[SOLVED] Steps for debrick unresponsive R7000 (softbricked)

[carlosroque]

I created an account just so I can post my thanks!

this is the only method that worked on my Nighthawk X6 R8000

I am happily surfing the webs now

[mjpoplaw]

Worked great on my "BRICKED" R7000..... WOW!

Used Windows 10, TFTP enabled,  IP address changed per instructions, ethernet cable to port 1 of the R7000, used the lastest firmware.  Took about 2-3 minutes to loard the firmware.

THANK YOU!!!

[moxyaus]

I could actually really do with understanding how to put this router R7000p into SFTP mode.  Any pointers?

Cheers

Moxy

[mjpoplaw]

As I understand it after resetting the R7000 to factory default and cycling the power it will accept a firmware update via TFTP.  I'm not sure if resetting to factory default is necessary but mine was in that state when I ran through the procedure.

[jroyalty]

I updated with a firmware update this morning and now the router is unresponsive. 

I am using an apple computer so i am not sure how to go about fixing this.  

There is only the amber light blinking after reboot and when I hit the reset button and turned it on, the power light blinks white. 

Can anyone help? 

Thank you. 

[antinode]

> Can anyone help?

   Possibly.  Keeping alive this years-old thread with all its obsolete
information may not be the best way, however.

> I am using an apple computer [...]

   The Mac details can be found by following a link from:

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

[Jdygo]

I only signed up so that I could say thank you and this worked rather than all the other things i tried

[antinode]

> [...] this worked [...]

   That's good.  Which "this", exactly?

[PlainFacts]

Saw this just went to another link.  Macbook instruction are this...
Turn off power on router (button is fine), hold reset button.  Wait until the power light starts flashing orange.  From command prompt, type... tftp 192.168.1.1 then at the tftp prompt, type "binary" then "put whatever the firmware name is"
computername-LT:~ yourname$  tftp 192.168.1.1

tftp> binary

tftp> put R7000P-V1.3.1.64_10.1.36.chk

[depkat]

DUDE! This solve the problem! (using the cmd prompts "tftp -i 192.168.1.1 put r7000xxxxxxx" w/o quoates, and the x's are the exact file name - copy past from the file properties). I bought the usb to ttl serial cable but could not get Putty to work. Found this suggestion and tried it. BOOM!!

[aussie2000]

The above instructions worked BUT there is definately a typo in the command . It needs to be the following (assuming the R7000-V1.0.9.60_10.2.60.chk is located at C:\Temp) and run from command prompt: 

C:\temp>tftp -i 192.168.1.1 put R7000-V1.0.9.60_10.2.60.chk

The the command succeeds the following output is displayed :

Transfer successful: 32047162 bytes in 112 second(s), 286135 bytes/s

[SF520]

I can’t communicate with this thing despite pressing Reset several times. I’m not an expert, but I tried the tftp directions exactly that resulted in something like “not a recognized internal command”, etc. I wish I’d downloaded that firmware R7000-v1.0.9._10.2.64.chk. Power button blinking and am connected to PC as I have the “1” blinking. Ping is unsuccessful to 192.168.1.1. I really need this.

[aussie2000]

Have you tried disabling / removing firewalls on your computer?

[yddtime]

---

@SF520 wrote:
I can’t communicate with this thing despite pressing Reset several times. I’m not an expert, but I tried the tftp directions exactly that resulted in something like “not a recognized internal command”, etc. I wish I’d downloaded that firmware R7000-v1.0.9._10.2.64.chk. Power button blinking and am connected to PC as I have the “1” blinking. Ping is unsuccessful to 192.168.1.1. I really need this.

---

This means the tftp program is not enabled on your Windows PC. Google "how to use windows [your version here] tftp client" for instructions on enabling the client.

[antinode]

> [...] I'm not an expert, but I tried the tftp directions exactly that
> resulted in something like "not a recognized internal command", etc.
> [...]

   Which "the tftp directions"?  As usual, showing actual actions or
commands with their actual results (error messages, LED indicators, ...)
can be more helpful than vague descriptions or interpretations.
Copy+paste is your friend.

> [...] Ping is unsuccessful to 192.168.1.1. [...]

   Which kind of "unsuccessful"?  See "As usual, [...]", above.  What
was the IP address of your (unspecified) computer when you did that?

> Google "how to use windows [...]

   Or, follow the links in responses to your questions in the other old
thread which you joined instead of starting your own:

      https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1788267#M136511
      https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1788267#M136513
      https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1788267#M136532
      https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1788267#M136544
      https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1622096#M102004
      https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1533866#M87578

   These forums generally work better if you start your own thread for
your own problem, rather than spreading your questions across multiple
old discussions.  And, in any case, if you read the responses which you
get.

> Model: A6150|AC1200 Dual Band WiFi USB Mini Adapter

   Does that have anything to do with anything?

[xninhox]

Hi,

i have been facing issues with my netgear router.

After uploading the latest firmware it doesn't work anymore. I tried both forced reset and TFTP (either app or prompt) but i am not able to unbrick it and Netgear Support is not able to fix it.

With regard to the TFTP procedure (app):

- I used 192.168.1.10 as a static IP, 255.255.255.0 as Subnet Mask;

- i opended the new firware withTFTP and i tried to uploaded it but it was not successful. I also tried to upload the firmware through  the prompt by the following command: TFTP -i 192.168.1.1 put C:\firmwarename, then i did the reset of the router and after 40 second i turned it on and pushed enter but no luck.

If i open the prompt and type "ping 192.168.1.1" it shows me 4 answers. "it cannot connect to the static IP". The good thing is that the router is able to interact but it doesn't manage to communicate with my computer. Can you help me to fix it?

[xninhox]

Dear All,

i have been facing issues with my netgear router.

After uploading the latest firmware it doesn't work anymore. I tried both forced reset and TFTP (either app or prompt) but i am not able to unbrick it and Netgear Support is not able to fix it.

With regard to the TFTP procedure (app):

- I used 192.168.1.10 as a static IP, 255.255.255.0 as Subnet Mask;

- i opended the new firware withTFTP and i tried to uploaded it but it was not successful. I also tried to upload the firmware through  the prompt by the following command: TFTP -i 192.168.1.1 put C:\firmwarename, then i did the reset of the router and after 40 second i turned it on and pushed enter but no luck.

If i open the prompt and type "ping 192.168.1.1" it shows me 4 answers. "it cannot connect to the static IP". The good thing is that the router is able to interact but it doesn't manage to communicate with my computer. Can you help me to fix it?

[antinode]

> [...] TFTP -i 192.168.1.1 put C:\firmwarename, [...]

   What, exactly, was "firmwarename"?

> [...] If i open the prompt and type "ping 192.168.1.1" it shows me 4
> answers. "it cannot connect to the static IP". [...]

   You lost me.  Copy+paste is your friend.

> [...] The good thing is that the router is able to interact [...]

   Huh?  "cannot connect" doesn't sound to me like success.

[xninhox]

i uploaded R8000-V1.0.4.46_10.1.63.chk through Tomato /administration/ upgrade

Do you know how to fix it?

[antinode]

> i uploaded R8000-V1.0.4.46_10.1.63.chk through Tomato /administration/
> upgrade

   Minor details like that are why it's usually a good idea to start
your own, new thread for your own, different problem.

> Do you know how to fix it?

   No.  If you installed some non-Netgear firmware on your router, then
you might want to ask the people who supply that firmware for advice on
how to remove it.

[avisan]

Hi,

I still have this issue,

Issue: Initiated firmware update via app (wifi) stayed in blinking amber mode more than two hours. 

Steps tried:

• Press reset for 30 seconds
• Keep pressing reset while removing power
• Keep pressing reset for another 30 seconds while apply power
• TFTP2 - gets server not responding error    
  IP address: 192.168.1.2
  Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
  Default gateway: 192.168.1.1

I gave up and ordered a new Tp link. but i saw this thread and got my hopes back and i tried using windows TFTP

Steps:

changed to static IP, pinged succesfully. turned off and turned on, waited till blinking amber and enter tftp -i 192.168.1.1 put C:\R6400v2-V1.0.4.84_10.0.58\R6400v2-V1.0.4.78_10.0.55.chk

I was able to successfully transfer the file but the amber is still blinking, waited for more than 10 mins and 

• Press reset for 30 seconds

second time tried with older firmware version, same successfully transfered but still blinking power light.

please help

[antinode]

> I still have this issue, [...]

      https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1875983

   I had no good explanation then, either.

      IP address: 192.168.1.2
      Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
      Default gateway: 192.168.1.1

   If that's how you set the Ethernet interface on your Windows system,
then it looks ok.  And your TFTP commands, and their results, also look
good.

   If you really have an R6400v2 (not, for example, a plain-old
R6400[v1]), as shown on the product label, then you seem to be doing
everything right.  I checked the size of the
R6400v2-V1.0.4.84_10.0.58.chk file, and that "48283706 bytes" value is
right.

   One pure speculation would be that the router does not believe that
it's an R6400v2, and so it ignores that R6400v2 firmware image file.  Or
there's some other internal problem (hardware or firmware) which
prevents it from applying the firmware image after it's been received.

   TFTP is handy, but it doesn't provide any good path for error/status
message return.  A Web serach for terms like, say:

      netgear  router  usb  serial  line

might find some information on a still-lower-level way to interact with
the router, but it requires a gizmo, opening the box, and fiddling with
wires.

> [...] more than two hours.

   If you see no interesting activity within a few minutes, then I
wouldn't expect more time to help.

[avisan]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I have been playing with this for a day now, finally, i will give up thinking it is hardware issue, i just couldn't let it go becuase, I bought it exactly 13 months ago and it failed right after my warranty expired.