Netgear WRG614v6 Proprietary Telewest Firmware

[Luappy13]

Just thought I'd post this thread as it may help some people out there with random disconnections on this specific router - and stop them scratching their heads.

So let me begin:

Upgraded 10Mb package - new Netgear WRG614v6 on way

Arrived installed piece of pish - nice one.

Started using Limewire, P2P apps, MMO (massive online games) and a list of others - boom random disconnections galore, hard router resets.

Scratched head, thought some and decided to telnet in and see if I could have a
play with some settings not shown on the HTML interface (192.168.1.1). No joy NO TELNET access...

K np I'll just update firmware then... Err fails when trying to update to Netgears newest Firmware... Err.

Read everywhere and finally found 1 hint that Telewest have written there own Firmware for the platform (confirmed by Netgear later)

Basically the firmware has unconfigurable keep-alive times (TCP/UDP) and to low a value for concurrent connections and no way to access these variables so...

Basically this box shipped with the connection is a pile of dung for these types of apps.

Recommend you ask Telewest for a Netgear Firmware replacement. Or you can wait the 12-15 weeks for the Firmware upgrade to be released. Or you can take a ten pound lump hammer to the box and buy one yourself.

On a detrimental note to there initial customer service I was confronted with "Can you access the internet"
"yes"
"so whats the problem"
"Not all applications work correctly"
"So what do you want us to do about that?"

(bear in mind I was far more specific about issues and they weren't so brutal but you get the point)

Only after getting a Manager (finally) to listen to what I was saying and going through the whole scenario of me saying the router was faulty, getting a replacement (endless cycle of replacement as they would all have the same fault) did I get a tech guy to agree to send a Netgear (non-telewest Firmware).

2 star rating for initial customer support (lack of support or knowledge - and very low staff members - it concerned me when I phoned in on 3 different days I got the same girl???)

Anyway...

TTFN

[The Jackal]

You might be able to hack it if tftp is still open on the router :

From :

http://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?pid=21108

It looks like it *may* be unsupported with respects to installing openwrt on it.

If you're up for the hack go for it.... Dont think its worth it if you can get a replacement

---------- Post added at 18:31 ---------- Previous post was at 18:27 ----------

PS What happens when you hard reset the router ?

[Luappy13]

Cheers for the heads up but the Linux firmware doesnt look as if it is supported for this router and I would be cautious about tftp... Telewest say that it is not possible and I don't want a trial by fire.

Good link though ta - will see if I can get any of my other routers to accept the Linux distro / compile my own to enable other nice stuff (web/ping/smtp servers)

[The Jackal]

P P S

Coming to think about it : Not that I am interested in doing it....

The guy said something about the *potentially* being able to execute a kernel with the rootfs being on a network nfs...

If so we could set up an fs image for download and get all these blueyonder routers reflashed over the internet.

How many of these boxes are in circulation ?

[Luappy13]

PS What happens when you hard reset the router ?

It resets all the PPP keepalive timers and the OS and works fine again (as you would expect from a firmware fault (otherwise I would suspect hardware failure

[The Jackal]

Originally Posted by Luappy13

Cheers for the heads up but the Linux firmware doesnt look as if it is supported for this router and I would be cautious about tftp... Telewest say that it is not possible and I don't want a trial by fire.

Good link though ta - will see if I can get any of my other routers to accept the Linux distro / compile my own to enable other nice stuff (web/ping/smtp servers)

I really wouldnt waste you're time unless you're very competent mate :

You're looking at creating a distro iso file + a kernel that NFS mount it - waste of time in my opinion

---------- Post added at 18:45 ---------- Previous post was at 18:44 ----------

I'm interested as to how many of these boxes are around : I didn't know telewest had a wireless offering

[Luappy13]

Originally Posted by CrC-3rr0r

P P S

Coming to think about it : Not that I am interested in doing it....

The guy said something about the *potentially* being able to execute a kernel with the rootfs being on a network nfs...

If so we could set up an fs image for download and get all these blueyonder routers reflashed over the internet.

How many of these boxes are in circulation ?

Would be interesting to see how he could execute a kernel root remotely ont his box (stack/buffer overflow? undocumented ops?) and probably 2-400,000 units knowing telewests reach and as its free with their 2mb + package...

If he has source/app then I will quite happily try ity on my box

---------- Post added at 18:53 ---------- Previous post was at 18:49 ----------

Originally Posted by CrC-3rr0r

I really wouldnt waste you're time unless you're very competent mate :

You're looking at creating a distro iso file + a kernel that NFS mount it - waste of time in my opinion

---------- Post added at 18:45 ---------- Previous post was at 18:44 ----------

I'm interested as to how many of these boxes are around : I didn't know telewest had a wireless offering

Could if I read enough (know about 4 languages intimately (including ASM) and theory on about 10) but tbh cba... Ill set up my pc to run them - much easier.

But I know I've seen ppl saying they have done it on Linksys routers and want to increase my skillset.

[The Jackal]

Originally Posted by Luappy13

Would be interesting to see how he could execute a kernel root remotely ont his box (stack/buffer overflow? undocumented ops?) and probably 2-400,000 units knowing telewests reach and as its free with their 2mb + package...

If he has source/app then I will quite happily try ity on my box

He hasn't done it - it's only a suggestion he's making....

Kernel mounting an NFS/SMB/CIFS image is childsplay. Whether your router has tftp open is the issue.

2-400,000 units ? I got the bandwidth to flash em But this is a pointless excercise

Anyway I gotta dash.

[Luappy13]

Originally Posted by CrC-3rr0r

He hasn't done it - it's only a suggestion he's making....

Kernel mounting an NFS/SMB/CIFS image is childsplay. Whether your router has tftp open is the issue.

2-400,000 units ? I got the bandwidth to flash em But this is a pointless excercise

Anyway I gotta dash.

NP and no I nmap sS the box and no tftp for me

anyway nice chatting

[The Jackal]

Originally Posted by Luappy13

NP and no I nmap sS the box and no tftp for me

anyway nice chatting

LOL Then all this big talk for nothing then :p

PS try it again sometimes the tftp windows is only open for the time the router boots up.

Try both addresses 192.168.x.1 and 192.168.x.2

caio

[cinnamongirl]

I have the same problem... I cannot upgrade and am using a telewest provided router.
Any chance of sending me/providing link to the right upgrade file please ?
I am running XP... I have never used tftp... so if not, I don't mind following some instructions.... please...

[v0id]

Woo, nearly a year since the last post

Virgin have nicely put their latest firmware to the old Telewest branded netgear routers on their website, for anyone that still has one of these tucked in a cupboard somewhere

http://www.virginmedia.com/help/wire...ade-tw-kit.php

But a worthwhile one at that.