Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
Reply

R7900P firmware, v1.4.1.42 or V1.4.1.30_1.2.26?

RHinCT
Guide

R7900P firmware, v1.4.1.42 or V1.4.1.30_1.2.26?

Let me begin by saying I got the model, R7900P, from the Nighthawk app on my phone.  The box the router came in says:

Nighthawk X6S

AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router

I received an email today from Netgear telling me to update my R7900P to firmware version v1.4.1.42.  I followed the instructions, using the Nighthawk app on my iPhone.  As it told me to, I did Check For Updates.  It responded that the firmware is up to date.

BUT, the app also tells me the firmware version: V1.4.1.30_1.2.26.

 

How can the firmware be up to date if up to date is v1.4.1.42 but the router is behind that?

Thanks!

RHinCT

 

Message 1 of 7

Accepted Solutions
RHinCT
Guide

Re: R7900P firmware, v1.4.1.42 or V1.4.1.30_1.2.26?

The router now has up to date firmware.

 

In the instructions on doing a manual update, as opposed to using the app, there were two choices.  Both involved connecting to the router with the admin user via a browser.  That did not work from my main PC, a wired desktop connected directly to the ISP's router.  (The Netgear is in bridge mode, connected to the ISP's router via ethernet, and located in another part of the house.)  So I went to use a laptop connected to the Netgear, only to learn that to administer the router required a WiFI connection, not ethernet.  I unplugged the network cable, verified that the WiFi connection it made was to the Netgear, and logged into the router as the admin.

At that point the instructions gave me two choices.  One was manual download to the laptop and use the web interface to send it to the router.  The second was to have the router do the whole thing.  Note that the admin web interface knew right away that the firmware was out of date.  I found the have-the-router-update-itself button and chose that.

 

It worked.

 

Once I got the laptop reconnected to the router's WiFi I was able to confirm that the firmware was up to date.

 

Things I learned.

1) Forget using the app to check (much less update) the firmware.

2) Browser-based administration of the router is the way to go.

3) Only a WiFi connection can administer the router.  Ethernet won't do the job.

 

Now I just have to remember all this the next time Netgear sends me an email about a firmware upgrade.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

View solution in original post

Message 7 of 7

All Replies
plemans
Guru

Re: R7900P firmware, v1.4.1.42 or V1.4.1.30_1.2.26?

The auto update on the app doesn't always pick up the newest firmware. It gets posted to the website and then rolled out to the auto update via the apps. You can go to your support site and download it and manually install it if you didn't want to wait. 

 

https://www.netgear.com/support/product/R7900P.aspx

Message 2 of 7
RHinCT
Guide

Re: R7900P firmware, v1.4.1.42 or V1.4.1.30_1.2.26?

I am sure you are right, but...

 

If the auto update on the app doesn't always pick up the newest firmware, what's the point of it?  Back in March I got the same sort of email about upgrading to v1.4.1.30.  I ran the update through the app and thought I was fine.  Apparently it didn't do anything that time either, and this time it isn't even updating at all even though it is multiple versions behind - still behind the March email version.  The app should NOT lie about whether the firmware is up to date.  If the app doesn't do the job, both jobs (telling if it up to date, and making it up to date) the feature shouldn't be in the app at all.

Message 3 of 7
plemans
Guru

Re: R7900P firmware, v1.4.1.42 or V1.4.1.30_1.2.26?

I'd have to agree with part of it. It still needs to be there. It usually shows up in a couple days. 

I'm not a netgear employee but I have a feeling if whenever updates were put on the update server, if they stagger when people get them, they don't need as robust a server to send them all out. I'd bet thats why you can go to the devices homepage and the update first. Plus if they stagger it/have it on the support page first, if there are bugs then they find it before everyone is impacted and they can pull the update without impacting to many people.  

Again, not sure as this is all guess work. 

 

Message 4 of 7
RHinCT
Guide

Re: R7900P firmware, v1.4.1.42 or V1.4.1.30_1.2.26?

I would be more sympathetic if I hadn't received a similar email in March, followed the instructions, was told it was up to date, and now in September - still on the pre-March verison - was told AGAIN that it was up to date.  The difference is this time I went farther than the instructions and looked at the version number the app reported and compared it to both emails.

 

Message 5 of 7
RHinCT
Guide

Re: R7900P firmware, v1.4.1.42 or V1.4.1.30_1.2.26?

And if they need to stagger activity on the server it would seem simpler to stagger the emails going out.

Message 6 of 7
RHinCT
Guide

Re: R7900P firmware, v1.4.1.42 or V1.4.1.30_1.2.26?

The router now has up to date firmware.

 

In the instructions on doing a manual update, as opposed to using the app, there were two choices.  Both involved connecting to the router with the admin user via a browser.  That did not work from my main PC, a wired desktop connected directly to the ISP's router.  (The Netgear is in bridge mode, connected to the ISP's router via ethernet, and located in another part of the house.)  So I went to use a laptop connected to the Netgear, only to learn that to administer the router required a WiFI connection, not ethernet.  I unplugged the network cable, verified that the WiFi connection it made was to the Netgear, and logged into the router as the admin.

At that point the instructions gave me two choices.  One was manual download to the laptop and use the web interface to send it to the router.  The second was to have the router do the whole thing.  Note that the admin web interface knew right away that the firmware was out of date.  I found the have-the-router-update-itself button and chose that.

 

It worked.

 

Once I got the laptop reconnected to the router's WiFi I was able to confirm that the firmware was up to date.

 

Things I learned.

1) Forget using the app to check (much less update) the firmware.

2) Browser-based administration of the router is the way to go.

3) Only a WiFi connection can administer the router.  Ethernet won't do the job.

 

Now I just have to remember all this the next time Netgear sends me an email about a firmware upgrade.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

Message 7 of 7
Top Contributors
Discussion stats
  • 6 replies
  • 2505 views
  • 0 kudos
  • 2 in conversation
Announcements

Orbi WiFi 7