Configuring 7800N

[giskard]

After updating firmware I usually have to restart the router with the default factory settings and then re-enter the config manually. You can't reliably load a previously saved config file so manual config is the only option, with the config file open in a text editor for reference.

Is it possible to completely configure the 7800N via Telnet? i.e. do all the web config pages have an equivalent Telnet command?

Reason I ask is that is wouldn't be too much of a stretch for me to write a telnet script to set the config settings required after a firmware update.

[billion_fan]

It should be possible, but I don't have the telnet commands, our engineers won't release them.

[giskard]

It should be possible, but I don't have the telnet commands, our engineers won't release them.

That's a shame.

I don't have access to my router right now but I'm guessing that if I type 'help' or ? at the telnet command prompt then I'll get a list of commands so that I might be able to work out which command does what for the router configuration?

If I save a configuration file and then edit it so that it contains only the config settings that I've changed and then load that config file, will the router just apply those settings or will it complain that the config file is incorrect, or screw up the router config or both?

[billion_fan]

It should be possible, but I don't have the telnet commands, our engineers won't release them.

That's a shame.

I don't have access to my router right now but I'm guessing that if I type 'help' or ? at the telnet command prompt then I'll get a list of commands so that I might be able to work out which command does what for the router configuration?

If I save a configuration file and then edit it so that it contains only the config settings that I've changed and then load that config file, will the router just apply those settings or will it complain that the config file is incorrect, or screw up the router config or both?

Yes you should be able to find the telnet commands by typing 'help'

You should be able to edit the config (even though this is never officially advised), just make sure you don't change the password for the unit (admin default) as when the config file is created it encrypts the password on the config file.

[tinytim]

I upgraded from 1.06g to 1.06h using current settings - thought it worth a try - and it all went perfectly well.

As I said , it's worth a try.

[Philip_L]

Hi

I upgraded from 1.06g to 1.06h using current settings - thought it worth a try - and it all went perfectly well.

As I said , it's worth a try.

I did the same, then had to change DCHP LAN server settings and the ADSL modem stopped working. This was repeatable, factory reset modem okay, install last saved config from 1.06g, make setting change and the ADSL modem crashes.

Only option was a factory reset and re-enter everything, it fine then.

It really means the saved config is pretty much useless to restore back.

Billion, there should be no reason the config file can break the device when a new firmware just has minor bug fixes. If the version change is so minor it is still 1.06, then what exactly is going on?

Regards

Phil

[billion_fan]

Hi

I upgraded from 1.06g to 1.06h using current settings - thought it worth a try - and it all went perfectly well.

As I said , it's worth a try.

I did the same, then had to change DCHP LAN server settings and the ADSL modem stopped working. This was repeatable, factory reset modem okay, install last saved config from 1.06g, make setting change and the ADSL modem crashes.

Only option was a factory reset and re-enter everything, it fine then.

It really means the saved config is pretty much useless to restore back.

Billion, there should be no reason the config file can break the device when a new firmware just has minor bug fixes. If the version change is so minor it is still 1.06, then what exactly is going on?

Regards

Phil

As mentioned before, there are changes within the firmware, so restoring your config might mess up the newer config on the router, hence the reason we state CLEARLY, you should reset back to factory default settings once the firmware upgrade process is complete.

For us to implement these changes, it is needed to clear the current config, otherwise these minor bugs stored in your older config will effect the router after we have made changes to the firmware, as you experienced.

If we could restore the config from older firmware version, we would have stated so.

[Philip_L]

Hi

I can understand how certain major changes in firmware that changes the configuration file format would warrant a fresh set-up, however in these cases Billion should increment a version number in the XML configuration file. A customer then trying to use the configuration file created from an incompatible version of the firmware (identified by having an older version number) is blocked from using it automatically. This must be better than the customer using it then getting all sorts of errors they blame on a bad product?

I've used many Broadcom based routers and never come across the issue of not being able to use a previously created config backup after a minor firmware change e.g. 1.0.6e to f to g etc. The Broadcom standard XML configuration format has hardly changed in years and years so I can't understand why there are these issues. It is almost as though the restore of the configuration file is actually broken and never works. I might compare the config file I have now to the one that wouldn't restore without crashing the modem hardware and see if there are actually any differences!

If it is the case the config file is of no use to restore settings after a minor firmware update what is the point of it?

I think this is one area Billion need to spend some time on, certainly given the newer models are requiring frequent updates just at the moment and there are more settings you can shake a stick at

Regards

Phil