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Forum Discussion
Orbi keeps rebooting several times a day even with new firmware V2.1.4.16
I have recently installed a RBK50 system (RBR50 + RBS50) as well as added a RBS50Y, before inputting any settings the first thing I did was let it upgrade to the lastest firmware version V2.1.4.16, the sattelites as well upgraded to V2.1.4.16. The Orbi is restarting itself or several times a day, usually about 3 to 4.
At first I thought It was just WIFI and there was some sort of Channel issue. So I did a scanner and manually changed the channel from Auto to 11 which nobody was using. However it was still happening. I started to realize its not just Wifi when I noticed my Ethernet devices which were physically attached to the Orbi started losing their connections as well at the same time of the Wifi loss. So now I knew it was not just Wifi.
I then checked the logs of the Orbi by going to Administration and then Logs and sure enough the first thing I see is time stamped right around the outage occured was
"[Initialized, firmware version: V2.1.4.16]" so clearly the system rebooted.
I further went to confirm the above by going to Advanced -> Advanced Home and then clicked the Show Statistics button which confirmed to me that the system has now only been up for a minute. So based on all of the above I can say confidiently that this Orbi is simply rebooting or re-initialzing itself randomly.
So then I checked on forums and I see this is somewhat of a common thing which was SUPPOSED to be fixed from last firmware however clearly its not as I see others are experiencing the same thing. Here are some other things I have done
1. Went into Schedule to change Time Zone to my time zone
2. Manually specified non-conflicting channel
3. Checked Orbi to see positioning are not too far (all I can see they come up green on the App in the network chart - however if it was due to distance, thats a bug, having a sattelite too far away should not be rebooting your network, but anyway thats not the case here)
4. Disabled Daisy Chain
5. Beamforming Mimo and Fast Roaming Disabled (Btw this is disabled by default so I just left it that way).
6. I even went ahead and Manually downloaded V2.1.4.16 firmware and did a manual update to see if that would help but it did not.
Look in the end, not having something checked, or having something enabled shouldnt be an acceptable reason for your network to reboot. Its crazy how many bugs and firmware issues I have seen posted on here and many for the same thing. I think that however this was coded is missing a ton of exception cases, where when the code doesnt know what to do the system just crashes. I know in programing you always need to have these "Else" statements and failovers otherwise the system or app crashes and I think thats whats happening here.
So it just seems to me that Netgear either cant control the stability of this product or doesnt care. Does anyone have a solution, my thinking was an older Stable version or more stable version that I can revert back to. So any recommendations on an older version? And any instructions on how to disable the Auto Update?
I want this to work, and I really have no interest returning this. Does anyone if any of the Business models are perhaps running a different and more stable firmware?
19 Replies
What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the Orbi is connected too?
Any ethernet switches in the mix? If so, Mfr and model#?
How was the FW updated? Auto or manually? Manually is preferred.
Has a full factory reset been performed on the Router and satellites? If not, I would do this, then set up from scratch.
I test one up for my freind a few months back, you can review and set up yours like I did if you like:
The Orbi gets its internet connection from an ActionTec MI424WR from Verizon FIOS
I have one switch which is a TP-Link TL-SF1008P. The switch is an unmanaged switch
The firmware was updated both ways. As I mentioned in my post It had automatically upgraded after first setup out of the box. When I was experiencing these issues, I then additionally tried to MANUAL update the firmware as well. In short I have done both methods.
By the way, what does the modem or switch have anything to do with the Orbi setup? As long as their is no feedback loop why would it matter. I feel its clear here that the software is clearing rebooting. I cant think of any reason for the Orbi to restart its software other than a bug.
The only thing I have not done is a Factory reset after the upgrade, but I figured one of two things
1. If its so necessary than either fix it so you shouldnt have to or force it on users with a warning pop up
2. Its not like it had any settings or custom configurations in it to wipe out or that couldnt be preserved from one firmware to the next, this was an out of the box install, why would a factory reset even be needed if your doing an out of the box?
I you have this ISP device:
https://www.actiontec.com/products/wifi-routers-gateways/fiber/bhr-rev-i/
Then it's possible.
Modem Combo Units:
Couple of options to try,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode.
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the Orbi router to the modem, LAN to LAN and configure AP mode on the Orbi router.
Lets try a full factory reset on the router and set up from scratch.
Also try this as well:
Try disabling the following and see:
MIMO, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s). 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?
Any other wifi broadcasts near by?
I can try the Factory reset later, however as I wrote in the first posting
MIMO, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming have all been disabled.
I also mentioned that I already changed my Wifi to another channel so there isnt any conflict with neighbors.
However same idea here with Wifi or channel conflicts. Lets say you have a Wifi conflict or same channel, it should at worst disrupt your Wifi, right? But it should not effect your Ethernet connected devices. You see what I mean. But the entire Orbi restarts its software. So same thing I was saying before, Wifi settings should have no effect on physical ethernet connected devices.
Won't know till after the full reset.
For wifi, if there is some interferences, if the router is set to Auto channel, then only wifi should be disrupted if the router encounters interfereneces on Auto and will stop and should find a different channel to use. The entire router should not reboot.
IF the router if fully rebooting, then there is a different problem. Lets start with a factory reset and a clean setup from scratch...
Return this system and get another to try...
- Were there any hardware revisions by any chance. I would like them to send me something from a newer production line. Perhaps what I have is from an earlier batch, wondering if there is any way to tell.
Not that we know of, there seems to have been production years from what others have mentioned.
