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Forum Discussion
Orbi RBR20 static route issue
Is this the right group for the RBR20 router? I'm having an issue where I setup a bunch of static IP address (with MAC address) under Setup / LAN setup, and then under Security / Access Control I hav...
Yes sorry I'm using device address reservation not static IP, and the devices aren't changing their respective mac address or IP address. So I asked this question to AI and explained what is happening and got the message below showing it is a known firmware bug.
On the Orbi RBR20, Netgear's Access Control firmware functions by actively tracking the connection states of recognized devices. When a device drops offline for a week or two, a glitch in the background code causes the router to handle its state incorrectly:
1. The State Desync: When your device went offline for two weeks, the router marked its profile as "offline." However, the firmware failed to properly retain its original "Allowed" state flag in the offline cache.
2. The "New Device" Trigger: When the device woke up after a couple of weeks, it requested its reserved IP address from the DHCP server. Because the Access Control backend code had corrupted its historical profile status, the firewall processed the incoming connection as a brand-new, unknown device.
3. The Automatic Lockout: Because your Access Control is configured with the strict global rule to "Block all new devices from connecting," the Orbi automatically applied a block to the device's MAC address—overriding your active IP reservation list.
This confirms your original suspicion: it is absolutely a firmware bug. The router should look at your permanent IP address reservation and remember the MAC address, but the Access Control sub-system loses track of the device's validation state during prolonged inactivity.
I asked this question to AI and explained what is happening and got the message below showing it is a known firmware bug.
FWIW, I get a very different answer from Chrome in AI mode when I ask it your question. The query was copied from your first post (w/o the first sentence).
- Randomized MAC Addresses (Most Common): Modern operating systems like iOS, Android, and Windows 10/11 have a default security feature called "Private Addresses" or "Randomized MAC addresses". If a device randomly rotates its MAC address, your router views it as a completely brand-new machine. Because it does not match your static reservation list, the "Block all new devices" rule instantly targets and blocks it.
- The Firmware Race-Condition Bug: Many consumer routers suffer from a firmware bug during system restarts or IP lease renewals. The Access Control system occasionally loads and enforces the "Block All" rule a few seconds before the LAN DHCP static reservation table completely initializes into memory. As a result, the router temporarily sees your legitimate device as "new" and flags it as permanently blocked.
- Hardcoded Software Limits: Older iterations of router management software have an invisible cap (often exactly 25 or 32 devices) on the total number of entries allowed in the Access Control table—including disconnected legacy devices. Once your network exceeds this limit, the system behaves erratically and begins dropping allowed devices off the list.
Looking at the AI sources (which btw is always a good idea), the firmware race condition posts are on a community thread here for a different router. Still conceivable - but nothing you can do about it, since your Orbi is long end-of-life.
The hardcoded-software limits also traces to a post here related to the Orbi RBK50, so perhaps relevant. But in that post, the OP thought the hard-coded limit was in the Netgear Genie app which is no longer offered. That said, the analysis is speculative - no affirmation from Netgear or other community members. There is a similar post which doesn't mention Genie for the RAX45 router - the invisible limit idea was offered speculatively there also, and there is no confirmation of what the limit was for that particular router.
Are you certain you've ruled out the randomized MAC address root cause?
