Need information on WNR3500L please

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Upfront
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Need information on WNR3500L please

Hi, i purchased a Netgear WNR3500L less than 3 month ago. I've been having problems with it for the past 2 month. My wireless connection disconnects quite often. I solved that by changing channel on the setup to 11. However, I've had to reset the router few times since I purchased it due to loosing internet connection on my wired computers.  The last issues is that I connected a Rocketfish external USB hard drive and it worked great for 3 weeks. Now the external is inaccessible. Recently, I called netgear to try to fix this issue. I was told to come here for help. I updated my router firmware 3 days ago since the router checked and showed there was a firmware update. The Netgear representative said I had an open source firmware and I needed to check here for the latest firmware. He said, if you need an update install it if not reinstall the last firmware. This he said I had to do before I can claim a RMA number. I checked here and all I find is Tomato and dd-wrt firmware. I don't think my router would have automatically updated to those. I belive I still have the original firmware from Netgear and this guy did not know what he's talking about.  It seems to me that I would have to manually update to DD-WRT or Tomato and not that the router would do that by itself. But hey, I'm no expert that's why I'm here. My firmware version is: V1.0.2.50_31.1.25NA.  Is this the netgear original firmware or not?   The router still won't work with my USB external and I still need to reset my router from time to time due to loosing internet wired connection. I came from a Linksys WRT54GL and I guess I was spoiled, it never ever needed a reset in all the years I used it. So, if anyone could kindly help me I would appreciate it. I need to know if this is the netgear original firmware? If so were could I get it from so I can reinstall it? Since netgear wants me to do this else I can't RMA it.

Brandon C
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Upfront said:  My firmware version is: V1.0.2.50_31.1.25NA.  Is this the netgear original firmware or not?   The router still won't work with my USB external and I still need to reset my router from time to time due to loosing internet wired connection.

 

That is the latest firmware from Netgear.  Not Tomato or DD-WRT.

I suggest you do a hard reset of the router and then go through the setup wizard again just to make sure everything is clean from before.

Also, try plugging in your USB HardDrive into your computer and run a check disk type of program to make sure the file structure is ok.

Upfront
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Hi Brandon, thank you for

Hi Brandon, thank you for your fast reply and help. I just reconnected the external hard drive to the computer as you suggested. I will check the hard drive with the Western Digital hard drive software and run a defrag. If all is well, I will reconnect it to the router again, hopefully that will work.
About the hard reset, after I updated the router I disconnected the power from the modem, router and switch for 1 minute then reconnected the power to all of them. Is that a hard reset or will I have to press the reset button to completely erase it? I don't believe it would be the 30-30-30 I read around this website? Thank you for letting me know my firmware is still Netgear based, that helps a lot. Now if I do need to RMA it I'm armed with that piece of important information. Once more thank you for your kind help.

Brandon C
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Unplugging it doesn't hard

Unplugging it doesn't hard reset it. Just push and hold the reset button for 10 seconds, while powered up. That will do a hard reset of the router.

Upfront
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Hi Brandon, I did a hard

Hi Brandon, I did a hard reset replugged my USB Rocketfish RF-AHD35 external Hard Drive after checking it and the external was found. I entered my user name/password for the router and all is well. My wireless connection did get disconnected when I called my home phone number using our cell phone. I rechecked the router settings and it was on auto, I could have sworn I had reset it to channel 11 after the hard reset. Since I'm doubting myself, I'll keep an eye on it for now. By now only time will tell if I keep having to reset the router or not. Since is only been an hours or so since I reconnected the router I'm unable to tell if it will remain stable. I will try to report in 2 the 3 weeks. If the external remains stable. Maybe I can find away to add the Rocketfish enclosure model RF-AHD35 to the list of supported external enclosures. Note: built in card reader will not work. Once more thank you for your help. Regards, Edward

Brandon C
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Great, sounds like you are up

Great, sounds like you are up and running. Hopefully for a long time!

Upfront
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Hello, I just wanted to

Hello, I just wanted to update from the last time as promised. My Netgear 3500L still giving me problems. I have to reset it every week or so. The USB just stops working from time to time. To make the USB work again I have to do a hard reset as Brandon mentioned and it will work again. The wireless is unstable, even at Channel 11. I changed our two phones to DECT 6.0 to no avail. I finally had enough and purchased a Trendnet 639GR router. The new router works flawlessly. I wanted to thank the community for all their help. I'll keep the 3500L for backup till I get the nerve to flash it to DD-WRT, I hear (read) good things about it.
PS I would have claimed the warranty but Netgear refused to honor it hence, the new router.