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dtskip's avatar
dtskip
Guide
Oct 01, 2020

Broken Satellite? Firmware issues

I had a power outage recently that seems to have messed with my Orbi Router. It made the attached devices page show blank, along with a range of other annoyances. I couldn't fix it, so I updated my firmware manually to the latest version. As the instructions said, I updated the Satellite first which seemed to work fine, but the router wasn't updating, and there seemed to be an infinite loop of "please wait" page refreshes.

 

I ended up factory resetting my router, which also proved to be a pain. Every time I tried resetting it via phone, it was having difficulty connecting to the internet, but after several attempts, I eventually got it working again, although for some reason, it was on the same firmware version as before the reset, rather than factory default. Nevertheless, I performed the manual update to 2.5.2.4 and it worked.

 

The problem now is, the Satellite is broken and I have no idea how to fix it. I have factory reset it and everything, and it's still on the 2.5.2.4 update, but when I try to set it up on the Orbi app, it never gets detected. That being said, parts of it still somehow get found by the Orbi router, as seen in attached devices on the web interface here:

 

https://i.imgur.com/hWKCpR3.png

 

It's weird, because the icon is showing up as a Linux PC instead of a Satellite, which has happened to me before, and means there is a problem. Again, the Orbi App does NOT detect any satellites.

 

On top of that, when browsing for wireless networks on my phone, I see another factory reset Orbi (ORBI01):

 

https://i.imgur.com/4CmsA91.png

 

If I connect to this on my phone, it's exactly the same as connecting to the Router Network I set up. Same WAN IP, same appearance in the Orbi app, same lack of a Satellite. I assume this is the Orbi Satellite, except it's broken and doesn't know what it's supposed to do.

 

When I go to the firmware update page in the web interface, the router shows up fine, with the message "No new firmware version available". For the Satellite, it gets stuck on "Waiting for connection" forever. Obviously it doesn't even show up on the Manual Update tab.

 

I tried following this guide: https://kb.netgear.com/000059633/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-TFTP-client

 

But it didn't work, no orange color ever started flashing.

 

Is there a way to fix this? It's proving to be extremely frustrating, and it's not the first time I've had problems with this router.

22 Replies

  • Also I forgot to mention:

     

    On attached devices, absolutely no devices can connect to the satellite via wi-fi. The only way a device will show up as connected to the satellite on attached devices is via ethernet connection. Again, the internet works via wired, but that's not the point of having a satellite.

  • I would factory reset router and satellites. Then go downoad the latest firmware. You can find it here: https://www.netgear.com/support/

    Re-install the router and satellites and manual update the satellites first then the router.

    • Mstrbig's avatar
      Mstrbig
      Master

      And to add, since I cannot edit previous message the latest firmware is 2.7.0.70

    • dtskip's avatar
      dtskip
      Guide

      I have already done a large amount of Factory Resets on both router and satellite to no avail. There seems to be little point because they still retain their current firmware version, and my Satellite's is broken. Whether I press the reset button on my Satellite or my Router, it still won't get detected in the Orbi setup via phone app.

      Also I am not american, so the latest version I can download is 2.5.2.4. It very clearly says 2.7.0.70 is US region only.

      • FURRYe38's avatar
        FURRYe38
        Guru - Experienced User

        Resets will not downgrade FW, just resets the RBS and RBR configurations is all. 


        So instead of using the Orbi app, Press the sync button on the RBS then on the RBR or log in to the RBRs web page with a web browser and use the Add Satellite menu option there. Do these work at all? 


        dtskip wrote:

        I have already done a large amount of Factory Resets on both router and satellite to no avail. There seems to be little point because they still retain their current firmware version, and my Satellite's is broken. Whether I press the reset button on my Satellite or my Router, it still won't get detected in the Orbi setup via phone app.

        Also I am not american, so the latest version I can download is 2.5.2.4. It very clearly says 2.7.0.70 is US region only.


         

  • All 3 of my orbi ac3000 satellites STOPPED WORKING within 2 years of purchase AFTER firmware updates :(
    • FURRYe38's avatar
      FURRYe38
      Guru - Experienced User

       

      So that does that mean that there "broke'.

      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 wirelessly connected.

      What Firmware version is currently loaded?

      Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update? 


      leuchtag wrote:
      All 3 of my orbi ac3000 satellites STOPPED WORKING within 2 years of purchase AFTER firmware updates :(

       

    • vajim's avatar
      vajim
      Master

      leuchtag wrote:
      All 3 of my orbi ac3000 satellites STOPPED WORKING within 2 years of purchase AFTER firmware updates :(

      So is this ANOTHER case of bad firmware?