Netgear Firmware Update Failed? [Effective Ways To Fix]

Keeping the firmware up-to-date is highly essential in order to maintain the router’s functions as well as features. But, Netgear router users often report that an abrupt note appears such as ‘Netgear firmware update failed’ whenever they try to update the firmware.

If the firmware update fails then you are deprived of experiencing the best networking, wireless as well as top-notched performance of the device. Therefore, if you ever note that the Netgear firmware update is stuck, you need to get rid of this issue at the earliest.

Signs that Indicates Netgear Firmware Update Failed 

When your Netgear firmware update failed, then you will see the following signs on your router: 

• Internet LED indicator will blink continuously.
• The device doesn’t boot up properly.
• Power LED indicator blinking amber or become solid.
• Unable to access routerlogin.net after updating the firmware.

If you see none of these indications, then you can run a Network troubleshooter on your device. It will automatically be aware of the core reason for this issue. 

Easy Hacks to Solve Netgear Modem Firmware Update

If any of the above indicators arise then there are several ways to resolve this issue. Here, we are going to provide the best-suited ones. So, you can have a look at the ways described below: 

Fix 1: Detach the Connected Device

If the updating process fails without any specific reason, then it is probably because of the devices that are connected to the Netgear router. The devices may be the computer, printer, modem, etc. 

However, you need to upload the firmware by using the computer. So, except for the PC, disconnect all the other devices that are currently connected with the router. 

After disconnecting all the other devices from the router, you can try to perform the Netgear router update once again to check if the issue is resolved. Else, you can move on to the other ways described below. 

Fix 2: Perform a Power Reset of the Computer and Router

According to some tech experts, this issue can be solved by performing the power rest of both the computer and router. To do this, turn the router and computer Off and then unplug the power cable of both the devices from the power supply. 

Wait for at least 55-60 seconds and then re-plug the power cable back into the power outlet. Turn them On and wait for a few seconds until they boot up properly. Once done, you can try to update the Netgear router once again. 

If the Netgear modem firmware update still fails, then you can perform the next method provided below. 

Fix 3: Disable the Antivirus or Firewall

Sometimes, due to conflict with the firewall or antivirus program installed on your computer, you might come across this issue. So, you can solve this problem by disabling the antivirus program at least for a few seconds. 

For that, go to the taskbar and locate the antivirus icon. If you are unable to find the antivirus icon on the taskbar, then click on the upper arrow to open the hidden icon folder. Here, you will find the antivirus program. 

Now, right-click on the antivirus program and then choose the ‘Disable’ option from the list. After that, you will be asked to choose a time range. After selecting this, click on the OK button to disable the antivirus. 

How to Disable Router’s Firewall? 

1. First, open a web browser and then enter the IP address of the router in the address bar. 
2. Then, you will be asked to enter the password of the router. 
3. Afterward, navigate to the Advanced Settings tab. 
4. Next, tap on the Firewall option. 
5. Click on the Disable button and then click on the OK button to confirm your action. 

After disabling the firewall and antivirus program, you can check if the problem is resolved. Else, you can restore the previous firmware upgrade version to solve this problem. 

Fix 4: Restore the Previous Firmware Version

Sometimes, the latest version of the firmware may create several problems for the Netgear router due to bugs. In this case, you can restore the previous version of the router firmware to get rid of this problem. 

To do this, first, remove the downloaded file from your computer. Then, visit the official website of Netgear. Search for available firmware versions by entering the model number of the device. 

Since there are different versions of the router firmware, select the previous one that you had installed on your PC. Click on the Download button to download the firmware on your PC. Save it on your preferred location and then close the browser window. 

Now, log into the web interface of the Netgear router by using the default IP address of the device. Then, upload the downloaded firmware installer file. Complete the further process by following the on-screen instructions. 

Fix 5: Hard Reset Router

After trying all the above ways, if you see that your router is not supporting either the latest or previous version of the firmware, then you can perform a hard reset of the device to solve this issue. 

Usually, a hard reset can restore the device to its factory default settings. Before doing that, try to back up all your settings including login credentials, SSID, channel number, etc. 

To perform a backup, you can open the web interface of the router and then navigate to the Maintenance tab. 

Then, choose the ‘Back Settings’ option. Afterward, click on the Backup button from the next page. After creating the backup, you can restore the device to reset it to its factory default settings. 

Take a sharp pin or a sharp pin-pointed object. Insert it in the Rest buttonhole. Hold it for a few seconds until the LED indicator blinks. Keep holding the Reset button for the next 15-18 seconds and turn off the device. 

Once done, the router will restart automatically. After that, log in to the web interface of the router to restore the settings. After completing the resetting process, you can try to upload the file and the firmware update should be installed successfully. 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

How to Perform Automatic Netgear Router Firmware Update? 

You can follow the below steps to update the firmware of the Netgear router automatically: 

• Open your favored browser on your PC. 
• Then, type ‘routerlogin.net’ in the address bar to access the login page of the router. 
• Enter the login credentials to proceed further. 
• Navigate to the Advanced tab and then select the Administration option from the list. 
• If any latest version is available there, then you will see that on the next page. 
• Afterward, tap on the ‘Firmware Update’ button. 
• If you can’t see any latest version, tap on the ‘Check to reconfirm’ option. 
• Lastly, tap on the Yes button to confirm the action.