I have been using the RBS50Y for the past year without a problem until I upgraded my router and satellites to the RBK852 AX 6000 system. I know the RBS50Y will not work with the AX system in Orbi mode, so I tried to switch it to extender mode but have hit a brick wall. I plugged my RBR50 router back in using a Powerline connector and it found the RBS50Y right away. (I also have the AX6000 system running in AP mode but I assume it won't interfere since it won't recognize the RBS50Y if it is not in extender mode.) The RBS50Y was running on firmware 2.3.5.32 and I tried to manually change the firmware to the extender mode version (1.0.0.46) but I kept getting the error measge that the firmware was incorrect. I also tried extender firmware version 1.0.0.36 but received the same error message. I reset the RBS50Y using the 30-30-30 method but that didn't help. I also tried to set the RBS50Y into extender mode without upgrading the firmware but that didn't work either. I have run out of ideas. Any assistance would be appreciated.

For those that are having problems with setting your RBS50Y into regular extender mode (not Orbi Satellite mode), it may boil down to having an early release RBS50Y (different than the RBS50YV2). I have an early release RBS50Y (received via beta test) that would not and will not go into extender mode - no matter how many factory resets, length of time holding down the SYNC button, different versions of the firmware, etc. I raised the issue during one of the weekly Netgear Technical Support chats held via YouTube and Netgear themselves opened a Customer Support ticket. After weeks of back and forth between Netgear Technical Support, complete with multiple (more than two dozen) E-Mail exchanges, debug logs, several technicians, etc., Netgear determined that I had an RBS50Y (V1) that was released before they activated the regular extender mode (this was done through a set of firmware updates), and those update files are no longer available. I have even checked the Netgear Open Source file repository to try and find the updates to no avail. Unless your RBS50Y is still covered under the hardware warranty period where you may be able to obtain an RMA replacement, you are most likely stuck with an Orbi Mode Only RBS50Y.

The rbs50y actually runs 2 firmwares. You switch firmwares by switching modes. Here's the instructions for switching it to extender mode. Once its switched to extender mode, if you log into it, it'll display the extender firmwarehttps://kb.netgear.com/000060131/How-do-I-set-up-my-Orbi-Outdoor-Satellite-in-Extender-Mode

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried to put it in extender mode before uploading the firmware, using the instructions you linked to. I followed the instructions to the letter but when I reached step 5, the LED did not pulse blue and white. It just pulsed white. I released the sync button and after a few minutes the LED turned blue, but it still connected as a satellite. I did a hard reset on the RBS50Y and tried again but the result was the same. This does help narrow the issue though, since it appears that the problem is getting the RBS50Y into extender mode rather than uploading the firmware. Any thoughts? This would not be a problem if Netgear would allow the the RBR850 to work with the RBS50Y, but alas that does not seem to be in the cards. Maybe they will release an AX version of the outdoor satellite. Until then, if I cannot figure out how to get the RBS50Y into extender mode, I will have to run the RBR50 alongside the the RBR850 if I want to use the RBS50Y.

Usually pulsing white is starting up in orbi mode. https://kb.netgear.com/000060130/How-do-I-set-up-my-Orbi-Outdoor-Satellite-in-Orbi-Modehttps://kb.netgear.com/000060131/How-do-I-set-up-my-Orbi-Outdoor-Satellite-in-Extender-Mode if you go to 192.168.*.*/hidden.htm it should show a fw1 and fw2*****being the address of the orbi device. ( And i"m not 100% its hidden.htm. I"m not at home right now to check on mine. Sorry.) one should be the extender firmware and the other the orbi firmware. What are you showing? I'd also shut off the orbi router while trying the setup. And make sure the RBS50Y is on the latest orbi firmware.

I would contact NG support and have them help you with this:https://www.netgear.com/support/#Blanca_O Robertgold123 wrote:Thanks for the suggestion. I tried to put it in extender mode before uploading the firmware, using the instructions you linked to. I followed the instructions to the letter but when I reached step 5, the LED did not pulse blue and white. It just pulsed white. I released the sync button and after a few minutes the LED turned blue, but it still connected as a satellite. I did a hard reset on the RBS50Y and tried again but the result was the same. This does help narrow the issue though, since it appears that the problem is getting the RBS50Y into extender mode rather than uploading the firmware. Any thoughts? This would not be a problem if Netgear would allow the the RBR850 to work with the RBS50Y, but alas that does not seem to be in the cards. Maybe they will release an AX version of the outdoor satellite. Until then, if I cannot figure out how to get the RBS50Y into extender mode, I will have to run the RBR50 alongside the the RBR850 if I want to use the RBS50Y.

Cannot Set Up RBS50Y in Extender Mode

21 Replies

plemans
Guru - Experienced User
Apr 19, 2020
The rbs50y actually runs 2 firmwares. You switch firmwares by switching modes.
Here's the instructions for switching it to extender mode. Once its switched to extender mode, if you log into it, it'll display the extender firmware
https://kb.netgear.com/000060131/How-do-I-set-up-my-Orbi-Outdoor-Satellite-in-Extender-Mode
- Robertgold123
  Tutor
  Apr 19, 2020
  Thanks for the suggestion. I tried to put it in extender mode before uploading the firmware, using the instructions you linked to. I followed the instructions to the letter but when I reached step 5, the LED did not pulse blue and white. It just pulsed white. I released the sync button and after a few minutes the LED turned blue, but it still connected as a satellite. I did a hard reset on the RBS50Y and tried again but the result was the same. This does help narrow the issue though, since it appears that the problem is getting the RBS50Y into extender mode rather than uploading the firmware. Any thoughts?
  
  This would not be a problem if Netgear would allow the the RBR850 to work with the RBS50Y, but alas that does not seem to be in the cards. Maybe they will release an AX version of the outdoor satellite. Until then, if I cannot figure out how to get the RBS50Y into extender mode, I will have to run the RBR50 alongside the the RBR850 if I want to use the RBS50Y.
  - plemans
    Guru - Experienced User
    Apr 20, 2020
    Usually pulsing white is starting up in orbi mode.
    https://kb.netgear.com/000060130/How-do-I-set-up-my-Orbi-Outdoor-Satellite-in-Orbi-Mode
    https://kb.netgear.com/000060131/How-do-I-set-up-my-Orbi-Outdoor-Satellite-in-Extender-Mode
    
    if you go to 192.168.*.*/hidden.htm it should show a fw1 and fw2
    *****being the address of the orbi device.
    ( And i"m not 100% its hidden.htm. I"m not at home right now to check on mine. Sorry.)
    one should be the extender firmware and the other the orbi firmware.
    What are you showing?
    I'd also shut off the orbi router while trying the setup.
    And make sure the RBS50Y is on the latest orbi firmware.

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Cannot Set Up RBS50Y in Extender Mode