Can't log into router after recent firmware upgrade

[Firecapt]

Just upgraded the firmware on my R7000 from 1.0.4.30_1.1.67 to 1.0.4.48_1.1.79.  After the upgrade I have been unable to access the router either using a browser or through Netgear Genie.  The router seems to be working normally since I have access to both wired and wireless internet.

Any suggestions?

[Onyxius · Accepted solution]

I just got my router setup again and I decided to use the DHCP reservation again as well for my machines, i do a lot of network file exchanges for files and its just been easier to assign everything through the router, just takes a while for 50ish devices thats including friends and family.

Anyway, thank you everyone, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[PEHowland]

Have you tried logging in through your browser using the IP address directly?   e.g. 192.168.1.1

[Firecapt]

Yes, with the same result.

[PEHowland]

I assume you get a "Page not Found" (404) error?  If so, and given that the router is working otherwise, it sounds like the internal web server used to provide the web pages is not working.  I can't think of any solution beyond the normal reboot and, if that fails, hard reset to wipe all the parameters and start configuration from scratch.  Of course, there's a risk with the latter that you wipe the parameters and then still can't access the settings and then you're worse off than you are now!

[Firecapt]

Sounds like I might be better off trying a hard reset (from the router) and then if I can access it, reverting the firmware to the previous version.

[MGuyM]

How do you revert the Firmware if you can't login to the Router to apply the Firmware?

I've been looking, but can't find what I'm looking for.  I'm too afraid to hard reset my router not knowing if it will come back or not.

I may need to upgrade soon 🙂

[Firecapt]

I'm saying that if I do a hard reset, maybe I'll be able to access the router and at that point I can revert the firmware to the previous version.

[Onyxius]

I just did the same thing, i updated my firmware and everything still works fine except i can't access the router at all via app or webpage so the recent firmware really botched something up.

[JamesGL]

Hi Onyxius,

Have you tried resetting the router to factory default?

[Onyxius]

Not yet as I have a lot of configuration stuff setup and it will take me hours to set it back up the way I had it.  The router was handing out specific IP addresses to over 30 wired/wireless devices 😞

[PEHowland]

@Onyxius  Is it really necessary to use all those static IP addresses?  Why not let DHCP handle it?

[Onyxius]

I ran into an issue a while back that I can't even remember  why but someone suggested that I assign IP addresses to all the machines through the router that way the router can prioritize connections in the address range, I think it had to do with wireless connections the most but i have since then purchased a nice network hub for the lan connections in the room and drilled some holes and moved the router to the center of the house by the staircase going downstairs.  I suppose after work when I reset the router I can try DHCP again, all the machines are set for DHCP already so its just a matter of not setting up the static IP in the router for each Mac Address, I do have a excel doc with all the devices connecting from my house and when family comes over.  WOW i have a lot of connectiions to the router.

[PEHowland]

I'm not sure the original advice was correct, as the static or dynamic assignment of IP addresses should not impact prioritisation of the data.  Anyway, the main reason you would want to define a static address to a device is if you need to ensure it never changes (duh!): typically if you need to do port forwarding to a specific device and so need to know the address of that device, or if you want to be able to bookmark the address of a device to log into its configuration page, for instance.  However, if they are just devices that come and go on your network, like laptops, iPads and phones then using DHCP is just fine.  To prioritise certain connections you should use the QoS feature.

[Onyxius]

Hmm ok, even DHCP should keep the same IP address to a machine unless you do a ipconfig /release  and /renew right?  I do have port forwarding with a server on my network and sometimes for minecraft for my daughter and ftp stuff like my WD Cloud drive connected via network cable to my router.  Sometimes ill port forward something onto my machine as well depending on the program.

[PEHowland]

Yes - but if you reboot the router you can't guarantee the same addresses will be used.  I'm not sure what happens if a device leaves the network and comes back again (e.g. a phone)

[Onyxius]

So then in my case it would be better to re-assign IP addresses based on the mac address to assure each machine keeps the same IP.

[JamesGL]

Hi Onyxius,

It is recommended to set static IP on devices when configuring port forwarding so that the IP address is reserved to the specific device.

[rpoffen]

I use DHCP reservation for my camera system and it works fine. I have IP addresses from x.x.x.1 to x.x.x.150 assigned for DHCP, and I used a reservation entry to assign x.x.x.151 for my camera. Simple to maintain and it works.

[Onyxius · Accepted solution]

I just got my router setup again and I decided to use the DHCP reservation again as well for my machines, i do a lot of network file exchanges for files and its just been easier to assign everything through the router, just takes a while for 50ish devices thats including friends and family.

Anyway, thank you everyone, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[rpoffen]

If you really need to have the same IP for a lot of machines, then it is a bit of work, but with DHCP reservations, you only need to keep the router updated. If you truly use static IP, then you have to manage both the router and the client. If you keep a range for DHCP for machines (like mobile devices) that don't care which IP they get, then you don't need to do anything.