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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
Just wanted to post on my experience. My ORBI arrived from Costco with 2.1.4.10 installed. It constantly crashed (my description of the WIFI signal just going away for 5 min or so). It was so unreliable that my wife, who works from home, insisted that I replace it immediately because it was interrupting her conference calls. That led me to this community in search of answers. After reading the comments in this thread, I was afraid that the update was going to make things worse. However, after following the upgrade instructions exactly, two weeks later we haven't had a single problem and that comes from someone who uses the network all day conducting online meetings. Note there are a few speed bumps in the process including an anomaly with downloading the firmware (it doesn't seem to allow you to download both at once without causing a mixup in file names). Download each separately and confirm both exist with the proper file names. Upgrade with a patch cord plugged into the main unit, upgrade in the order as the instructions state.
My network includes 23 connected devices including wink, ring, sonos, iphone x, iphone 7, ipads, macbook pros, windows pcs, echos, hue. All are working with no issues.
Hey zdl, post 440, my experience with my Orbis is very similar to yours, ie running v2.1.4.16 for many weeks now, all the while with wired backhaul, with no fuss or bother, I have around 25 connected devices and a fat 32 hard drive plugged into the RBR50’s USB 2.0 port. Performance seems ok.
I have several walls that impact performance near the router as it’s in my study to be near my internet entry point, but the wired satellite is in an open plan area, serving a strong signal to most devices. The external walls of my house are brick, lined with plaster sandwiching 75mm thick insulation bats, and in my garden, 15 or 20 meters away from the satellite, there’s a Lifx smart globe that the Netgear genie says is connecting at 100%. So far so good.
My Orbi is at V2.1.4.10. Everything is working well unless 1 iphone6 device. It wont connecting at main network, but when switch to guest network it work without problem. Should I update to this firmware? Its kind a bugging me to see that tiny problem, but I also afraid this firmware will ruin my network.
Go into the phones wifi settings and select the SSID that you are attempting to connect to...if you can get to the next screen, Select Forget This Network. Back out, I would reboot the iphone then try to access the SSID and pw again.
What iOS is the phone using?
Sukurin wrote:
My Orbi is at V2.1.4.10. Everything is working well unless 1 iphone6 device. It wont connecting at main network, but when switch to guest network it work without problem. Should I update to this firmware? Its kind a bugging me to see that tiny problem, but I also afraid this firmware will ruin my network.
Try the Forget this Network option under wireless SSID name on your phone. Then reboot the phone then try to connect it again to the Orbis main SSID name.
Sukurin wrote:
My Orbi is at V2.1.4.10. Everything is working well unless 1 iphone6 device. It wont connecting at main network, but when switch to guest network it work without problem. Should I update to this firmware? Its kind a bugging me to see that tiny problem, but I also afraid this firmware will ruin my network.
Updated manually to 2.1.4.16 over two weeks ago. Most painless update so far. System has been rock solid since the update as it has been since I bought it in Feb this year. I liked the Orbi so much I bought the Arlo cameras which have also exceeded my expectations.
Router and two sats are in AP mode, wireless backhaul, large house with 30+ devices of all types. Verizon Fios router.
Using wired backhaul and AP mode. Can someone explain if I leave the sattalite as showing attached to main unit is OK or does it need to show as a sattalite? Seems to be working ok tired of using paperclip to reset it can I leave it like this until the next Firmware hopefully can fix this issue?
If it's working fine, then leave it. No need to change anything. It should show as WIRED if your using ethernet back haul.
JMU1998 wrote:
Using wired backhaul and AP mode. Can someone explain if I leave the sattalite as showing attached to main unit is OK or does it need to show as a sattalite? Seems to be working ok tired of using paperclip to reset it can I leave it like this until the next Firmware hopefully can fix this issue?
RBK40 system, V2 1.4.16 software on router and all satellites. Using wired ethernet for backhaul.
One satellite unit is in detached garage and is behind 2 Gigibit switches. It always shows as 2.4Ghz backhaul. Another satellite reandomly switches between wired and wireless backaul. Seems the latest firmware dis not resolve this problem. Trying to login to the RBR40 using orbilogin,com always faills...i tried clearing the browser data cache, a different browser, etc ... but noluck... I can usually login using the IP address, but this method has failed 2 times in the last 12 hours.
Attached devices shows the satellite units as connected devices but not satellite devices. Also constantly going offline and later back online. The wifi signal seems ok most of the time, perhaps a buggy UI
The iOS and Android app are largely useless. 9/10 times I get "Try Again" message
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
May I suggest downloading an IOS app called Net Analyzer that has a LAN option to list all client devices on a WiFi network by IP address? Use the LAN option to Scan for connected client devices on the current WiFi network. Then look for tiny coloured boxes in the rightmost column. If you see a white “W” in a light blue box with an arrow pointing right, touch it and look for “Web Interface” with a green dot and the word “Yes”. Touch that and you will open the web interface behind the client IP address. This tells you the IP address of the device you can’t find, which you note to access in future.
The next step.
My Orbi is in AP mode, connected to a modem/router, in which I have configured the DHCP server to reserve IP addresses for both the Orbi router and the satellite. This involves finding the 12 digit MAC address for each device and locking that to a specific IP address under the DHCP reserved IP addresses. Without assigning a reserved IP address, the router will assign the next available IP address, which is unlikely to be the same, which is why you can’t find it.
If you use the Orbi router in Router mode, then use the Orbi router’s DHCP table to lock in the satellite to a fixed IP address
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-Ethernet-Backhaul/m-p/1602331#M35300
TechGeezer wrote:
RBK40 system, V2 1.4.16 software on router and all satellites. Using wired ethernet for backhaul.
One satellite unit is in detached garage and is behind 2 Gigibit switches. It always shows as 2.4Ghz backhaul. Another satellite reandomly switches between wired and wireless backaul. Seems the latest firmware dis not resolve this problem. Trying to login to the RBR40 using orbilogin,com always faills...i tried clearing the browser data cache, a different browser, etc ... but noluck... I can usually login using the IP address, but this method has failed 2 times in the last 12 hours.
Attached devices shows the satellite units as connected devices but not satellite devices. Also constantly going offline and later back online. The wifi signal seems ok most of the time, perhaps a buggy UI
The iOS and Android app are largely useless. 9/10 times I get "Try Again" message
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I have been reading pages and pages of solutions that all appear to fail. I bought my system from Best Buy, wish i would have bought the extended warranty. I have tried most or all of all the common solutions suggested only to find myself back here reading again for the "hail mary" to fix the issue. When the system is up, it works great. It never fails, at some point, 24 hours around 830pm, the system gets sluggish the whole system crashes. Reboot the router, reboot the modem and reboot all of the devices that won't auto reconnect. I didn't pay $400 for this crap. I am about to pull the plug on the satelite and just run without it, just to see what happens.
Observations:
I noticed that devices don't always connect to the closest Orbi.
After a reboot, devices connect to the proper Orbi, only later in the evening to default connection to the main Orbi.
I am just a regular guy trying to give the family a decent whole house solution. The ORBI was never sold as an Erector Set. My point being, that even a caveman should be able to set this up and maintain.
millertime_101 nope caveman can't maintain as caveman does not have paperclips!!
I agree they had no paper clips. But I'm sure they had something club-like to do a 'hulk smash'.
- Not sure if this would be of help or not. I was having connectivity issues between my 2nd floor Orbi router and a 1st floor satellite. I also had a plug-in Orbi extender on the second floor. I moved the extender to a location on the first floor approximately underneath the 2nd floor unit. It worked for a while and then became sporadically disconnected. So I set the router to daisy chain the router and the two satellites. That worked! Sort of. The connection between the router and the first satellite kept drooping “poor” status. But, it was at least connected. I then moved the router about three feet from a Phillips Hue hub that was next to it. I powered the router off and on, and no more problems. I haven’t had the nerve to reposition the extender to where it was and turn off the daisy chaining.
I just updated my RBR40 hub and 2 RBW30 satellites to 2.1.4.16. I had previously been experiencing wireless dropouts and had split my 2.4 and 5Ghz bands to try to resolve the issue. Splitting the bands helped, but I was still experiencing dropouts, with some devices experiencing them more often. This was annoying, but not a show stopper, although those in the house with the dropping devices were rightfully more annoyed than the others.
Since the update to 2.1.4.16, though, the wireless network has been rock solid. It's only been a day so far, but the update does indeed seem to have fixed the wireless dropouts for those devices. In addition, the RBW30 in the basement had always had a "POOR" signal status, but since the update, it now has a "GOOD" status, and all the devices in tha basement have had solid connections.
So kudos to Netgear for finally getting this firmware right.
Unfortunately updated to 2.1.4.16 using app without seeing note to update manually. Now getting frequent internet drops, so want to reinstall update manually, but when I try to download it to Explorer by using link given on the support site and try to extract it, I get an error msg saying Couldn't Mount File The Disk Image is Corrupted.
First question-How do I download the correct version of 2.1.4.16
2nd question-When I do download it, do I have to reset to factory defaults and then install, or can I just re-install the new firmware.
Thanks
- <p>att Cicloforza, re Post 517, try <a href="https://www.netgear.com/support/product/RBK30.aspx#download" target="_self">clicking here</a> for a link to the firmware you want. Or <a href="https://www.netgear.com/support/download/" target="_self">here</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p> Hello Cicloforza
You can get the files from the support page I linked the RBR50 below you may need to search for your orbi model in the support page if this is not the model you have.
https://www.netgear.com/support/product/RBR50.aspx#download
DarrenM
You can get downloads here:
https://www.netgear.com/support/product/orbi.aspx#download
Yes, download the file, then use IE11 or FF browser with a wired connected PC and re-upload the Satellite(s) first, then the router. Factory ERASE or reset the satellite and router and set up from scratch...
Cicloforza wrote:
Unfortunately updated to 2.1.4.16 using app without seeing note to update manually. Now getting frequent internet drops, so want to reinstall update manually, but when I try to download it to Explorer by using link given on the support site and try to extract it, I get an error msg saying Couldn't Mount File The Disk Image is Corrupted.
First question-How do I download the correct version of 2.1.4.16
2nd question-When I do download it, do I have to reset to factory defaults and then install, or can I just re-install the new firmware.
Thanks
Why is this so difficult? Ive tried many times to download the update on Chrome and Edge and I get the same message, the file is corrupt, when I try to unzip. Why does Netgear make everything so friggin' complicated? Anyone had success with downloading/unzipping this particular model update?
Thanks,
I think I have finally come to the conclusion that the Orbi is a competent Access Point with "mesh-like" capabilities and an awful router.
It's a shame because the Orbi includes a very competent and powerful processor. My suggestion would be for Netgear to open the system and allow 3rd-party firmware.
Until then, I will be relying on a Ubiquiti ER-Lite for handling the routing tasks.
I've come to that conclusion too. I've been using an ASUS AC-87u as a router larger in part to it's competent QoS and the Trend Micro security (basically a super stripped down version of Deep Security/OSSEC). I'll have to check out the ubiquiti edge router. I've been wanting something more robust.
I've setup my friends 50 series system for him, ROUTER mode, and has had no complaints about it. I keep asking him how things are going. Says no issues.
If you feel your system is not working well, you might ask for an RMA.
cheshbr Thanks for the tip about the NetAnalyzer app I will definitely give it a try next week. As to downloading Firmware separately I have done that. Also factory reset sattalite and main unit, nvram wipe on both, manually re-entered configuration settings, many reboots etc... I have a googlefiberbox acting as the router with wifi disabled. Orbi in AP mode, all my devices in my network have hard coded IPs entered into router already. 1GB down/up connection, no managed switches. Still the same issue persists for last several firmwares that I have alluded to in past/previous posts.
Hey JMU1998, I have a couple of additional ideas.
- Can you try another primary router? Alternatively set up your Orbis at a friend’s house? This is a way to check once and for all if the issues you are experiencing are in the signal path before the Orbis at your house
- If you have Ethernet at another point in your house where you normally plug in the satellite, then swap the location of the router and the satellite - put the router where the satellite was, and the sat where the router was. As long as the internet input goes into the yellow WAN port on the Orbi router, it should make no difference to the overall config.
- You could also swap out the Ethernet cable(s) you are currently using, too, in case they are the problem.
If, at the end of this suite of troubleshooting, nothing has changed, then I suspect you may have faulty units.
This firmware hosed my LAN. Please fix.
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-firmware-update-v2-1-4-16-stopped-my-LAN/td-p/1594578
How did it "hose" your LAN? More details please.
How is the system configured and set up? Placement?
Any switches in between the router and satellites?
Was a power OFF of the router and satellites for 1 minute after the FW was updated, then power ON the router and let it come to ready then power ON the satellites 1 at a time performed?
Last resort, try a full factory erase on the router and satellites then set up from scratch. Others reported that this helped them:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-MR-2-1-Update-3-23-18/m-p/1548414/highlight/true#M27868
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/speed-slows-down-Orbi/m-p/1551822/highlight/true#M28289
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Is-2-1-3-4-in-auto-update/m-p/1553979/highlight/true#M28616
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-Satellite-RBS50-Not-Connecting-via-Ethernet/m-p/1556692/highlight/false#M28949
ds-will wrote:
This firmware hosed my LAN. Please fix.
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-firmware-update-v2-1-4-16-stopped-my-LAN/td-p/1594578
I posted a link to more details. Here it is again: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-firmware-update-v2-1-4-16-stopped-my-LAN/td-p/1594578
