Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973

Wrong CM1100 Firmware

physinfoman
Aspirant

Wrong CM1100 Firmware

Netgear says the CM1100 current firmware should be V6.01.07. The modem reports that the installed firmware version is V7.01.01, which is the correct firmware for the CM1000. I have done the factory reset. I have occasional network drops from Comcast, otherwise near claimed speed and "clean" signals.

 

Question: should I expect problems running V7.01.01 on the CM1100? 

My hardware version is V2.02, from the Admin info page.

Thanks for any help.

Message 1 of 14

Accepted Solutions
physinfoman
Aspirant

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware


-@FURRYe38 wrote:

Then you need to contact CC and have them double check your modem to be sure they have pushed the right version to the CM1100:

https://kb.netgear.com/000036375/What-s-the-latest-firmware-version-of-my-NETGEAR-cable-modem-or-mod...

 

They need to check on these conditions and logs your seeing aswell. 


-----

If only I could reach them...

 

i've just spent 2 hours, first with Comcast, then at the end with a Netgear rep.

 

The Comcast people at five different levels said they couldn’t do it, and referred me to a Netgear rep “expert” who wanted to sell me a year Tech Support subscription. The most helpful person was the on-line chat person (level 2) who responded after navigating the Comcast chatbot. He checked signal levels, etc., said it looked good from his end but couldn’t help with the firmware provisioning. He scheduled a call-back with the next level. Unfortunately, the call-back was identified by Verizon as spam and directed immediately to voice mail. After checking voice mail, I reached a Comcast person (level 3) who wanted to send a tech out to help me update my firmware. The next Comcast person level (4) agreed with level 3 that Comcast didn’t control the firmware provisioning. After much protesting, this person sent me to level (5) after another person at level 4 came on the line to tell me that the previous person was wrong, and that the problem was because I was using customer-owned equipment. Since it was a Netgear product, they would send me to a Netgear specialist. She didn’t mention that the person was employed by Netgear; the implication was that she was a Comcast employee who “knew” Netgear products. So I was sent to the subscription salesperson. When I declined, she said she would send an article to “help me update the firmware.” The article was about routers, not cable modems.

 

Netgear’s info pages state unequivocally that only the ISP can provide (or update to) the correct firmware, and shows V6.01.07 to be the latest version. I  am planning to write a letter to Comcast. I could try the phone tree again, but it seems that the chances of reaching the router-provisioning level are very slim.

 

Thanks to all who responded, stay well, and Happy Thanksgiving.

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Message 13 of 14

All Replies
labatt
Mentor

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware

FYI. Only the ISP updates firmware on your modem. I have Comcast and they have never updated firmware on 3 different Netgear modems I have used. I also never had a modem issue so never felt the need to ask them about it. There is no way for you to update. 

Message 2 of 14
physinfoman
Aspirant

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware

labatt,

 

Yes, I understand that Comcast pushes the firmware. I was asking if the installed version could contribute to the problem of occasional (days to weeks between) connection drops.

Thanks for the reply.


@labatt wrote:

FYI. Only the ISP updates firmware on your modem. I have Comcast and they have never updated firmware on 3 different Netgear modems I have used. I also never had a modem issue so never felt the need to ask them about it. There is no way for you to update. 


 

Message 3 of 14
labatt
Mentor

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware

I would more likely suspect an issue with the ISP then the modem with that frequency of failures. Look at the signal values coming from the ISP when logged into modem then do a little research about what they should be. May find you are boderline. 

Message 4 of 14
physinfoman
Aspirant

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware


@labatt wrote:

I would more likely suspect an issue with the ISP then the modem with that frequency of failures. Look at the signal values coming from the ISP when logged into modem then do a little research about what they should be. May find you are boderline. 


When I have checked power levels and s/n ratios, they have always been in specs. Usually the correctable and uncorrectable codeword sections report 0 errors. That is the case presently, after running 2 days. I have noticed that at times the error columns report many errors, but the power and s/n ratio numbers appear good.

 

Currently the downstream power ranges from +2.16 dBmv to +3.6 dBvm on the locked channels. The s/n ratios range from 43.5 dB to 45.1 dB.

 

Upstream power ranges from 43.5 dBmv to 45.0 dBmv.

 

The Event Log is often blank for some days after power resetting the modem, then populates with timing errors and "SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-..." (etc.) messages.

 

After an early-morning factory reset on the 12th (Nov, 2020) the Event Log after restarting showed  three instances of SYNC errors ("Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;) followed by a "No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out" error, then another SYNC error followed by "No Ranging Response...", then "Honoring MDD; IP provisioning mode = IPv6", then "DS profile assignment change. DS Chan ID: 32; Previous Profile: ; New Profile: 1 2 3. ....", and finally the newest entry: another SYNC failure. The SYNC failures are all listed as "Critical (3)"; however, the network has been running without apparent problems. DSL Reports shows the quality of the data connection at an "A" level.

 

I have a 2 to 1 splitter attached to the incoming cable, one side going to the modem and the other to a Comcast TV box (rarely used). I also suspect the feed, but am still wondering about the compatibility of the CM1000 firmware with the CM1100 modem.

 

Thanks!

Message 5 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware

Have the ISP check the signal and line quality UP to the modem. Be sure the ISP re-provisions the modem correctly.
Be sure there are no coax cable line splitters in the between the modem and ISP service box. 
Be sure your using good quality RG6 coax cable up to the modem. 
Be sure to power OFF the modem for 1 minute them back ON.
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Cable-Modems-Routers/General-info-and-Troubleshooting-for-Cable-Mod...

Message 6 of 14
physinfoman
Aspirant

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware


@FURRYe38 wrote:

Have the ISP check the signal and line quality UP to the modem. Be sure the ISP re-provisions the modem correctly.
Be sure there are no coax cable line splitters in the between the modem and ISP service box. 
Be sure your using good quality RG6 coax cable up to the modem. 
Be sure to power OFF the modem for 1 minute them back ON.
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Cable-Modems-Routers/General-info-and-Troubleshooting-for-Cable-Mod...


Thank you for responding. Perhaps I should simply assume the CM1000 firmware is compatible with the CM1100, even though Netgear specifies another version. My current logs are identical to the logs immediately following the factory reset, except for the numbers of unerrored codewords which obviously have increased. My download speed, measured on a wi-fi laptop some distance from the router, is currently 139 mbps and upload speed around 11 mbps. I suspect the problem is upstream- nothing is happening here to affect it. We just went through an extended period of high winds. Our lights flickered a few times but the 'net stayed up. 

 

It gets back to my uncertaintiy about compatibility. The connection can remain "clean" for two or more weeks, then drop, usually overnight. 

 

Message 7 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware

Your assumpthion would be incorrect. The Cm1000 and 1100 are two different units. 

Message 8 of 14
physinfoman
Aspirant

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware


@FURRYe38 wrote:

Your assumpthion would be incorrect. The Cm1000 and 1100 are two different units. 




Thanks for responding, but I did not assume the two units are the same. My question is whether the CM1100 will perform as expected when running the CM1000 firmware. I know it "works" but would the correct firmware provide more stability? I'd have to assume the firmware version numbers are different for a reason.

 

 

 

Message 9 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware

Also hardware. There are differences between the 1000 and 1100. Also no ISP would probably ever push cross model FW to a different model modem. Smiley Wink

 

Stability comes from the ISP side and providing a good solid stable and clean signal to the modem. Doesn't really matter of FW version. Then the wifi router thats connected would be the next item to be sure thats working well. These can be problematic leading users to think there is a modem issue when there isn't. 

 

 

Message 10 of 14
physinfoman
Aspirant

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware


I usu@FURRYe38 wrote:

Also hardware. There are differences between the 1000 and 1100. Also no ISP would probably ever push cross model FW to a different model modem. Smiley Wink

 

Stability comes from the ISP side and providing a good solid stable and clean signal to the modem. Doesn't really matter of FW version. Then the wifi router thats connected would be the next item to be sure thats working well. These can be problematic leading users to think there is a modem issue when there isn't. 

 

 

Thanks- but

"no ISP would probably ever push cross model FW" ... except Comcast?

 

My CM1100 feeds an NG Nighthawk X6 R8000, in a basic setup. 

I usually see these (below), which I believe are associated with IPv6 errors. Hence, question about wrong firmware.

Critical (3)Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-.....


 

Message 11 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware

Then you need to contact CC and have them double check your modem to be sure they have pushed the right version to the CM1100:

https://kb.netgear.com/000036375/What-s-the-latest-firmware-version-of-my-NETGEAR-cable-modem-or-mod...

 

They need to check on these conditions and logs your seeing aswell. 

Message 12 of 14
physinfoman
Aspirant

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware


-@FURRYe38 wrote:

Then you need to contact CC and have them double check your modem to be sure they have pushed the right version to the CM1100:

https://kb.netgear.com/000036375/What-s-the-latest-firmware-version-of-my-NETGEAR-cable-modem-or-mod...

 

They need to check on these conditions and logs your seeing aswell. 


-----

If only I could reach them...

 

i've just spent 2 hours, first with Comcast, then at the end with a Netgear rep.

 

The Comcast people at five different levels said they couldn’t do it, and referred me to a Netgear rep “expert” who wanted to sell me a year Tech Support subscription. The most helpful person was the on-line chat person (level 2) who responded after navigating the Comcast chatbot. He checked signal levels, etc., said it looked good from his end but couldn’t help with the firmware provisioning. He scheduled a call-back with the next level. Unfortunately, the call-back was identified by Verizon as spam and directed immediately to voice mail. After checking voice mail, I reached a Comcast person (level 3) who wanted to send a tech out to help me update my firmware. The next Comcast person level (4) agreed with level 3 that Comcast didn’t control the firmware provisioning. After much protesting, this person sent me to level (5) after another person at level 4 came on the line to tell me that the previous person was wrong, and that the problem was because I was using customer-owned equipment. Since it was a Netgear product, they would send me to a Netgear specialist. She didn’t mention that the person was employed by Netgear; the implication was that she was a Comcast employee who “knew” Netgear products. So I was sent to the subscription salesperson. When I declined, she said she would send an article to “help me update the firmware.” The article was about routers, not cable modems.

 

Netgear’s info pages state unequivocally that only the ISP can provide (or update to) the correct firmware, and shows V6.01.07 to be the latest version. I  am planning to write a letter to Comcast. I could try the phone tree again, but it seems that the chances of reaching the router-provisioning level are very slim.

 

Thanks to all who responded, stay well, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Message 13 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Wrong CM1100 Firmware

I would reach out to a forum moderator for help on this.

@vkdelta @Blanca_O @Christian_R and @DarrenM 

Message 14 of 14
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