Returning to original firmware after ExpressVPN R6700v3 — Nighthawk AC1750 -

[euyter]

I have been running ExpressVPN successfully on my Nighthawk AC1750 - R6700v3 for the past year. I will be switching to BitDefender and would like to have the original firmware installed back on the Nighthawk. I had no luck returning it to its original firmware via the ExpressVPN instructions so I did some research and tried it via TFTP.  These are the instructions I followed https://kb.netgear.com/000064624/How-do-I-upload-firmware-to-my-NETGEAR-router-using-TFTP-on-Apple-m...

The R6700v3 never had a blinking orange light when I got to that step on the above link. The light would stay orange for a couple minutes and then the lights would go to there normal white light. I tried hitting enter during the orange phase right when you plug the routers power back in and I got a meassage timed out message. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[euyter · Accepted solution]

After getting back in a text chat with support for another 1.5hrs the solution took about 5min.

I hate how it took that long but here it is. 
They suggested I try expressvpnrouter.com:8080

expressvpnrouter.com is how you access the router dashboard/interface 

the :8080 didn't work but I got the idea to try the routers ip address and :8080

This worked!

For example 192.168.123.1:8080 in my browser

This took me to a different interface that was dd-wrt. I was easily able to login as admin with my same admin and pass and then uploaded the most recent firmware. 

Initially this didn't work.

I uploaded the file and expressvpnrouter.com was no longer accessible, nothing was couldn't do anything. When I checked what the ip address of the router was it was the same. 

So I decided to reset it, bingo once it loaded up I had netgear firmware/interface installed.

Wish they would have told me about :8080 from the beginning, would have saved at least 2hrs of my time.

Hope this saves someone elses the time.

[plemans]

You'd need to ask on the expressvpn site. 

they'll be the experts on removing their firmware. 

the advice we can give might brick it/make it worse. 

[euyter]

ExpressVPN wasn't any help as they tried to take me through all the steps on their website but did tell me that this is a known issue to them. Wait, if I use your software I can't revert it back?!? Anyways is there a way to get a copy of the orginal firmware on this router or find out what it was as that is possibly the issue(I did try multiple versions of the firmware on the netgear site to test)?

I am also open to try things that might brick it as I will not be using ExpressVPN which kinda makes it a brick already.

Thanks

[plemans]

what actual error was the expressvpn gui giving you? 

did you check to ensure you have the r6700v3? with multiple versions, maybe you have the wrong one. 

Did you extract the file prior to trying to upload it? I've seen users try that and get errors

[euyter]

Yes it's the right model number. 

error message: Invalid file. Upload again

I did extract the zip file and uploaded the .chk file and tried several different firmware versions and all of them gave me the same error message.

I tried uploading a .html file just to see what type of error message it would send and it was the same, Invalid file. Upload again.

[plemans]

I'd post in the expressvpn's forum for help. 

Its their 3rd party firmware that caused this issue. 

I'd double check the firmware version you're using to compare with the label on the device. 

[euyter]

As far as I'm aware they don't have a community forum like this and I have already talked with support there and they don't have an answer but did tell me this is a known issue with no actual solution after they ran me through everything I have already tried.

[euyter · Accepted solution]

After getting back in a text chat with support for another 1.5hrs the solution took about 5min.

I hate how it took that long but here it is. 
They suggested I try expressvpnrouter.com:8080

expressvpnrouter.com is how you access the router dashboard/interface 

the :8080 didn't work but I got the idea to try the routers ip address and :8080

This worked!

For example 192.168.123.1:8080 in my browser

This took me to a different interface that was dd-wrt. I was easily able to login as admin with my same admin and pass and then uploaded the most recent firmware. 

Initially this didn't work.

I uploaded the file and expressvpnrouter.com was no longer accessible, nothing was couldn't do anything. When I checked what the ip address of the router was it was the same. 

So I decided to reset it, bingo once it loaded up I had netgear firmware/interface installed.

Wish they would have told me about :8080 from the beginning, would have saved at least 2hrs of my time.

Hope this saves someone elses the time.