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Forum Discussion
FW V2.5.0.38 Apple products dropping wifi
Since updating Firmware to V2.5.0.38 our Apple products (iOS 13.2 - Iphone/IPad) keeps dropping wifi connection. All the other devices have zero issues (Nest, Echo, Hue). It's been super reliable until this point and I am getting very frustrated. I've tried different configurations from other posts but nothing works. Please help!
43 Replies
Gsmites wrote:Since updating Firmware to V2.5.0.38 our Apple products (iOS 13.2 - Iphone/IPad) keeps dropping wifi connection. All the other devices have zero issues (Nest, Echo, Hue). It's been super reliable until this point and I am getting very frustrated. I've tried different configurations from other posts but nothing works. Please help!
There are numerous posts about problems with V2.5.0.38. You might try to revert/roll back your firmware. In the future, IF your system is working, DON'T upgrade. NG will auto push updates that contain major revisions. Good luck
Factory reset the RBR and RBS and setup from scratch.
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-router
What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings
Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).Have had no issues with my iphone (iOS 13.2) and Mac Book Pro (10.14.6) using the above settings.
Gsmites wrote:Since updating Firmware to V2.5.0.38 our Apple products (iOS 13.2 - Iphone/IPad) keeps dropping wifi connection. All the other devices have zero issues (Nest, Echo, Hue). It's been super reliable until this point and I am getting very frustrated. I've tried different configurations from other posts but nothing works. Please help!
FURRYe38 wrote:Factory reset the RBR and RBS and setup from scratch.
From NG..."A factory reset is necessary when you cannot recover your password."
This new firmware v2.5.0.38 is atrocious, I even tried the factory reset and it did nothing. I was exactly in the same boat as you it completely killed my connectivity and my wifes. Both of our iPhones had having connection drops, she even reported her laptop had been dropping and I blamed it on recent storm(not realizing my hard wired PC had been just fine.)
Anyway I just bought a new(last gen) iPad Pro this week and almost returned it today thinking it had a bad wifi chip, for example in the kitchen in the middle of the two Orbi's I was getting 15mbit/sec lossy WiFi when my connection maxes out at 230mbit. I took it to work today and its wifi was flawless on the company wifi all day! So when i got home I did more test and I noticed when doing speed tests to compare the iPad and my iPhone 11 Pro the pro too was getting suboptimal(but better) speeds and also dropping connection!
Anyway after a factory reset and no improvement in connection I downgraded directly to the last firmware v2.3.5.30 (first the satellite then the router.) and WOW everything instantly better. I went from getting 15mbit to 180mbit in the kitchen immediately after the update and back to 200+ everywhere else in the house closer to the Orbi's.
Anyway here's a direct link to the last good Firmware from July, you can downgrade to it directly https://kb.netgear.com/000061080/RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-Version-2-3-5-30
I found it by just going to the Orbi Download page and clicking view previous verions. I was able to downgrade directly to v2.3.5.30without doing some two step downgrade like it says to do to go from v2.2.1.212 to v2.3.0.32
I saw no isuses with my Apple devices with v38 loaded. Others as well are working with v38:
https://kb.netgear.com/31486/How-do-I-reset-my-Orbi-system-to-factory-default-settings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePZSc7vnRlQI have also see Apple products lose connection to the internet when connected to the Orbi wifi with the the firmware update. I have resolved the issue by either toggling between networks or turning wifi off then on. I find the people telling you not to update if your router is working to not be living in the real world where security issues always need to be address immediately. Netgear has lost credibility and I am start to wonder what the value of the Netgear Community is when the repeated suggestion is not to update your software if your router is working. The main goal of the forum seems to be if to make excuses for Netgear and blame the Netgear customers for keeping their software up to date.
The only thing I have concluded is to buy future routers from anyone but Netgear. And ignore posts from certain members of this forum.
Exactly the same with me, I have a 500+ (usually about 540) connection down, 36 ish up.
As soon as I put the new firmware on my ping increased by a couple of points, my upload speed went from a constant 35 plus to anything from sub 1 to about 15, and my download speed at least halved.
As soon as I rolled back the satellites, it seemed back to normal, but I also did the router too.
This firmware is a disaster. I am not upgrading it again as the performance on the previous one is generally excellent. The new firmware destroys the product. I was also using an iPad Pro.
Wakey wrote:I am not upgrading it again .................................Smart decision
Gregron Thanks for the link to the last firmware and will give that a try. I also attemped to do the suggestions by FURRYe38, factory reset, making the manual changes to the router and it didn't seem to do anything other than aggravate me further.
But, I am thankful for the reponses and for all who has tried to help me out with this.
Gsmites wrote:Gregron Thanks for the link to the last firmware and will give that a try. I also attemped to do the suggestions by FURRYe38, factory reset, making the manual changes to the router and it didn't seem to do anything other than aggravate me further.
But, I am thankful for the reponses and for all who has tried to help me out with this.
...He tries hard....
Just wanted to share my expericence with my iPhones and this new firmware update. After upgrading my wifi speeds dropped to about half what I had been getting. From around 400 to 200mbs. Reseting the router and satellites to default did nothing to fix the problem. Today, November 7th, Apple released IOS 13.2.2 to fix some problems. I noticed the iPhone modem firmware was also updated in this release. Anyway, after the update my iPhone wifi speeds are again back to around 400mbs. Coincidence? I doubt it.
I saw no speed issues with my iphone on 13.2 Preview and speeds are same with my Galaxy Tab S2 after loading v38. I see there is 13.3 available now.
Jetdrive wrote:Just wanted to share my expericence with my iPhones and this new firmware update. After upgrading my wifi speeds dropped to about half what I had been getting. From around 400 to 200mbs. Reseting the router and satellites to default did nothing to fix the problem. Today, November 7th, Apple released IOS 13.2.2 to fix some problems. I noticed the iPhone modem firmware was also updated in this release. Anyway, after the update my iPhone wifi speeds are again back to around 400mbs. Coincidence? I doubt it.
For the iPhone the preview and 13.3 versions are beta. I usually avoid beta versions. 13.2.2 is the most recent non-beta release to the public.
Link speed and throughput with my Apple devices was horrible with 2.5.0.38. I rolled back and everything is fine now.
Did you try a factory reset on the RBR to see if this help any before going back to v30?
Accutronman wrote:Link speed and throughput with my Apple devices was horrible with 2.5.0.38. I rolled back and everything is fine now.
Nope. Didn't want to have to re-enter options with a reset. Just downgraded the firmware.
