I received an email from Netgear about a security firmware update and I have a few questions.

1. I am with Optus who supplied the modem and I am thinking of calling them to check that the email is genuine. Should they know about this update considering they are my service provider?

2. When I received the new modem a few years back I don’t remember there being any transfer of firmware onto my laptop. Is it that I am a numpty and this transfer was done automatically when I got the modem?

3. I’m just curious about what the firmware does. Is there somewhere in PC settings on my laptop where it tells me what modem etc I am using?

Netgear has my details as I registered with them when I first needed technical support. I received the email 22 June, but it appears that the update has been available since June.

Do you have the Genie app on your laptop?

Speedy said:

Netgear has my details as I registered with them when I first needed technical support. I received the email 22 June, but it appears that the update has been available since 8 June.

Do you have the Genie app on your laptop?

Fixed

Speedy said:

Netgear has my details as I registered with them when I first needed technical support. I received the email 22 June, but it appears that the update has been available since June.

Okay. Do you have the same modem as I do?

Speedy said:

Do you have the Genie app on your laptop?

No. What’s that?

Phil_C said:

I received an email from Netgear about a security firmware update and I have a few questions.

1. I am with Optus who supplied the modem and I am thinking of calling them to check that the email is genuine. Should they know about this update considering they are my service provider?

2. When I received the new modem a few years back I don’t remember there being any transfer of firmware onto my laptop. Is it that I am a numpty and this transfer was done automatically when I got the modem?

3. I’m just curious about what the firmware does. Is there somewhere in PC settings on my laptop where it tells me what modem etc I am using?

What’s the model number of your modem? It should be written on the bottom.

The firmware is the software that runs on the modem. It comes preloaded from the factory.

cb88 said:

Phil_C said:

I received an email from Netgear about a security firmware update and I have a few questions.

1. I am with Optus who supplied the modem and I am thinking of calling them to check that the email is genuine. Should they know about this update considering they are my service provider?

2. When I received the new modem a few years back I don’t remember there being any transfer of firmware onto my laptop. Is it that I am a numpty and this transfer was done automatically when I got the modem?

3. I’m just curious about what the firmware does. Is there somewhere in PC settings on my laptop where it tells me what modem etc I am using?

What’s the model number of your modem? It should be written on the bottom.

I’m not at home at the moment but the model cited in the email is the WNR2000v2

cb88 said:

The firmware is the software that runs on the modem. It comes preloaded from the factory.

Oh I see. I didn’t think that the modem itself would be updated. That makes sense.

Have you done a web search on Netgear Security Update.?

That would be the easiest way to check if it’s genuine.

Phil_C said:

I’m not at home at the moment but the model cited in the email is the WNR2000v2

I can’t find a clear answer about what the vulnerability is from the model number, but if they’ve got to the trouble of emailing you about it, it’s probably important.

If you’re downloading the updated firmware from the real Netgear website, I wouldn’t worry about the authenticity of the email.

cb88 said:

Phil_C said:

I’m not at home at the moment but the model cited in the email is the WNR2000v2

I can’t find a clear answer about what the vulnerability is from the model number, but if they’ve got to the trouble of emailing you about it, it’s probably important.

If you’re downloading the updated firmware from the real Netgear website, I wouldn’t worry about the authenticity of the email.

Okay. Thanks everyone.

Checking the email address to see if its from netgear might help.

If its not from netgear, then it could be suspicious.

Phil_C said:

Speedy said:

Netgear has my details as I registered with them when I first needed technical support. I received the email 22 June, but it appears that the update has been available since June.

Okay. Do you have the same modem as I do?

Speedy said:

Do you have the Genie app on your laptop?

No. What’s that?

Sorry for not getting back to you earlier, but my modem is the D6400. The Genie app is Netgear’s app to for checking and changing modem settings and to set up parental controls.

Like CB88 said, if your update is appearing on Netgear’s website, you shouldn’t need to worry about the authenticity of the email. Problem is that Netgear’s website is so hard to navigate that it’s hard to find the info. you need. Add to that the fact you don’t know which model modem you have and it’s difficult to know where to start.

If I search my device for the model no. nothing comes up, but if I search “Netgear” or “Genie”, it finds the Genie app. Maybe you need to search the same to find the location where your info. is hidden or under “Optus”.

Ahhhh all you usual shenanigans. The email says i have one type of modem while it says on the underside of the modem I have another. On the phone with Optus. I wonder which modem they think I have.

:-)

Hopefully the nice Filipino at Optus can guide me through this increasingly complex firmware update.

Just spoke to Optus and they said I could disregard the email because the modem updates its firmware every time it is turned off and on.

So all’s well that ends well.

Phil_C said:

Just spoke to Optus and they said I could disregard the email because the modem updates its firmware every time it is turned off and on.

So all’s well that ends well.

Thank goodness for that.

Perhaps the Optus support person can now move onto fixing the problem transferring my number to my new phone.

The Rev Dodgson said:

Phil_C said:

Just spoke to Optus and they said I could disregard the email because the modem updates its firmware every time it is turned off and on.

So all’s well that ends well.

Thank goodness for that.

Perhaps the Optus support person can now move onto fixing the problem transferring my number to my new phone.

Ahhh so you’re the reason i spent 45 minutes on hold.

-)

Phil_C said:

Just spoke to Optus and they said I could disregard the email because the modem updates its firmware every time it is turned off and on.

So all’s well that ends well.

Quite a opening for hackers, wouldn’t you say?

mollwollfumble said:

Phil_C said:

Just spoke to Optus and they said I could disregard the email because the modem updates its firmware every time it is turned off and on.

So all’s well that ends well.

Quite a opening for hackers, wouldn’t you say?

That’s the good peoples’ at Norton’s department.