R7960P firmware not upgrading

---

andynbaker wrote:
They have the tplink c4000 in stock again. That's what I'm considering.

---

Looks like a good choice that everyone with this issue should consider.  Same price that we all paid end of last year.  

I'm looking at this one: TP-Link AC5400.  We need a good gaming router at hour house... Up to 3 gamers on at the same time.

---

WookieClaws wrote:

I'm looking at this one: TP-Link AC5400.  We need a good gaming router at hour house... Up to 3 gamers on at the same time.

---

That's about $100 more on Amazon, but you may be shopping elsewhere.  The TP-LINK C4000 that andynbaker described is closely spec'd to my R7960P (actually, spot on with Netgear's Nighthawk X6S Smart WiFi router (R8000P) model).   So, I'm pulling the trigger on that today.  TP-Link has a good reputation (as Netgear once did, too).   I've been ticked off since March about this, expecting Netgear to offer a fix, but it's evident that they've abandoned this model (R7960P).  You can't even find it from the drop down "Model" list for these posts, of available models.

By the way, depending on the size of your house, with three gamers you might want to look into a mesh router system, i.e. with multiple nodes around your house.  At over 1000 (actually 1600+ MBPS) per channel, one rarely has contention problems on one of these multi-band routers.   It's more important that your signal strength is equalized throughout your house, which is what a multi-node mesh system (i.e. with a back channel feeding each node with the strongest single available from the other nodes), will do.   Also, get a cell phone App to analyze the signal contention around your neighborhood, to ensure that your router isn't trying to use the same signal as your neighbors. I've got a free one called "WIFI Analyzer", which works well.  

Update:  I have sucessfully upgraded to the latest firmware.

I called netgear support. At first they did not want to help because my free 90 days expired about 30 days ago.  However, I pointed out to them three things:  1. The problem has existed since before my support expired.  2. I do have an Armor subscription, and how do I know thats not causing the issue, 3. They are the ones sending me emails telling me i need to update my firmware.

So they agreed to send me to tech support.  Having explained my previous attempts, they had me:

1. Do the check for update with the browser - same result no new firmware.

2. Redownload the .62 firmware update from the link in the email (looks like the same location as for downloads navigating there via the menu

3. After extracting the file, they asked me to move it to my desktop

4. browse to the file, and execute the upload process.

The upload started, progressed along smartly for about 1 min,  and then the reboot message flashed up on the screen.

I checked the router and it was re-booting.  This is in incontrast to last time when the upload moved more slowly, hung at 100% for 30 min, and the router never rebooted.

I don't know if this download was different, there is some wierd internal pathing that looks something that makes a desktop firmware location different, or just the luck of the draw..... but it did work this time so maybe you guys want to try again?

Goodluck!

R7960P-V1.4.1.62_1.3.22 on the download site hasn't changed (checked w/ a binary compare).  I wonder if the link they gave you, went to a newer file?  I'm pretty sure I earlier tried updating with the file on the desktop, but I will try again now to make sure.  I'm posting this before that attempt, just to note for people that the firmware file hasn't changed (to save them from bothering to download it again).

Such a pathing issue is a crazy limitation, but for anyone that's worked in software, such bugs like this can come up if the state is already unexpected.

What model router do you have?  I tried using their alternative process, i.e. both upload from desktop, as well as a script they posted earlier, and no joy on either attempt.   One thing I'm not sure I've tried (it's been months), but some of you folks might, is to press the "reset" button in the back.  It'll clear all your settings, and *** MIGHT *** reload the original firmware software.  (Probably not, because firmware is usually independent of your appliance.)  Failing that, ask for instructions on rolling back the current version installed.  Next time you run the standard router update, it should pick up the latest version, and hopefully, skip over the buggy firmware version installed.  

 

However, I won't be doing any more of this.  I just ordered the TP-Link replacement, pulled out my netgear box and receipt, and in about 5 days, this thing goes back, and I'm out of Netgear for good.  LOL, I've wasted literally hours trying to find, develop, coax a solution for this bug, and I think I've put in more time than anyone at Netgear has, resolving this bug. 

CKopp wrote:

Update:  I have sucessfully upgraded to the latest firmware.

 

I called netgear support. At first they did not want to help because my free 90 days expired about 30 days ago.  However, I pointed out to them three things:  1. The problem has existed since before my support expired.  2. I do have an Armor subscription, and how do I know thats not causing the issue, 3. They are the ones sending me emails telling me i need to update my firmware.

 

So they agreed to send me to tech support.  Having explained my previous attempts, they had me:

 

1. Do the check for update with the browser - same result no new firmware.

2. Redownload the .62 firmware update from the link in the email (looks like the same location as for downloads navigating there via the menu

3. After extracting the file, they asked me to move it to my desktop

4. browse to the file, and execute the upload process.

 

The upload started, progressed along smartly for about 1 min,  and then the reboot message flashed up on the screen.

 

I checked the router and it was re-booting.  This is in incontrast to last time when the upload moved more slowly, hung at 100% for 30 min, and the router never rebooted.

 

I don't know if this download was different, there is some wierd internal pathing that looks something that makes a desktop firmware location different, or just the luck of the draw..... but it did work this time so maybe you guys want to try again?

 

Goodluck!

 

 

 

 

---

No joy for me either.  CKopp if you didn't already (sorry if you did) please tell us what firmware version you had before upgrading and confirm your model.  I think there is a path issue because when the firmware is coming from the desktop it at least uploads and reboots...but I'm left w/ the same V1.4.1.50_1.3.10.  IdahoScott Because I spent an eon fixing QOS settings for each device, and also some time w/ a very buggy access control - I too haven't tried a factory reset before updating to the latest - because I didn't want to have to redo all of that work.  Also, it's time consuming having to reset all the wireless settings.  Because I won't have a replacement for some time, it would be even more maddening to successfully revert to factory, but then fail to upgrade to the latest and have to reset all those settings for the house...AND be running an much more vulnerable firmware version.

Thanks Mrfatboy I really hope it works for you, and then you and CKopp can help the rest of us figure out the missing detail preventing a successful upgrade.   Because the firmware file apparently was pushed successfully to the router, this shouldn't be an issue but what browser are you using for the upload?  I've tried the latest Edge, and earlier Chrome.  Again because other have tried with Tftpd64 I can't imagine how that should make any difference.  Just to be sure it's not a browser cache issue reporting the firmware version I cleared both earlier and that made no difference.

My Firmware before upgrade was :V1.4.1.50_1.3.10.  After I am on: V1.4.1.62_1.3.22.

My model is the Netgear R7960P that costco sold.  I attached the file I used. At lease I tried too (choose file option) not sure where it went?

I was able to get V1.4.1.62_1.3.22 after being on  V1.4.1.50_1.3.10.  Again from a desktop load. 

I also am on windows 10 pro (v2004) and used Chrome (Version 84.0.4147.125 (Official Build) (64-bit) this time.

One other thought. in the past a couple of times I had noticed that the router was acting a bit flakey, so I rebooted it and it was fine (used to happen all the thime with my dlink gamesing router.

Based on what I did and people are now reporting I am wondering if the best chance might come from:

1. Power off the router for a couple min

2. Power on the router

3. Reboot PC to reaquire IP from DHCAP

3. Download new firmware and extract to desktop

4. From a wired connection, invoke the firmware update process from the console using the desktop file

Maybe?

Wow, so happy to hear people having success, (because waiting for the Asus routers I'm interested in to be avaiable will be awhile) - and thank you all for the detailed steps.  Because I'm new here and don't know where to look for an attached file, Mrfatboy did you have sucess w/ the firmware on Netgears download page?

I don't know why having it unplugged before the attempt would make a difference but I will try that soon along w/ using Chrome from start to finish.  I'm also running Win10 (2004 latest updates). 

I'm using a wired connection and I saw the upload progress %status very quickly run from 1 - 100, then I saw the router reboot...but I didn't see it slow blink only a couple of lights for some number of minutes - which made me suspect that after reboot it didn't attempt to flash.  In fact the time to reboot was so quick I'm pretty sure that's what's happening with mine.  Finally earlier I unplugged all connections, rebooted the PC as just suggested and it didn't make a difference but I'm happy to try that again as well.  Again, I suspect my problem is that after the download the flashing process is not initiating for some reason.  Makes me wonder if there's some previous setting preventing.  One maybe unusual thing I've done is reduce the wireless power below 100% (because I live in a small house and want to minimize exposure if I don't need the coverage) but I doubt a wireless setting would impact it.  I might just be unluckly.  Curious to keep reading if anyone else fails in the way I'm seeing. 

Thanks Mrfatboy and CKopp for trying to help.  CKopp , when you said "invoke the firmware update process from the console using the desktop file...is that equivalent to browsing to the routerlogin/start portal->Administration->Router Update etc? 

Darn, no luck for me after unplugging all connections, rebooting and uploading using Chrome through the web portal app.  After my wife's meetings this week where she needs a connection, I may try the longer method to push the file to the router using Tftpd64 or windows' utility, but by all indications the upload process isn't the problem.  I'm not surprised but my hopes were going up seeing so many successes.  I am hesitant to attempt a factory reset to force a downgrade in case that doesn't work, since I won't have a replacement router to fall back on for probably over a month if I order the one I'm interested in today.  In the meantime, I'll definitely watch this thread to see if there's a trick I missed or got wrong.  Thanks all.

Not sure if this is a notable difference, but I allways access the router via its IP directly.  The default should be 192.168.1.1.

Once in (at 192.168.1.1/start.htm, I navigate to the Advanced/Administration/Router Update page.

routerlogin is resolving to http://192.168.1.1/start.htm ok but thanks for any detail.

I'm just a bit sad because to add to the other problems I have w/ this router - I have a few duplicate IP's being assigned to important devices, which I can't seem to fix now either.  Just so many bugs...*sigh*  Mrfatboy the upload of the update makes it to 100%, most led's turn off, then 3 red adjacent lights come on for a few seconds, the router shuts off, powers on, then boots up like normal (unfortunately).  I recal when flashing firmware successfully before, or after the reboot.  Oh and after the reboot my wireless network is now called "living room speaker" even though the SSID hasn't changed according to the admin portal!?!  I'm back to being extremely frustrated and tired.  Is there a press and hold the reset button type of option to return it to it's initial firmware??  or would my only chances be to try and down grade flash to a previous version.  At minimum I need to keep the wired computer running for my wifes meetings tomorrow. 

2 cents recommendation from a really old guy - replace your current router (Trendnet in my case) before it becomes too flaky - just so you have a backup in case your new router goes foobar like this Netgear.

BTW, sad and tired + frustrated is more accurate.  Speaking of which I could take notes of which led's come on in what sequence but it's in another room and I'm just kindof tired.  If that would help diagnose a fixable problem I am willing, otherwise I need to take a break and fix something (like our screen door) that's fixable, to improve my mood ;-)