Firmware update for R7900 with Xfinity modem/router

[gesper]

I have an R7900 hardwired to an Xfinity XB6 Modem/Router. The Netgear app won't connect to the R7900 through wifi (I get an error message). If I unplug the modem input, I can get in but can't upgrade the firmware through the app because the R7900 is then no longer connected to the internet. I tried to manually update using a laptop connected by wire but the browser doesn't find the router when I type in http://www.routerlogin.net. Any suggestions? Thanks

[antinode · Accepted solution]

> [...] After confirming that the XB6 still showed that the R7900 was
> connected and the IP address had not changed, [...]

   Is the XB6 reporting its fond memories of the R7900-as-WAP, or are
those data current?  Restart the XB6, and see if its story changes.

> [...] Not sure if that means it never rebooted, Is somehow stuck in
> the reboot, or if the reboot was complete.

   Until you can talk to its management web site, it may not be possible
to tell.

   If the R7900 is really working (to some extent, at least), I'd cycle
the power, and see if its condition changes.  Normally, the management
web site is fairly reliable, but if the settings got scrambled, it might
die (for no very good reason), but leave other functions operating.

   When that fails, I'd try a settings reset (and manual
reconfiguration).  Note that a settings reset should restore it to
normal-router mode, so, at that point, you ought to be able to connect
to nothing except (power and) a single computer, and reach it with a
"routerlogin" name.

   When none of that works, the last ditch is the TFTP recovery scheme.

[myersw]

Two options. Best would be to configure the modem/router so that is is bridged, not acting as a router. If you cannot do that then the R7900 should be configured as an access point (AP). Not good for network to have 2 routers on same network. 

If you provide the modem/router model number and firmware version of the r7900, number not just latest, then maybe there can be more help. 

[antinode]

> I have an R7900 hardwired to an Xfinity XB6 Modem/Router. [...]

   Is the R7900 configured as a wireless access point? If so, then your
"Xfinity XB6 Modem/Router" should know its IP address.

> [...] (I get an error message) [...]

   What was the actual error message?

> [...] I tried to manually update using a laptop connected by wire
> [...]

   To what, the R7900 or the "Xfinity XB6 Modem/Router"?

> [...] but the browser doesn't find the router when I type in
> http://www.routerlogin.net.

   "doesn't find"?  What was the actual error message?

   You don't need an Internet connection to load firmware into a device,
only to download the firmware from Netgear.

   Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your model number, and look
for Downloads.  (For older versions, under Firmware and Software
Downloads, look for "View Previous Versions".)  Find the kit(s).
Download the kit(s) you want.  Read the "Release Notes" file for
instructions.

   From a computer which is connected directly to the R7900, I'd expect
those "routerlogin" names to work, but the (now non-default) IP address
of the R7900-as-WAP should also work.

   If you were desperate,  then you could reset the settings on the
R7900, which should put it back into router mode, where a computer
connected to it should have no trouble using either a "routerlogin" name
or its default LAN IP address.  After the update, you'd need to
reconfigure it back to WAP mode.  But this desperation scheme shouldn't
be necessary.

[gesper]

Thanks antinode! I found the 7900's IP address using the Xfinity app and was able to get in. I used an ethernet connection and had to use Firefox as the browser as neither Edge or Explorer would work. I uploaded the firmware file with no problem and it seemed to go fine. I got a message that the router was rebooting and a little bit later lost the connection in Firefox. It was subsequently unable to reconnect even after I tried clearing the cache. The router seems to be working fine with great connection speeds, but after at least a half hour the amber Power LED continues to blink. According to the manual this indicates "The firmware is upgrading or the Reset button was pressed". Do I ignore this and it will eventually stop, or should I power on/off? Thanks again

[antinode]

> [...] It was subsequently unable to reconnect even after I tried
> clearing the cache. [...]

   Did you recheck its IP address?  Unless you reserve an address for it
on the (DHCP server on the) main router, it could be different every
time it (or the main router) is started.

> [...] The router seems to be working fine with great connection
> speeds, but after at least a half hour the amber Power LED continues to
> blink. [...]

   I'd expect a flashing Power indicator to be associated with worse
problems.  Like, say, no useful operation at all.  Are you sure that
you're using the R7900, and not only the "Xfinity XB6 Modem/Router"?
And that the "Xfinity XB6 Modem/Router" still sees the R7900-as-WAP as a
connected device?

   It'd be nice to know if the firmware update actually succeeded, but
if you can't talk to the thing, then I don't know how to observe it.

> [...] Do I ignore this and it will eventually stop, or should I power
> on/off? [...]

   I wouldn't expect it to stop spontaneously.  The thing is bound to
face a power loss eventually, so you might as well get past that
experiment now.

   Normally, a flashing Power indicator indicates that you may be a
candidate for the TFTP recovery scheme.  See, for example:

      https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1622096

   But that's typically associated with a complete loss of
functionality.

   There's always a settings reset (and manual reconfiguration) to
consider.

> [...] neither Edge or Explorer would work. [...]

   What kind of "would not work"?  As usual, showing actual actions with
their actual results (error messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more
helpful than vague descriptions or interpretations.

[gesper]

Thanks and sorry for being so vague. The XB6 modem/router is at one end of a long house in the basement and the R7900 router is upstairs at the other end.  Their radio ranges do not overlap and have different SSID's. They are connecgted by in-wall ethernet wiring from a LAN port on the XB6 to the WAN port on the R7900. The XB6 assigned an IP address of 10.0.0.186 to the R7900. I ran Speedtest on an R7900 SSID before the update and got 300+Mbs. 

I downloaded firmware version V1.0.3.8_10.0.37 to my laptop and connected it by ethernet cable to a LAN port on the 7900. Using Firefox I connected to the R7900 using http://10.0.0.186. I noticed that at that point the Netgear page showed firmware version V1.0.2.16_10.0.32  Following the instructions on the Netgear website I uploaded the new firmware from the desktop file. The screen showed a progress bar for a while and I let it run without touching anything. Aftrer the bar completed, the screen showed a message that the router was restarting. Shortly thereafter, the Netgear page disappeared and the page showed the message "Firefox can’t establish a connection to the server at 10.0.0.186."  After confirming that the XB6 still showed that the R7900 was connected and the IP address had not changed, I tried again several times and continued to get this message. I tried clearing the cache and this didn't help.

After a few minutes I tried Speedtest on the R7900 SSID and it still showed 300+ Mbs. Even though I hadn't been able to reconnect to IP 10.0.0.186 through Firefox, I shut down my laptop assuming everything was fine since I had a great connection. While unplgging the laptop's ethernet cable I noticed the orange flashing light. I looked in the manual and that is where I saw that it meant the firmware was updating.  Not sure if that means it never rebooted, Is somehow stuck in the reboot, or if the reboot was complete.

As for Edge and Explorer, as I recall it was a "can't reach this page" message in both cases.

Thanks again, and hope this helps.

[antinode · Accepted solution]

> [...] After confirming that the XB6 still showed that the R7900 was
> connected and the IP address had not changed, [...]

   Is the XB6 reporting its fond memories of the R7900-as-WAP, or are
those data current?  Restart the XB6, and see if its story changes.

> [...] Not sure if that means it never rebooted, Is somehow stuck in
> the reboot, or if the reboot was complete.

   Until you can talk to its management web site, it may not be possible
to tell.

   If the R7900 is really working (to some extent, at least), I'd cycle
the power, and see if its condition changes.  Normally, the management
web site is fairly reliable, but if the settings got scrambled, it might
die (for no very good reason), but leave other functions operating.

   When that fails, I'd try a settings reset (and manual
reconfiguration).  Note that a settings reset should restore it to
normal-router mode, so, at that point, you ought to be able to connect
to nothing except (power and) a single computer, and reach it with a
"routerlogin" name.

   When none of that works, the last ditch is the TFTP recovery scheme.

[gesper]

Solved! Rebooted Modem, confirmed IP address had not changed, rebooted R7900, logged in using Firefox with no trouble. Confirmed that firmware had updated and that the router was in Access Point mode. All is working fine. Thanks for sticking with me antinode!

[antinode]

    Thanks for the report.  Glad to hear that you got it working.  (What
could go wrong?)