[BC] Netgear MR314 failure mode

[Dana Puopolo]

Are you sure they're not MR814's?

If so, you need to upgrade their firmware. The older firmware sucked.

Also, there's a apecial way to use these as access points. You can find it on
the Netgear web site.

-D



------ Original Message ------
Received: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 03:34:05 PM EDT
From: Xmitters at aol.com
To: broadcast at radiolists.net
Subject: [BC] Netgear MR314 failure mode

Hello:

I have used several copies of the Netgear MR314 DSL router/WAP in my network 
at home. The wireless portion of these units fails after a power interruption.

My most recent MR314 failure was yesterday when the local power company 
caused a power failure. I thought these units may have been getting trashed
from 
lightning because in the past, lightning caused a power  failure and upon
power 
restoration, the wireless functionality of the MR314 no longer works. The 
wireless LED indicator on the unit is dark and doing a site scan from a
wireless 
client computer shows no wireless service available.

I'm wondering if you have seen this kind of failure before and is there 
anything that can be done to possibly revive the wireless portion of the
MR314? The 
"wired" computers continue to play nice with the MR314 even after its 
wireless functionality dies.

I tried the hardware reset procedure as described in the manual, reloaded the

firmware (I always keep a copy of the latest firmware stored on my server) 
and I reloaded the backed up configuration file. Still nothing. 

I can get the MR314 on Ebay for 15 to 20 bucks, but I would like to get 
around this recurring failure mode if there is an obvious solution. The unit
is 
plugged into an APC UPS unit with surge protection, but that does not help. I

have been attached to this box because of my familiarity with it and because I

always have a preconfigured, brand new unit on the shelf as a backup. I have 
been faced with replacement of enough of these units that I am now officially

tired of it. So unless anyone spots something obvious that I have failed to do
to 
wake up the wireless functionality, I think I'm going to switch to a d
ifferent brand and model cable/DSL router/WAP. 

Have you ever seen this scenario before and is there something that can be 
done to solve the problem short of going to a different brand of unit? I
should 
also point out that no other components in my network fail when the MR314 
fails. When power comes back on, everything works except for the MR314
wireless 
functionality. Calling the factory is not helpful.

Jeff Glass
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