R7000 Support, Info & Firmware #EPIC Article

My R7000 router is just 15 months in use and currently fails to recognize the 5Ghz network that it is suppose to support.  After spending a considerable time with Netgear support, I was told that it is not a hardware failure, but a software failure, and the way to deal with this is senior tech support.  As I am beyond the puny 90-day support, the only choice is a ONE YEAR support for $139 or TWO YEARS at over $200, and then a claim that their support would be better than AppleCare for my Macs. HA!  You have a lot to learn from Apple, Netgear.  After I balked, I was told that the agent could send a link directing me to the firmware update.  (I have yet to receive it.)  Why this wasn't offered in the first place is clear to me:  support is a revenue generator.  I really did not appreciate 1) not receiving an alert about an available update, even though I am a registered user, and 2) the deceptiveness of the support offer for something that I could likely do myself, was caused by the company's update, and their subsequent failure to notify me.

If I can find an answer here, it will be a temporary fix.  I will avoid this brand, no longer recommend it, and replace my router and modem.  I do not like feeling like I am being conned.