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Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
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A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

MacrossMike
Apprentice

A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

Hi all,

 

I've searched the forum here for this a few times and come up dry, so I figured I'd just come out and ask:

 

Is there any method to disable automatic firmware updates on the Orbi (RBK50)?

 

 

Firmware version 1.12.0.18 basically annihilated my previously solid Orbi setup on 1.11.0.20 firmware release, and the usual diagnostic steps (factory reset, rollback and reinstall, etc.) don't solve the problem.  As is, every satellite is useless with the 1.12.0.18 firmware preventing them from switching their wireless access points on, and using the WiFi directly from the router is inexplicably slow enough to be mistaken for dialup even though testing on my modem confirmed it's not my internet connection (which is still moving at a decent clip of ~150mbps).  Rolling it back to 1.11.0.20 gets me full functionality again, but only until evening when the Orbi automatically updates to 1.12.0.18 again and puts me right back.

 

 

Is there a way to prevent the Orbi from automatically updating its firmware so I can roll back to a non-broken FW build for a while until Netgear fixes the hot mess that is 1.12.0.18? 

 

I work from home a fair bit, and with 1.12.0.18 my home network is crippled to the extent that I can't even get on my company's VPN anymore, and rolling it back every few hours or using a MiFi for everything are not viable long-term solutions.

 

Any advice the community can offer to stop the automatic updater (or get me a beta firmware build that doesn't deactivate my satellites) is greatly appreciated.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

~Mike~

Model: Orbi High-Performance AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi System (RBK50)
Message 1 of 9

Accepted Solutions

Re: A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

Optionally page 5 of this thread has instructions on how to enable telnet using debug mode and disable it by editing the config file.

 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Firmware-V1-12-0-18-Discussion/td-p/1320421/page/5

View solution in original post

Message 4 of 9

All Replies

Re: A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

Yes manually updating will stop it from auto-updating is what Netgear support told me. So far it's been almost a week and it hasnt auto updated after I manually downgraded to 1.11.0.20. You just get a nag message in the console saying an update is available.

 

Alternately go to Advanced, Security, Block Sites and add downloads.netgear.com as a blocked site.

Message 2 of 9
MacrossMike
Apprentice

Re: A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

Thanks esiebert7625, I'll have to give the Block Sites option a try.

 

I've manually reverted the firmware to version 1.11.0.20 several times already, but once the system is idle for some unspecified amount of time (usually in the early hours of the morning) it automatically re-updates itself to version 1.12.0.18 and I'm back where I started.

 

(It'd be real nice if Netgear added a little option in the debug menu or something that would allow us to go in and turn off automatic updates, like most other manufacturers do.)

Message 3 of 9

Re: A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

Optionally page 5 of this thread has instructions on how to enable telnet using debug mode and disable it by editing the config file.

 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Firmware-V1-12-0-18-Discussion/td-p/1320421/page/5

Message 4 of 9
MacrossMike
Apprentice

Re: A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

That's exactly what I need!  Thanks esiebert7625!

Message 5 of 9
MacrossMike
Apprentice

Re: A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

OK, starting to get a bit hacked-off now...

 

Despite having gone into the NVRAM and manually disabling the automatic updates, my RBS50 Orbi setup still somehow automatically updated itself to v1.12.0.18 'round 3:15am local time this morning and, in so doing, completely crippled itself again.

 

Is there any other way to disable automatic updates?  This is getting incredibly frustrating.

 

Any passing moderator, please un-mark this as "Solved" because it definitely isn't.

Message 6 of 9

Re: A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

Went I set mine I did note that one of the NVRAM settings is different on mine from what was in the instructiions. I think it was the orbi_auto_upgrade one which was actually listed as orbi_auto_upg when I listed the settings with the nvram show command. View your settings before you change them and make sur eyou are changing the correct ones.

Message 7 of 9
BrianKennedy
Aspirant

Re: A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

I've added every netgear domain that I'm aware of and the router still auto updates to 1.12 . As soon as it does I lose https:// connections. Any other domains they may use that I can block?

Message 8 of 9
cyberprashant
Luminary

Re: A way to disable auto-update of firmware? (V1.12.0.18)

Blocking the sites doesn't seem to work.  ONly way to block the upgrade is page 5 of this thread (telnet method) - see link below.  Plus use the extra parameter mentioned in post 7 on current thread (orbi_auto_upg). 

 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Firmware-V1-12-0-18-Discussion/td-p/1320421/page/5

Message 9 of 9
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