Netgear GSM7224 Firmware question

[pete]

I have one of these, it needs a firmware upgrade due to desired fixes that may improve a couple of issues we have.

 

My choices are firmware version 6.2.0.14, which is the latest listed under the GSM7224 (Answer ) or 6.3.3.7, which isn't listed under the GSM7224, but is listed for it's bigger brother the GSM7248 (Answer).

 

The release notes for the GSM7248 mentions fixes for the GSM7224 and the firmware does improve a number of things on the gsm7248 we have.

 

Has anyone tried using 7248 firmware on a 7224? From the release notes it looks like it should work for the 7224, but netgear have neglected to provide a link.

 

(I haven't asked Netgear support because experience suggests such questions goes right over their heads with a big whooshing noise unless I want to pay $75/question for ProSupport*.

 

 

 

*paying a crapload for a switch apparently means I have to spend a crapload more to talk to someone who can actually answer a simple question.

Edited June 9, 2009 by pete

[pete]

For anyone searching, the format it's supplied in is different and so the checksum fails. I tried the official firmware which so far has made the interface dog-slow and the switch respond to pings in seconds (pinging through the switch is speedy as you'd expect). May be rolling this back.

 

Oh and Netgear, why give me the option of cpu utilisation stats and then tell me you don't support the arm processor when I try to access them?

 

(No, I didn't brick it, but I had the debricking tool handy, just in case )

[Oops_my_bad]

Don't do it.. just don't

 

We are running 6.2.0.14 on our 7224's. The ping to the switch is not great but I suspect there is some sort of traffic shaping/prioritising going on on the default VLAN. Pinging to devices on the switch is fine and we have no performance issues. Just make sure before you upgrade you are running a compatible previous version, else you really will brick it!

[SteveMC]

Also, if you've previously had a complex config on the switch, it may well be worth doing a factory reset (assuming you've got documentation on the config to allow you to re-establish it afterward!).

 

Stephen

[pete]

Don't do it.. just don't

 

Yeah, didn't risk it in the end - the firmware is offered in a different format and isn't compatible. The 6.3.* firmware did fix a bunch of annoying issues on our gsm7248, hence my desire to not use this 6.2.* one as it introduces wierdness I'd rather avoid.

 

The slow console makes me think the cpu is being thrashed by something, but as Netgear neglected to include cpu stats anywhere and I can't see dodgy traffic on any interfaces or ntop I'll unplug everything but the uplink later this evening and see if I get better console performance and then add connections until it gets flaky.

 

I cleared the config and rebuilt it after uploading the new firmware.