Resetting router during upgrade

[terminator]

Most router upgrades instruct that resetting the router is either required or strongly encouraged. While I can understand why from a code prospective, I don't want to do this from an end user prospective mainly because there are hundreds of settings that I don't want to type manually again and again every few months. I mostly take a chance on dirty upgrades and so far they have worked but I am afraid a day will come when it doesn't work. So, is a tool like nsrum the easiest option that others are using to save/restore their settings or is there a better way what I am missing?

EDIT: I also see a "Restore/Save/Upload Setting" on the UI. Is that same/different than nsrum for the purposes for saving/restoring your settings during upgrades?

 

[L&LD]

[FAQ] NVRAM and Factory Default Reset | SmallNetBuilder Forums (snbforums.com)

It's not like there's a choice.

Using a saved backup config file from one firmware to the next is asking for issues. It effectively undoes any 'reset to factory defaults' you may have done, and may also confuse the new router with specific settings (not just to that model, but to that specific unit) too.

Besides, there are not 'hundreds' of settings to set up. Do it a few times and you can have a router updated in no time with fresh firmware and allowing it to use its expected defaults, which will give you the most stable, reliable, and trouble-free router/network possible.

New M&M 2020

 

[terminator]

Unfortunately, I have hundreds too. There are about 50 devices, half of them I don't like the generic dns names so I have changed it to be easily identifiable (figuring out what the device is by it's generic name is a challenge on its own), then I don't run the router on the default gateway ip, vpn server settings (updating clients with new certificate), client vpn for a few devices (and rules for which devices should go through vpn), diversion adblock, skynet firewall, log settings, etc --- just to name a few. Oh well, I will just stick with my schedule of updating once or twice a year and hoping dirty update would be fine.

 

[KevTech]

Get a copy of WinSCP.
Enable SSH on the router then in WinSCP set protocol to SCP and login.
You can backup then restore any files you need this way.