Forced Firmware Update on MR1100 Bricked the hotspot

[IIIGrimReaperII]

So I was listening to music as I usually do, and suddenly I am no longer on the internet. I look at the hotspot and notice it says it is "updating device" and "Pleasedo not power off". So I let it sit there and it never advances past 25% completion of the blue line. I wait and wait and nothing. So I view your support forums and this appears to be a thing. You (Netgear) force a firmware update and it causes these hotspots to brick. Nothing will allow them to recover from this, it is bricked and no longer able to be used, according to your own support folks. The 2 little arrows in the circle pattern should be rotating to indicate that it is in fact in progress. They aren't. You cannot reset it, you cannot reboot it, you can remove the sim card which I advise to use in the next one. Thanks for this, just what we need in our lives more problems.

[discman017]

The arrows weren't moving on mine either, so I also feared mine was bricked. But each time I powered it off and back on, the progress bar showed more progress. Eventually, after four or five manual power off/on cycles, I'm up and running again.

But I agree with the sentiment of your post. My home internet goes down every time Netgear pushes an update because I have to do this manual power cycle process to get back up and running. If I'm not at home at the time of the update, I lose access to my security cameras, my thermostats -- everything that's wifi-connected at home. The previous update got pushed on Christmas Eve. I spent half an hour out of my Christmas Eve dealing with the botched update.

I love this router except for this one issue, but home network connectivity going down every couple months until manual intervention is possible is unacceptable. It seems like it would be so easy to fix. Why not just add an option to disable automatic updates?

And what's the current firmware version anyway? Looking at the Netgear website, I don't even see the 12.05.05.14 that got pushed to me last night. What's published on the website is 12.06.08.00: https://www.netgear.com/support/product/MR1100.aspx#Firmware%20Version%2012.06.08.00

[JohnPeng]

Please advise your device SKU.

Thanks

[discman017]

Hi John! Where do I find the SKU? I'm not at home right now, but I can access the web interface. In the device information, it shows:

Hardware Version: 1.0

PRI Version: 04.06

Firmware Version: NTG9X50C_12.05.05.14

Bootloader Version: NTG9X50C_12.05.05.14

GUI Version: MR1100-1A1NAS_04.01.70.06

Firmware Build Date: 2020/01/24

Or I can give you information from model.json. For example:

'deviceName':'AT&T Wi-Fi',

Does this give you the information you need? Or is there a different piece of information that I can get out of the web interface or the json?

[JohnPeng]

Based on the information you provided, the device had been upgraded to the latest. Why did you say the device was bricked?

Thanks

[discman017]

I said my device wasn't bricked. However, my home internet has gone down with each of the last two updates. When I manually power off and power on the router several times, the update finally completes. This is an inconvenience (especially on Christmas Eve) but even more importantly a security issue as my home security system is inoperable until such a time as I'm available to manually get the router working again. If I'm on vacation, my security system is down until I get home. This is otherwise a great router, but this forced downtime is completely unacceptable.

So what would it take to get an option to disable automatic updates? Even a workaround would be fine. Is there a hack to telnet into the router and block access to Netgear's update servers? Anything?

[JohnPeng]

The upgrade was pushed by AT&T. After the upgrade, the device can connect to AT&T network automatically. 

Please check whether you can do something on your smart devices to allow them reconnect automatically back to your MR1100.

Thanks

[discman017]

Yes, my smart devices all automatically reconnect once the MR1100 comes back online.

The issue is that when an update is pushed, the MR1100 hangs until I manually unplug it and plug it back in several times.

Is there any feature or workaround to disable automatic updates?

[JohnPeng]

The upgrade will tke about 10 minutes. Then it will reconnect back and work normally. Did you see the different behaviors? Why did you have to unplug the device manay times?

Thanks

[discman017]

Here's what happens when I get a forced update:

1. My internet goes down for hours while I'm away from the house.

2. When I get home and check the router, it's shut off.

3. I power it on, and it shows an update in progress, with a progress bar that isn't moving.

4. I wait a few minutes, power it off, power it back on.

5. Now the progress bar has moved forward but still isn't visibly moving.

6. I repeat steps 4 and 5 a few times.

7. Finally, it boots and reconnects to LTE.

If I could only control when I take the update, this babysitting the update process would be acceptable.

[IIIGrimReaperII]

2A1NAS

[IIIGrimReaperII]

Sorry I didn't add enough to my initial post. The hotspot is sku 2A1NAS. The hotspot sat plugged into the wall for nearly 4 hours while it was performing said update and never left 25%. the little arrows in the circle, yeah they never move even on a new one. I have talked to Netgear, they don't want to honor the warranty, and say well it's ATT's responsibility. ATT says you used a 3rd party reseller of our ridicioulsly priced data plans we sell, so without an ATT account we can't help you. Me saying well in the box is a Netgear warranty, says nothing about ATT warranty just Netgear. To ATT I say the box doesn't say anything about needing an account to have a warranty that inside the box is never stated to even exist. These 2 have been passing the buck for a week. As a consumer I care less who THEY think is responsible. The warranty says Netgear, does not say, mention,associate in anyway with ATT as being needed or responsible for said warranty. So guess who gets sued??? Netgear. Why? Because they fail to even remotely mention ATT other then the branding on the box. Netgear can argue with ATT after the fact, I just want my hotspot fixed, is that so much to ask??

[JohnPeng]

Sorry for the inconvenience caused by the forced upgrade. The upgrade stuck issue was a rare case. AT&T pushed the updates a few times already after MR1100 launched. Normally, the upgrade takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. Then the device will get back online.

Froced upgrade is controlled by AT&T server, not on the device. You can do a manual upgrade checking and install the upgrade when it is available, instead of waitng for the pushed the upgrade.

Thanks

[IIIGrimReaperII]

The thread got hijacked, so I was waiting that out. I have tried every conceivable way to reset this modem, sadly it is stuck on the upgrade and nothing changes it, not factory reset using the little button in the rear, nothing. There is no way to access the modem, by either webpage or phone app or putty. Anything I am missing to get this modem to reset?

[JohnPeng]

How long have you got the device? If possible, please contact AT&T and request for RMA or replacement. We can get the device back for analysis.

Thanks

John

[IIIGrimReaperII]

I have had it for 5 months. And I have contacted ATT 2 times as well as netgear 2 times requesting an RMA. Netgear says it's ATT warranty, so their responsibility. ATT says they won't warranty my hotspot because I use a 3rd party reseller of ATT data and not ATT directly. 

[IIIGrimReaperII]

ATT's answer was to offer me a replacement at $240. I mean seriously how crooked can they be. New at BestBuy (Where i bought 3 of these now)they are $274 with tax. This hotspot is 6 months old now. Why isn't Netgear standing by their warranty that is in the box?

Had I been the one to try and do a firmware update and failed, I wouldn't be so upset. But they forced it on this hotspot and it crashed it. Anyone have a way to recover this thing, seeing as no one is going to step up and replace it?

[LiLLiPinay]

I wish they would push the firmware on my Hotspot. Every time I try to manually update using the non-functional update button it responds with a message saying that I'm already on the newest version. Point being I'm not on the newest version because I actually downloaded a backup of the update in case the process fails. I then have to wait a few days for the message to clear so the update button is available again. There's no way to clear the cache from the router's memory if it's even possible and there's no way to log in to the router's backend to perform actual maintenance instead of the end user interface. I tried everything I could think of but nah I have one of those "passthrough" hubs. I wish I had answers for your problem but I can't even find answers for mine. I was a senior network desktop support engineer by tradecraft and I feel like a novice newbie on this issue.

[IIIGrimReaperII]

I have no idea how to do what your asking, but if you can use telnet you can use a program called putty, with the nighthawk plugged into only the usb port to a PC using your hotspot IP address and port 5510. It's how I make the bands be fixed to just 1 to 3 as mine will jump between 12 and 66 on TMobile. I fixed to only band 4 which gives me the best up and download speeds. 66 is better on download but i get 0 to maybe half a Kbps on upload and is un-useable(That tower is over a hill and no line of sight).

[marksagal]

I would like to post a review for Netgear support, me as a reader is able to understand the situation. There were 2 person involved in this thread, the first one is the case holder while the second one shared his experience while JohnPeng is not reading carefully and is not paying attention to the thread.

I feel so bad for Netgear support, hope they improve their support and their staffs soon.

[IIIGrimReaperII]

Actually I should of made a follow up post, that is on me. After a lot of calls between Netgear and filing a consumer complaint with my states AG against AT&T, I received a letter from an unsigned senior manager for the CEO of AT&T, stating unequivocally that AT&T would not help or replace this hotspot in anyway shape or form, as as he stated "I am not an AT&T customer". Which was factually wrong, but technically correct. I use OTRMobile as my data supplier which uses AT&T data. The hotspot itself was locked, to only allow being run on AT&T service. But I wasn't the customer holding the account OTRMobile was. Long story short after I got the letter from AT&T, I decided to contact Netgeat support again and request an RMA. Took like 5 minutes and they had issued me an RMA and I had a replacement in my hands in 2 days. BTW John is here to help, and he was a big help. Just because you don't see everything here, please don't assume he's not doing things not posted here. Thanks.

[LiLLiPinay]

My post was just my experience and opinion more as a sidenote. I apologize if my post hijacked the original issue. In conclusion, I discovered that AT&T has the router locked with proprietary software and the firmware can only be updated when AT&T decides to push a new version. The workaround I was hoping to attempt would have voided the support and warranty contracted with AT&T as until I finish paying for the device because when a device is set up on the payment plan a third party financing company holds the lein.

I hope this clears up questions a lot of people have with AT&T devices and again I apologize for the confusion I caused.

[andrewclark]

I don't think either of you who posted (original or comments) needs to apologize for JohnPeng. As I read through the posts I understood everything very clearly, and every time he responded it made me want to scream because he clearly does not read what was posted.  He suggested things to try when there is no way to try them on a bricked device. He wondered why someone said theirs was bricked when they clearly said theirs did not brick. Every response post (made in here) was ridiculous. So I am glad to hear he was more helpful offline. But support needs to read the posts before regularly responding wrong and making Netgear look very bad.