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Nighthawk X6 R8000 Upgrading to latest firmware may have bricked my router
This morning, in the Nighthawk iOS app, I noticed that a firmware update was available for my Nighthawk X6 R8000 AC3200 router. The app indicated it would take approximately 3 minutes for the update, and I started it. I've found the Nighthawk app to be a very convenient way to update firmwar, since it is completely automatic after the upgrade is initiated through the app.
About 20 minutes later, I noticed that my WiFi signal still had not come back. I went to physically check thr router, and after observing it for several minutes, it appeared to be in an endless boot-loop. With no end in sight, I was forced to dicsonnect it, and I'm now on my ISP-provided router.
My nighthawk X6 seems to be in a bad state. Powering it on, the boot sequence ends with a single solid red LED illuminated. I've attempted a factory reset (long-press the back panel reset button with a straightened paperclip) to no avail.
I'm afraid that this firmware upgrade bricked my router. I've never had an experience where a manufacturuer supplied firmware has resulted in a non-operable device.
Can anyone help me bring it back to life? Does the Nighthawk X6 have any mechanism to revert the device to the preiously installed firmware forlloing a failed upgrade?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks Bill,
Unfortuntaely, I have a visual impairment that firmly puts that solution beyond my capabilities.
So, the only solutions available to me would appear to be:
- Paying someone else to do it...That is, if it is even possible to locate a Third Party repair shop (or individual for that matter) that would do such a thing.
- Outright replacement.
My thanks to the community, but it appears that I'm hosed.
13 Replies
daveb78 wrote:
I've never had an experience where a manufacturuer supplied firmware has resulted in a non-operable device.Sadly, I have seen similar reports from users of stuff made by most manufacturers.
It is more likely when people allow something to update itself over wifi, where the risk of interruption is much higher.
One way out is TFTP.
How to upload firmware to a NETGEAR router using Windows TFTP | Answer | NETGEAR Support
Why so they have an app that does not worn about doing over wireless?
Crap firmware and crap app. Yes this is your troll friend.
michaelkenward thanks for pointing me at the tftp solution. Unfortunately, it didn't work-out.
When I boot-up the router, while holding-down the reset button, the router goes through a repeating sequence where the power LED is either off, illuinated white, then illuimnated orange/amber. Some or all of the other LEDs are illuminated white, except when the power LED is solid organge/amber. The power LED is never in a state that I would consider to be "flashing". This is not quite what I would have expected from the description in step 10 "Watch the Power LED. It starts with an orange color, and then start flashing". I allowed the repeating sequence to occur at least 10 times, then release the reset button, and hit ENTER on the tftp command. The response I received was "Connect request failed" - so I'm not certain if this is because I've done something incorrect (but don't think so) or that my router is beyond recovery.
Also, after you pointed me at the Windows TFTP solution, I also happened upon Netgear's similar KB article using a TFTP Client. What I found intriguing was that those instructions, while similar, don't mention either waiting for at least "10 flashes" or releaseing the reset button. I find this disconcerting, as I would have expected the router-side of the procedure to be identical, regardless of the TFTP client.
michaelkenward wrote:
It is more likely when people allow something to update itself over wifi, where the risk of interruption is much higher.
I totally hear you on that. I had assumed (perhaps incorrectly) the because Netgear specifically warns against updating firmware over WiFi, and that they also provide an app feature to upgrade firmware, that the app itself plays no active role in the firmware upgrade process. I.e.the app merely "tells" the router to upgrade, and all the work is offloaded to the router itself with no WiFi involvement in the upgrade process. Again thought, that's merely an assumption on my part, mostly because that's how I would've done it to avoid the ptifalls
daveb78 wrote:
I totally hear you on that. I had assumed (perhaps incorrectly) the because Netgear specifically warns against updating firmware over WiFi, and that they also provide an app feature to upgrade firmware, that the app itself plays no active role in the firmware upgrade process. I.e.the app merely "tells" the router to upgrade, and all the work is offloaded to the router itself with no WiFi involvement in the upgrade process. Again thought, that's merely an assumption on my part, mostly because that's how I would've done it to avoid the ptifalls
See, this is part of the problem. People read or in some cases do not. At one time the README file associated with the Firmware (you can go back maybe a years worth and see this) SPECIFICALLY said you should use a WIRED DEVICE to update the f/w. Now even when you buy a new router there is a sticker on it (at least on my R8000 I bought 8 months ago) TELLING you to use the NIGHTHAWK app (my R8000 said NETGAR UP which was replaced with it) to set up the router. You were to use the attached USERID's and PASSWORD's to hook up the device. The first thing it does IS check for a f/w update and if you allow it, it will update itself.
'You' are not doing it wirelessly. It is all done internally between the router and NG F/W server. Yes, something could happen and corrupt the d/l, depending on a whole bunch of factors. Now where if gets 'messy' is people see 'wireless'. So they think they can D/L the f/w to the Laptop and then UNZIP the file, open a browser, go to Genie and do a Router Update pointing back to the flash on the WIRELESS device... an invitation to trouble. That is why WIRED was at one time strongly suggested.
Since NG has added the AUTO UPDATE feature to firmware, we've hit a lot of posts with a 'bricked' or non-responsive router due to that. Should not matter, but some f/w is just not working right. On top of that, NG at one time stated you should RESET the router and manually reenter all settings after a f/w update. I don't know if they DID something that this wasn't required anymore (but it is the first thing to try if you have an update problem) and have REALLY REALLY tested this or just that it seemed to work so they removed that request?
