D6400 Firmware Confusion

[michaelkenward]

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Firmware is currently:V1.0.0.34_1.3.34 and the web interface reports no updates available although the Genie interface saysV1.0.1.22_1.1.22 is available.  Think there might be a slight mismatch in numbers.

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V1.0.1.22_1.1.22 was the original firmware.

V1.0.0.34_1.3.34 was an update that broke the modem for several people, all of whom were on ADSL broadband at the end of BT copper.

If you have no problems, stick with it. Bit I expect to see an even newer firmware version before too long.

[JonHC]

V1.0.0.22_1.0.22 was the original firmware, which I am currently using sucessfully.

V1.0.1.22_1.1.22 is an intermediate update that needs to be installed before you can update to the problematic (for myself and others) V1.0.0.34_1.3.34.

When I was running V1.0.0.34_1.3.34 and pulling my hair out, my Netgear Genie application was also telling me there was an update available to V1.0.1.22_1.1.22 but not through my browser interface, somewhat confusing! You'd think that V1.0.1.xx would be newer than V1.0.0.xx

[bellatori]

Nice to see (if you take my meaning) that someone else has exactly the same problem as I do. The phoney upgrade message and the occasional drop off. The latter is not that frequent but about once a week I have to reset everything as the router stops responding. I have a home network of 4 computers wired in and this can be very time consuming as the restart leaves them unconnected often due to IP clashes. I have to wait for jobs to finish, save locally and then restart everything. Not exactly convenient. Given that the system 'mainly' works ok I am reluctant to go back to a previous firmware and less keen to have to set it all up over again.

[michaelkenward]

Unless you need the improvements that come with the latest firmware, whatever they may be, you may find that the drop offs disappear if you flash the modem with the launch firmware.

Several of us had to do that to get the modem to work at all.

I am surprised that it is taking Netgear to long to release new firmware. This issue has been known about for some time. There is even beta firmware that fixes the issue.

[DarrenM]

Hello Everyone

The New firmware for the D6400 is out please let me know if this corrects some issues or causes other issues to happen.

http://downloadcenter.netgear.com/en/product/D6400#searchResults

Thanks 

DarrenM

[JonHC]

Hi Darren,

Thanks for letting us all know. I've downloaded and updated my router so I'll see how it goes over the next 24 hours.

[bellatori]

Hi

I updated mine yesterday and all seems to be working OK now. It did have a bit of a problem with the ethernet network to begin with but I have since rebooted everything and added the connections in stages. It looks as though it is stable. I have had no problems since. However only time will tell!

Jo

[michaelkenward]

That's good. I haven't tried it yet. But the last official firmware update was so bad that it took about 10 minutes for the problem to crop up.

[RaybanMonster]

Thanks Darren

Updated the firmware.

No re-input of settings was required.

Upon connection

ping status shows highly variable results for my BT line/copper:

pinging www.google.com [173.194.67.103] with 32 bytes of data ;

Reply from 173.194.67.103: bytes=32 time=1649ms TTL=47

Reply from 173.194.67.103: bytes=32 time=1888ms TTL=47

Reply from 173.194.67.103: bytes=32 time=2045ms TTL=47

Reply from 173.194.67.103: bytes=32 time=2395ms TTL=47

Ping statistics for 173.194.67.103:

   Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

   Minimum = 1649ms, Maximum = 2395ms, Average = 1994ms

Since spedtest  via WiFi showed  near max throughput on mobile at this time, I am inclined to believe this is a modem problem

Testing PC again almost 1 minute thereafter:

Pinging www.google.com [173.194.67.104] with 32 bytes of data ;

Reply from 173.194.67.104: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=47

Reply from 173.194.67.104: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=47

Reply from 173.194.67.104: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=47

Reply from 173.194.67.104: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=47

I notice this result is again occasionaly paired with what may be an opposite profilling for WiFi Vs Wired services such that one seems reduced vis-a-vis the other when problems occur seemingly.

I will report back as we go. I

[RaybanMonster]

What is most odd about my situation is that Mobile throughput is typically high during high ping phase across wired connection through this D6400 device.

I will now have to check thoroughly PC based software and even  firewall on AVG....

[RaybanMonster]

OK this is definately the worst firmware of the bunch for me . Online surfing is nearly impossible for the constant halting interuptions in wait times wich seem to happen every 3-8 minutes in random fashion.

Downgraded to V1.0.0.22_1.0.22  and although still poor, I can manage better to get these replies in and scout for new product.

There is clearly a problem with the device then as BT speed tests upon further drilling  at the back end produce no obvious flaws or notifications about the network.

My Surface pro over wireless also experinces halting  slowdown issues too.

Enough!

Going to RMA this device now.  Unfortunately the cost of this device does indeed warrant a better expereince. Had no problems for 4 months and BTs network issues have not changed significantly. ITS THE ROUTER Im afraid.

[RaybanMonster]

My Surface pro over wireless also experinces halting  slowdown issues too.

 Furthermore Ive just reinstalled "ye old faithful" router DGND3700  V1.0.0.17_1.0.17

 and this is performing better with higher connection speed, no obvious drop outs the last 25 minutes BUT Im still getting mixed ping results with it,

Conclusion: There is something inherently problemtatic with both the BT network Im on (poor pings)  and the way Netgear products interface with it.

[Cymrukiwi1]

Installed .38 and had dropping out issues on MacBook, IPhone and Xbox. Reinstalled .22 and everything back to normal.

Thinking of returning this.

[michaelkenward]

I finally got round to installing the new firmware. No problem. I haven't put on a pointy hat and "pinged". I prefer seeing how it performs in the real world. So far so good. The original update took about 10 minutes to reveal its true colours. Not a pretty sight.

[JonHC]

Everything ok with me. Internet seems to be running smoothly considering I'm usually lucky to get 5mb where I live. No dropouts, no stalling, so currently, I'm happy with the firmware upgrade.

[michaelkenward]

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@JonHC wrote:

...I'm usually lucky to get 5mb where I live....

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Welcome to the club.

I notice problems when streaming TV, usually the BBC iPlayer.

Looking good so far.

I do have stuttering Internet radio, but I put that down to the receiver. And that is on a Powerplug network.

[JonHC]

Must admit, I haven't had any issues with streaming. I've been able to use iPlayer and watch Netflix movies without any buffering issues. Sky Movies On Demand however was a different kettle of fish. Quite often it couldn't download a movie quick enough to keep up and as for downloading in HD... forget it! Ditched Sky Movies anyway as I decided it was a waste of money.

[michaelkenward]

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I notice problems when streaming TV, usually the BBC iPlayer.

That bit refers to the first update. The new one works fine with streaming.

[RaybanMonster]

After kicking up a fuss with BT and getting support on the issue of my cascadingly higher pings  and thus internet slowdown every 10 mins with both Netgear routers, , they have "reset" my line.

Hmmm  suddenly I am able to use at least the old router seemingly perfectly now after 12 hrs of letting it settle down.

I am not sure what they did but clearly the D6400 had a terrible time adjusting to the problems from BT especially the latest firmware.

I have yet to switch back to the d6400 but remain on the N600.

I notice absolutely no performance advantage in any way between these two devices.. not even over wifi, sadly if im to be pedantic the older N600 has the edge. Theres a lesson here.

[michaelkenward]

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@RaybanMonster wrote:
I have yet to switch back to thed6400 but remain on theN600.

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N600 isn't a router model it is a wifi standard.

Netgear makes many N600 devices.

I doubt if it makes much difference but what model is the older router? 

[RaybanMonster]

Sorry by N600 I meant the  the DGND3700. I know they are siilar spec products but I understand componet changes would make some issues smoother and the beamforming would add a little extra... but alas.. no.

[gainas]

I too have seen this.  However it seems to disappear from time to time!  I thought that it would be better not to bother.  I have no problems at all with drop out of connections with the D6400 and the Wifi seems strong.  Early days though.

[Aceflyer]

I installed the D6400 router @ 3 weeks ago as a replacement for the HG633 provided by TalkTalk. Since switching to fibre medium on 24/09/2015 my internet connection became practically unusable and within @ 3 days dropped speed and eventually ended up with a speed of half the old ADSL speed. After hours of configuration and testing and supplying information it was decided by me that the router was the problem. I haven't mentioned the slow and at times non connection to the internet as well as a failure to even get pages while on an internet site. My wife's lap top was affected the same way with regard to connections or lack of them. After two months of information passing ending in a complaint to the main office there was no solution offered and no sign of TalkTalk, after being given every chance to give us a properly working internet connection, solving our problems. We asked for a new router, but not another HG633, and were assured that the router sent would be a different model of router. Very efficiently another HG633 arrived the following morning. Result, dropping connections virtually unusable and slow connections, could only be compared to an old 56Kps telephone modem, although surprisingly the speeds were steady around 4.7Mbps D/L and 0.8Mbps U/L.  To be fair to TalkTalk they did offer two months compensation for the fibre internet problems, albeit no solutions. But would not admit to problems with the HG633, problems well reported by thousands of customers.

The effect on my system, I am on Windows 10, it became a shadow of its former self, Firefox uninstalled, I-Tunes un-installed, and having to use the Microsoft Edge browser which just about scraped through.

I already had the Netgear A6210 wireless adapter, upgrading my system ready for the upgrade to fibre, so it was decided to replace with the D6400 router. Result, transformation. Literally an end to all the problems. Fast and stable speeds, Fast and stable connections. Re-installed Firefox, I-Tunes etc., and gradually restored the system to its former glory. The router was carefully installed initial with the 1.0.022 firmware, no problems at first but then I took the upgrade to 1.0.0.34. Disaster, The wired connections failed and the adapter vanished off the system. Fortunately the firmware 1.0.0.38 was available and so the upgrade was made to this and very shortly the router was up and running and has been working fine ever since with absolutely no re-booting. The wireless adapter was the victim of a well known Windows 10 problem and had to be re-installed because in rebooting the computer, router etc. it failed to be seen by the Windows 10 OS , as happened with some software when upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10. Therefore it seems that the latest firmware 1.0.0.38 does work quite well with TalkTalk, we are on the former BT telephone system which of course has been upgraded to FTTC and the master socket to a pre-filtered one with separate phone and fibre connections. So, Happy Days!!!!!!!!!

[michaelkenward]

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@Aceflyer wrote:
Therefore it seems that the latest firmware 1.0.0.38 does work quite well with TalkTalk, we are on the former BT telephone system which of course has been upgraded to FTTC and the master socket to a pre-filtered one with separate phone and fibre connections.

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Think yourself lucky that you are on FTTC. There is no "of course" about it. TalkTalk has just dumped me on to Fleur Telecom – an outfit that is, if you can believe it, even worse than TalkTalk when it comes to customer service – because we are on old style BT copper.

Then again, your problem was probably down to BT. Most reports here of problems with the D6400, including mine, seemed to be BT related. They clobbered people on several ISPs. The common thread was the BT copper.

The frustrating thing was that the D6400 shipped with firmware that worked fine. It was only when Netgear "improved" it that the sky fell in.

[Aceflyer]

I don't really consider myself lucky after the problems and stress with our internet connection over the last two months. My 'of course' referred more to the fact that I was no longer on ADSL as some of the reports on this site seemed to refer to. We have waited patiently for the last two years to be finally upgraded to fibre, although a speed of 6.1 Mbps D/L is hardly anything to shout about, the performance and stability now is brilliant, thanks to the D6400. My problems have nothing whatsoever to do with BT and everything to do with TalkTalk and their disastrous and flawed HG633 router. The problem with the D6400 firmware was the only thing that affected my connection and their latest firmware seems to have solved this. But that said the latest upgrade indicated on the Netgear Genie is V1.0.1.22_1.1.22. this leaves me confused as it does not appear on the Netgear upload site. I am reluctant to change to this because of problems indicated on this site with previous upgrades.

 Now I do not understand your linking of the problem with BT because you say that " It was only when Netgear "improved"  it that the sky fell in". As you were referring to the firmware surely the problem is the firmware provided by Netgear that is the source of your problems.

I had  not heard of Fleur Telecom until I saw a previous reference to a transfer to them, would you not have a strong case to simply switch to a better ISP in this case.