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Orbi RBK753 (the forum pulldown doesn't have the correct model)
Last week, the firmware update was forced onto my RBK753 overnight when all of my systems were doing backups. All PCs to servers and all servers to cloud backups were interrupted due to this unplanned interruption. If any devices needed the backups from that night, a lot of manual data re-creation would have been required. While some might be ok with forced, unscheduled interruptions, I find that unacceptable and NG needs to provide opt-out or scheduling capability for firmware updates.
I started using Nighthawk 5 years ago after decades of Linksys use. I chose Orbi for my mesh upgrade because the Nighthawk performed so well. Nighthawk never forced automatic, unscheduled updates and I could schedule network downtime as needed (and could also revert if testing failed).
Netgear, please give us the option to schedule updates and opt-out from unplanned updates.
Last week, the firmware update was forced onto my RBK753 overnight when all of my systems were doing backups. All PCs to servers and all servers to cloud backups were interrupted due to this unplanned interruption. If any devices needed the backups from that night, a lot of manual data re-creation would have been required. While some might be ok with forced, unscheduled interruptions, I find that unacceptable and NG needs to provide opt-out or scheduling capability for firmware updates.
I started using Nighthawk 5 years ago after decades of Linksys use. I chose Orbi for my mesh upgrade because the Nighthawk performed so well. Nighthawk never forced automatic, unscheduled updates and I could schedule network downtime as needed (and could also revert if testing failed).
Netgear, please give us the option to schedule updates and opt-out from unplanned updates.
23 Comments
I was just checking this thread for any update, as I posted a very angry reply in this thread 13 months ago (Oct 2, 2021). I have not heard anything from Netgear since. The open door suggestion to update your firmware automatically by cummingselsie85 is pretty off-topic if he/she would have cared to read the other articles above... the issue is that a firmware update that was pushed automatically without any option to downgrade to the earlier reliable version makes the router so unstable you can't work from home anymore. it basically stops working. Which would be extremely unacceptable for a cheap router, let alone for one of the more expensive non-professional routers you can buy.
The only reasons I still have my Netgear routers is 1) I managed to block the automatic update process by inserting a EUR 40 hardware firewall between the WAN and the router with the sole purpose of blocking the Netgear firmware site, and 2) they were expensive so I prefer to not throw them away.
I continue to be appalled that Netgear never reached out nor (apparently) did not address the double issue of 1) automatic forced upgrades and 2) broadcasting unstable alpha-level firmware to everybody.
I-started this thread and jumping back in because I just Installed RBK763. I previously returned the RBK753 and replaced with Linksys Velop. There was really nothing wrong wi the Velop but their software was very rudimentary and seemed to have high latency on the backhaul (my cameras were barely usable at times. I liked the Orbi and had read that software update opt out Was Added. I Now have the RBK763 installed and forced updates are turned off .
NG gave control over automatic FW updated on v4.6.9.11 for ALL 7 and 8 series Orbi AX systems.
9 series has same control as well.
