Re: BR500 reset to factory defaults after power outage

tetrawest · ‎2020-10-24

I've had the BR500 for more than a year now (and I know because I had to buy a new Insight License!!!, but that is another annoyance).

Yesterday, we had two or more quick power outages, where the power was out for a couple of seconds in one case and 10-15 in another. Everything came back on, so I didn't think there was an issue. A neighbor needed to print something and I couldn't access the printer. We reset the printer. I checked the settings. Everything OK.

I changed the wiring config on the printer for a direct to the router configuration. At this point, I looked at my phone and checked the IP address. It was a 192.168.1.xxx number. HUH? I have very specific LAN addresses on my network.

I went back to my PC and tried to log into the router. Sure enough, it was back to factory defaults. And my config file was old, so I had to manually reset everything. Ad the Insight VPN did not like reset router, which meant deleting the VPN group and recreating it. So I am back up and running. But this is the first time I have EVERY had an issue where a power outage caused a factory reset. In fact, this seems like a security issue since the default network and password come up!

There was another discussion on this, but there was no solution identified in public. Aren't the settings in a non-volitile memory? Why would this factory reset like this? We've had power outages before and this has not happened.

I have saved config backup files on my PC for both ends of my VPN network. Hopefully I don't have to use them.

Previous discussion from 9 months ago:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Hardware-VPN-Firewalls-and/BR500-goes-back-to-factory-settings-afte...

MrJoshW · ‎2020-10-26

Hello,

Can you confirm if the device is being managed by Insight?

tetrawest · ‎2020-10-26

yes, managed by insight

MrJoshW · ‎2020-10-26

Hello,

If you can, can you go to IPOFDEVICE/support.html on the BR500 and enable Secure Diagnostics Mode, once enabled can you send me a private message with the port number. I can log into the back end of the system to see what is causing the configuration to be lost.

HabitTH · ‎2020-12-03

What the solution for this problem ?

MrJoshW · ‎2020-12-03

Hello,

If you can, can you go to IPOFDEVICE/support.html on the BR500 and enable Secure Diagnostics Mode, once enabled can you send me a private message with the port number. I can log into the back end of the system to see what is causing the configuration to be lost.

HabitTH · ‎2020-12-07

@MrJoshW wrote:
Hello,

If you can, can you go to IPOFDEVICE/support.html on the BR500 and enable Secure Diagnostics Mode, once enabled can you send me a private message with the port number. I can log into the back end of the system to see what is causing the configuration to be lost.

The Previous members here that have this problem , what the solution you find out for them ?

Thanks.

MrJoshW · ‎2020-12-07

I can't verify for sure as each case by case can be different. Getting back end access is the best way to verify the cause of each issue and for this one I would need back end access to view logging and other loggings in the system.

HabitTH · ‎2020-12-09

@MrJoshW wrote:
I can't verify for sure as each case by case can be different. Getting back end access is the best way to verify the cause of each issue and for this one I would need back end access to view logging and other loggings in the system.

I prefer not messup with settings and backdoors in the router,

I would very apperciate if you could give me several solutions that you have found with other users that was this problem,

Many Thanks.

MrJoshW · ‎2020-12-09

In earlier firmware versions of the BR500 when device is connected to Insight over some time, the NAND flash which stores the configuration can become corrupted due to long use of writing to the NAND flash. This was addressed in a later BR500 firmware release. However, due to the corruption of the NAND flash when the unit reboots configurations will be wiped in the process as it cannot read from the NAND flash. Please note however that if the device is still being used by Insight this is not an issue as the configurations are stored in the cloud and any reboot that takes place the configuration will be re-stored from Insight.

Due to this issue, we recommend correcting the NAND flash and this can be done by support through the Secure Diagnostics Mode access.

HabitTH · ‎2020-12-13

@MrJoshW wrote:
In earlier firmware versions of the BR500 when device is connected to Insight over some time, the NAND flash which stores the configuration can become corrupted due to long use of writing to the NAND flash. This was addressed in a later BR500 firmware release. However, due to the corruption of the NAND flash when the unit reboots configurations will be wiped in the process as it cannot read from the NAND flash. Please note however that if the device is still being used by Insight this is not an issue as the configurations are stored in the cloud and any reboot that takes place the configuration will be re-stored from Insight.

Due to this issue, we recommend correcting the NAND flash and this can be done by support through the Secure Diagnostics Mode access.

Thanks for explaination ,

If I haven't use Insight at this days , There will be no problem when the router reboot ?

If I leave the "NAND Flash" without correcting it , This can cause any future damage ?

Could you explain how Could I Correct it via my side ? ( Have a guide with picture or Video ? )

Thanks.

tetrawest · ‎2020-12-13

I'm the OP. I'm glad a full explantion is now out there. Indeed, i had a tech go in the "backdoor" and fixed the issue. I had the newer firmware already, but the flash was corrupt, causing the issue. The good news, I had copies of my config files and was quickly able to restore.

Moral of the story: If you make changes, backup your configuration files!

MrJoshW · ‎2020-12-14

If the NAND is already corrupted not being on Insight any longer would not change this. We do not allow customer access to the internals of the sytem and this can only be done by a tech support representative.

HabitTH · ‎2020-12-14

@MrJoshW wrote:
If the NAND is already corrupted not being on Insight any longer would not change this. We do not allow customer access to the internals of the sytem and this can only be done by a tech support representative.

How could check from my side if the NAND is corrupted ?

BTW , If I have another BR500 that not connected any time to insight , this will not corrupte the NAND? the problem accure when the device try conntact with insight cloud for the first time ?

Thanks .

MrJoshW · ‎2020-12-14

Hello,

Checking the NAND cannot be done by a customer, it can only be done with a support agent checking the BR500 through secure diagnostics mode.

And yes, if the device has not been boarded with Insight and was not on a previous firmware that had the existing issue the NAND should not be corrupt.

HabitTH · ‎2020-12-16

@MrJoshW wrote:
Hello,

Checking the NAND cannot be done by a customer, it can only be done with a support agent checking the BR500 through secure diagnostics mode.

And yes, if the device has not been boarded with Insight and was not on a previous firmware that had the existing issue the NAND should not be corrupt.

Which Version Firmware Number was caused the problem to NAND ?

Thanks.

MrJoshW · ‎2020-12-16

Hello,

Issue was fixed in later firmware versions. Versions 5.6 and back would still have the issue if the device is on that firmware.

tetrawest · ‎2020-12-16

One issue. I was already on the latest Firmware when this happened. I keep the Firmware up to date at all times.

HabitTH · ‎2020-12-16

@MrJoshW wrote:
Hello,

Issue was fixed in later firmware versions. Versions 5.6 and back would still have the issue if the device is on that firmware.

Thanks,

IF you have this version and you didn't register to Insight , This mean the product is fine and no harm will casue to NAND , right?

Also , The NAND Corrupt will influence only on the configuration settings reset during a power down or this will influence about the performance of the BR500 at general and on speed and so on ?

Thanks again .

HabitTH · ‎2020-12-20

@MrJoshW wrote:
Hello,

Issue was fixed in later firmware versions. Versions 5.6 and back would still have the issue if the device is on that firmware.

Thanks,

IF you have this version and you didn't register to Insight , This mean the product is fine and no harm will casue to NAND , right?

Also , The NAND Corrupt will influence only on the configuration settings reset during a power down or this will influence about the performance of the BR500 at general and on speed and so on ?

Thanks again .

HabitTH · ‎2020-12-20

@tetrawest wrote:
One issue. I was already on the latest Firmware when this happened. I keep the Firmware up to date at all times.

This is still cause to you at last version ?
When this Happen to you first which version you had ?

Thanks

MrJoshW · ‎2020-12-21

No, the issue should not happen on the latest version as it was patched. However, we can only verify if the NAND is corrupted by enabling the SDM mode on the BR500.

Once you have enabled this, please feel free to send me a private message with the port number and I can verify for you.

HabitTH · ‎2020-12-24

@MrJoshW wrote:
No, the issue should not happen on the latest version as it was patched. However, we can only verify if the NAND is corrupted by enabling the SDM mode on the BR500.

Once you have enabled this, please feel free to send me a private message with the port number and I can verify for you.

How could I enable SDM Mode on BR500 ? Could you explain me please?

There has command that I can run to check the NAND ( I understand on networking and programming )

Thanks.