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Forum Discussion
Orbi firmware update v2.1.4.16 availability
We’ve been monitoring issues that some customers have experienced in OrbiOS 2.1.4. In response, we’re releasing firmware that provides a permanent fix for the homekit issue along with various other fixes. Please use the manual firmware upgrade process to apply to your Orbi.
Release note:
- Fixes issues with the Apple HomeKit connectivity
- Fixes the wireless crash and reboot issue when the router is under stress
- Fixes WiFi disconnection and IOT issues
- Fixes an issue where devices on the Guest Network are able to see (but not connect to) some devices on the main network
- Fixes an issue where device boot order caused devices connected over Ethernet Backhaul to connect wireless backhaul
- Updates the OpenVPN certificate from MD5 to SHA-256
Note:
CBR40 will be available later this month.
We look forward to hearing your feedback.
-NETGEAR Team
808 Replies
Please check download link for RBR20. It is downloading the file as RBS20.
wow. so definitely do not upgrade to this firmware 2.1.4.16 if you want to be able to use the internet. Unbelievable.
and i thought 2.1.4.10 was bad.....
richromerman wrote:
wow. so definitely do not upgrade to this firmware 2.1.4.16 if you want to be able to use the internet. Unbelievable.
and i thought 2.1.4.10 was bad.....
I got 2.1.4.16 via autoupdate and it's worked well thus far (but then I had no issues with 2.1.4.10, nor any of the earlier releases).
I am able to access the internet on .16. Manually updated everything when they dropped the file for RBS50Y a while back.
Wireless backhaul with daisy chain in use, all the bells and whistles on, using ipv6 as well. No major issues and rarely any minor ones.
RBR50 and RBS50 are from launch (September 2016) RBS40 is from its launch and RBS50Y is from its launch.
I've tried the wall plug satellite RBW30 prelaunch, but it caused issues with the network so I kicked it to the curb.
I still wonder why there is such a giant disparity in user experiences with these units and the firmware.
I’m viewing this debate about the pros and cons of v2.1.4.16 in disbelief. How is it that I and others report that they have v2.1.4.16 working just fine, and there are probably hundreds of satisfied Orbi users who don’t need to engage in forum activity. This means those of you having difficulty are in the minority, so if you are in this category you have to try harder to get it working, and not throw in the towel.
Here’s a thought. If I can get my v2.1.4.16 Orbi RBK50 working with wired backhaul in AP mode, so can you unless your units are faulty (I have never tried Orbi in router mode) or your environment is not conducive to a mesh network.
So on the assumption that the Orbis work, the reason that you can’t get yours to work may rest with other factors in your environment.
I have always used reserved IP addresses in my internet gateway modem/router’s DHCP table. If you do this with all your household devices you want on WiFi, you will have a table that lists them and their fixed IP address. This will be passed on to the Orbi router in AP mode.
I have no evidence that doing this guarantees success, but I do it and it works so I wonder if contributes to the simplicity of AP mode.
It is stated in Orbi documentation that location is important. In that regard, here’s a tip for how to set up AP mode. Before anything else, disable WiFi on the internet gateway modem/router. Now back to the Orbis. On fist install, or after a reset, locate your router and your satellite side by side with no cable at this point on the satellite. Run through the initial setup wizard. Once the basic setup works, install previously downloaded FW v2.1.4.16 manually, satellite first. Then put it in AP mode and configure it. AP mode doesn’t give you lots of features so this can be quick.
This should give you a working Orbi environment. If so, then move the satellite to the desired location.
Lots of walls and obstacles will diminish a WiFi signal and metal objects may cancel It.
If the initial setup worked when the Orbis were together, then the location might be the reason if it no longer works satisfactorily.
If if after this you are still having difficulties, it may be the internet gateway modem/router that’s the problem
I have an AT&T Gateway with the orbi running in AP mode. I have an R6400 that was replaced by the Orbi. Since the Orbi is unable to operate in Router mode (still dont understand how that happens), is it overkill to connect the R6400 to the AT&T Gtaeway with all of the wireless radios cut off on the gateway and then connect Orbi to the R6400? (I'm assuming that's the proper way to set that up)?
Just updated router and satellite to 2.1.4.16. Prior to update my backhaul wrireless status was good and now its consistantly poor. Anyone having the same problem?
I have a few things to add.
1. Unlike the vast majority of posts I'm reading in this 2.1.4.16 firmware update thread, I'm running the Orbi RBK43 setup as opposed to the RBK50. Not sure if that matters or not, but it looks like RBK50 got this update first and then Netgear finally released it for the RBK40 series just last week?
2. I did the v.2.1.4.16 update yesterday afternoon and didn't have any problems with it initially. It seemed to run fine until today. About an hour ago, everyone in the house started complaining to me that their Internet connection died. I ran to the main Orbi router to see what it was doing, and it started pulsing white on top -- indicating it restarted itself. My Comcast cable modem was still connected just fine.3. My backhaul wireless status of one of my 2 satellites now shows "poor", where it was consistently showing "good" when I looked at it in the last firmware version. I will say though ... this is the satellite I have out in a detached garage behind the house, and I think the signal gets weakened considerably when it tries to travel through the walls of the house and garage. One of the older firmware versions used to also indicate that satellite as a "poor" connection, so I tend to believe that's a more accurate reporting than the ones that kept saying it was "good"?
4. When the connection died an hour ago, it was right after I fired up the Blizzard Battle.net client on my gaming laptop that's connected via wi-fi. It was trying to do an update to the client and check for updates for games like Overwatch I have installed on it. Maybe just coincidence, but I'm guessing it put a greater load on the wireless router, causing it to crash/reset itself.
We have a fair number of networked devices in our house (about 38, last I checked the device list). Some used wired Ethernet but about 2/3rds. are on wireless. I've done all kinds of things to try to optimize the network already. Some changes definitely helped and others did nothing. (For example, I have 5 Wemo switches and plugs for home automation with Homekit. One thing I've learned is that Wemo's firmware stinks. If I get even a momentary power outage, the Weemos all reset themselves and if my 2.4Ghz wifi isn't configured so it's locked on a certain channel, instead of set to "auto"? The Wemos often fail to restart properly. They seem to memorize the last channel they were on before losing power and have problems if it changed. I also found I had to "pin" their IP addresses in DHCP reservations in the Orbi for best results. Until I did that, they'd often randomly drop off my network so Homekit couldn't see one or more of them for periods of time.)
All of that aside though? The Orbi doing its random crash/reset thing is my biggest issue with the product, and these firmware updates that keep promising they've addressed it seem to have done nothing. When I check the Orbi logs, they typically tell me nothing useful -- with the log often showing the first entry as the system initializing itself right AFTER it crashed/reset.
When click in the dowload link it says "Requested file does not exist!" and ask me for a code :@
Only one week so far with my new RBR50 and one RBS50 satellite. RBR50 is in Router mode with wireless back haul. I have had no issues so far; even after the 2.1.4.16 update yesterday.
I have 100 megabit service from my ISP. With my previous Apple router, I never got more than 80 megabit download. The Orbi speed test reports 130 megabit download. I confirmed this download speed with a speedtest.net test on a Windows PC.
Extremely pleased so far.
D4rkGh0st wrote:
When click in the dowload link it says "Requested file does not exist!" and ask me for a code :@
I got the same thing, just now. However, when I go into the router settings and have it manually check for updates, it now shows there being an update ready for installation, so my thought is that they took that one down since it's, apparently, generally available now.
Has the firmware been pulled because a new Beta Firmware coming soon?
The RBK 50 downloads can no longer be accessed? Updates coming?
I had some issues before and after installing the 2.1.4.16 firmware....
Then I read different story's here about doing a complete reset of the system (factory reset)
So I did I already had installed the 2.1.4.16 firmware on the satellite's and the router.
I did a factory reset on the router with disconnected satellites and walked thru the setup fase
Then I did the satellite setup without wires connected and the satellites next to the router.
When everything was finished I put the satellites back in place and made sure they were connected again (wireless)
Then I checked and everyting was working and I connected other devices as well.
The app said backhaul poor on both the satellites but everything worked as it should....
The next day I connected the wires back to both satellites and checked again.....
Now it said it was connected by wire and no poor backhaul any more...
This was like a week ago and everything is still stable and working fast (isp = 200 / 20) and that's what I get in the spoeedtests as well..
For now I am happy again and started using more and more possibilities of the router day by day and still everything is stable...
Even my daughters don't complain anymore so that means something.... :-)
Just for the information
I have the router in router mode (so not in AP) connected satellite1 to a TP-Link (on managed) switch and that switch is connected directly to a second switch (same brand) and that one is connected to the router....satellite2 is connected to the other port of satellite1...
So in my opinion not the ideal situation but it still works flawless the last couple of days...
- What happens when you reset them in place (like if the power went out)?
e1superman wrote:
What happens when you reset them in place (like if the power went out)?
Thanks for asking.....You probably knew what would happen...
Now I know why there are so much complains about this system...
What happend:
I disconnected the power of satellite1 (satellite2 is also directly connected to this one...)
So only the satellites were down not the router itself !!
When I turned the power on again from sattelite1 the router completely turned down...
No wifi anymore no nothing I could not even login to the router anymore.
I turned everything off reset my ISP modem and turned the router back on (satellites still connected)
Nothing came back no wifi no internet nothing...
Then I turned the router off again and disconnected the power to satellite one.
Turned the router back on and waited until I had wifi and could connect to the router again...
After 5 minutes I also turned on satellite1 and at first there were some strange things....
Like the connection turned between 5Ghz and wired a couple of times...
But after another 5 minutes both satellites were online and showing wired again and everything is still stable at this point...
So the conclusion is that if there are no power faillures or something disconnected then it will work flawless..... :smileylol:
- This update has impacted my Nest Hello doorbell. It will not maintain a connection. It is 5ft from an Orbi Satellite with 600/40 mbps speeds. Running 5 other nest Cams with no issue at all (3 Nest Cams, Nest Cam Outdoor, Nest Cam Outdoor IQ). I exchanged my doorbell today since it was within the return window, but same results. Firmware update is the only variable that changed. I attached a photo to show the terrible connection issues. No issues prior with same settings. Thoughts?
- Ugh. Mine has been flaky too at times.
For those who haven't bought and Orbi: STAY CLEAR. Find a better product until Netgear gets their act in gear. Based on past performance that won't be any time soon. Don't hold your breath and become hostage like us. - Update to my prior issue where my Nest Cams stopped working post this update. I removed the Wall Satellite RBW30 from the account and no more issues. All Nest Cams are working perfectly. Issue is the Wall Satellite causing connectivity issues with my Nest Cams. The RBR50 and RBS50 do not appear to be impacted. What stinks now is that I’m down an access point, but now my Nest Cams are working again. Why would this cause a problem?
Seen others with problems using this RBW30 extender. Not sure why however this one model seems to not work well with the orbi system. I would try to see if you can get another RBS50 some place and see if adding this results is something different.
How big is your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the orbi router and the RBS50?
thossessess wrote:
Update to my prior issue where my Nest Cams stopped working post this update. I removed the Wall Satellite RBW30 from the account and no more issues. All Nest Cams are working perfectly. Issue is the Wall Satellite causing connectivity issues with my Nest Cams. The RBR50 and RBS50 do not appear to be impacted. What stinks now is that I’m down an access point, but now my Nest Cams are working again. Why would this cause a problem?
- I’m having the same issue. Only Nest Hello being affected.
Is a new Beta Firmware coming ? Tired of "hand cranking" with paperclip this Orbi sattalite everytime power goes out like hand cranking 1920s cars!
Well, it seems like they knew the firmware update was garbage to say the least, and took down the RBR50 and RBS50 files. Got to love this router. This is probably the biggest pile of junk I have ever bought in the last 15 years. Will not be buying any Netgear products ever again!
Makes me wonder why they even keep the engineers around that are working on this firmware. Fire them all, and hire some competent engineers from Asus or TP-Link. This would likely be the best solution to the problem.
The current team of engineers are incompetent at best. Understand that they are costing your company millions of dollars in revenue due to the shoddy firmware they having been pushing out.
The Advanced -> Administration -> Firmware Update page told me that v2.1.4.16 was available, so I let it update my RBKR50 and RBKS50. Now several things are happening:
1) The satellite thinks it's connected as it should be, but the Web interface shows the satellite as just another connnected device, the number of connected satellites is listed as zero, and the attached devices list says that everything is attached via the router (when half of them should be connected via the satellite.
2) The Orbi iOS app indicates that my Orbi is not supported by the app -- except that sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn't.
Yes, I've tried power-cycling both, done the sync button dance, and tried the Web interface for adding a new satellite. In every case, I get the blue ring indicating a good connection. It's just that the logic in the router somehow refuses to recognize the satellite. This flaw is infuriating (it should just work).
Should I "downgrade" the firmware back to v2.1.4.10 ?
- Firmware must be production because they are pushing it through auto update.
As for the most recent post, I recommend you just leave it alone for awhile powered on and give it time to sort itself, that is if all sats showed blue before turning lights off and router has no light. Sorry, but the time in my experience is indeterminate.- That's silly. Do you work for Netgear?
The fix is to let our router sit idle for 24 hours every time we reset to let it work right?
Updating some previous posts about how nothing worked for me after the update.
I have got things running again. Bottom line - I had to remove all wires from my satellites. No more wired backhaul. Surprisingly when everything is wireless - seems to work pretty good. Even my outdoor Orbi which is daisy chained.
So if you have wired backhaul and you can't get anything working. Here is what I did.
Power everything off.
Remove all wired backhaul network cables.
Power on Router
Power on each Satellite one at a time - wait until it is working perfectly before powering on the next satellite.
I was able to make it through Father's Day without any issues. All 4 of my sonos connect amps which are located pretty far away in a pool storage room worked flawlessly.
Alais - today will be my last day with Orbi. After my total frustration with the updates - I decided I am done. I will be switching to a Unifi system.
If anyone is interested. I have 1x Orbi RBK50 Router, 3x Orbi RBS50 Satellites, 1x RBS50Y Outdoor Satellite.
I will be selling it all.
I'll add to this.
I recommneded an orbi system to my buddy after he tested mine out on loan and like it. He bought the RBK50 from Costco. I went over yesterday and got it set up.
I did the manual set up instead auto setup wizard.
I changed the following first on the router:
Changed from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.0.1 for his needs.
Changing IP address pool to 192.168.0.100 to.200.
Set static DNS for 1.1.1.1 and 9.9.9.9
MIMO, Daisy Chain and Fast Roaming are disabled on the router.
Auto 2.4Ghz and manual 48 on 5Ghz.
Left the SSID default for now.
Rebooted router.
The system came loaded with old 2nd release version of 1.0.something. I new I needed to update and update the RBS50 first. I downloaded the lasted v14 version as I saw the v16 links were broke. The RBS seem to power on and connect to the default SSID name and PW as it showed up with an IP address which I was able to access. The RBS50 would not take the v.14 FW update for some reason. Thinking that maybe the v14 is too new, I chose an intermediate FW version, v2.0.0.74. This version installed and was excepted by the satellite. I did the same for the router as they need to be kept on the same version. After this I manually upgraded to v14. RBS50 first then RBR50. After doing this, the RBR50 saw v.16 was available for both RBR and RBS. I let the routers FW GUI do the upgrade for both. Upgraded to v.16 successful for both. Seems to be hassle to get the satellite and router upgraded to most current if out of the box version is really old. No ERASE used for all of this.
I then changed the SSID and PW to the final name on the router. Re-added the satellite to the new SSID and PW.
After satellite was wireless re-connected BLUE. I used the inbox LAN cable to get the satellite wired back haul connected. After about 5 minutes, the BLUE led on top came on. I rebooted the satellite and router to check for reconnect. Satellite was BLUE after reboot. Setup a IP address reservation for satellite on the router.
I powered OFF the satellite and took up up stairs to it's final remote location with LAN cable. Connected everything up. Got BLUE led on top and PC that was connected to it has internet.
I didn't set up the 2nd satellite as we think it may not be needed. We'll see. I had wireless internet out at my car before I left. That was about 30-40 feet from either his satellite or router that was in back of the garage.
Buddy says internet and everything running will today. Will keep me posted on any issues.
