Update 11.17 - Modded 3DS friendly?

[joeyflannel]

Hey, everyone! I'm brand new here, and I made an account just for this reason.

I am admittedly a bit of a luddite, so I'll try to present as much information as possible. I purchased a modded 3DS on Etsy about three years ago, and I love it. I use it all the time, have dozens of games installed, all that stuff. About a year and a half ago, I upgraded my Wi-Fi in my house and was no longer able to connect my 3DS to my home network. I just recently found out that it would connect to the wireless network at my office. So I connected it, downloaded a couple of things, all that stuff. BUT there is a system update available. This would obviously install the most recent 3DS firmware, which I believe is 11.17. I also need to download this in order to update any games which have updates available, which there is a shocking about of. Needless to say, I'm nervous as heck about installing this. Should I be? Is this going to brick my system? Is there a way to update it safely? I know that I'm not giving a ton of information here, which is frankly because I don't have a lot. ANY ADVICE IS WELCOME. And obviously, y'all are free to ask me questions and I'll answer them as best I can. I appreciate your patience and any help!

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Questions like this one are the reason why buying an already modded console isn't the best idea: The buyer lacks any knowledge how to use the custom firmware and homebrew software.

Generally firmware updates are fine -- given that Luma3DS is on latest version.
https://3ds.hacks.guide/restoring-updating-cfw.html

Please make sure to create (another) NAND backup and store it on multiple media. With Luma3DS updates there is no reason to avoid any official updates.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[LoggerMan]

Questions like this one are the reason why buying an already modded console isn't the best idea: The buyer lacks any knowledge how to use the custom firmware and homebrew software.

It's so long since I touched my modded 3DS that I now lack all knowledge of how I modded it or how the scene has changed since then. Same with my Switch, if I want to update it to play new games I'm going to have to relearn it all. My Switch is still running SX OS. I still use that dongle thing Bowser sold to get it to cold boot into SX OS.

 

[Kwyjor]

About a year and a half ago, I upgraded my Wi-Fi in my house and was no longer able to connect my 3DS to my home network.

Not sure why that would happen.

I also need to download this in order to update any games which have updates available, which there is a shocking about of.

In the last three years, very few games have had downloadable updates released on the eShop.

I'm nervous as heck about installing this. Should I be? Is this going to brick my system?

If this was a problem, there would be big flashing warnings everywhere advising you not to install it, and dozens upon dozens of threads from people who decided they didn't need to read the warnings.

 

[joeyflannel]

Kleines, I'll have to double check to see if I have the latest version. I updated it from the console yesterday, but you have to use an SD card on a desktop, right?

Post automatically merged: Mar 26, 2025

Kwyjor, regarding the wifi, I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, but I swear I can't figure out how to get it to work with my home network. As far as the updates, since I downloaded them on the console for the first time, most 1st party titles have patches and updates available. I'm playing the 1.0 unpatched original version of everything, I'm guessing. Or games with network features were updated after 3DS technically went offline?

And lastly, I understand that there would generally be more info available if this were a widespread issue, but as I mentioned originally, I really am not sure exactly how this thing works. I taught myself how to download stuff, and that's about it. I just want to be careful with it, ya know?

 

[Kwyjor]

As far as the updates, since I downloaded them on the console for the first time, most 1st party titles have patches and updates available.

Well, if you downloaded them for the first time three years ago, I'm not sure how that would have happened?

I'm sure you can find a list of updates somewhere.

Or games with network features were updated after 3DS technically went offline?

No, they did not release updates for everything with network features when the online services ended.