R7000 Spectrum Modem Compatibility

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Retired_Member wrote:

 

I suspect there was a compatibility problem between the Spectrum modem and my R7000 router with the old firmware, and the requirement to disconnect and reconnect the modem during the firmware update seems a little odd. Has anyone else had this experience?

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Without any evidence of what this "compatibility problem" might be, it is impossible to comment on that bit.

I agree that "the requirement to disconnect and reconnect the modem during the firmware update seems a little odd". Possibly because there is no such requirement.

This is a possible clue:

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Retired_Member wrote:

I had not updated my router firmware for a number of years and decided to try that.

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In my experience, router updates never require this.

Every update goes go through an automatic reboot as a part of the process. But there are sometimes firmware updates that are so significant that they recommend a reboot before the update as well as after.

Some updates also require an intermediate update. So you can't go from version N to N + 6, say, in one go. You need to have N + 3 in there first.

I don't recall that the R7000 has even been through that but is had been a victim of "Netgear creep", where making room for more and more paid-for services mean that they remove some of the features that other users find valuable.

Here's another puzzle:

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Retired_Member wrote:

During the setup, the Netgear App was suggested, so I installed that on my phone

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"Suggested" is not the same as "essential". As Netgear tries to make life easier for users, it pushed them to use mickey mouse apps that experienced users avoid. There is nothing wrong with the good old manual update over a wired connection.

How do I manually upgrade firmware to my NETGEAR router? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

Finally, there's this:

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Retired_Member wrote:

Spectrum recently upgraded my modem and I had used an older version for years.

Changing your Internet service and the associated modem can result in important changes that really do require you to reset the router and set it up again from scratch. If not then there may be some subtle settings carried over from the old modem. These could have created the troubles you saw.

So, the bottom line is that there are so many uncertainties and possible missteps in what you did that I would read nothing into your experience or the state of your router. and its compatibility with the new modem.