Solid orange power LED after firmware update

Question

Greetings,My son initiated a FW update and after reboot it came up with a solid orange power LED. Cannot even get a link LED on the uplink port using a known good cable.Troubleshooting:Never get l2 to known good port on known good router (unlike this POS) on known good cable from uplink on Netgear (aka POS)I have tried every "factory reset" possibility. If I power it up with the reset button pressed, it changes to flashing white yet NEVER gets l2 with my Mikrotik on known good cable in known good port plugged into the uplink. When I reboot it, it comes back to solid orange power LED. It was on a static and I did remove the lease on my Mikrotik JIC, but still can't even get l2.&nbsp;After reading countless similar issues, including the fact that they removed TFTP instructions and then put them back up, I have to wonder if they are disabling the uplink port now to prevent people from using the TFTP fix. I can get l2 on the other ports, but no mac shows up, so likely turns into a hub, but no excuse why port LED's on the POS don't work (or why there are not actual LED's on the uplink port, either)&nbsp;&nbsp;This issue is COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE. The power WAS NOT INTERRUPTED DURING FW UPDATE, which makes me consider the possibility this is PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE, especially combined with the reasoning above.&nbsp;&nbsp;Flash memory is ridiculously CHEAP now, so there is zero excuse for not having dual FW memory and checksum verification. It wouldn't surprise me if this hardware is capable and they just didn't do it.&nbsp;&nbsp;I do see "hidden SSID" intermittently broadcast from the device on WiFi analyzer, but cannot connect or even see it from the Nighthawk or Genie apps. By all evidence, Netgear bricked the device on purpose irrecoverably through lack of due diligence at the very least.&nbsp;&nbsp;

antinode · Answer

&gt; [...] Cannot even get a link LED on the uplink port using a known good&gt; cable. [...]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What does Netgear call this "the uplink port"?&nbsp; If you mean theWAN/Internet port, then the "Internet" LED does not behave the same asthe LAN Ethernet port-status LEDs (and so it does not indicate a simplephysical link).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your model number, and lookfor Documentation.&nbsp; Get the User Manual (at least).&nbsp; Read.&nbsp; Look for theLED descriptions and "Troubleshoot".&gt; After reading countless similar issues, [...]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The non-psychics in your audience might not know what you've beenreading.&nbsp;&gt; [...] I have to wonder if they are disabling the uplink port now to&gt; prevent people from using the TFTP fix. [...]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Huh?&nbsp; The TFTP recovery scheme uses a LAN Ethernet port, not theWAN/Internet Ethernet port.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1622096#M102004

Havok970 · Answer

I'm somehow unsurprised an alleged "guru" doesn't know "Uplink port" is standard network terminology, or that the uplink port is usually the default management port, and was more invested in insulting my submission than solving the problem. I maintain this problem is 100% avoidable and thus I have REASON for snark. Thanks for nothing, "guru"

antinode · Answer

&gt; [...] alleged "guru" [...]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; User ranks are assigned by the forum software.&nbsp; Out of my control.&nbsp;&gt; [...] "Uplink port" is standard network terminology, [...]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I can guess what you mean, or you can use the "standard networkterminology" used in the Netgear documentation.&nbsp; Your choice.&nbsp;&gt; [...] the uplink port is usually the default management port, [...]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On _what_, exactly?&nbsp; Have you read any of the documentation for yourNetgear router, or are you relying on your vast experience andexpertise?&nbsp;&gt; Model: R7450|Nighthawk AC2600 Smart WiFi Router&gt; Model: R7800|Nighthawk X4S AC2600 Wifi Router&nbsp;And your router is a what, by the way?&gt; [...] more invested in insulting my submission [...]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Actually, I was simply trying to make some sense out of a very sloppyproblem description.&nbsp;&gt; [...] I maintain this problem is 100% avoidable [...]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'd expect that someone could do a better job than Netgear has done.&nbsp;&gt; [...] Thanks for nothing, "guru"&nbsp;&nbsp; You're welcome.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink."&nbsp; Or, inthis case, the Dorothy Parker version might be a better fit.

Havok970 · Answer

I further went down the rabbit hole, unfortunately.

Luckily I looked through the procedure or I would have been even more upset at this issue that was directly caused by Netgear's lack of due diligence in making a firmware update process that doesn't commonly brick the hardware.

I read through the manual. According to it, solid orange is booting and blinking white means corrupt firmware. It sent me to this site with no other instruction, as if support would magically fix it.

I looked over the tftp procedure, something I've worked with on enterprise networking equipment. It is completely inadequate because my son's router never gets to blinking power as detailed on step 6:

6. Watch the Power LED. It will start with an orange color and then start flashing.

If that is something that only happens when a device is programmed with an IP and connected to a LAN port, this is not documented. Instead of re-IPing my computer for no reason, I would like some assurance that this is indeed the case, preferrably by Netgear support.

Havok970 · Answer

It is the R7450, but there is only one AC2600 in the support lookup, so it's irrelevant. Wtf do I have to enter it on every post anyway? Again, it's interesting how you nitpick irrelevant items.

Forum Discussion

Solid orange power LED after firmware update

9 Replies