Firmware update SG4K100158 has broke some services including WhatsApp!

[Kevin_1]

Hi,

I have the same issues as others in that the recent, not published, update of my routers firmware has once again broken some services!

This is the third time over recent years that the firmware has been updated in the early hours of the morning and things do not work, the first time I had to have a new router sent out the second the firmware had to be downgraded!

I have seen that other people have had the same issue and one 'Work around' is to change the firewall to 'Medium' however that isnt going to work in my instance as I use the 'Custom' option and have a number of rules enabled for specific services.

Is there some other option/fix available for those of us that don't use the basic Low/Medium/High firewall configurations?

SAGECOM Fast 5364 router

Regards

Kevin

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

medium is the default setting across our various routers and firmware, 

Thanks  

Karl. 

[scsmedia]

yeah - I won't be doing that. Forcing me to use medium security so that stuff works is not a solution when it all worked fine with the high security settings before the firmware update. There's nothing in the newer firmware that will make the router more secure on medium than it was before on high.

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

You can log into the router and check the current version. We do not have the release notes, but all routers will update at some point. There was an issue that affected a handful of routers with the last firmware, the firewall level was set to high rather than the default level of medium, and this blocked apps such as whatsapp.

Karl.

[scsmedia]

Hi, I very much doubt the firmware for my router is version 174 since it was version 158 when I switched it off. Is there any reason why version 174 would fix the issue? Send me the firmware 174 release notes and I'll decide for myself whether I am going to waste any more time on it.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi scsmedia

Your router firmware is showing on the latest (new) version 174.

Are you still experiencing issues?

[KeithFrench]

Where did I ever say this was your fault? You are correct I do not know your network or your requirements, I was talking about the majority of TalkTalk customers. Hence why I said in my last post:-

"Unless you have very exceptional requirements setting the level too high impacts functionality, not security."

[scsmedia]

No - you are wrong. You don't know my network and you don't know my requirements. The correct setting for MY firewall is high security with explicit configuration which worked fine until Tuesday night when a firmware update that I don't require broke it. There is a high security capability and configuration options for a reason. What you have failed to understand here is that there was a change with an impact on several customers that has not been properly managed. You are saying that it is my fault that TalkTalk broke my internet by making a unilateral change without my knowledge. There is no documentation anywhere that warns customers that using the inbuilt capability of the router might result in an arbitrary and unannounced loss of service. You literally have to stop telling people that have been affected that they were in the wrong. It is not a good look for TalkTalk to talk down to their customers. Maybe the medium setting is perfectly suitable for most customers and maybe that's how routers are shipped. It doesn't suit me. I expect a large proportion of customers that are using the inbuilt high security profile on their router are doing it deliberately and for a reason. You don't know those reasons.

[KeithFrench]

You have been told before that the correct security setting for the firewall is medium, so how is going from a wrong setting of high to medium a reduction in security? Unless you have very exceptional requirements setting the level too high impacts functionality, not security.

[scsmedia]

Hmmm, I don't believe there is any security update that can have more benefit than being forced to reduce the security profile from high to medium. Looks like you are telling me I have to buy my own router if I don't want TalkTalk arbitrarily trashing my internet connectivity without any warning or accountability. Whilst you may claim that TalkTalk have a responsibility to ensure customers are safe, what you are really doing is absolving yourself of responsibility by forcing me to buy and manage my own router when in fact the one I had from TalkTalk was perfectly fine and secure before these updates. Since there are no release notes published for this firmware update, we have no idea whether it is more or less secure than it was before, especially since we are forced to reduce the security profile from high to medium. The main problem for me though is that I had no idea you were going to push an update that would trash my connectivity and cause almost two days of diagnosing and rebuilding a network whilst not being able to work and whilst children are nagging constantly about their Xbox not working at the start of the Easter holidays. You didn't test the update properly, you didn't warn the customers and you aren't taking responsibility. It is simply poor change and impact management and much of the frustration could have been avoided for affected customers with a simple three line email or web article explaining that there is going to be a rollout and there will be an impact to customers who use the built-in high security profile of their router. A business wouldn't treat its own employees like that so why should a business treat its paying customers so disrespectfully?

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

firmware can contain security updates and our devices teams tell us not to downgrade firmware, so this ties our hands in this case.  TalkTalk routers will always be subjected to periodic updates and this will always be the case. A customer is free to use their own router if they do not wish this to happen.

Regards,

Karl. 

[scsmedia]

why isn't downgrading an option? It was perfectly possible last year when another poor firmware upgrade was deployed.

[scsmedia]

Hi,

I have the same problem as you and had the same problem last May too. After several weeks of pointless to and fro with this forum last year, I eventually got the firmware reverted to my previous version and the config started working properly.

Despite what some people on this forum say, the firmware can be reverted to a previous version by TalkTalk and I use my config for a reason and don't care what random opinions are about what is default etc. It was working, it was fine, do not mess with it and thanks for wasting 15 hours of my day today so far (including my entire working day) which has involved me ripping apart my entire LAN to identify why my internet doesn't work properly. This is simply because TalkTalk did not notify me of this change to yet another poorly tested firmware for this router.

Now I have to go through the whole stupid support thing again for weeks no doubt to get it put back to the previously installed firmware.

I specifically told TalkTalk to never modify my router ever again for exactly this reason. I am livid.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

UPDATE - Your router firmware has now updated to V174. This should resolve the firewall issue. Please let us know if you experience any further issues.

Thanks

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

Apologies, our Devices Team are looking into this. Please let us know how you get on.

Thanks

[AllyM]

You always have the option to use a different router if you don't like the features of the TalkTalk one.

[Kevin_1]

Hi Chris,

Ok I will give that a go but seems a tad frustrating that a rule set that's worked for years is now broke because of a firmware update.

Regards

Kevin

[Chris-TalkTalk]

I'm sorry Kevin, downgrading to an earlier firmware version isn't currently an option. The medium setting is the setting that we recommend, using a custom setting can cause issues as you are experiencing. Nearly all our customer use the medium setting, there are only very very small percentage who use a custom setting.

Chris 

[Kevin_1]

Hi Chris,

Given that the issue started with the new firmware would it be possible to downgrade to the previous version?

How can this be my issue to solve when it's your router and firmware that have broken what was working?

Regards

Kevin

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi Kevin,

I'm sorry for any inconvenience but I'm not sure what else we can do, as advised the firewall is set to medium by deault, if you want to use different settings then this isn't really something that we can help with

Chris

[Kevin_1]

Hi,

Still waiting for someone to provide a resolution to this issue which isn't setting the firewall to medium?

Regards

Kevin