The router won't recognize the serial number of my Nighthawk AC1900 R7000 router, so I can't install and software/firmware updates. With all of us working in my family working from home the router chokes regualry and we have to restart it at once a day. Help. I'm not a tech guy so going beyond setting up passwords I quickly get confused and frustrated..
> The router won't recognize the serial number [...]
"won't recognize" is not a useful problem description. It does not say what you did. It does not say what happened when you did it. As usual, showing actual actions (commands) with their actual results (error messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more helpful than vague descriptions or interpretations.
Are you trying to say that you're using some web browser (on some computer/device or other), trying to work with the router's management web site ("routerlogin.net", or similar), and you can't get logged into it (probably because you're not using the right user name and password)?
And now you're getting stuck in the (probably defective) password recovery procedure?
If so, then a settings reset may be the only practical solution.
Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your model number, and look for Documentation. Get the User Manual. Read. Look for "Factory Settings" or "Reset".
> [...] the router chokes regualry and we have to restart it at once a > day. [...]
Again, not a particularly helpful description.
If you're not running the latest firmware, then a firmware update might make sense. It's worth a try, assuming that you can get into the thing. If that fails to help, then a previous firmware version might be worth a try. Some people still prefer V1.0.9.42_10.2.44 to many later versions.
Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your model number, and look for Downloads. (For older versions, under Firmware and Software Downloads, look for "View Previous Versions".) Find the kit(s). Download the kit(s) you want. Read the "Release Notes" file for instructions. (In the User Manual, look for "firmware", and, especially, for a topic like "Manually Upload Firmware to the Router".)
