Resetting the Netgear Equipment AND Firmware Upgrade/Reocover from and uploading

Following information obtain from Netgear Tech Support for "Hard Resetting Procedure".


Last update on Saturday, June 28, 2008

Please try a different type of Hard resetting procedure


Importante Note:

    • Step 1 thru Step 4 will clear your entire router settings. Before you start these steps, go to "Setting Backup" and back your configuration and restore after you done your procedure.
    • How do you restore after Hard Resetting?
      • You can try http://192.168.0.1/basicsettings.htm and go straight into "Settings Backup" or you can run "Netgear Smart Wizzard" and setup at least your broadband setup and restore the configuration.
      • Or got "router setup" for more info
  • Step 1
    • Regular hard rest requries approx. 10sec of holding. This aslo apply for "Forgotten or Lost Router Password"

    • Reset for most routers with a reset button on the rear panel
      Write down configuration information such as IP addresses, security keys, opened ports and services, etc., that you modified. (The default username is admin and the password is either password or 1234. Try these before resetting the router.)
      1. Press the reset button on the back until the test light blinks. This takes about 10 seconds. (To avoid accidental resets, the small button is recessed. Use a pen or paperclip to access it.)
      2. Release the button.
      3. Wait for the router to reboot.
      4. Log in with the default password. If the router was not cleared, try these additional steps AFTER the router has finished rebooting.
      5. Unplug the router's power.
      6. Press and hold the reset button. While the button is held down, reconnect router's power.
      7. Continue to hold the reset button for 20 seconds after reconnecting the power.
      8. Wait for the router to reboot.
      9. Log in with the default password.
  • Step 2
    • Hold on to the reset button for a total of 1 minute. At the same time,for the first 20secs ,let the power cable be plugged in the router,for the next 20secs, unplug the power cable,for the last 20secs,once again plug in the power cable of the router. (note: you need to hold on the reset button for the entire 1 minute,donot let it go)
    • 60sec hard reset will clear the memory and flush it.
    • Check the lights on the router and try to login to the router configuration page. (Note:Resetting the router will erase all the configuration and router has to be reconfigured with new settings.)

  • Step 3 (YOU CAN PERFORM EITHER STEP2 OR STEP3- TOLD SAME EFFECT)
    • Holding reset for minutes can revert to original firmware. (Known for FVS318v24, not sure for others)
    • 60sec hard reset will clear the memory and flush it.


  • Step 4
    • For most netgear router under settings backup, you should able to find option for "revert to factory default settings" After each firmware upgrade use this option. This will ensure you that your firmware will be loaded correctly.



How to upgrade firmware and recover from bad uploading

In this section, you will find three topics which are following. Make sure you READ Q&A before you start your firmware upgrade/flahsing

  1. Quick Q&A
  2. Firmware Upgrade
  3. Router Recovery Procedure

Please note that not all router can be reocvered from improper firmware upgrade or Flashing !!
AT ANY GIVING TIME, DO NOT USE WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY TO UPGRADE/FLASH THE FIRMWARE!!USE
ONLY WIRED (ETHERNET CABLE ) TO YOUR ROUTER OR ACCESS POINT DEVICES.

Quick Q&A (PLEASE READ THIS Q&A BEFORE YOU CONTINUE)

  • What if I don't have ethernet adapter to your PC?
    • There are very few user that may own a PC that has not installed ethernet adapter. In general, most prebuild systems or motherboard do have buil-in ethernet adapters. If you are very few owner of PC that current do not have ethernet adapter installed on your PC, please go to your local computer shop and purchase one. Ethernet adpater are not expensive item any more.
  • I don't want to buy ethernet adapter.
    • Buying or not buying the ethernet adapter is your personal choice. If you are not purchasing ethernet adapter, PLEASE DO NOT UPGRADE YOUR FIRMWARE!!! YOU WILL CORRUPT THE ROUTER
  • I have upgrade using wireless in the past and it's working fine.
    • Consider you were simply lucky.
  • What broswer will work?
    • PC Users:
      • Use IE6/IE7 browser. Other browser such as FireFox, Opera, Safari for PC, etc are not recommended.
    • Mac Users:
      • Unfortunately for Mac users, Netgear's Routers Interface and Safari do not work quite well. That also goes with FireFox, Opera, etc specially.

        Use routers interface for most settings are fine although when you ready to upgrade firmware, it can corrupt the upgrade by locking up or uploading bar never moves.

        It is common that when locking up or uploading bar, most users will power off the router. This is when corrupt router occurs
      • Best recommendation for Mac users is to use PC loading via Parallels or use other method of PC hooking to your router is the best choice for result you want to achieve


  • Which router currently are Mac compatible for upgrading fimrware?
    • There is no model from Netgear Home End Routers are fully compatible.
    • Limited Prosafe model is Mac Compatible
      • FVX538 with firmware version 3.0.3-17, 3.0.3-13.18
      • FVS336G with firmware version 3.0.3-13.4
        • If you have these models and prior version of firmware, please use PC with IE6/IE7 broswer to upgrade first. After these version, you should able to load using Mac Safari. Any other broswer is not tested .
        • These models are more safe during the upgrade so if you feel you have lock up the upgrade, you should able to power off and back up firmware will still load.
      • FVS318 not supported
      • FVS114 not supported
      • older prosafe router not supported

  • Cannot Find or Cannot Download NETGEAR Files
Firmware upgrade procedure

Some models (home end routers) have automatic firmware upgrade/check options when you login to your router interface. if have disabled on initial setup or did not have this options then follow next instruction

  • It's common for most users to download and upload the firmware manually
    • AT ANY GIVING TIME, DO NOT USE WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY TO UPGRADE/FLASH THE FIRMWARE!! USE ONLY WIRED (ETHERNET CABLE ) TO YOUR ROUTER OR ACCESS POINT DEVICES.
    • Login the router (username:admin, password: password (old unit 1234) or your password
      • If you want to be familiar with interface before attempt, try Netgear Demo link . Some models are in French are most others are English. You may not find all the models but you can familarize in general as well

    • Once you login the router interface, generally you will find "router upgrade". Specify your downloaded file location and uploads
      • Download your firmware
      • Some people try to open the file you download are *.bin/*.chk files but this file needs tobe uploaded via router interfaces
      • For mac users *.bin files seems to think you can open this file but again this is not a file that you open.

    • After upgrad/flashing, most routers requires "Hard Reset"
      • Home End Routers
        • Unless it specified that it will reset the router, please follow first section of this page for "Hardr Reset"
      • ProSafe Routers
        • Most newer unit like FVX538, FVX336G unit do not require to hard reset"
        • Unit like FVS114, FVS318 or older unit are required.
      • After upgrade you feel router is not functioning correctly, then first thing is to "hard reset" for both Home End Routers and ProSafe Routers.
      • Back up configuration file. All Netgear Routers has back up options.


Router Recovery Procedure & Custom Firmware

Recovering your Router from

  • Router is not operating in normal manner
  • Router is not operating or booting up after firmware upgrade
  • Routers LED indication states "Lock up" or stuck on "Test" LED

Recovering your router from above symptoms can be attemp/fixed with certain models of Home End Routers and ProSafe Routers. Other models are technical not designed to be recover using other method usch as TFTP App. Netgear will not warranty the unit.

  • DG Series Router *
    • Click here from more info
    • DG834v1, DG834v2, DG834Gv1 and DG834Gv2 Router Recovery Utility (Click here for utility)

      Use this utility when the router's Power and Check light blink alternatingly after firmware upgrade using the usual Web-based method.( The utility requires a Windows PC (not UNIX or a Macintosh). This utility is tested for Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It may not work in other versions of Windows.)

      To Recover the Router Firmware and Restore Normal Function
      1. You need one of the firmware update files in the "Downloads" section of your product's page
      2. Select your router here. Download a version of firmware (the latest one is usually best), and unzip the file. You need the file inside that ends with ".img" to use in Step 6.
      3. Download the recovery utility using the button below to a convenient place such as your desktop.
      4. Connect a single PC directly to the router using an Ethernet connection. If you had to download with a different computer, move the zip file to this PC connected directly to the router. Use this PC for the remaining steps.
      5. Unzip the downloaded file, putting everything that's extracted in the same directory.
      6. Move the ".img" firmware file that you download in preparation for this process into the same directory as in Step 5.
      7. Double-click UpgradeWizard.exe. The Recovery Utility starts.
      8. Click Next. A screen with "Adapter Card Lists" appears.
      9. Select the adapter whose Ethernet connection goes to the DG834. Note: Several cards may appear in the list — including ones that are no longer installed on your computer, or are no longer used.
      10. Click Next.
      11. There should be one and only one item in the Device List. Click Next.
      12. Click Next.
      13. Click Upgrade. The utility recovers the router: EEPROM is erased, firmware is upgraded, then functionality is verified. A message appears that you are successful.
      14. Click Close to complete the recovery.

  • ProSafe FVX538V1, V2 models *
  • DG632 (third party reocvery tool) **-Standard disclaimer: Firmware can be used at own risk only. No responsibility for any damage
    • Unofficial Firmware for Netgear DG632 (and not for DG632B, DG632B Firmware available on demand only), If you are running official 3.3x or 3.4 firmware first please update to official 3.6 firmware from here: http://kbserver.netgear.com/release_notes/d102946.asp before using this firmware
    • How to update the safe way :
      1. Before each update disconnect DSL cable from Dg632, reboot it, update via Web interface,
      2. Wait update reaches 100% , make factory reset , connect DSL cable Back
      3. First update to NSPUpdate.Img it will setup all NVRAM variables changes and change DG632's IP to 192.168.1.1
      4. Then you can try my new ones, - you can test different DSP versions, to choose the best for your ISP
      5. Don't forget after NSPUpdate.Img - default IP is 192.168.1.1
      6. Firmware is forked from original sources:
        http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101238.asp
      7. Changes against original source code:
        • Default IP changed to auf 192.168.1.1
        • LZMA instead 7ZIP Kernel compression
        • SQFS 2.2
        • TCP fix for Windows Vista
        • LAN Telnet activated ñ so you can query statistics modem statistics: cat /proc/avalanche/avsar_modem_stats ,
        • check supported by modem modulations: cat /proc/avalanche/avsar_dsl_modulation_schemes etc. now
        • ADSL DATA Pumps in different flavor (with Fast Path & RE-DSL support also)
        • Better ADSL information in WEB interface
        • MTU fix
        • Firewall Fix
        • USB is disabled. USB 1.1 build in DG632 is not suitable for ADSL2/2+ speed
      • You can encode/decode saved router configuration files with cfgconv-0.3 (courtesy of McMCC) to change advanced settings
  • DD-WRT
*These two models is documented in Netgear Support Page/Knowledge Base
**VPN Case Study do not support any of third party recovery or fimware mods

Useful tools to access your Router for firmware flashing

This tool can be used on most of routers to upload firmware but not all will accept this.
Standard disclaimer: Firmware can be used at own risk only. No responsibility for any damage

Simple file transfer protocol, with the functionality of a very basic form of FTP

Tftpd32 includes DHCP, TFTP, SNTP and Syslog servers as well as a TFTP client.
The TFTP client and server are fully compatible with TFTP option support (tsize, blocksize and timeout), which allow the maximum performance when transferring the data.

Some extended features such as directory facility, security tuning, interface filtering; progress bars and early acknowledgments enhance usefulness and throughput of the TFTP protocol for both client and server.
The included DHCP server provides unlimited automatic or static IP address assignment. 

© 2006 VPN Case Study | All Rights Reserved |