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Forum Discussion
Does 2.1.3.4 restrict Satellite performance?
I have been with Firmware 2.0.1.4 since purchase, happy with that, I am using wireless backhaul, speedtest result was about 620Mbps when MacBookPro connected to Satellite,.
Upgraded to 2.1.3.4 2 days ago, upgrade was done in 5 mins on both Router and Satellite without any issue, but I noticed performace on Satellite dropped about 30%, same location same MacBookPro speedtest only got 450Mbps when it connected to Satellite.
I checked all the release notes after v2.0.14, I saw some like "Fixed high CPU when Orbi is in AP mode" (2.1.1.16 & 2.1.2.18). Not sure if they are related but I think it makes sense that high throughput causes high CPU usage? Did Netgear fix this issue by simply limiting throughput?
I am thinking of downgrading to 2.0.1.4 but should I try factory reset first?
24 Replies
I contacted Netgear support. As adviced by him, I did factory reset on Satellite and re-synced, still the same problem.
Then I downgraded to v2.0.1.4 on both Router and Satellite, I got 600+Mbps speedtest result again.
So it is definitely the limitation brought by one of the firmware after v2.0.1.4.
I telnet to Router and disabled firmware auto-upgrade by updating orbi_auto_upgrade, auto_check_for_upgrade and auto_update, committed the changes back to nvram. I hope this trick still works.
To summarise, after installed one of firmware after v2.0.1.4 (I tried v2.1.3.4), Satellite (RBS50) performance dropped significantly:1. Single thread by speedtest.net. Download result < 450Mbps. (vs >600Mbps on v2.0.1.4)
2. Multi-threads by download manager such as iGetter. Start 10 downloads at the same time, each download has 10 segments, total concurrent 100 HTTP sessions. Total download speed 19-20MB/s. (vs 36-40MB/s on v2.0.1.4)
3. FTP upload to local NAS. Upload speed 7-8MB/s. (vs 12-14MB/s on 2.0.1.4)
It looks like Orbi Satellite reduces transmit power when volume reaches certain threshold? I strongly feel this is caused by the fix of "Fixed high CPU when Orbi is in AP mode".
don't think it is related but this is why: I am more comfortable with the features provided by my Router.
Another issue
4. Band steering is not working properly on v2.1.3.4, I often found my MacBookPro connected to 2.4Ghz even it was right beside Satellite. With v2.0.1.4, those devices that support 5Ghz will stay with 5Ghz unless they are too far away.
I presume this maybe a higher speed issue as I don't have 600Mb ISP speeds.
I ran a test on my iphone connected to the satellite in the back office. Not using wired back haul. I'm seen a consistant 200/10 spec speeds which is my ISP speeds I pay for. Also using the WifiSweetSpot app, it's showing a consitant 700Mb speed which I presume it's measuring the speeds of the satellite and the iphone only.
I'm using the v2.1.3 FW here and router mode.
I would make contact with the moderators on here and let them know what your seeing.
I think it is from the fix of "Fixed high CPU when Orbi is in AP mode", Netgear support told me that is a fix with previous problem about devices getting too hot and draining battery too fast when connected to the Orbi network. I guess the new firmware then tries to reduce transmit power or move devices to 2.4Ghz in order to keep devices 'cool'? Honestly, shouldn't it be managed by devices rather than Router?
I am with 1Gbps Fibre plan BTW, with 2.0.1.4,
MacBookPro connects wired to Orbi Router, I can get max 960Mbps download speed on speedtest.net.
MacBookPro conencts wireless to Orbi, I can get max 670Mbps download speed on speedtest.netI am happy with that speeds coming back now after downgraded firmware, I just hope the trick to disable auto-upgrade still works.
One other reason why I'm not seeing this issue, my system is in router mode.
Something to let NG support know for sure. Maybe a fine balance with speed and this CPU stuff going on.
Yes have the speedtest app as well. Seeing 200/10 consitantly...just tested this today.
Update.
I spent some hours last weekend, upgraded/downgraded v2.0.1.4 and v2.1.3.4 back and forth multiple times, ran debug capture while testing speed. I couldn't reprocude the same problem any more. v2.1.3.4 firmware, in terms of download speed, is same or slightly better than v2.0.1.4.
However I did notice something during the tests and I think that might be the reason caused performance drop as I noticed at the first place. There are 2 times, when I tried to install firmware, after uploaded firmware image, Web UI said session timedout server busy something... Checked the debug page of Router and Sattlite, I noticed CPU usage were about 100% on both, and stayed at 100% (checked again after 10 mins, still 100%). I had to restart Router and Satellite in order to install firmware.
I can't give the exact scenario which could keep CPU such busy, I think repeating start capture / save debug log / start capture / save debug log / ... could be one of the reason but I am not sure.
100% CPU usage definitely imapcts everything, including performance.
Netgear support suggested factory reset on Satellite, I did but didn't touch Router, so if Router was also 100% CPU, the wireless backhaul between Router and Satellite was probably affected, that may explain why I got lower speeds on Satellite.
After the tests I stayed at v2.1.3.4 and monitored it for 2 days, I did speedtests at different hours and checked CPU usages, so far so good, speedtest results on Wireless AC on Satellite are about 620Mbps - 670Mbps, max CPU usages were about 50-60% during the speedtest, and immediately went back to 10% after download completed.
Very high CPU usage could be the sign of unexpected issues, and it is hard to be drawn the attention even someone is aware of the existence of debug page. I whish Netgear can think of displaying CPU and/or other Router/Satellite stats in the Orbi app.
just a new update.
it is almost reproducable. RBR50 drops speed after 5 days: enountered 2 rounds.
after stayed with firmware 2.1.4.10 for 5 days without any issue, on the 6th day, it started throwing performance issue, speedtest result dropped by 200Mbps (from 660Mbps to 430Mbps) when wireless on Satellite. monitored for 2 days, didn't see any improvement.
CPU load / memory usage / temperature all look pretty good.
Wireless Backhaul status is good too.retarted Orbi Satellite, didn't help.
restarted Orbi Router, speed was back.
Although I always test on Satellite, but the problem seems to be on Router side, looks like a time bomb something in Router, that reduces backhaul performance after 5 days (to remind to reboot?)
I am getting a bit frustrated now.
Provided Netgear support debug logs, don't think they looked it...
Forgot to mention what I have observed.
After speed dropped on the 6th day,
I firstly restarted Router, when Router was back, I noticed the wireless backhaul status is poor and stayed at Poor. I tried speedtest (on Satellite), same poor speed.
I then restarted Satellite too, wireless backhaul status was back to Good, re-tested speedtest, it now gave expected result.
It looks like wireless backhaul somehow became poor after some days, but the status shown in Attached Devices page wasn't correctly refreshed. Only when you restarted Router, it then showed correct status, which may explain where the performance problem came from: it was actually due to poor wireless backhaul but you couldn't see the correct status from Web UI.
So there are 2 problems:1. Why wireless backhaul became poort after some days?
2. Why the status was not correct?
To be honest I like Orbi, it simplifies wireless setup with good coverage, but the performance issue is really annoy, now I have to restart Router and Satellite every week to get it worked properly... When I was using my old Router, I didn't even need to restart it in a year.
