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it_geek's avatar
it_geek
Guide
Feb 02, 2020
Solved

Need Help Understanding what the Blinking LEDs mean in the bootloop (NETGEAR X6 R8000)

So, pursuant to this thread, I took a footage of the blinking LEDs on both of my NETGEAR routers.

 

Details of both routers, including their respective firmware versions are available in the thread link above.

 

I hope the video below will shed new light (pun not intended) on what is causing the bootloop, and how exactly to get out of it.

 

The video is as follows:

 

 

  • So the USB-Serial cable arrived in my mailbox yesterday.

    Got into the router via a terminal window (Mobaxterm), reflashed the firmware to a lower level (v1.04.28) and did an nvram erase. Seems there's a bug in the latest version (v 1.04.46) that causes the nvram to fill and not be able to clear it on its own.

     

    Got both routers working in a normal state, although one of the routers keeps dumping

    Magic bitmask 0x1985 (and other addresses) not found at 0x043a0010 (and other addresses): 0x4c18 (and other addresses) instead error, which lengthens the boot time.

     

    Wireless performance has also dropped significantly but it's better than leaving it as a brick, i guess.

     

5 Replies

  • For reference, one of the routers starts to bootloop at the 1:30 mark.

     

    • it_geek's avatar
      it_geek
      Guide

      So... no one can provide an explanation for these LEDs or has come across these LEDs before?

       

      Would a USB to serial procedure/TTY with an erase NVRAM or firmware reflash "unbrick" the router(s)?

      • it_geek's avatar
        it_geek
        Guide

        Bumping up this thread to see if anyone else has experienced a similar problem (with this pattern of lighting) and can provide an explanation as to why the router keeps rebooting like this.