Hi I upgraded my Orbi system (1 router + 2 x satellite) approximately one month ago, and upon installation through the Orbi app, it automatically updated the firmware on all 3 devices to V9.12.2.1_1.2.10.
I did as per usual and personalised the settings to broadcast the existing SSID of my router and when doing so noticed a new network with SSID "NTGRBH_[MAC address]", which I found unusual. I then checked the MAC address of my router and also verified via the native WIFI scanner on my iPhone and see that the MAC addresses differ by one letter.
This leads me to believe it must be broadcasting some sort of backhaul channel (you'll forgive any misuse of jargon please!).
Whilst this is most likely not problematic, it doesn't seem ideal to be broadcasting MAC addresses like this. I phoned netgear who, after speaking with not less than three agents over three days, scheduled a call back which I received this afternoon.
Netgear says that this is a known issue that will be corrected by way of a firmware update...with no ETA.
Is this something I should be worried about?
Ah, and my satellites wont reconnect if I reboot my router. I have to factory reset them each time, otherwise they both go magenta despite having a great connection when they do successfully connect.
Could these two issues be related?
For info, my ISP set up is with Community Fibre and gave 3gb up/download and have the orbi router connected to an Adtran ONT.
What region are you located? Just be sure that this version of FW is for EU region users only.
Yes, the NTGRBH_[MAC address] is a know thing and is not accessible by anyone, only the RBS and the RBR use this. Yes been like this since the start and NG is aware of it and hope they will eventually hide it for good.
RBS should reboot along with the RBR and reconnect give 5-10 minutes to come to ready and fully sync and optimize.
I presume up updated the RBS first, along with the RBR lastly?
I did not need to manually update the firmware. When I activated the system through the Orbi app, it installed the new firmware.
I'm still running into a problem whereby if I reboot the Orbi router, I have to reset all three satellites and add them back for them to connect, but this seems like it is unrelated to the firmware issue.
How many RBS are deployed? What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router 📡 and satellite(s)🛰️? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR 📡 and RBS 🛰️ to begin with depending upon building materials when wired or wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/31029/Where-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite 🛰
What channel configurations are currently set on the router?
Lets factory reset the system using the following process:
RBS should reboot along with the RBR and reconnect give 5-10 minutes to come to ready and fully sync and optimize. All RBS should connect, come to ready and have a BLUE front LED for a bit, then turn OFF.
Then after the system has settled in for a bit, try a reboot of the RBR and observe.
Hi I upgraded my Orbi system (1 router + 2 x satellite) approximately one month ago, and upon installation through the Orbi app, it automatically updated the firmware on all 3 devices to V9.12.2.1_1.2.10.
I did as per usual and personalised the settings to broadcast the existing SSID of my router and when doing so noticed a new network with SSID "NTGRBH_[MAC address]", which I found unusual. I then checked the MAC address of my router and also verified via the native WIFI scanner on my iPhone and see that the MAC addresses differ by one letter.
This leads me to believe it must be broadcasting some sort of backhaul channel (you'll forgive any misuse of jargon please!).
Whilst this is most likely not problematic, it doesn't seem ideal to be broadcasting MAC addresses like this. I phoned netgear who, after speaking with not less than three agents over three days, scheduled a call back which I received this afternoon.
Netgear says that this is a known issue that will be corrected by way of a firmware update...with no ETA.
Is this something I should be worried about?
Ah, and my satellites wont reconnect if I reboot my router. I have to factory reset them each time, otherwise they both go magenta despite having a great connection when they do successfully connect.
Could these two issues be related?
For info, my ISP set up is with Community Fibre and gave 3gb up/download and have the orbi router connected to an Adtran ONT.
I have reset the system with Orbi tech support more times than I can remember. Level 2 support said that this is a known issue (i.e. the broadcasting) and would hopefully be addressed in a future firmware release.
I am still working with them regarding the satellites not connecting after rebooting the Orbi router and have sent 3-4 sets of debug files. They just keep coming back asking me to do a slightly different procedure than the previous time.
I'm a bit fed up by this point to be quite honest. The system is expensive, and I do not think it is fair to expect this level of involvement from a consumer to find the issue, which must either be the firmware or the device.
I would not have thought that broadcasting the MAC address would be a function of the channel configuration (auto for 2.5 ghz and 48 for 5 ghz), the distance between satellites (30+ feet between each) or how many satellites I have deployed (3 satellites in all). Why would this cause the mesh to expose a backhaul channel (not sure this is the right term)?
Yes the backhaul broadcast is a known thing. It's been there since the beginning. It does not cause problems from the RBS or to the RBS. You can ignore that for now.
However if the RBS are having issues getting connected to the RBR and keeping connected, I'd ask for an RMA. Yes this system is too expensive to be hassling with all this troubleshooting. I'd ask about an RMA for sure. Do you have a case number by chance?
I would not have thought that broadcasting the MAC address would be a function of the channel configuration (auto for 2.5 ghz and 48 for 5 ghz), the distance between satellites (30+ feet between each) or how many satellites I have deployed (3 satellites in all). Why would this cause the mesh to expose a backhaul channel (not sure this is the right term)?
@FURRYe38 commented already that Netgear is aware of the goof regarding broadcasting the backhaul channel SSID. Since the first Orbi model (2016) Netgear has given the backhaul channel a goofy name that is intended to be "sort of unique" to each router and has not broadcast the SSID. My ancient RBR50 backhaul has the SSID NETGEAR_ORBI_hidden41 The "41" obviously came from the default WiFi SSID ("ORBI41") and implies that the chances of a neighbor having an Orbi system with the same backhaul is roughly 1 in 100. The backhaul password is a combination of 63 random characters, so even if there were an identical Orbi system next door, satellites for each would be able to connect only to the appropriate router. Changing from the default Orbi SSID to using part of the hardware MAC address probably seemed like a cool way to make the odds of two systems having identical backhaul SSIDs practically zero.
p.s. At one time, not broadcasting WiFi SSID was touted as a security measure and recommended by some "WiFi Gurus". Over the years, people discovered that this sense of seurity was false because there are techniques for learning the SSID. See, for example:
Thus, Netgear does not broadcast the backhaul SSID as a security measure. It is simply a way to keep from cluttering user WiFi devices with WiFi SSIDs that they cannot possibly connect with (because they do not know the 63 character password).
I will ask for an RMA, presumably by speaking to the technical team?
Also, I followed your instructions regarding the reset and the satellites (2 that came with the orbi router and 1 add on) did the same thing (i.e. not connecting unless I reset them and then dropping each time the ORBI router is rebooted).
I have manually updated the firmware and (sadly) still have the same problem. I requested Netgear replace the system and the "level 2" person I am communicating with said "let me check on that", which is a bit underwhelming.
I would have hoped at that level he could just validate it himself.
