Re: RS700 - new firmware version 1.0.7.96 released

DrunkKittie · ‎2025-01-28

No error message, after the router boots up it showed the old firmware version.

I tried the IOS app, it told me there is no new version available.

Just now, I tried manual update again, this time from Firefox, and this time it worked ok, and I can see it's updated to 96. Not sure if that's a coincedence and trying again with Edge would work as well, but thanks for the suggestion FURRYe38!

DrunkKittie · ‎2025-01-28

@Viperion something similar happened to me around 6 months ago. I did a factory reset, and everything went downhill. Wifi stopped working, router interface didn't login. I did another reset (with proper old school, keep device unpowered, keep resetting the reset button style), devices stopped seeing the router altogether.

After 1 hour, and maybe 5 factory resets, it started working back again. Since then, I'm scared to reset it.

BH-C · ‎2025-01-28

We do staged rollout for every firmware release, so not every router could see new firmware when it looks for new versions. But manual upgrade still works (i.e. to download new firmware from the support site to a local disk, and then update the router with a local firmware file from the Web GUI)..

mavere · ‎2025-02-12

@DrunkKittie wrote:
No error message, after the router boots up it showed the old firmware version.

I tried the IOS app, it told me there is no new version available.

Just now, I tried manual update again, this time from Firefox, and this time it worked ok, and I can see it's updated to 96

Tried Safari first, and then Firefox. Neither browser for manual update worked for me, and just like you, the older version (86) still shows upon router reboot. I'm not going to worry about this for the time being.

FURRYe38 · ‎2025-02-12

Id recommend checking in with NG to make sure the router can accept a FW update. Others were able to get the manual FW to update using the manual method. If that's not working then that should be investigated.

Try a different PC to compare?

@BH-C

@mavere wrote:

Tried Safari first, and then Firefox. Neither browser for manual update worked for me, and just like you, the older version (86) still shows upon router reboot. I'm not going to worry about this for the time being.

mr_mdiaz87 · ‎2025-02-13

I'm trying to remain positive, but feel duped after over a year (and out-of-warranty / return policy) by believing that this $700 Flagship Nighthawk Router would have features/capabilities delivered through firmware updates as promised by Netgear Support team (and led to believe via responses on these forums). It definitely seems like this router has been neglected compared to the Orbi series which has received more updates and full feature implementation.
MLO is a WiFi -7 Standard capability, which was in the spec and feature list that game with my router (paper manual documentation and on the box). However, once I received my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra phone, the first device I had that supports it, I find out Netgear essentially lied / false advertised and the capability did not exist as-delivered, and have continuously been told that it is "coming in a future firmware update, engineers are still working on it."
Of course when I found that out I could not longer return my product for another, competitors have it implemented already, why not this top-line RS700?
Additionally, the configuration interface leaves MUCH to be desired. The "logging" is laughable, of all of the logging option checkboxes, nothing of value is logged aside from the DHCP requests to assign IPs, it doesn't do any logging of when channels are re-assigned (i.e. DFS channel events) to help users to find which are affected, an important understanding when all other 5Ghz channels in my area are very congested due to living next to a hospital and apartment complex. This router runs into issues after a few days and requires 1-2 reboots every week. It does not handle congestion well, even after modifying the CTS/RTS settings and turning off SmartConnect. There should be more flexibility to channel settings vs "Auto" (all) and single channel selection, such as a "Do not include DFS", or a simple Custom Auto selection where problematic channels can be excluded and the router can pick from more than one that the user selects to pick from.
Having to wait 20sec-2min between every single configuration change is frustratingly inefficient and time consuming. The reliability is not what I expected from this router, I wish I had returned it in the return period instead of having faith in Netgear support.
If some attention to this can be made, it may turn my opinion, but at this point I don't want to invest in another Netgear Router when I decide to buy a new one.
As a software developer, User Engagement should be important - both for interacting with users via these forums to actually consider user input for Discrepancy Reports / Enhancement Requests, and to communicate a release timeline for what to expect in an upcoming release!
Instead, I have not received any further communication from my Support Request 2 months ago for an early engineering build availability as I'm willing to test any new enhancements and particularly the Multi-Link Operation feature which I'm still looking forward to! The responses that "Netgear does not provide insight into upcoming release dates / content" is just not acceptable IMO and could easily be changed to provide some assurance to your power users, as well as to foster a 2-way relationship for improving your products and increasing customers re-purchasing your new products rather than looking to a competitor. Please put more details in your release notes! We want to know what these enhancements to stability even mean. Where is the technical explanation?
I want to love this router, when it works it works great, but the reliability just isn't there in a congested wifi environment, and features that would help that (MLO, DFS events logging) feel like they're never going to come after waiting for a considerable amount of time.

JohnNadeau · ‎2025-02-13

Hi @mr_mdiaz87

I feel your pain! Netgear had always been my preference/go-to. I've used many for decades with good overall performance. I waited to buy the rs700 until December 2024... many months & firmware releases had passed, anticipating that (what I perceived as) their current Flagship would be stable by then.

Per you: "This router runs into issues after a few days and requires 1-2 reboots every week."

Take a look at this post to see if yours might be suffering from the same issue: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-with-WiFi-7-BE/Re-Netgear-Nighthawk-RS300/m-p/2417297/hig...

In my case, my first rs700 ran for 7 days solid, then started acting up.

I was able to swap out two other (of my older) routers in the exact same place as the rs700 and they ran without issue. As well, I have since replaced it with an Asus BQ16. All three "replacement" routers work perfectly, so I feel I can rule out problems in my network setup/cabling/devices as the cause.

BH-C · ‎2025-02-13

Hi @mavere, I've sent you a private message. Please reach out to the NETGEAR support team and let me know the case number. Thanks.

To reach the NETGER support,

* you can find the support phone number here https://my.netgear.com/support/contact.aspx, click on Contact Support, and you will see the NETGEAR support phone number 1-888-638-4327

* or you can go here https://www.netgear.com/support/, scroll down and you will see chat on bottom right.

UrbanLegend · ‎2025-03-08

I had a similar issue to others on the thread where I was on 1.0.7.86 and I tried updating it (even though the router is set to auto update) via the Internet option and through manual update and it failed bac to 1.0.7.86 each time with no error. Then saw the mention of Edge (which I use) and to get Firefox (not gonna happen) so instead I gave the Nighthawk app a try from my phone and it applied 1.0.7.96 successfully without issue.

Nice to know that auto update couldn't/wouldn't even update though.

UrbanLegend · ‎2025-03-09

Never mind, it reverts to 1.0.7.86 even though the app said successful.

FURRYe38 · ‎2025-03-09

Does manually applying the FW update work at all?

https://kb.netgear.com/23960/How-do-I-manually-update-the-firmware-on-my-NETGEAR-router

@UrbanLegend wrote:

Never mind, it reverts to 1.0.7.86 even though the app said successful.

UrbanLegend · ‎2025-03-09

Tried manual updates and while there are no reports of it failing but seems to go back to the older firmware still.

As a test, I disabled the auto updating just in case it was that causing it to roll back and then updated again with the app and it shows as 1.0.7.96 but then a few minutes after its finished rebooting it shows back up as 1.0.7.86 in both web admin and in the app.

In Logs it just shows: "[Initialized, firmware version: V1.0.7.86_2.0.82] Sunday, Mar 09, 2025 13:35:31"

Don't see anywhere in the logs that it ever initialized 1.0.7.96 only the internet disconnects as it rebooted.

FURRYe38 · ‎2025-03-09

I'd make contact with NG support about this. Manually updating FW should maintain what was loaded.

@BH-C

BH-C · ‎2025-03-09

Hi @UrbanLegend,

I sent you a PM on this, can you get back to me? Thanks.

Ferbue · ‎2025-03-10

I'm having exactly the same issue as @UrbanLegend I couldn't update manually and after trying through the app with the it says success (after a few tries) but it gets reverted to .86 again and again

FURRYe38 · ‎2025-03-10

Does this path work at all?

https://kb.netgear.com/23960/How-do-I-manually-update-the-firmware-on-my-NETGEAR-router

@Ferbue wrote:
I'm having exactly the same issue. I couldn't update manually and after trying through the app with the it says success (after a few tries) but it gets reverted to .86 again and again

Ferbue · ‎2025-03-10

That doesn't work and I tried several times as well :S

FURRYe38 · ‎2025-03-10

Lets make contact with NG support. Seems like this needs there help.

@BH-C

@Ferbue wrote:
That doesn't work and I tried several times as well :S

Ferbue · ‎2025-03-10

Just sent you an answer to your PM @BH-C

ramone12781 · ‎2025-03-15

I can't update to latest firmware from mobile app, from web GUI, or manually. Now that I'm stuck on .86 FW I am also unable to change any settings within the GUI and I cannot even factory reset the router. I have never seen a router not be able to factory default in my whole lifetime. This is the oddest router activity I have ever seen. Opened a ticket with NG Support and am awaiting approval for RMA process. Pretty annoyed to say the least being this is supposed to be Netgears "Flagship" Wireless Router Model.

TeamCorvette · ‎2025-03-22

Been crazy,

they have sent me like 4 emails with differnet RMAs and case numbers and have no clue why

I was told there would be no shipping costs to me but the online RMA process would not allow it to be completed with out my credit card info and sure enough checking my bank NetGear already processed it when I was told when old RS700 is shipped to them that no added costs

As it is they have not emailed me the online RMA I did not even a copy of paying for the shipping, so nothing to prove anything I did was done

ramone12781 · ‎2025-03-26

Just here to report back on my RMA process update.

It is working perfectly so far on the latest firmware. It is functional and able to save all my settings without factory reseting itself after saving setting changes. It looks to have been a brand new factory sealed replacement which I am happy about it not being a refurbished unit. While this experience has not been good the support team and Netgear stuck to their word and were honest with me about the situation and what most likely caused this issue therefore I have gained back some confidence in this company to continue to use and purchase Netgear products in the future. I am thankful and appreciative of the end result of this case.

I want to personally thank Andy in Netgear Support for constant communication through out this process from beginning to end. It's work ethic like his that keeps the faith in the consumer in trusting the process and led to a positive end result for me the consumer.

Thanks,

Ramone

captfidel · ‎2025-03-30

I also have FW .86 and the router will not update to .96 - either using the automatic option or the manual option. I was an early purchaser of this router - I wonder if there has been a HW change and early models have trouble with current FW?

As my router is out of warranty now, Netgear won't even take my call. The HW is fine, my router works. In my view, FW updates are not a warranty issue. Is Netgear just screwing those of us that supported them by buying an expensive router when it first came out? Seems like it.

BH-C · ‎2025-03-30

As my router is out of warranty now, Netgear won't even take my call. The HW is fine, my router works. In my view, FW updates are not a warranty issue. Is Netgear just screwing those of us that supported them by buying an expensive router when it first came out? Seems like it.

No, we will take care of this. Please PM me your S/N, name, and contact info (email or phone number), our support team will reach out to you. Thanks.

gjblajian · ‎2025-04-04

Same issue. Fails one of the updates and reverts (after several minutes updating and rebooting). VERY irritating. Not super fond of the fact that NETGEAR pushes you to the community forum when the issue is on their side either. If any company pushes out an update that fails, you should not need a support contract to report or track that failure. I get that you cannot just ask them to help you, but the only way the issue gets fixed is for them to do something to the firmware code to fix it and for that they need to be aware of the issue and tracking it.