RBK750 Series - Firmware Update v4.6.3.7

FURRYe38
Guru
Aug 23, 2021
I presume #7 isn't needed as I've tried this before with out telnet config and it didn't work. I found that blocking just the two update addresses blocked at a upstream host router infront of the RBR did.

I presume the telnet config is whats doing it....

That version will not have the DNS fix in it though...

Xcelebric wrote:

Here is the latest update from my trying:

1. Downgrade the Firmware to V3.2.10.10 for both Router and the Satellite, which is the very first Firmware version. Using the way I mentioned in previous thread that pressing F12 in the downgrade page and unhide the Yes button.

This Firmware version has Telnet option on Debug page.

2. After that, perform factory reset on both Router and the Satellite.

3. Finish basic configuration, but DO NOT connect to internet yet.

4. Enable Telnet option on both Router and the Satellite in their Debug.html page.

5. Telnet connect to both devices, and ran the following:

nvram set auto_upgrade_enable=0
nvram set ver_check_https_svr1=http.fw.updates1.aaa.com
nvram set ver_check_ftp_svr1=updates1.aaa.com
nvram set ver_check_ftp_svr2=updates1.aaa.com
nvram set ver_check_ftp_svr3=updates1.aaa.com
nvram set lang_check_ftp_svr=updates1.aaa.com
nvram set install_fw_upgrade_latest=0
nvram set ver_check_enable=0
nvram set ver_check_ftp_password=aaa@aaa
nvram set control_cloud_backend_fw_url=https://http.fw.updates1.aaa.com
nvram set promotion_server=updates1.aaa.com
nvram commit

6. Make sure the above run on both devices.

7. Go to Managment page -> Advanced -> Security -> Block Sites :
a. Keyword Block set to "Always"

b. Add the following key words:
http.fw.updates1.netgear.com

updates1.netgear.com

c. Click Apply.

8. Perform a Soft reboot from Advanced Home : -> Reboot -> Connect back to the Internet.

9. After that, my firmware update page showing this:

Status:

Router RBR750 RBR750 V3.2.10.10 Service unreachable
Satellite RBS750 Orbi Satellite-1 V3.2.10.10 Service unreachable

10, I will monitor for a day or so to see if this works.
- Xcelebric
  Guide
  Aug 24, 2021
  I did test on this, if we do not perform #7, the Router will still be able to detect the update.
  - FURRYe38
    Guru
    Aug 24, 2021
    OK, thank you for confirming.
- CH-Syd
  Aspirant
  Sep 29, 2021
  Thanks FURRYe38 for your instructions. I'm in IT so probably would not recommend for soemone not tech savy to perform. Pretty rubbish and I feel for people struggling with recent upgrades.
  
  I have a RBR850/RBS850 and the only firmware version that still has the telnet option is RBS850-V3.2.10.11_1.2.12. I have downgraded and blocked upgrade sites. All seemed to go as per instructions.
  
  It does concern me that by stopping updates we may leave ourselves vulnerable by not updating firmware. However, Netgear have done such an disgraceful job in the v4.6 update, what option do we have.
  
  It appears now and with downgrading, I now have internet speeds to what I had before (200-240Mbps).
  I've also reinstated my secondary wifi network (not Orbi which works and is now backup), compared speeds and they are the same. Tested from 4 different devices.
  
  I'll run with this for now but likely to move off this expensive rubbish product to something better. It sh!ts me to have to waste good money on rubbish infrastructure!
  Likely move to a business grade kit for home network, such as Meraki or Ubiquiti.
  
  Good luck everyone.
  BTW - does anyone know the billing department details for Netgear, invoice them for lost earnings?
  - Phil_T_AU
    Tutor
    Oct 07, 2021
    After multiple issues, I just returned my 4 week old orbi system to the place I bought it for a refund. Disappointing that such a premium priced orbi doesn't give stable trouble free wi-fi. I bought an ASUS mesh system now and it's been flawless...
lyl1988
Aspirant
Aug 30, 2021
Mark!! Thanks for the solution! Will try it out.

BTW in the upgrade page. there is no "submit" button. You need to F12 to web debug mode and set the display to "inline". The button will popout.
- FURRYe38
  Guru
  Aug 30, 2021
  https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/RBK750-Series-Firmware-Update-v4-6-3-7/m-p/2130584/highlight/true#M18586
  
  lyl1988 wrote:
  
  Mark!! Thanks for the solution! Will try it out.
  
  BTW in the upgrade page. there is no "submit" button. You need to F12 to web debug mode and set the display to "inline". The button will popout.
Timothy88
Luminary
Sep 04, 2021
I wish Netgear would allow easily downgrading firmware instead of having to stand on your left foot while patting your head and reciting the alphabet backwards on the second Tuesday of the first full moon.
- intergeek14
  Star
  Sep 04, 2021
  They used to. They just don’t want you getting away from the new service they are trying to sell.
  - Timothy88
    Luminary
    Sep 04, 2021
    Good business model we'll make your system unstable so you buy our additional service but still get no resolution, so now you're even more PO'd
- Timothy88
  Luminary
  Sep 04, 2021
  Has anyone looked at or have any experience with the ASUS ZenWiFi AX (XT8)?
  - raven_au
    Virtuoso
    Sep 05, 2021
    Timothy88 wrote:
    Has anyone looked at or have any experience with the ASUS ZenWiFi AX (XT8)?
    You can find out all you need to know over at Small Net Builder forums.
Theobuck
Apprentice
Sep 05, 2021
This is way above my head. Are these command lines?
- FURRYe38
  Guru
  Sep 05, 2021
  What are you referring too?
  
  Theobuck wrote:
  This is way above my head. Are these command lines?
  - Theobuck
    Apprentice
    Sep 05, 2021
    5. Telnet connect to both devices, and ran the following:
    
    nvram set auto_upgrade_enable=0
    nvram set ver_check_https_svr1=http.fw.updates1.aaa.com
    nvram set ver_check_ftp_svr1=updates1.aaa.com
    nvram set ver_check_ftp_svr2=updates1.aaa.com
    nvram set ver_check_ftp_svr3=updates1.aaa.com
    nvram set lang_check_ftp_svr=updates1.aaa.com
    nvram set install_fw_upgrade_latest=0
    nvram set ver_check_enable=0
    nvram set ver_check_ftp_password=aaa@aaa
    nvram set control_cloud_backend_fw_url=https://http.fw.updates1.aaa.com
    nvram set promotion_server=updates1.aaa.com
    nvram commit
    
    6. Make sure the above run on both devices.
    
    7. Go to Managment page -> Advanced -> Security -> Block Sites :
    a. Keyword Block set to "Always"
    b. Add the following key words:
    http.fw.updates1.netgear.com
    updates1.netgear.com
    c. Click Apply.
    
    8. Perform a Soft reboot from Advanced Home : -> Reboot -> Connect back to the Internet.
    
    9. After that, my firmware update page showing this:
Xcelebric
Guide
Sep 07, 2021
Update: It has been more than 2 weeks. My Router and satellite stayed on V3 Firmware and running smoothly. For anyone who wants to try the workaround, you can refer to my previous post.

NG support called me last week to ask how my self-troubleshooting was going, I told them they should be ASHAMED of putting “Provide World’s leading stable Wireless solution” slogan on the product packaging box.
- Jlhardwick
  Star
  Sep 07, 2021
  Back in July I upgraded my firmware to v4.6.3.7 and immediately lost the ability for my printer to connect via Wi-Fi. Multiple contacts with support got nowhere with a solution. I then had to leave town for a couple of months for business at which time my crappy 90 day support ended. By the time I got back 80 percent of my devices could no longer connect to Wi-Fi. Factory reset the router and started over. Things would work for a short time then again lose the ability to connect. I contacted support again and got them to make an exception and talk to me. They decided to send me a replacement unit but again with the same version of Firmware the same problem exists. Of course now I have no support and have a 5 month old brick on my hands. Not at all happy with Netgear for having horrible support policies and releasing very buggy firmware with no fix.
  - FURRYe38
    Guru
    Sep 07, 2021
    Please contact a forum moderator and ask them about the beta:
    
    Blanca_O and DarrenM
    
    in meantime, try and downgrade to v3 using Xcelebric process:
    
    https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/RBK750-Series-Firmware-Update-v4-6-3-7/m-p/2130584/highlight/true#M18586
    
    https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/RBK750-Series-Firmware-Update-v4-6-3-7/m-p/2131307/highlight/true#M18670
    
    Seems to bring stability back to Orbi systems:
    
    https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/RBK750-Series-Firmware-Update-v4-6-3-7/m-p/2136998/highlight/true#M19513
    
    Jlhardwick wrote:
    
    Back in July I upgraded my firmware to v4.6.3.7 and immediately lost the ability for my printer to connect via Wi-Fi. Multiple contacts with support got nowhere with a solution. I then had to leave town for a couple of months for business at which time my crappy 90 day support ended. By the time I got back 80 percent of my devices could no longer connect to Wi-Fi. Factory reset the router and started over. Things would work for a short time then again lose the ability to connect. I contacted support again and got them to make an exception and talk to me. They decided to send me a replacement unit but again with the same version of Firmware the same problem exists. Of course now I have no support and have a 5 month old brick on my hands. Not at all happy with Netgear for having horrible support policies and releasing very buggy firmware with no fix.
Thalador
Apprentice
Oct 03, 2021
Xcelebric wrote:
Here is the latest update from my trying:
.....
10, I will monitor for a day or so to see if this works.

Xcelebric
Thank you for this info. Since Netgear won't fix this I wanted to thank you for doing what they couldn't. My system was rebooting multiple times a day and I just finsihed downgrading it. Not easy, but nothing with NG is. I did have 2 questions

I assume I cannot import my saved config from a higher version is that correct?
Is 3.2.10.10 the version you are sticking with? I had considered upgrading to the 2nd latest 3.x version that seemed to work well for me, but I thought maybe it would allow the auto update to happen again. Thoughts?
Thanks again for all your hard work on this fiasco!
- FURRYe38
  Guru
  Oct 04, 2021
  
  Thalador
  
  Thank you for this info. Since Netgear won't fix this I wanted to thank you for doing what they couldn't. My system was rebooting multiple times a day and I just finsihed downgrading it. Not easy, but nothing with NG is. I did have 2 questions
  
  I assume I cannot import my saved config from a higher version is that correct? Coirrect.
  
  Is 3.2.10.10 the version you are sticking with? I had considered upgrading to the 2nd latest 3.x version that seemed to work well for me, but I thought maybe it would allow the auto update to happen again. Thoughts? v10 was the last version of FW that had telnet support. All others stopped supporting telnet so if you update to something past v10, your telnet modifications to block the autoupdate will no longer work.
Donsuper
Star
Oct 09, 2021
Will I need to unblock those update site if I want to update the firmware one day? Or it will undo all the blocking in the update process? Thank you so much.
- Thalador
  Apprentice
  Oct 09, 2021
  Donsuper wrote:
  Will I need to unblock those update site if I want to update the firmware one day? Or it will undo all the blocking in the update process? Thank you so much.
  Don't unblock. Leave it so NG can never ever do this again. Download the firmware and do a manual.
- FURRYe38
  Guru
  Oct 09, 2021
  IF you unblock, you can get the update automatically. If you don't block and still manually update using the FW files. IF your blocking by using a upstream router.
  
  Donsuper wrote:
  Will I need to unblock those update site if I want to update the firmware one day? Or it will undo all the blocking in the update process? Thank you so much.
  - gthi
    Guide
    Oct 10, 2021
    This is what happens when you ping rhe router during wifi drop outs.
    Firmware Version
    V4.6.3.16_2.0.51
    
    Time out and respons at the same time...
    
    This is definitely a routing problem and has nothing to do with coverage.
    
    I will return the whole 1800 euro system in te next couple of days dor a refund.
    
    Good bye Netgear
    
    Last login: Fri Oct 8 15:57:16 on console
    ping 10.0.0.1
    PING 10.0.0.1 (10.0.0.1): 56 data bytes
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 0
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 1
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 2
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=2390.607 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=1882.943 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=911.565 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=247.726 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=5 ttl=64 time=164.955 ms
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 8
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 9
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=6 ttl=64 time=4442.170 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=7 ttl=64 time=3592.775 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=8 ttl=64 time=2659.576 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=9 ttl=64 time=1758.673 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=11 ttl=64 time=446.292 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=13 ttl=64 time=189.283 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=14 ttl=64 time=206.045 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=15 ttl=64 time=586.657 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=17 ttl=64 time=879.643 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=18 ttl=64 time=1997.987 ms
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 20
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 21
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=19 ttl=64 time=3749.005 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=20 ttl=64 time=2903.914 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=21 ttl=64 time=2062.794 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=22 ttl=64 time=1072.782 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=24 ttl=64 time=353.735 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=25 ttl=64 time=256.697 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=28 ttl=64 time=119.776 ms
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 29
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=30 ttl=64 time=284.688 ms
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 31
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 32
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 33
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 34
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 35
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=33 ttl=64 time=3801.090 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=34 ttl=64 time=2798.878 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=35 ttl=64 time=1981.872 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=36 ttl=64 time=994.666 ms
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 40
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 41
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 42
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 43
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=41 ttl=64 time=3597.974 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=42 ttl=64 time=2926.867 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=43 ttl=64 time=1972.007 ms
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 47
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 48
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=49 ttl=64 time=70.251 ms
    Request timeout for icmp_seq 50
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=50 ttl=64 time=1234.359 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=52 ttl=64 time=343.502 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=53 ttl=64 time=5.607 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=54 ttl=64 time=250.506 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=55 ttl=64 time=10.574 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=56 ttl=64 time=46.056 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=57 ttl=64 time=36.372 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=58 ttl=64 time=77.407 ms
    64 bytes from 10.0.0.1: icmp_seq=59 ttl=64 time=106.047 ms
FURRYe38
Guru
Oct 16, 2021
Just confirming for the 8 series Orbi system, last version of FW that has Telnet on the debug page is V3.2.11.2. All versions beyond that do not have telnet on the debug UI web page.

Xcelebric wrote:

Here is the latest update from my trying:

1. Downgrade the Firmware to V3.2.10.10 for both Router and the Satellite, which is the very first Firmware version. Using the way I mentioned in previous thread that pressing F12 in the downgrade page and unhide the Yes button.

This Firmware version has Telnet option on Debug page.

2. After that, perform factory reset on both Router and the Satellite.

3. Finish basic configuration, but DO NOT connect to internet yet.

4. Enable Telnet option on both Router and the Satellite in their Debug.html page.

5. Telnet connect to both devices, and ran the following:

nvram set auto_upgrade_enable=0
nvram set ver_check_https_svr1=http.fw.updates1.aaa.com
nvram set ver_check_ftp_svr1=updates1.aaa.com
nvram set ver_check_ftp_svr2=updates1.aaa.com
nvram set ver_check_ftp_svr3=updates1.aaa.com
nvram set lang_check_ftp_svr=updates1.aaa.com
nvram set install_fw_upgrade_latest=0
nvram set ver_check_enable=0
nvram set ver_check_ftp_password=aaa@aaa
nvram set control_cloud_backend_fw_url=https://http.fw.updates1.aaa.com
nvram set promotion_server=updates1.aaa.com
nvram commit

6. Make sure the above run on both devices.

7. Go to Managment page -> Advanced -> Security -> Block Sites :
a. Keyword Block set to "Always"

b. Add the following key words:
http.fw.updates1.netgear.com

updates1.netgear.com

c. Click Apply.

8. Perform a Soft reboot from Advanced Home : -> Reboot -> Connect back to the Internet.

9. After that, my firmware update page showing this:

Status:

Router RBR750 RBR750 V3.2.10.10 Service unreachable
Satellite RBS750 Orbi Satellite-1 V3.2.10.10 Service unreachable

10, I will monitor for a day or so to see if this works.
JoseBlanco
Tutor
Nov 07, 2021
FYI, the method described by Xcelebric in the 8/23 post is not sufficient to prevent an autoupdate. I tried it verbatim and it still ended up being able to see the update, and eventually it updated itself (RBR750).

I imagine that it would work better to block the complete set of host names at the DNS level, does anyone have a list?
- FURRYe38
  Guru
  Nov 08, 2021
  devcom.up.netgear.com
  
  a1599er83nvyl8.iot.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
  
  pkgupdates.netgear.com
  
  JoseBlanco wrote:
  
  FYI, the method described by Xcelebric in the 8/23 post is not sufficient to prevent an autoupdate. I tried it verbatim and it still ended up being able to see the update, and eventually it updated itself (RBR750).
  
  I imagine that it would work better to block the complete set of host names at the DNS level, does anyone have a list?

Forum Discussion

RBK750 Series - Firmware Update v4.6.3.7