Can't access C7100V setup AND can't bypass smart wizard/genie

[spocentek]

The device: Netgear C7100V, firmware revision V2.01.45

Synopsis:

The "Smart Wizard"/"Genie" screen doesn't work AND I can't get around it using the published bypass. I've tried it with four different browsers on two different operating systems (and with all browser extensions disabled) so I'm convinced that it's actually broken and that this isn't an artifact of the browser/OS combination in play.

Explanation:

By "doesn't work" I mean that entering the required data -- an administrative password and the answers to two security questions, and hitting the button, appears to take absolutely no action whatsoever: what's on the screen doesn't change. I've verified that Javascript is enabled and executing multiple ways: the easiest way is to omit one of the security question answers, because that causes the Javascript code on the page to emit a diagnostic.

I'm aware of the recommended method for avoiding the Smart Wizard/Genie:

     Completely avoiding the Smart Wizard | Answer | NETGEAR Support
     https://kb.netgear.com/978/Completely-avoiding-the-Smart-Wizard

That (in brief) says: try http://www.routerlogin.com/basicsetting.htm in order to bypass the Smart Wizard/Genie. This also does NOT work: attempting to access that URL yields a 404.

Also not working:

     http://www.routerlogin.com/basicsetting.html
     http://www.routerlogin.com/basicsettings.htm
     http://www.routerlogin.com/basicsettings.html

All of which I tried in case the URL was a typo, and all of which also yield a 404. Note that this tells me that the onboard web server is working/responding, it just doesn't seem to have that page available.

These two failures (Smart Wizard/Genie and recommended bypass) are consistent whether I'm using the router offline or whether it's on a live/production (Comcast) connection.

I've (obviously) used the factory reset to get to this point, and using it again leaves me exactly where I am -- so at least it's consistent, but unhelpful.

Note 1: This C7100V functions in a live/production setting: I've had it hooked up to a live Comcast connection, and TV (which is passthrough anyway), phone, and network -- including the external WAN and the local (wired) LAN and the local (wireless) LAN -- all function. However, since I'm not able to log into it and customize the configuration, I can't really use it that way, so I've had to revert to the Comcast-supplied router.

Note 2: Testing this in a live/production setting is very onerous, because it requires downtime, a support call to Comcast, explaining what I'm doing, a configuration change on their side, testing, and then a reversion of thhat configuration change if/when this doesn't work. So I'm reluctant to engage in any more live testing unless there is convincing evidence on the table that it will work. I can, however, test it offline because of course that's much easier -- and given that the symptoms of this problem are identical offline/online, I suspect that if a solution can be found which works when it's offline, that it'll work when it's online as well.

I'm hoping for a known-working method for bypassing the Smart Wizard/Genie, but at this point just about anything that lets me get into the C7100 and configure it as I need to would be helpful.  Thanks.

[spocentek · Accepted solution]

Summary for everyone who might find this useful:

The initial problem was a C7100V which wouldn't execute the "Wizard"
in a web browser AND which wouldn't allow bypass of the Wizard by using
the URLs listed in the documentation (and here). The router worked, however:
that is, when plugged into a live cable connection it provided Internet,
phone and TV service. So the only issue was that I couldn't configure it.

Lots of testing with different browser/OS combinations got nowhere. Symptoms
didn't change whether it was on a live cable connection or just sitting on
a desk. Finally -- with help from people here -- the solution was:

1. Reset it while it's powered on and hold the button for 30 seconds.
(Page 124 of the manual, document C7100V_UM_EN.pdf, says 7 seconds. That's
apparently not long enough, go for 30 seconds. The lights on the front
will flash at somewhere around 25-30 seconds.)

2. Connect a network cable between the C7100V and your laptop/desktop.
No other connections: no coax on the C7100V, no wifi on your laptop/desktop.

3. Use a brand-new installation of a web browser. I had success with Firefox
on Ubuntu (finally). If you can't make the Wizard work: try another browser
on another OS. Use as vanilla browser configuration as possible: no
extensions, no fancy options.

Notes:

I don't believe browser extensions were the issue (I had them turned
off or not installed in all of the combinations that I tried) but I do
think there might be a subtle interaction between the Wizard and the
default configuration of some browser/OS combinations I used that
MAY be the root cause of my problem

I never did get the bypass URL to work. Why is still an open question,
but because the C7100V's onboard web server returns a custom 404, I think
the problem is on the C7100V.

[plemans]

try using the modems address 192.168.100.1

[spocentek]

Thanks for responding.  I gave that a try (as well as 192.168.0.1) and as far as I can tell, there's no change in any of the observations.

I didn't think there would be - if the problem was name resolution, then I wouldn't get an error message back from the web server on the C7100 when using URLs of the form http://routerlogin.com/ because I wouldn't be able to reach it. But it was worth a try.

Additional information A: I've said that I get a 404 error, and I do - but it's clearly been customized.  See the screenshot, which I slightly cut off on the bottom, sorry.  As far as I can tell, every 404 error yiields that same "File not found!" response.

Additional information B: I've added a screenshot of the "Smart Wizard/Genie" page that I referenced. I've redacted some of the fields, but the salient point is that hitting the "Next" button at the bottom yields nothing, i.e., there's no indication at all that some action is being taken or that another page will be presented.

[plemans]

Try factory resetting 1 more time. But disconnect the coax from the modem first. then push and hold reset for 7-15 seconds while powered on. 

Attempt setup after that without connecting the coax. If you can get in, then reconnect the coax. 

[spocentek]

Thanks for responding again - i appreciate your time and effort. FYI, I've had the coax unplugged for all of this except for when I was briefly testing it on a live connection (see first message).  The only connection I've been using is a network cable between the C7100V and whichever laptop I was using as the time.

I did a longer reset, as you suggest (30 seconds vs. 7 seconds) and noticed that the lights on the front flashed at about 25 seconds.  I was counting the seconds without a watch so I may be a bit off on the timing.  That didn't seem to change anything (see previous messages). I  didn't exhaustively repeat all the tests, but the results of the ones that I did try were the same.

BUT: as it happens, I built a new system over the weekend (Ubuntu Linux on a MacBook). And since I had it on my desk and running, I thought I would give it a try, just to see if anything differrent would happen.

The bad news: the workarounds for the Wizard still don't work; those URLs (e.g. http://routerlogin.com/basicsetting.htm and variations) still all return a 404.

The good news: the Wizard works - much to my surprise. But I have no idea why, because the browser version I'm using is the same as I'm using on other systems and (just like on those other systems) all extensions are disabled or not even installed. There's no reason this should be different  but clearly it is.  So the root cause of my problems appears to have something to do with the web browser in play - but whatever it is, it's not something obvious.

I'd be curious to hear from Netgear about exactly what browser functionality the Wizard relies on. I'd think HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, but maybe there's something else in there that I'm not seeing (or thinking of).  I've looked at the source code for that page and nothing stands out as odd or browser-specific. And maybe -in future releases - Netgear could include a plain HTML link on the Wizard's start page that's labeled "bypass" or "skip" so that it's easy for everyone to get past it if they need/want to.

But for now, I  think my problem is solved; I've been able to set the admin password, configure the LAN, set up some reserved addresses for DHCP, and so on.  I haven't moved it to the live connection yet - I'll have to wait for a window when there can be some downtime - but given that Internet/TV/phone all worked when it was on the live connection before, I expect they'll work again.

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it. I hope I can return the favor one day.

[plemans]

Either way, glad you have it working!

If you your response as solved, it might help the next person with that issue

[spocentek · Accepted solution]

Summary for everyone who might find this useful:

The initial problem was a C7100V which wouldn't execute the "Wizard"
in a web browser AND which wouldn't allow bypass of the Wizard by using
the URLs listed in the documentation (and here). The router worked, however:
that is, when plugged into a live cable connection it provided Internet,
phone and TV service. So the only issue was that I couldn't configure it.

Lots of testing with different browser/OS combinations got nowhere. Symptoms
didn't change whether it was on a live cable connection or just sitting on
a desk. Finally -- with help from people here -- the solution was:

1. Reset it while it's powered on and hold the button for 30 seconds.
(Page 124 of the manual, document C7100V_UM_EN.pdf, says 7 seconds. That's
apparently not long enough, go for 30 seconds. The lights on the front
will flash at somewhere around 25-30 seconds.)

2. Connect a network cable between the C7100V and your laptop/desktop.
No other connections: no coax on the C7100V, no wifi on your laptop/desktop.

3. Use a brand-new installation of a web browser. I had success with Firefox
on Ubuntu (finally). If you can't make the Wizard work: try another browser
on another OS. Use as vanilla browser configuration as possible: no
extensions, no fancy options.

Notes:

I don't believe browser extensions were the issue (I had them turned
off or not installed in all of the combinations that I tried) but I do
think there might be a subtle interaction between the Wizard and the
default configuration of some browser/OS combinations I used that
MAY be the root cause of my problem

I never did get the bypass URL to work. Why is still an open question,
but because the C7100V's onboard web server returns a custom 404, I think
the problem is on the C7100V.