Re: D6400 Firmware does not upgrade

Jiminroyalston · ‎2018-08-13

I know I've seen similar posts but I cannot find them. I am trying to install Firmware V. 1.0.0.80. The upgrade seems to run to completion but once done the modem is still at 1.0.0.52. I believe the solution is to flash forward a version at a time but I don't have a list of all of the releases between 1.0.0.52 and 1.0.0.80. So, this generates two questions:

a) must I upgrade from 1.0.0.52 one step at a time across all interim releases?

b) if so, is there a list of the versions I need to download?

There are no error message, BTW, it runs for a while then reboots the modem. I've run through the process three time. I still show V 1.0.0.52.

Jiminroyalston · ‎2018-08-14

I don't have an explanation of why, but I've fixed it. I found a copy of D6400-V1.0.0.78. That upgraded just fine. I then upgraded from there to 1.0.0.80. Worked exactly as advertised. I can say it pays to stay current even though NetGear doesn't do as good a job as they could. I've only had this router 4 months so it had to have shipped with pretty old firmware. I've done the Check Firmware routine a number of times and it came back saying it had the latest. It obviously did not. Owners of this device need to login at NetGear and look under downloads to see what the latest version is. It will always be easier to upgrade one version at a time.

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antinode · ‎2018-08-13

> [...] I am trying to install Firmware V. 1.0.0.80. [...]

   How, exactly? There's more than one way.

> a) must I upgrade from 1.0.0.52 one step at a time across all interim
> releases?

   Based on experience with other devices, I strongly doubt it.

   Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your model number, and look
for Documentation. Get the User Manual. Look for "Update the Firmware
of the Modem Router". While you're in the neighborhood, look for
Downloads. Find the kit(s). Download the kit(s) you want. Read the
"Release Notes" file for instructions (which should generally agree with
"Manually Upload New Firmware and Update the Modem Router" in the User
Manual).

Jiminroyalston · ‎2018-08-13

I downloaded the firmware file, called D6400-V1.0.0.80.chk. I then logged onto the modem and went to Advanced -> Administration -> Router Update. The Router Update page requests you browse to the file and then select Upload. Once you do that you will get the little timer bar, showing it is updating, until it is time to reboot the router. At which time you lose all connectivity until the router is again online. Once that happens the router shows it is still at V1.0.0.52.

If there is another way to do this update - I'm open to suggestions.

antinode · ‎2018-08-13

> I downloaded the firmware file, called D6400-V1.0.0.80.chk. [...]

   Did you download "D6400-V1.0.0.80_1.0.80.zip" and extract
"D6400-V1.0.0.80_1.0.80.chk" from that zip archive, or did you rename
the zip archive to "<something>.chk", or what? Vague/ambiguous (or just
plain sloppy) descriptions can generate more questions than they answer.

> [...] I then logged onto the modem[+router] [...]

   From what kind of computer(/operating system), connected how to the
D6400? (Wired may be more reliable than wireless.)

   Did you try any other-version firmware kit(s)? You might also try a
different web browser.

> If there is another way to do this update - I'm open to suggestions.

   "Browse..."+"Upload" is what I do (with my D7000 and R7000, typically
from a Mac using Firefox).

Jiminroyalston · ‎2018-08-13

Downloaded D6400-V1.0.0.80.zip and unzipped it browsing to the resultant D6400-V1.0.0.80.chk.

I then logged in from a Windows 10 PC using Chrome over a CAT 5 wired connection.

I did not try any other version. If I can get a list of all valid version I will drop back and load the one after 1.0.0.54 but I'd hate to find out I have to load a dozen versions, one at a time, until I'm up to 1.0.0.80.

antinode · ‎2018-08-13

> Downloaded D6400-V1.0.0.80.zip [...]

   Copy+paste is your friend on long file names.

> [...] Chrome [...]

> [...] You might also try a different web browser. [...]

   Still true.

> I did not try any other version. [...]

   I would.

> [...] If I can get a list of all valid version I will drop back and
> load the one after 1.0.0.54 but I'd hate to find out I have to load a
> dozen versions, one at a time, until I'm up to 1.0.0.80.

   I've never seen a case where such a stepwise update procedure is
needed. My question is whether some other version fails the same way,
or V1.0.0.80_1.0.80 is special in some way. That can be determined by
testing any other version.

   You can wait for someone with a D6400 (and no problems) to stumble
across this thread, or you can run some experiments.

   I wouldn't expect it to be needed in this case, but there is a
TFTP recovery scheme which is intended for cases where the router is in
even worse condition. See, for example:

      https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1533866#M87578

   That thread refers to a particular KB article:

      https://kb.netgear.com/22688/

which Netgear (in its wisdom) seems to have removed, leading to a
blank/useless error page, rather than to its apparent replacement:

      https://kb.netgear.com/000059633/

Also:
      https://kb.netgear.com/000059634/

I'd view that as a last resort, until a different browser and a
different firmware kit have both failed to improve things.

michaelkenward · ‎2018-08-14

@Jiminroyalston wrote:

a) must I upgrade from 1.0.0.52 one step at a time across all interim releases?

No. The only time when I have seen problems with updates for my R6800 were early on, when there was an issue for people running beta firmware.

Since then updates have been straightforward.

You could try a firmware version somewhere between the two and see if that sticks.

If not, I would also "factory reset" the modem-router before doing the update.

Backup the configuration before you do that. It might come in useful.

You seem to be doing everything right. But if you still fail, then it may be a case of resorting to TFTP:

How to upload firmware to a NETGEAR router using Windows TFTP | Answer | NETGEAR Support

Jiminroyalston · ‎2018-08-14

I don't have an explanation of why, but I've fixed it. I found a copy of D6400-V1.0.0.78. That upgraded just fine. I then upgraded from there to 1.0.0.80. Worked exactly as advertised. I can say it pays to stay current even though NetGear doesn't do as good a job as they could. I've only had this router 4 months so it had to have shipped with pretty old firmware. I've done the Check Firmware routine a number of times and it came back saying it had the latest. It obviously did not. Owners of this device need to login at NetGear and look under downloads to see what the latest version is. It will always be easier to upgrade one version at a time.

michaelkenward · ‎2018-08-14

Your first message prompted me to check the current firmware for the D6400. (Mine is not up to date because it is an AP mode, feeding an R7800.)

What struck me was that updates are essential billed as "security fixes". That seems to be par for the course with modem routers. They rarely get much in the way of new features.

Maybe that is why many people prefer the separate modem/router approach. But that can be a pain because that arrangement is a menace after a power cut. The router has a habit of kicking in before the modem has done its stuff. As a result the two get "out of synch". You need the modem to get an internet link before the router tries to connect.

Jiminroyalston · ‎2018-08-14

Agreed. I would have hoped NetGear would be doing more work to make the devices better but perhaps their business model is to obsolete their own devices to "drive" more purchases. As the router side has become faster and faster the modem side is showing nasty issues such as buffer bloat as it tries to buffer the faster internal traffic with the slower externel net. There has been a lot of research in this area and there are even pieces of code, like fq_codel, that could be included in a firmware update, but it seems we do only get security fixes. On the other hand, I'm glad we are getting them. I just wish something in the system would let us know when a new release is out. BTW, the D7000 extender does do a good job of telling you about new releases. If you happen to login to it occassionaly.

michaelkenward · ‎2018-08-14

@Jiminroyalston wrote:

Agreed. I would have hoped NetGear would be doing more work to make the devices better but perhaps their business model is to obsolete their own devices to "drive" more purchases.

Part of the issue is on the ISP side. They want to exert increasing control over any modems attached to their networks.

Cable networks don't even let users update firmware.

Many ISPs make it difficult to use third party modems, preferring to supply their own (usually rubbish) modem routers that you can't even configure as a bridge.

This may be why Netgear's range of modems seems to be shrinking. It does not help that the one modem only DSL, the DM200, has caused grief to too many people.