Hey everyone! Quick question regarding Voxel firmware. I have a RBK53 system (bought from Costco). I'm thinking about installing Voxel firmware only if it prevents Netgear from forcing an update. Could you guys confirm if installing Voxel firmware will disable auto-updating from Netgear? Also, if you are using Voxel firmware, how stable is it? Thank you in advance. :)

nepalisherpa wrote:Hey everyone! Quick question regarding Voxel firmware. I have a RBK53 system (bought from Costco). I'm thinking about installing Voxel firmware only if it prevents Netgear from forcing an update. Could you guys confirm if installing Voxel firmware will disable auto-updating from Netgear?Nothing in life is 100% guaranteed, but Voxel has cleverly numbered his firmware to be so far in advance of Netgear's regular numbering scheme that any comparison will always show "this is greater". So, yes, my impression is that Voxel's firmware will prevent Netgear from forcing a firmware update. (100%? no. but, pretty sure.) Also, if you are using Voxel firmware, how stable is it? I have run Voxel for a month and found it extremely stable. What it offers is increased efficiency. i.e. "faster". He has optimized the code and has included ways to eliminate things like Disney Circle and Armor.

I should add that I have a tendancy to focus on the question asked, rather than the "bigger picture". So, "yes. My impression is that Voxel's firmware numbering scheme will likely prevent Netgear from automatically updating the firmware unexpectedly." The "bigger picture" may be that as far as I can tell, Netgear has abandoned the practice of silently performing updates without explicit permission. "Except" (drum roll) in case of a "serious need." So, I am not comfortable taking a position on whether one should fear Netgear firmware updates or not. There are far too many unknowns. Trying to avoid a Netgear firmware update does not seem like a valid reason to dump the stock firmware for 3rd party versions. Increased efficiency - sure. Ability to use the Orbi as a VPN client for all attached devices - sure. Prefer to use SSH rather than telnet, or SCP for file transfer - sure. There are lots of reasons to be interested in Voxel's firmware. Being afraid of Netgear... I'm not so confident.Sorry to ramble on. It's late.

Review how it's done here:https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-orbi-rbk50-rbk53-rbr50-rbs50-v-9-2-5-0-43sf-hw.60634/ Users don't have to do anything. Please post here:https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Voxels-FW-available-for-50-series-Orbi-only-available/m-p/1883615#Or over in the SNB forums for users who are using Voxels FW.

nepalisherpa wrote:Hey everyone! Quick question regarding Voxel firmware. I have a RBK53 system (bought from Costco). I'm thinking about installing Voxel firmware only if it prevents Netgear from forcing an update. Could you guys confirm if installing Voxel firmware will disable auto-updating from Netgear? Also, if you are using Voxel firmware, how stable is it? Thank you in advance. :)If this were to be true where Voxel firmware stops NG from forcing (?) FW on users....what does that do? How will you update yopur system? from the readme doc....Introduction. This custom firmwares is based on official stock firmware versions for NETGEAR Nighthawk X4 R7500 v1 router, Nighthawk X4S R7800 router and Nighthawk X10 router. The goal of modification is to extend the functionality of these routers and to use full power of CPU and FPU of IPQ806x and AL-514 processors, limited in official firmware. I wouldn't touch this with a ten foot pole....talk about social distancing....

Retired_Member wrote:nepalisherpa wrote:Hey everyone! Quick question regarding Voxel firmware. I have a RBK53 system (bought from Costco). I'm thinking about installing Voxel firmware only if it prevents Netgear from forcing an update. Could you guys confirm if installing Voxel firmware will disable auto-updating from Netgear? Also, if you are using Voxel firmware, how stable is it? Thank you in advance. :)If this were to be true where Voxel firmware stops NG from forcing (?) FW on users....what does that do? How will you update yopur system? The goal is to manually update when I know that the released firmware is stable.

Question regarding Voxel firmware

20 Replies

FURRYe38
Guru
Apr 04, 2020
Review how it's done here:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-orbi-rbk50-rbk53-rbr50-rbs50-v-9-2-5-0-43sf-hw.60634/

Users don't have to do anything.

Please post here:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Voxels-FW-available-for-50-series-Orbi-only-available/m-p/1883615#
Or over in the SNB forums for users who are using Voxels FW.
Retired_Member
Apr 05, 2020
nepalisherpa wrote:
Hey everyone! Quick question regarding Voxel firmware. I have a RBK53 system (bought from Costco). I'm thinking about installing Voxel firmware only if it prevents Netgear from forcing an update. Could you guys confirm if installing Voxel firmware will disable auto-updating from Netgear?

Also, if you are using Voxel firmware, how stable is it?

Thank you in advance. :)
If this were to be true where Voxel firmware stops NG from forcing (?) FW on users....what does that do?

How will you update yopur system?

from the readme doc....
Introduction.

This custom firmwares is based on official stock firmware versions for NETGEAR Nighthawk X4 R7500 v1 router, Nighthawk X4S R7800 router and Nighthawk X10 router. The goal of modification is to extend the functionality of these routers and to use full power of CPU and FPU of IPQ806x and AL-514 processors, limited in official firmware.

I wouldn't touch this with a ten foot pole....talk about social distancing....
- nepalisherpa
  Aspirant
  Apr 05, 2020
  Retired_Member wrote:
  nepalisherpa wrote:
  Hey everyone! Quick question regarding Voxel firmware. I have a RBK53 system (bought from Costco). I'm thinking about installing Voxel firmware only if it prevents Netgear from forcing an update. Could you guys confirm if installing Voxel firmware will disable auto-updating from Netgear?
  
  Also, if you are using Voxel firmware, how stable is it?
  
  Thank you in advance. :)
  If this were to be true where Voxel firmware stops NG from forcing (?) FW on users....what does that do?
  
  How will you update yopur system?
  
  The goal is to manually update when I know that the released firmware is stable.
  - Retired_Member
    Apr 05, 2020
    nepalisherpa wrote:
    Retired_Member wrote:
    nepalisherpa wrote:
    Hey everyone! Quick question regarding Voxel firmware. I have a RBK53 system (bought from Costco). I'm thinking about installing Voxel firmware only if it prevents Netgear from forcing an update. Could you guys confirm if installing Voxel firmware will disable auto-updating from Netgear?
    
    Also, if you are using Voxel firmware, how stable is it?
    
    Thank you in advance. :)
    If this were to be true where Voxel firmware stops NG from forcing (?) FW on users....what does that do?
    
    How will you update yopur system?
    
    The goal is to manually update when I know that the released firmware is stable.
    And how would you do that? Come in here read the posts? Why not just stop doing manual updates altogether and let NG push the ones you absolutely need?
CrimpOn
Guru
Apr 05, 2020
nepalisherpa wrote:
Hey everyone! Quick question regarding Voxel firmware. I have a RBK53 system (bought from Costco). I'm thinking about installing Voxel firmware only if it prevents Netgear from forcing an update. Could you guys confirm if installing Voxel firmware will disable auto-updating from Netgear?Nothing in life is 100% guaranteed, but Voxel has cleverly numbered his firmware to be so far in advance of Netgear's regular numbering scheme that any comparison will always show "this is greater". So, yes, my impression is that Voxel's firmware will prevent Netgear from forcing a firmware update. (100%? no. but, pretty sure.)

Also, if you are using Voxel firmware, how stable is it? I have run Voxel for a month and found it extremely stable. What it offers is increased efficiency. i.e. "faster". He has optimized the code and has included ways to eliminate things like Disney Circle and Armor.
- CrimpOn
  Guru
  Apr 05, 2020
  I should add that I have a tendancy to focus on the question asked, rather than the "bigger picture". So, "yes. My impression is that Voxel's firmware numbering scheme will likely prevent Netgear from automatically updating the firmware unexpectedly."
  
  The "bigger picture" may be that as far as I can tell, Netgear has abandoned the practice of silently performing updates without explicit permission. "Except" (drum roll) in case of a "serious need." So, I am not comfortable taking a position on whether one should fear Netgear firmware updates or not. There are far too many unknowns.
  
  Trying to avoid a Netgear firmware update does not seem like a valid reason to dump the stock firmware for 3rd party versions. Increased efficiency - sure. Ability to use the Orbi as a VPN client for all attached devices - sure. Prefer to use SSH rather than telnet, or SCP for file transfer - sure. There are lots of reasons to be interested in Voxel's firmware. Being afraid of Netgear... I'm not so confident.
  
  Sorry to ramble on. It's late.
  - michaelkenward
    Guru
    Apr 05, 2020
    Questions about third party firmware are best dealt with over where they support it.
    
    Netgear does not suppress discussion of alternative firmware, but it doesn't support it and will not comment here.
    
    And while there are some people here who use different firmware, you may find that there is limited experience here. For example, there are few, if any, comments here from the people who cook up alternative firmware.

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Question regarding Voxel firmware