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jjm006's avatar
jjm006
Aspirant
Sep 04, 2019

HELP! Orbi RBR50

First a foremost! A big F YOU to Netgear! I’ve had the Router for over a year with limited to no issues. Then as all warranty and coverage expires.... dooms day. About two weeks ago it would no long get IP addresses for Sonos. I didn’t have time to address the issue. But then, the internet just started to drop. I came to this board to read all the other issues owners are having with this garbage product. After following USER suggestions, my Sonos came back on line. But as we started our fantasy drafts our internet has dropped three times in 30 minutes. There is a special place in hell for you Netgear! Anyway... do I have any option besides investing hours into trouble shooting?

7 Replies

  • A quick, somewhat snide, answer is: "No". The problem(s) you describe can have a simple or complex fix depending on what caused the issue. Since you've already scanned this forum for help, let us know what you've done so far to recover your internet connectivity.

     

    One of the most common causes of intermittent internet dropout is interference from other WiFi transmitters. Is you home near other WiFi signals, e.g, neighbors who recently installed a new, more powerful WiFi router? If so, try turning off auto channel selection and choose a clear channel. Usually, 1, 6 or 11 for 2.4 gHz. Here's a link to a website expalining why 1, 6 and 11 are the best choices for 2.4 gHz in a crowded environemnt: https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/why-channels-1-6-11.html 

     

    There are 23 non-overlapping channels on the 5 gHz band. However, not all those are good choices as some are designed for radar, weather stations and military WiFi use. I'd recommed channels 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, or 60. Higher channels tend to be cluttered with non-residential use (powerful) transmitters. That being said, technically, the 5 gHz band should not be as big a problem as the 2.4 gHz band. I know that Sonos requires th 2.4 gHz band to operate. According to the Sonos FAQ page: 

    • Networks using wireless range extenders are known to cause issues with Sonos systems that are configured in a wireless setup.

    Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

     

    • jjm006's avatar
      jjm006
      Aspirant

      Thanks so much for reply to my rage post. Quick question on the interference you mentioned below. When my internet drops, it is not just on one device, it is on all devices, at the same time. Would this still be caused by interference? 

      • FURRYe38's avatar
        FURRYe38
        Guru - Experienced User

        What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
        What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between them to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.

         

        Any Wifi Neighbors/Devices near by? If so, how many?

         

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

  • FURRYe38's avatar
    FURRYe38
    Guru - Experienced User

    Any chance you can get the RBR out of the basement and on the main floor?