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Factory reset after firmware upgrade
I have had my R6300 for over three years and have always installed firmware upgrades when they become available. I have always used the router itself to do the download and have NEVER done a reset t...
Yeah, it's unfortunate that Netgear hasn't updated their configuration system to deal with this. Since a lot of consumer grade router firmware are derived from a common codebase, I would not be surprised if other vendors have the same problem. Not all do. I believe there is at least one that has bitten the bullet and fixed this problem.
Unfortunately, with Netgear you are stuck for now with doing the factory reset. Worse, you can't rely on the backup file to restore from because it will be based on the previous version, so it may be incompatible. There is a chance that you can get away without doing a reset if you don't use a feature that was subjected to the change. A lot of people take this chance. YMMV.
Not to hijack this post but since I am the starter here goes:
We need a "best practices" cookbook to doing firmware upgrades that deals with the factory reset in a more nuanced way. I imagine it was developed by support being flooded with cases at some point in time. The software guys just told them to have the customer to a factory reset and all will work itself out. Support liked that broad brush "solution" and the approach became enshrined to the point where it is now in the release notes. The result, an easy out for all concerned (except the customer).
As I stated in my starter post, I have never had to do a factory reset. Maybe luck or I have not pushed my config into the dark zone. Still, I think there are some good items in the other posts dealing with this issue.
1. Don't use a WIFI connection to the router to do the firmware upgrade. Always establish a hardwire connection first.
2. Make a backup of your current configuration settings before starting the upgrade. The backup file is not in plain text so if necessary take some screen shots of your key settings. (Hint to Netgear! Make your backup file plain text ASCII and your restore process handle that format. It's basically a script driving a configuration setting applet. It is not really that hard to do! Years ago I had a Netscreen firewall and that's what they did so it's not rocket science.)
3. Perform the upgrade using the router itself, not the download to workstation method.
4. If after the upgrade everything seems to function normally, you are probably good to go. If not, don't ask Support until you have done the reset and punched in your original settings.
The above should be considered a starting point, not gospel. Could someone with a brain much larger than mine (not too hard) pick this up and create a sticky until Netgear recovers from their crainal-rectal inversion posture on this issue? There are lots of folks here with the knowledge and experience to give us a solid approach to this topic.
TIA
Things will not change as long as Netgear can get away with the present way of handling firmware updates if turned around and hurt their bank book changes would happen.
It is sad that a firm will never know when they have lost a customer due to this type of situation. The customer just gets fed up and moves on. It's customer satisfaction 101 and Netgear seems to have been cutting classes.
I know the days that the consumer is number one seem to be going away with some company's sorry to say.