R7000 Date/Time is Wrong wrong wrong, old firmware, new firmware

[AkivaM]

Nighthawk R7000 Firmware 1.0.4.30

Configuration - DNS addresses are fixed as the OpenDNS servers, 208.67.222.222 - 208.67.220.220

My time has been stuck at January, 2003 with the start time of the router as the time.  Therefore all my time functions, schedules, etc, are useless. And I can't use the USB drives because the files are written with the wrong time.

What I've done...

1. Restarted numerous times - no affect.

2. Checked that I can access time-a.netgear.com on a Windows 10 laptop connected to the router...

C:\Users\akivam>w32tm /stripchart /computer:time-a.netgear.com /dataonly /samples:5
Tracking time-a.netgear.com [209.249.181.52:123].
Collecting 5 samples.
The current time is 4/26/2016 7:02:15 PM.
19:02:15, +00.4330911s
19:02:17, +00.4358983s
19:02:19, +00.4338734s
19:02:22, +00.4339412s
19:02:24, +00.4339264s

3. I upgraded to beta Firmware Version V1.0.5.60_1.1.86

and now the router time is....  Current Time:   Thursday, 01 Jan 2015 04:09:03

So I gained 13 years, but still the wrong time.  Rebooted again, no help.  Time always starts from 01 Jan 2015 whenever there's a reboot with no fix of proper time.

Suggestions?

[AkivaM]

Nighthawk R7000 Firmware 1.0.4.30

Configuration - DNS addresses are fixed as the OpenDNS servers, 208.67.222.222 - 208.67.220.220

My time has been stuck at January, 2003 with the start time of the router as the time.  Therefore all my time functions, schedules, etc, are useless. And I can't use the USB drives because the files are written with the wrong time.

What I've done...

1. Restarted numerous times - no affect.

2. Checked that I can access time-a.netgear.com on a Windows 10 laptop connected to the router...

C:\Users\akivam>w32tm /stripchart /computer:time-a.netgear.com /dataonly /samples:5
Tracking time-a.netgear.com [209.249.181.52:123].
Collecting 5 samples.
The current time is 4/26/2016 7:02:15 PM.
19:02:15, +00.4330911s
19:02:17, +00.4358983s
19:02:19, +00.4338734s
19:02:22, +00.4339412s
19:02:24, +00.4339264s

3. I upgraded to beta Firmware Version V1.0.5.60_1.1.86

and now the router time is....  Current Time:   Thursday, 01 Jan 2015 04:09:03

So I gained 13 years, but still the wrong time.  Rebooted again, no help.  Time always starts from 01 Jan 2015 whenever there's a reboot with no fix of proper time.

Suggestions?

[AkivaM · Accepted solution]

Yes, the modem is displaying the right time, as is a check connection to netgear time service.

Fortunately an admin here sent me to support, who sent me firmware V1.0.5.49_20151231_ntp

and that fixed it.

[VE6CGX]

Tried your ISP DNS?

[AkivaM]

I didn't set the DNS, the router did when I enabled Parental Controls.  If I try to change it now, it tells me that I must "The DNS Server changes will not take effect because of Parental Controls.  Disable Parental Controls if you wish to set DNS."

Naturally I don't want to lose Parental Controls, it's the main reason I purchased the R7000 (that it uses OpenDNS for parental control) instead of the Asus competition.

Since, however, I showed in my message above that I am able to access the netgear time site, DNS blockage would not seem to be the issue.

[storm1985]

What country, ISP and modem?

[VE6CGX]

Default DNS comes when you connect to ISP. Could you remember the very first time you started using the router without parental control did you have same problem? Most routers are synchronizing time to NTP time server. You have to make sure the DNS parental control uses is not the problem.

[VE6CGX]

I  came across an older thread about this issue. Looks like old, I mean real old firmware upto x.y.z.38 does not show this problem.

[AkivaM]

Israel, Bezeq International, using a TP-Link W9970 VDSL/ADSL2+ router with modem (though not using it's router functions with wifi disabled, beyond a pass through to the R7000)

[AkivaM]

So I tried disabling Parental Controls, didn't help.  

Then I tried setting DNS to fixed Google DNS (8.8.8.8), didn't help.

[AkivaM]

I see these firmwares available on a search...what do you recommend trying?

• Firmware Version 1.0.4.30

  Release Notes

• 

  Firmware Version 1.0.4.28

  Release Notes

• 

  Firmware Version 1.0.4.18

  Release Notes

• 

  Firmware Version 1.0.3.80

  Release Notes

• 

  Firmware Version 1.0.3.68

  Release Notes

• 

  Firmware Version 1.0.3.60

  Release Notes

• 

  Firmware Version 1.0.3.56

  Release Notes

• 

  Firmware Version 1.0.3.24 (802.11ac Wi-Fi CERTIFIED)

  Release Notes

[VE6CGX]

Try 1.0.3.80 one.

[thelemonkid]

What language are you using. Is it English? If not try to switch to English. Sometimes strange issues have strange causes..

I am on 1.0.5.62 and have no time issues. But when I use another language than English many features and setting become unreadable or are absent and may not work.

[storm1985]

@AkivaM if you login to your TP-Link W9970 VDSL/ADSL2+ router is it displaying the correct the date and time? 

[smartloom]

I have the same poblem.  It started when I switched from Comcast to ATT gigiaPower.  I have R7000 and R8000 and same issue on both and posted in troubleshooting forum and no fix yet.  There is no manaul way to set the time in router.  After reboot Router time goes back to Jan 1, 2015 for R8000.  This makes router bandwith meter and also security / schedule to block servies useless.  Router use to work fine behind comcast modem.  If I switch router to AP mode from route moder it sync time fine.  Switch back to router mode no time sync.  Firwall is off on Uverse modem so it is not that.  This is in logs on startup.  Looks like a delay of 1 second to connect to internet.  

[Internet connected] IP address: xx.xxx.xxx.xxx, Thursday, Jan 01,2015 00:00:22
[Internet disconnected] Thursday, Jan 01,2015 00:00:21
[Initialized, firmware version: V1.0.3.4_1.1.2] Thursday, Jan 01,2015 00:00:18
[DHCP IP: (192.168.1.3)] to MAC address XX:XX:XX:FDC:XX, Thursday, Jan 01,2015 00:00:16

[storm1985]

@smartloom whats the DNS address set on your router Internet Setup? Dynamic or static?

1. if static try setting up 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4.

2. go to Advanced > Security > Schedule - try changing the Timezone then Apply. You will see if the Date and Time change on the same page. 

[smartloom]

DNS servers set to static open DNS servers.  I tried changing Time zone many time but no luck.  Can't change DNS as need parantel controls ON.

[smartloom]

Just to test I changed the DNS servers to 8.8.8.8 and also 8.8.4.4 and rebooted router multiple times but no luck

[AkivaM · Accepted solution]

Yes, the modem is displaying the right time, as is a check connection to netgear time service.

Fortunately an admin here sent me to support, who sent me firmware V1.0.5.49_20151231_ntp

and that fixed it.