After (forced) FW upgrade AirCard 785S enters boot loop with the battery pulled out

[endriu]

My router forcefully upgraded itself today to the following firmware:

FW Version:NTG9X25A_02.14.04.13

FW Build Date:05/03/16

Web App Version:AC785S-1_03.03.103.110

Bootloader Version:NTG9X25A_02.14.04.13

Hardware Version:1.0

TRU-Install:PHS_B4045

I'm using it as a permanent solution, constantly connected to power supply, so until now I've been using it with the battery pulled out (to extend its longevity). After the upgrade, this is no longer possible, because the device enters a bootloop and doesn't start at all when the battery is not present. Is it a known firmware issue? If not then how can I officially report it? Is it possible to downgrade the firmware to the previous version?

[DarrenM]

Hello endriu

I would contact your wireless provider they provide the support for this AIrcard and they are the ones that push out the firmware.

DarrenM

[endriu]

Hi DarrenM,

What does wireless provider have to do with it? The behavior is the same regardless of the SIM card I use. I'm pretty sure the firmware comes from Netgear...

[navisence]

I have the same issue. This is a problem since I intended to use the aircard without the battery.

Bought the device yesterday - it booted fine without the battery inserted. Then did the recommeded firmware update. Now the device sits in a boot loop when only connected to the included USB power supply.

[endriu]

I found a workaround for this issue. Start the router connected, with the battery in. Set everything up, enable data transmission, etc. Let it run for a few seconds like that and then pull the battery out. It should stay up. If you do it too early it will enter the boot loop.

Still I would like to raise it as an issue to the manufacturer so that it could be solved in the next firmware version. Anybody knows how to do it?

[ender1]

me too I would confirm this issue, I recently bought this router from Amazon, model is AC785-100EUS
and hardware revision is 1.0. I do not remember which version of firmware was when I turned it on the first time.
I then successfully configured and started to navigate through it without battery inserted but just plugged in to
the wall because the intent was to use it as a permanent 24/24h connection, and all worked very fine for just a couple of minutes;

immediately later, infact, an update become available and I decided to install it, but when the updated finished
the router started an infinite boot loop. I immediately thought the update didn't worked and the unit was
irremediably fired, but after some hours of attempts I tried to insert the battery again and this time the router
succesfully booted. The firmware is now:

FW Version:
NTG9X25A_02.14.04.13
FW Build Date:
05/03/16
Web App Version:
AC785S-1_03.03.103.110
Bootloader Version:
NTG9X25A_02.14.04.13
Hardware Version:
1.0
TRU-Install:
PHS_B4045

The workaround of removing the battery while the router is turned on, as suggested by an user on this thread,
it absolutely does not work with my unit, if I try to remove the battery the router immediately reboots itself
and it starts again an infinite loop until you insert again the battery.

Another issue I have noticed is that the GUI continues to advise me that an update (of 69 mb) is available,
even if I have already succesfully installed it before: after that you have finished to install it, the router normally reboots, but when you open the GUI and you check if a new update is available the GUI propose to install it again. And so on forever.

Greetings

[laurentv]

Hello,

Do we have any news about this topic from NETGEAR? It happen to me as well ... after the firmware update the device is not starting any more without a battery which was not the behavior before the update. This is very frustrating knowing that it was possible before.

NETGEAR, Downgrade steps of the firmware will be much appreciated.