Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
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Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?

mgpaulus
Aspirant

Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?

I have a hybrid system with a RBR850 and a couple of RBS750s.  Unfortunately, during the last 'silent' firmware upgrade, I got hit with the "hey, you don't need to know jack squat about what we are doing" syndrome, and they removed my console webpage(s).  In response to that attack, I decided to change out my hardware for an Asus ZenWifi AX system, which is working pretty well. However, I'm not getting the speeds from my ISP that make me happy, and I'm pretty sure it's the router, as hooking a laptop directly to the cable modem gives me in the neighborhood of 850-900 Mbps, but going through the router, it's more like 260 Mbps.  My VPN connection also doesn't seem to be quite as stable as with the Orbi setup (I seem to get many, random "client_loop: send disconnect: Connection reset by peer" faults on my ssh terminals).

Anyway, I see that the latest firmware apparently restores the missing webpages, so...

 

I was wondering if I were to put my old RBR850/RBS750 units back in service in place of the ASUS units, would they eventually auto-magically apply the latest firmware and restore the console (Can't do that right now, which is why I changed everything out...) or am I going to have to do a manual reset and manually update to the latest firmware, hopefully before the stupid console gets tired of hanging around and takes another hike?

(Not sure I can determine the version of Firmware on the unit w/o being able to access the console either.  And I was hoping to not have to reset the router, just to determine that)

 

Thanks

 

 

 

Message 1 of 13

Accepted Solutions
Mikey94025
Hero

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?


@mgpaulus wrote:

So, back to my original question:  How do I convert a .chk file to a .img file, since the instructions clearly indicate I should upload a .img file to the router?


It's confusing and incorrect.  The CHK file is the correct Orbi firmware file.  Try uploading it or else first rename the CHK file to IMG and then upload, as was recommended for this other Orbi firmware thread: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBW30-Firmware-Update-chk-vs-img/td-p/1956195

 

View solution in original post

Message 10 of 13

All Replies
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?

What FW version do you have loaded now?

 

Do you mean telnet? Telnet was removed back in mid v3 FW versions. I guess you hadn't had a FW update since then or things were auto updated with out changing that. Telnet is not longer supported on Orbi systems. Security risk. 

 

Message 2 of 13
mgpaulus
Aspirant

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?

Nope, not talking about telnet.  I'm talking about opening a browser and trying to get to 192.168.0.1 and getting a "page not found" error, with both http and https.  Also, the Orbi app on my iPhone wasn't giving me any kind of response, I'm presuming for the same reason.  Oh, and if I did try a 'telnet 192.168.0.1 80' or a 'telnet 192.168.0.443' from one of my linux boxes, I got back nothing, nada, squat. 

 

Message 3 of 13
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?


@mgpaulus wrote:

I was wondering if I were to put my old RBR850/RBS750 units back in service in place of the ASUS units, would they eventually auto-magically apply the latest firmware and restore the console (Can't do that right now, which is why I changed everything out...) or am I going to have to do a manual reset and manually update to the latest firmware, hopefully before the stupid console gets tired of hanging around and takes another hike?


Well, yes, that was the goal that Netgear announced back in May-June when that update debacle happened.  And, quite a number of customers reported their systems "healing themselves" (and a number of people reported "why hasn't anything happened yet?").

If the goal is to place the Orbi back into service, I would do a Factory Reset on it when it is not connected to the internet.  Verify that a web browser connects to the router correctly. (hint: use the IP address of the router, which should be 192.168.1.1 from a computer that is connected to the router either with Ethernet cable or the WiFi name printed on the router label.)

 

You can then configure anything you want on the router except for changing the WiFi name (If you did as I do and assigned the WiFi name to that new Asus. I have kept the same WiFi name for almost 20 years through several sets of routers.)

 

Once you are ready to unplug the Asus, do so, change the Orbi WiFi name to the preferred login, then connect it to the internet.

Message 4 of 13
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?

What FW version do you have loaded now?

 

There was a auto update event that caused many users to loose access to the RBRs web page. As mentioned, A factory reset and setup from scratch solved that.


@mgpaulus wrote:

Nope, not talking about telnet.  I'm talking about opening a browser and trying to get to 192.168.0.1 and getting a "page not found" error, with both http and https.  Also, the Orbi app on my iPhone wasn't giving me any kind of response, I'm presuming for the same reason.  Oh, and if I did try a 'telnet 192.168.0.1 80' or a 'telnet 192.168.0.443' from one of my linux boxes, I got back nothing, nada, squat. 

 


 

Message 5 of 13
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?


@FURRYe38 wrote:

What FW version do you have loaded now?

How does a person determine the firmware version when the Orbi admin web interface and the Orbi app do not connect to the router?


 


 

Message 6 of 13
mgpaulus
Aspirant

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?

So, I went ahead and reset my router, and it's running FW 4.6.8.2.  I'd like to update to 4.6.8.5, but when I select "Check Updates", it comes back with "No New Firmware Available".  When I downloaded the 4.6.8.5 FW package and unzipped it, I see a .chk file.  I do recall somewhere in my stumblings there was a page telling how to update an RBR850 from a .chk file, but for the life of me, I can't seem to find that page again.  Can someone point me to the steps to update from a .chk file, Please??

 

Message 7 of 13
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?

Message 8 of 13
mgpaulus
Aspirant

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?

While I appreciate the link to the instructions, there seems to be a disconnect:

 

Directly from the page pointed to:

 

To update the firmware on your Orbi router, do the following:

  1. Return to http://orbilogin.com.
    The BASIC Home page displays.
  2. Go back to the Firmware Update page:
    1. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Firmware Update.
    2. Click the Manual Update tab.
    3. Click the Browse button, then locate and select the file that ends in .img on your desktop.
      Be careful not to select the wrong file.

When I go to the webpage and download the RBR850-V4.6.8.5.zip file, and look inside, I see this:

mgpaulus_0-1660742742013.png

 

So, back to my original question:  How do I convert a .chk file to a .img file, since the instructions clearly indicate I should upload a .img file to the router?

 

Message 9 of 13
Mikey94025
Hero

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?


@mgpaulus wrote:

So, back to my original question:  How do I convert a .chk file to a .img file, since the instructions clearly indicate I should upload a .img file to the router?


It's confusing and incorrect.  The CHK file is the correct Orbi firmware file.  Try uploading it or else first rename the CHK file to IMG and then upload, as was recommended for this other Orbi firmware thread: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBW30-Firmware-Update-chk-vs-img/td-p/1956195

 

Message 10 of 13
mgpaulus
Aspirant

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?


It's confusing and incorrect.  The CHK file is the correct Orbi firmware file.  Try uploading it or else first rename the CHK file to IMG and then upload, as was recommended for this other Orbi firmware thread: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBW30-Firmware-Update-chk-vs-img/td-p/1956195

 


Thanks for the verification.  I didn't want to inadvertantely brick this thing if I could avoid it.  BTW, the 4.6.8.5.chk file was accepted and uploaded just fine.  Now, on to reconfiguring it and then seeing if things change when I put it back in service in place of my current Asus Mesh.

 

Thanks again, appreciate the help.

 

Message 11 of 13
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?

Do NOT convert the file. Just select it. it will load. 

What browser are you using? I use MS Edge when I manually update FW. 


@mgpaulus wrote:

 

So, back to my original question:  How do I convert a .chk file to a .img file, since the instructions clearly indicate I should upload a .img file to the router?

 


 

Message 12 of 13
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Will my RBR850 auto update without the console available?

One you get it all set up, be sure to save off a new backup configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/000062080/How-do-I-back-up-the-configuration-settings-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System

Message 13 of 13
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