R7000 bricked after firmware update attempt

[CCNE37]

I have recently tried a firmware upgrade on my R7000, and it never got past the dreaded white blinking power light.

I found other threads that referred to the tftp process, and tried a few things, including the tftp process.

I cannot get the tftp process to start because I cannot get past the step that says "Watch the Power LED. It starts with an orange color, and then start flashing".

The steps from the "How to upload ...." instructions;

• Turn router OFF for 10 seconds.
• Hold down the reset button on the back of router with a paper clip.
• Power ON the router while holding down the reset button.
• Watch the Power LED. It starts with an orange color, and then start flashing.
• Count at least 10 flashing power LED and release the reset button.

Mine just seems to go into a cycle where the power light goes solid orange, and then all lights flash a few times, and then the power light goes orange again and the cycle repeats - it NEVER goes from solid orange to flashing white as long as I have the reset button pressed in. It is only after I release the reset button that the power light stays orange for a while and then starts flashing white.

So, I never get to the point I can count the power light flashing 10 times before releasing the reset button, so I cannot actually start the tftp process.

Perhaps I have misunderstood the instructions ? Do I release the reset button, wait for the power light to flash white 10 times, and then start the tftp process ?

I have tried starting the tftp process anyway, but it never gets anywhere.

Has anyone experienced this problem or have any thoughts about how to get around it ?

[CCNE37 · Accepted solution]

Thanks again.

Well I tried again from scratch, and got something to happen using the Windows 10 TFTP client.

It came up with a message saying that transfer was successful.

After a few minutes, the power light turned solid orange and stayed orange for about 10 minutes - I was about to pull everything apart again, when it suddenly turned solid white and the internet light came on.

I have checked and the firmware is back where it was before I believe, which is the same as the firmware version I used for the transfer via TFTP.

I am very hesitant to try the firmware update again.

Thanks you for your help   Much appreciated.

Colin

[Kitsap]

Remove all cable connections to the router.

Set the device where you have easy access to the reset button hole and the power supply.

Plug in the power cord and push the power on switch and let the router go through a power on sequence and the lights stabilize.

Once the lights have stabilized; press and hold the reset button for thirty seconds then remove the power cord while continuing to press the reset button.  Continue to press the reset button for thirty seconds then reconnect the power cord.  Continue to press the reset button for thirty seconds and then release.

The 30-30-30 sequence above may need to be repeated a couple of times.

If you are successful in getting the router to start, the IP address will be the default and the username and password will be the default (refer to your manual).

If you are successful, recommend updating the firmware with only one ethernet cable connected to a router LAN port and that will go to a computer.  The tftp may be apprioriate if you cannont log into the main configuration page via an ethernet connection.

[microchip8]

30-30-30 reset has no effect on ARM-based routers like the R7000

[StBernard]

I am experiencing the same problem.  I also tried the 30-30-30.  Repeated it for 4 times and it still did not boot.  On power up, after a sequence of the lights flashing, it goes to just the power light as orange for approx 30 s and then the power light flashes white at about 1 Hz.

Paul

[CCNE37]

Thanks for the replies. I had also posted the question in an older thread about the same issue, and got a response there which led me to ignoring the need for holding in the reset button until the power light flashed white.

I started again this morning.I followed the instructions in this link (https://kb.netgear.com/000059634/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-Windows-TFTP), except the bit about pressing the reset button.

I changed my IP address in properties to 192.168.1.1. I saved the R7000 firmware download file R7000-V1.0.9.64_10.2.64.chk to my desktop. I changed my Windows 10 settings to "turn on" tftp server. I opened cmd, and changed to the desktop directory.

I entered the command tftp -i 192.168.1.1 put R7000-V1.0.9.64_10.2.64.chk into cmd.

I turned off the R7000, plugged in the network cable to my desktop PC, turned the router back on, waited for the solid orange power light to start flashing white.

I then pressed Enter in cmd. Nothing happened, and about 45 seconds later I got this message - Connect request failed

I then downloaded the tftpd64 software, and installed it. I entered the information into the fields in the boxes as per the "settings" attachment (and the instructions at https://kb.netgear.com/000059633/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-TFTP-client). I changed the server interface to the Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (2)I219-V - I did notice that in front of this description was a IP address of 169.254.227.39 - I was expecting it to be 192.168.1.1.

I turned off the R7000 again for about 20 seconds, turned it on, waited for solid orange light to turn to a flashing white light and pressed Put.

I got the pop-up error message 10051 -  can not send packet data. Tftp server may have been stoppedError code 10051 [A socket operation was attempted to an unreachable network.]

I repeated this process again but this time entering the 169.254.227.39 IP address in the host box, and got the same error message.

I appreciate an assistance with this.

[CCNE37]

Paul

That describes what I am seeing exactly.

Colin

[antinode]

> [...] I followed the instructions in this link [...]

> [...] I changed my IP address in properties to 192.168.1.1. [...]

   Those two statements can't both be true.

   "192.168.1.1" is the default address of the router.  The address of
your computer must be compatible, but different.  For example, as that
KB article suggests:

>          xii. IP address => 192.168.1.10

> I then downloaded the tftpd64 software, [...]

   Probably pointless.  I'd stick with the command-line TFTP client
program which came with your OS, and forget any third-party TFTP
programs.

> [...] I changed the server interface to the Intel(R) Ethernet
> Connection (2)I219-V [...]

   "changed"?  "server"?  What was it before?  How many Ethernet
interfaces does this computer have?  How many have a cable connected to
your router?

> [...] I did notice that in front of this description was a IP address
> of 169.254.227.39 - I was expecting it to be 192.168.1.1.

   "169.254.x.y", is a self-assigned address, and is an indication of a
faulty configuration.  My guess would be that you tried to set the
interface in the computer to "192.168.1.1", and that address was already
in use by the router.  Windows noticed the conflict, ignored your
instruction, and did the best it could.  (Which was not good enough.)

> [...] this time entering the 169.254.227.39 IP address in the host
> box, [...]

   Still no good.  "169.254.x.y" is not on the same subnet as
"192.168.1.1", which is where the router should be.

   "192.168.1.1" is the default address of the router.  The address of
your computer must be compatible, but different.  For example, as that
KB article suggests:

>          xii. IP address => 192.168.1.10

   Read the instructions again, more carefully.  Set the address of the
(active) interface in the computer to "192.168.1.10", as suggested.

   With both the router and your computer on the same subnet
("192.168.1.*"), you should not get those "unreachable network"
complaints.  (You may still have problems, but not that one.)

[CCNE37]

Thanks for the reply.

Apologies, let me clarify - in the network device IPv4 properties I set the IP address to 192.168.1.10, and the default gateway address to 192.168.1.1 (as per the instructions). The subnet mask is self populating.

I only tried the Tftp software because of the error message when using the Windows 10 TFTP client.

The default server interface in tftp software comes up as 127.0.0.1     Software Loopback Interface 1, so I changed it to the only other option, which was the Intel(R) option.

I have one cable connected to my router, which is the one connected to my desktop.

In the Tftp software, in the box called "Host" - is this the router IP address (192.168.1.1) or the PC IP address (192.168.1.10) ?

[antinode]

> The default server interface in tftp software [...]

   That's in the third-party program (which I'd avoid)?

   "127.0.0.1" is a software-only loopback interface.  Don't fiddle with
it.

> In the Tftp software, in the box called "Host" - is this the router IP
> address (192.168.1.1) or the PC IP address (192.168.1.10) ?

   As I said, I wouldn't use that program, but in any such program, the
address which you need to specify is the address of the target router,
"192.168.1.1".  In order for that to have any chance of working, the
address of the Ethernet interface on your computer must be
"192.168.1.10" (or something very like it).  If you're seeing
"169.254.x.y" anywhere, then you haven't done that interface
configuration properly.

[CCNE37 · Accepted solution]

Thanks again.

Well I tried again from scratch, and got something to happen using the Windows 10 TFTP client.

It came up with a message saying that transfer was successful.

After a few minutes, the power light turned solid orange and stayed orange for about 10 minutes - I was about to pull everything apart again, when it suddenly turned solid white and the internet light came on.

I have checked and the firmware is back where it was before I believe, which is the same as the firmware version I used for the transfer via TFTP.

I am very hesitant to try the firmware update again.

Thanks you for your help   Much appreciated.

Colin

[antinode]

> I have checked and the firmware is back where it was before I believe,
> which is the same as the firmware version I used for the transfer via
> TFTP.

   What could go wrong?

> I am very hesitant to try the firmware update again.

   But now you know what to do when (what may be) the worst happens.
(The manual update method using a wired connection between computer and
router seems to be relatively reliable.)

   I know nothing, but reports here suggest that anything after

"1.0.9.42" (up through ".88") might do more harm than good.

[CCNE37]

Thanks. I was using a wired connection to desktop originally when things went pear-shaped. I initiated the update through the Netgear R7000 login page.

No thanks - I think I will stay where I am for now. My R7000 has been pretty bulletproof for the last 4 years with maybe 1 reconnection / reset per month at most.

I am over fiddling

[antinode]

> [...] I initiated the update through the Netgear R7000 login page.

   I'll assume that that means ADVANCED > Administration > Firmware
Update, but there are two options at that point: "Check for new version
from the Internet" or "Locate and select the upgrade file on your hard
disk".  I generally use the latter.

> I am over fiddling [...]

   Just when you were getting better at it...

[CCNE37]

Yes it was through Advanced etc. I am pretty sure I clicked the first option, not the latter.

I will bear that in mind for next time - if there is a next time.

Thanks again.