Billion UK Forum

Within the last few days, and in view of me changing my ISP and also moving from ADSL to VDSL connectivity, I've updated the firmware of my 8800NL (first version) from 2.32d.dh14 to 2.32d.dh65. The latter of these two is, by most users' opinions, the most stable and bug-free one currently available. But the update didn't go anything like as smoothly as I was expecting! I had to abort the procedure a number of times!

The most disconcerting thing was that in the router page where the updating's done I didn't get any visual feedback once I'd clicked to update. I was anticipating a progress bar but no such bar appeared. Instead, all I got was the screen blinking every 10 secs or so, with a message saying that I should wait. This went on interminably and so, after about 4 or 5 mins, I had no option but to abort it (never recommended!). I tried repeating the procedure right from the start but the same thing happened. After much struggling with it, I finally noticed the router attempting a restart (as seen by its LED indicators). However, it failed to complete the restart. Fortunately, by then I happened to notice that the 8800's Summary page showed 2.32d.dh65 as the new firmware.

So, why the lack of any feedback during the update process? Surely, it should have been there? It's essential. According to my new ISP, some editions of the 8800NL have exhibited this quirky and undesirable lack of feedback during the firmware updating process. Whether that's true I don't know.

From that point on, most things went well, to get the new ISP account up and running, albeit that I was foxed for quite some time by not being able to find the configuration settings for VLAN ID. They turned out to be hidden behind the Edit button in Configuration > WAN.

My newly-established VDSL connection seems to be performing very well, according to the 8800's stats. What I'm currently finding, though, is that while I'm in the 8800's various webpages the latter periodically blink and, in some cases, momentarily disappear altogether. Is this at all normal? Could this perhaps be the 8800 simply interrupting the GUI as it updates the line's varying stats during an initial first few days of the new connection? Will this settle down in time? I've turned off External Ping, and also Remote Access. I'm using wired Ethernet, so it ought not to be anything to do with wireless. What other settings, if any, can cause this? Online browsing and e-mail presentations are normal, with no blinking.

A third observation is something that, in fact, existed also in dh14, although not to the same degree. It's that no further logging into the router is necessary, once I've exited from it (provided I don't leave the browser). I've queried this before in these forums, as to me this seems like a security risk. So, is this working correctly in this regard? As far as I can determine, it's got nothing to do with browser cookies, but it might instead just be browser session-dependent.

Comments please.

I haven't seen any issues with customers when it comes to upgrading the device.

Maybe trying a different web browser/PC might help.

The Status >> Statistics >> xDSL page will blink as router updates its stats to give you a upto date reading (this is normal)

Regarding logging into the router, this is browser session dependent, you should close down your web browser once you have finished accessing the routers web gui.

You could be right, it might have been caused by the browser (Safari). I did the update on my Mac. I now wished I'd downloaded the dh65 file on to my Windows PC instead and 'done the business' from there.

Regarding the blinking, yes it's very evident on the Statistics > xDSL page. But I get it also on other 8800 pages. It's possible that the installed firmware is slightly corrupted here and there. Hard to tell. If I were to re-download the file using my Windows PC instead and do the update on the PC, would the router proceed and perform the update, or would it merely do nothing because it looks to see which version is already installed and if it's the same it doesn't respond?

As for the logging in issue, yes what you say with it being browser session dependent seems to fit with my experience of it. Still seems to me to be a security risk, though. But perhaps I worry too much.

gatekeeper wrote:You could be right, it might have been caused by the browser (Safari). I did the update on my Mac. I now wished I'd downloaded the dh65 file on to my Windows PC instead and 'done the business' from there.

Regarding the blinking, yes it's very evident on the Statistics > xDSL page. But I get it also on other 8800 pages. It's possible that the installed firmware is slightly corrupted here and there. Hard to tell. If I were to re-download the file using my Windows PC instead and do the update on the PC, would the router proceed and perform the update, or would it merely do nothing because it looks to see which version is already installed and if it's the same it doesn't respond?

As for the logging in issue, yes what you say with it being browser session dependent seems to fit with my experience of it. Still seems to me to be a security risk, though. But perhaps I worry too much.

If you run the update on a windows PC using chrome or IE you should be fine,

If you run the update on a windows PC using chrome or IE you should be fine.

By that, were you referring to my doubt about whether the update would proceed if the self same firmware was already installed - or were you just commenting generally? If so, I'll give it a go. Obviously, it'll upset the DLM but I'll just have to take my chances. By all accounts, DLMs on VDSL connections are far more touchy about line restarts, and will sometimes markedly drop the speed if too many take place.

gatekeeper wrote:If you run the update on a windows PC using chrome or IE you should be fine.

By that, were you referring to my doubt about whether the update would proceed if the self same firmware was already installed - or were you just commenting generally? If so, I'll give it a go. Obviously, it'll upset the DLM but I'll just have to take my chances. By all accounts, DLMs on VDSL connections are far more touchy about line restarts, and will sometimes markedly drop the speed if too many take place.

If you are using a windows PC with chrome or IE, the upgrade should proceed normally (with the progress bar etc)

It might worth waiting for a couple of days before re-flashing so you don't upset DLM