Netgear R6700v3 - power LED flashing after several attempts to factory reset and reload firmware

[bsulli42]

Hello again -
I posted some questions about how to recover my AC1750 in July 2020.  My 2020 trouble started when I mistakenly attempted to update the Nighthawk firmware over a wireless connection.  It failed and the router has not successfully booted since that time.  

I have used the following article to try and factory reset - wired, not wireless - more times than I can count with no success.  Firmware TFTP successfully finishes, but power LED never goes to steady orange.  I left it for 30 minutes.  When I power cycle it, it comes back with flashing power LED.

https://kb.netgear.com/000059634/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-Windows-TFTP?langu... 

In 2020, I gave up, put the Nighthawk in a drawer, and just bought another one.  I now need to use the original one for another network.  I gave the process another try today.  Same results - flashing power LED.  I did notice that when I held in the factory reset button and turned it on, I never got a true flashing power LED.  Power LED comes on, it seems to cycle through the lights, the power LED goes dark and that same cycle continues over and over.  Could I have had a bad reset button all this time?  I have to believe I followed the instructions properly, since I've done it so many times.

The unit is out of warranty and it seems I cannot contact tech support directly, but I would either like to send it back to Netgear for recycling or determine if I can recover it some other way.

Please advise if you have other ideas and it would be awesome if someone from Netgear Support team could weigh in on the situation.  TIA!

Beth

[plemans]

tftp can be sensitive to timings so its worth trying at different times in the cycle when doing it. 

are you on windows? if so, follow this guide

https://kb.netgear.com/000059634/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-Windows-TFTP

just make sure you enable tftp 

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/enable-tftp-windows-10

and here's a video walk through using a tftp client. Use the built in one for windows 10 though. the video is more of an example of how its done. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9DLrLQrpaw

and if that doesn't work, you can try using nmrpflash. I've seen nmrpflash work when tftp wouldn't. so worth an effort. 

https://github.com/jclehner/nmrpflash

The only other thing I'd mention trying is a different power supply. I've had devices fail to boot because of insufficient power on bootup. If you have a matching one (same voltage and polarity but can have higher amperage) you can try that. I wouldn't buy one unless you know yours is bad as its just a step you could try. 

[bsulli42]

@plemans 
Thanks for the response.  I am using Win 10 and posted a link to the instructions I used in my original post.  Win 10 command line TFTP transfer completes successfully.  I have another Nighthawk - same model - but it's in production.  I could try the other power supply when I can take down that network, but the currently nonfunctioning Nighthawk wasn't that old when it failed.  Appreciate the input!

[bsulli42]

I have come to a theory that the factory reset button doesn't actually reset the router.  I have kept it depressed for 7 seconds, 10 seconds, over 1 minute and the flashing amber power LED never changes states.
Now it's about silly pride.  The router was practically new when I bricked it.  I took off the cover to see if I there was anything obviously amiss.  
Anyone know if there is an alternate and/or physical way to force a factory reset?  I realize this is an inexpensive router, but I am not quite ready to recycle it, but close.  TIA!

[FURRYe38]

Any chance you can get into the routers web page? If you can, try using the ERASE button under Adv/Admin/Backup.

[bsulli42]

@FURRYe38 
Sadly, no, the web interface won't come up on it.  I am able to successfully PUT the firmware on it every time I try.

[FURRYe38]

Try the 30-30-30 reset process...

[michaelkenward]

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@bsulli42 wrote:

I have come to a theory that the factory reset button doesn't actually reset the router. 

No one has ever claimed that the reset button will reset a broken router to its factory settings. 

If you could reset a router with corrupt firmware there would be no need for this TFTP rigmarole.

Pressing the reset button on broken firmware is intended to initiate a process that allows you to connect and start this TFTP stuff.

It  might help to explain what @FURRYe38 means by the 30-30-30 reset process.

• Press reset for 30 seconds
• Keep pressing reset while removing power
• Keep pressing reset for another 30 seconds while apply power

That is supposed to enable a "recovery reset", but it rarely seems to work with broken firmware. If it does work, then the traditional firmware update can work.