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R6400v2 bricked after firmware update

LP128
Tutor

R6400v2 bricked after firmware update

I clicked the update firmware button on routerlogin.net, waited about 30 minutes, and nothing happened.  Now my router's power button just flashes red.  I downloaded the latest firmware and tried to copy it with TFTP after pressing the router's reset button.  The command prompt shows that the chk file was successfully copied to the router, but the router's power button is still flashing red.

Model: R6400|AC1750 Smart WiFi Router
Message 1 of 5

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LP128
Tutor

Re: R6400v2 bricked after firmware update

I got it to work using a different tool: https://github.com/jclehner/nmrpflash

I downloaded the oldest version of my router's firmware (R6400v2-V1.0.2.14_1.0.7.chk) from https://www.netgear.com/support/download/ into the same download location as nmrpflash.


I unplugged the router's WAN and plugged my computer into the router's LAN port #1.

Opened Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections
right clicked "Ethernet"
clicked "Properties"
double clicked Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)

 

switched to a static IP address:
IP Address: 192.168.1.10
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.1.1

 

I opened a command prompt as administrator, and changed to my download directory for nmrpflash:
cd C:\Users\LP128\Downloads

 

then typed the following to view a list of my network connections (I typed the command as shown, without a preceding pound sign):
nmrpflash -L

 

It showed that 192.168.1.10 (Ethernet) was the net2 connection

 

Then I turned off my router, and typed the following without pressing enter:
nmrpflash -a 192.168.1.1 -i net2 -f R6400v2-V1.0.2.14_1.0.7.chk

 

I pressed enter, and immediately turned on my router. I had to try four times before I got the timing correct.

 

When the it worked successfully, the command prompt displayed this:
Advertising NMRP server on net2 ... \
Received TFTP_UL_REQ while waiting for CONF_REQ!
Received upload request without filename.
Uploading R6400v2-V1.0.2.14_1.0.7.chk ... OK
Waiting for remote to respond.
Received keep-alive request.
Received keep-alive request.
Received keep-alive request.
Remote finished. Closing connection.
Reboot your device now.

 

("Received keep-alive request." was actually repeated 26 times. I shortened it here.)

 

I rebooted the router, and after a couple of minutes the power indicator turned white.

I plugged the WAN back into the router.

I went back to my computer's ethernet properties and changed the IP address back to automatic.

Downloaded the latest firmware from https://www.netgear.com/support/download/

Went to routerlogin.net, and upgraded the firmware to this latest version under Advanced - Administration - Router Update

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Message 5 of 5

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antinode
Guru

Re: R6400v2 bricked after firmware update

> [...] I downloaded the latest firmware [...]

 

   What, exactly, did you download?

 

> [...] and tried to copy it with TFTP after pressing the router's reset
> button. [...]

 

   Using what type of computer, "tried" how, exactly, "to copy" "the chk
file"?  As usual, showing actual actions (commands) with their actual
results (error messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more helpful than
vague descriptions or interpretations.  Copy+paste is your friend.

 

> [...] The command prompt shows that the chk file was successfully
> copied to the router, [...]

 

   Actual message(s)?

 

> [...] but the router's power button is still flashing red.

 

   Apparently, whatever you did didn't work.

Message 2 of 5
LP128
Tutor

Re: R6400v2 bricked after firmware update

I'm using Windows 10.
I downloaded R6400v2-V1.0.4.82_10.0.57 from https://www.netgear.com/support/download/
I unplugged the WAN and plugged my computer into the router's LAN port #1.


Opened Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections
right clicked "Ethernet"
clicked "Properties"
double clicked Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)

switched to a static IP address:
IP Address: 192.168.1.10
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.1.1

 

I turned off the router, held the Reset button for 30 seconds, turned it back on while still holding the reset button.
While holding the reset button, all of the lights briefly flash on and off every few seconds.
When I let go of the reset button, after a few seconds, only the red power light and port 1 lights are still on.
After a few more seconds, the power light begins to flash red.


I opened a command prompt, and typed: tftp -i 192.168.1.1 put R6400v2-V1.0.4.82_10.0.57.chk
Command prompt shows "Transfer successful: 48308282 bytes in 44 second(s), 1097915 bytes/s"
I waited over 30 minutes. The router never stopped flashing red.

Message 3 of 5
antinode
Guru

Re: R6400v2 bricked after firmware update

> I'm using Windows 10. [...]

 

   Thanks for the details.  That all looks plausible to me, right down
to the byte count, assuming that the router really is a R6400v2.  (And
I'm willing to believe that you can read the product label.)

 

   I might try it with a less elaborate start sequence.  For example,
ignore the Reset button, and just apply power.

 

> [...] I waited over 30 minutes. [...]

 

   After the transfer, the LEDs should do different things, and, within
a few minutes, a normal start-up should follow.

Message 4 of 5
LP128
Tutor

Re: R6400v2 bricked after firmware update

I got it to work using a different tool: https://github.com/jclehner/nmrpflash

I downloaded the oldest version of my router's firmware (R6400v2-V1.0.2.14_1.0.7.chk) from https://www.netgear.com/support/download/ into the same download location as nmrpflash.


I unplugged the router's WAN and plugged my computer into the router's LAN port #1.

Opened Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections
right clicked "Ethernet"
clicked "Properties"
double clicked Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)

 

switched to a static IP address:
IP Address: 192.168.1.10
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.1.1

 

I opened a command prompt as administrator, and changed to my download directory for nmrpflash:
cd C:\Users\LP128\Downloads

 

then typed the following to view a list of my network connections (I typed the command as shown, without a preceding pound sign):
nmrpflash -L

 

It showed that 192.168.1.10 (Ethernet) was the net2 connection

 

Then I turned off my router, and typed the following without pressing enter:
nmrpflash -a 192.168.1.1 -i net2 -f R6400v2-V1.0.2.14_1.0.7.chk

 

I pressed enter, and immediately turned on my router. I had to try four times before I got the timing correct.

 

When the it worked successfully, the command prompt displayed this:
Advertising NMRP server on net2 ... \
Received TFTP_UL_REQ while waiting for CONF_REQ!
Received upload request without filename.
Uploading R6400v2-V1.0.2.14_1.0.7.chk ... OK
Waiting for remote to respond.
Received keep-alive request.
Received keep-alive request.
Received keep-alive request.
Remote finished. Closing connection.
Reboot your device now.

 

("Received keep-alive request." was actually repeated 26 times. I shortened it here.)

 

I rebooted the router, and after a couple of minutes the power indicator turned white.

I plugged the WAN back into the router.

I went back to my computer's ethernet properties and changed the IP address back to automatic.

Downloaded the latest firmware from https://www.netgear.com/support/download/

Went to routerlogin.net, and upgraded the firmware to this latest version under Advanced - Administration - Router Update

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