when new ones crop up. For example, here is the latest:
Security Advisory for VPNFilter Malware on Some NETGEAR Devices | Answer | NETGEAR Support
Like many earlier advisories, this lists the devices that it has tested and deemed to be vulnerable.
The two companies employees are playing toss, with you as the hot potato. They will not allow us as the consumer access to our device, they are keeping that to themselves. I am waiting for a lawyer into tech to get mad and start a class action lawsuit that I can join. This is an infringement of our rights of ownership, or at least misleading advertisement by not making it clear that this would be the case. I just wanted to own and control my network with the best one box solution to internet access I could find and afford. I also want to own and control my endpoint on the network, as why should we trust the big company with our security, they are not the best at it. Internet Service Provider should just provide Internet service, not control it.
Spectrum/Charter is also giving me the same battle at a private school with strict internet polices that I administrate. They promised to provide Internet access and allow us to control the policies and access to wireless and passwords by ourselves, but instead they will not provision us to access the cloud firewall or wireless controllers We have to fight the bureaucracy to make simple changes like wireless passwords or content filter changes.
