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New Firmware Notification

Jetdrive
Luminary

New Firmware Notification

For the past three days (2/11/2020) my IOS app has been giving me a notification that new firmware is available for the RBR50. I go into the app and do a check for new firmware and nothing is available. Next I go into the web interface of the RBR50 and do a check there. Also no new firmware available. I checked the download section on the Netgear site and do not see any firmware newer that the 2.5.1.8 that I have been running for weeks. 

 

Anyone else getting this notification?

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 1 of 18
Jetdrive
Luminary

Re: New Firmware Notification

Make that four days in a row -- got another new firmware notification.

Message 2 of 18
BigRune
Apprentice

Re: New Firmware Notification

Strange behaviour by NG. I got the notice, and then it was gone a couple of days later. You either release or don’t 👎.
Message 3 of 18
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: New Firmware Notification


@BigRune wrote:
Strange behaviour by NG. I got the notice, and then it was gone a couple of days later. You either release or don’t 👎.

I have a suspicion that these "new firmware" messages are driven not by new firmware, but by an invalid value in the Orbi internal parameters.  When I dump the Orbi parameters, there are over 1,800 of them.  Many are pretty obvious, but a lot of them "could be anything, who knows?"  I think the Orbi "app" is retrieving some values from the Orbi and comparing them to values from the Netgear web site and inferring, "There must be new firmware.  Put up a message."

 

I don't have any iOS devices, and these "firmware update" messages do not appear on the web interface or my Android app.  When this message shows up, does it actually list a firmware release number, or simply say, "New Firmware."

Message 4 of 18
Jetdrive
Luminary

Re: New Firmware Notification

It just says new firmware available, not a specific version.
Message 5 of 18
BigRune
Apprentice

Re: New Firmware Notification

In web interface v2.5.1.8 was listed for both sat and router. Notice in app and web appeared and disappeared at the same time.
Message 6 of 18
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: New Firmware Notification

Saw another post that one user had seen v2.5.1.8 in the FW check section. NG may have posted this version to the auto updater servers and now being seeing as an available upgrade. It's a minor upgrade so NG isn't forcing it to anyones system. It's your choice if you wanna upgrade or not. I and others are using it and its stable and works well. Some may need a factory reset and setup from scratch if you encounter problems after you allow it to update your system. 

Message 7 of 18
Jetdrive
Luminary

Re: New Firmware Notification

My Orbi app has quit the notification of a new firmware when none was available. I have done nothing to fix this (not even reboot) so I'm thinking that Netgear must have done something to stop the notifications as they were happening every single day. 

Message 8 of 18
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: New Firmware Notification

Of after a period of time if the user doesn't follow up with the upgrade, the notifications just stop. 

Message 9 of 18
Jetdrive
Luminary

Re: New Firmware Notification

Not the case for me since I already had the latest firmware installed. I can see your point if the firmware was out-of-date. Plus if what you said was true, everyone would be getting the notification to upgrade for 5 days or more until it "timed out."

 

Message 10 of 18
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: New Firmware Notification

 

Well at any rate, you should be on v2.5.1.8 for now. If you need more help and information about the Orbi app and it's notficiations, please post here:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-App/bd-p/en-home-orbi-app

 

Good Luck. 

 

 

Message 11 of 18
Jetdrive
Luminary

Re: New Firmware Notification

Yes you are correct - I have been on 2.5.1.8 since the day Netgear released it. That was not the issue though. Thanks anyway. 

 

Message 12 of 18
BigRune
Apprentice

Re: New Firmware Notification

Using the Orbi app or the web interface I don’t really have a choice. The new firmware is not available anymore. It now appears that I am still on the latest fw with v2.3. Stopping the fw notification is one thing. Retracting fw availability is another thing that sends me as user the message that it is not a recommended upgrade.

And yes, I can google and download any fw outside the Orbi software functionality and then manually upgrade or downgrade. But I think most users, like me nowadays expect the router software to inform them.
Message 13 of 18
Jetdrive
Luminary

Re: New Firmware Notification

That's a very good point. If there is newer firmware available, Netgear should at least let you know and then let you decide if/when you want to install it. Now Netgear doesn't even let you know about a new firmware. 

Message 14 of 18
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: New Firmware Notification

Sometimes I do get FW update notfications via email. Also get notifications in the FW update check on the RBR. Again, when NG posts new FW to there update servers, if it's a major update, then NG seems to push these or will push these out automatically on Orbi systems. Any MINOR FW updates are posted to the servers or the download web page, these may show up at notifcations in the RBRs web page, however these minor versions are at the users choice to update or not. These are not pushed by NG. Users can also keep an eye here in the forums and on the direct download page on NG support site for new FW updates. Theres many ways to check for updates. I like to eye an eye on the download web site. 

Message 15 of 18
Jetdrive
Luminary

Re: New Firmware Notification

Yes indeed that is the way Netgear USED to do it. Now they don't even give a notification for any new firmware -- major, minor, it just doesn't matter. The only way I know is to go to download section on Netgear's web site and compare the version there with what you are running. That's something that the normal person who knows little about networking would probably never do. Maybe that's good in a way due to the major failures in new releases. 

Message 16 of 18
BigRune
Apprentice

Re: New Firmware Notification

I guess the support cases went too high and they changed their mind. Anyway it is kind of sad having a new router where new firmware dont show up in the new firmware check.

 

Message 17 of 18
Retired_Member
Not applicable

Re: New Firmware Notification


@Jetdrive wrote:

Yes indeed that is the way Netgear USED to do it. Now they don't even give a notification for any new firmware -- major, minor, it just doesn't matter. The only way I know is to go to download section on Netgear's web site and compare the version there with what you are running. That's something that the normal person who knows little about networking would probably never do. Maybe that's good in a way due to the major failures in new releases. 


 

 

From what I've seen, I still see FW updates AVAILABLE when I login into the Orbi web interface (if there are any)  I don't use the app.  IMHO updates that appear in the web interface are for the BETA Test Group, i.e. those that want to see if it works or feel that must upgrade. In that case, IMHO, NG should be paying you to test their FW.

 

Othwise leave your network alone and let NG push what they call major updates to you, no action on your part.

Message 18 of 18
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