Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
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Re: Problems with recent firmware update

srjohnson918
Tutor

Problems with recent firmware update

Since updating three days ago, nothing can connect to this thing except through guest access.  SSID, security, and passwords are all the same, but I am having to change everyones device to access through a guest SSID.  Also, what is this "arlo" thing.  What a nusance, was happier before I updated.

Message 1 of 10

Accepted Solutions
TheEther
Guru

Re: Problems with recent firmware update

The latest R7000 firmware has been the talk of the forum for weeks.  

 

Try a factory reset and reconfigure the settings by hand.  Do not restore settings from a backup file.  Turn off the new Arlo setting.  If things don't recover, then downgrade the firmware.  You can obtain firmware from downloadcenter.netgear.com.

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Message 3 of 10

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srjohnson918
Tutor

Re: Problems with recent firmware update

It has also blown up my home network.  Other pcs are now off the homegroup, network printer (wired) works, but it can no longer find a pc, that used to be on the network, to scan a file into.

Message 2 of 10
TheEther
Guru

Re: Problems with recent firmware update

The latest R7000 firmware has been the talk of the forum for weeks.  

 

Try a factory reset and reconfigure the settings by hand.  Do not restore settings from a backup file.  Turn off the new Arlo setting.  If things don't recover, then downgrade the firmware.  You can obtain firmware from downloadcenter.netgear.com.

Message 3 of 10
raven540
Aspirant

Re: Problems with recent firmware update

same problem.  got an email telling me to upgrade firmware.  nothing works.  I have gone through and redone everything.  It just will not let me get to my printer (brand new HP 6830) except on guest network.  I have gone all netgear and boy do I regret it now.  

Message 4 of 10
TheEther
Guru

Re: Problems with recent firmware update


@raven540 wrote:

same problem.  got an email telling me to upgrade firmware.  nothing works.  I have gone through and redone everything.  It just will not let me get to my printer (brand new HP 6830) except on guest network.  I have gone all netgear and boy do I regret it now.  


 

Did you try doing a factory reset?

 

You can always downgrade to your previous firmware.

Message 5 of 10
No_ROI
Aspirant

Re: Problems with recent firmware update

R7000, current Firmware Version V1.0.6.28_1.1.83  

 

interesting I got the upgrade notification email on 2/2/16 AFTER upgrading to V1.0.6.28_1.1.83 on 1/30/16....

 

So here is the sequence of events and issues I've seen with this router:

1. purchased the system Sep-14, spent close to 100hrs with Netgear CS trying to optimize the router to be able to communicate with different devices in my home. It took 2-3 months till all my devices got acceptable communication and worked great till...

2. about 3 weeks ago, out of the blue, at least nothing I did, my Sami Note 4 (problem not seen with my other devices like a Sami S4)started having issues sync'ing with my Comcast email using exchange when on WiFi, not an issue when in cell mode. Note 4 is connecting using the 5G band. Tried deleting the account, changing the ports setting on the phone etc..., no change, the Note 4 refused to consistently sync with Comcast (occasionally did worked).

3. on 1/30/16 after doing some research on the net I decided to look into the router setting and found that I was on an old 1.0.3.80 so I decided to upgrade and see if helps. Well the email sync issue seemed to have solved immediately after that and work ok that day, but next day started having the same issue again. Not just that but my Note 4 (again not see on the other mobile devices) started having an additional 10-30s delay in loading any page/content etc. from the internet, again only on WiFi.  Speed tests were equivalent before and after the firmware change (~40mls, 80-110Mbs). Again on cell mode all pages were uploaded instantly, but on WiFi mode it adds another good 10-30s uploading anything. I've tried changing all relevant settings (enabling smart connect, Preampl, channels, 2.4 vs 5G, enabled and disabling Smart connect, BEAMFORMING, AIRTIME FAIRNESS etc... I spent several hours on different options. Note 4 is connecting fine using the 5G band and at speeds >500MBs.

4. after reading issues reported here with the new V1.0.6.28_1.1.83, yesterday 2/6/16 I decided to downgrade so I tried all the version one by one down to 1.04.18, same issues !

Contacted Netgear, they wanted $200 or more to extend service, which is an extortion for a $200 router and that this seemed to be a fwr issue, I told them no thank you ! They did imply that this could be an optimization between different devices/bandwidths/channels tec., nothing that I didn't tried before. 

I will try a factory reset and see if it helps, but the ROI on this premium router turns out to be very negative, if I had know that Netgear will turn their back to customers after charging premium for their unit, I would have gone with other known brands. I had the WRT54G for many years (still works) and never had an issue with it, good service.

If you have other suggestions pls. let me know. 

Thanks !

Message 6 of 10
JamesGL
Master

Re: Problems with recent firmware update

Hi No_ROI,

 

Try again the firmware version 1.0.4.30 and perform a factory reset and manually reconfigure the router.

Message 7 of 10
srjohnson918
Tutor

Re: Problems with recent firmware update

I have been busy and finally got around to the fix - because I had too, nothing was working at home.  Downgraded the firmware, did the factory reset and reconfigured the router.  The firmware update is inexcusable.  Obviously was not tested.  It took down my home network, printer would not work, no one could sign on to the woreless network except as a guest.  No one could print wirelessly.  I am the "netowrk adminstrator" at home - nobody wants to be that guy.  Thermostats went down, ipad, kindle, laptops, tv, blu ray players - goodbye netflix and amazon prime.  What a mess we have made for ourselves when everything connects.  Left Cisco - linksys for NetGear.  Next router will be back to Cisco.  I don't want to be an IT guy!

Message 8 of 10
raven540
Aspirant

Re: Problems with recent firmware update

I had the same problem used the same solution and everything is back as it should be. I could not agree more with the conclusion as to the lack of care exhibited in pushing out this firmware upgrade without proper testing or support after it clearly failed many people. 

Message 9 of 10
TheEther
Guru

Re: Problems with recent firmware update

Netgear definitely should be held accountable for putting out bad firmware.  But short of NASA-style development and testing (1 bug in 420,000 lines of code for the space shuttle vs hundreds to thousands of bugs in typical commercial code), people should understand that bad firmware gets out.  It is exceedingly expensive to test code 100% (100% statement coverage does not equate to 100% path coverage).

 

What is more disappointing is that Netgear took so long to acknowledge that the firmware was bad and pull it.  The engineers in the company should be empowered to pull releases.  Many years ago in another company, I once put in a request to stop a big software release and ended up in the office of the VP of Engineering.  I don't remember if it was my bug or someone else's, but it didn't matter.  After I explained the severity of the issue, he gratefully thanked me.  Hopefully the culture at Netgear isn't one where speaking up and/or taking action is frowned upon.

Message 10 of 10
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