Orbi (RBR50) DNS keeps failing.

Hi, I'm have an RBR50 running Firmware V2.7.2.104 that has been working fine for a couple years now. Very recently, devices connected to the Orbi have started getting failed DNS queries, causing th...

MickShritin
Mar 21, 2021
Ran into this issue as well. This Reddit thread has the best workaround I've found for the bug(s) that Netgear pushed out with its most recent release for this model.

https://www.reddit.com/r/orbi/comments/m5l3vk/orbi_dropping_dns/

There are several options. I think the best one is to use the debug.htm page to enable telnet, log in, and modify the DHCP settings to tell clients to contact external DNS servers directly thus bypassing the failing proxy on the router. This change sticks until the router is rebooted which is rare for me. All devices will renew theri DHCP lease within 24 hours (or less) to get the new setting. I recommend forcing devices to renew their DHCP lease to get the new settings sooner. You can unplug the LAN connection, toggle wifi on/off, reboot a device, or issue the command to renew specific to your device/OS. However if you have one computer plugged directly into a LAN port, one simpler way to reset all the wifi attached device's DNS config is to change the wifi name configured on the Orbi, wait a few minutes, and then change it back. I judged "a few minutes" by monitoring my phone to see when it decided the wifi connection was lost. Once back to the original name, my (Android) phone took a couple of minutes to accept the wifi was stable.

There are also reports that the bug is an interaction issue between the DNS process (dnsmasq) and the traffic measuring/metering feature, and that disabling the traffic measuring feature will avoid the bug. Since I don't *need* the measuring feature, I disabled it just in case a thunderstorm glitches the power, there's a chance the Orbi will remain reliable afterwards without the effort/distraction of the reconfiguration workaround.

CrimpOn
Guru - Experienced User
Apr 21, 2021
lukedude wrote:
I'm having the same issue on my RBR850 but every time I roll back to the old firmware it immediately rolls forward to V3.2.18.1_1.4.14. I did a factory reset (per instructions from the tech I called) and it still goes right back to the latest broken firmware with the DNS issue. Does anyone have advice for me?
Does the RBR850 have the option to either (a) disable the automatic Daylight Saving Time adjustment or (b) disable Traffic Meter?
- lukedude
  Tutor
  Apr 21, 2021
  CrimpOn wrote:
  lukedude wrote:
  I'm having the same issue on my RBR850 but every time I roll back to the old firmware it immediately rolls forward to V3.2.18.1_1.4.14. I did a factory reset (per instructions from the tech I called) and it still goes right back to the latest broken firmware with the DNS issue. Does anyone have advice for me?
  Does the RBR850 have the option to either (a) disable the automatic Daylight Saving Time adjustment or (b) disable Traffic Meter?
  Yes it has both of those options but my DNS issue persists even if I have both disabled
  - CrimpOn
    Guru - Experienced User
    Apr 21, 2021
    lukedude wrote:
    Yes it has both of those options but my DNS issue persists even if I have both disabled
    When a post gets as long as this one, terms like "I'm having the same issue on my RBR850" can be confusing when the origiinal discussion was regarding a specific issue with the original Orbi (not the AX).
    
    FURRYe38has a valid point. The most efficient way forward might be to start a new post in the AX forum describing the problem that exists today. i.e. how is DNS "failing"? How often? etc. Those of us who do not have the AX product are not able to examine the problem or comment the way people can who actually have an AX Orbi.
FURRYe38
Guru - Experienced User
Apr 21, 2021
Netgear has set up a community forum specifically for the Orbi AX product. Most of the people who watch that forum are more likely to have experience with Orbi AX and know how to work it better than those of us who follow this "general Orbi" forum. Might be more likely to find someone who has a solution if the question is posted there:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/bd-p/en-home-orbi-ax

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/Intermittent-DNS-Errors-and-WiFi-Issues/td-p/1950768/jump-to/first-unread-message

Thank you.
lukedude wrote:
I'm having the same issue on my RBR850 but every time I roll back to the old firmware it immediately rolls forward to V3.2.18.1_1.4.14. I did a factory reset (per instructions from the tech I called) and it still goes right back to the latest broken firmware with the DNS issue. Does anyone have advice for me?
WillRXR
Star
Apr 22, 2021
Hi,

It appears that this is a common problem that NETGEAR has failed to adquately address for months now.

I also had the problem but have been successful at eliminating the issue by manually rolling back to the penultimate version of the firmware and turning off automatic updates. My ORBI system appears to be working well, but, of course, I'm anxious that some features in the newer firmware dealt with security and as a result, I'm missing those.

Regardless, I can suggest only that you follow the same procedure as I did. It does seem to work. It is annoying and time-consuming. I understand that, but it's less expensive than buying a whole new router system. Should NETGEAR fail to both acknowledge and repair this issue, I suppose that eventually we'll have no choice.

Hope that this helps.

Wil
- FURRYe38
  Guru - Experienced User
  Apr 22, 2021
  You sure about that?
  https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Daylight-Savings-Time-NTP-DNS-Issues/m-p/2080475/highlight/true#M118615
  
  WillRXR wrote:
  Hi,
  
  It appears that this is a common problem that NETGEAR has failed to adquately address for months now.
  - WillRXR
    Star
    Apr 22, 2021
    Yes, actually. First, this isn't a solution; it's a workaround. Second, it doesn't work for me. Third, a solution would be a working piece of software that doesn't require user fiddling, especially since most users don't want to fiddle.
- WillRXR
  Star
  Apr 22, 2021
  If you're using an RBR50, you can roll back the firmware by going to netgear and downloading the last firmware file before the current one. The one I'm using is V2.6.1.40. (I left V2. 7.2.104 on my satellites. The newer firmware doesn't appear to affect them.)
  
  Go to the Advanced tab on the router. Then Administration. Select Firmware Update. Then select the Manual Update tab on the top of the Update page.
  
  Browse for the file you've downloaded from Netgear. Once it's located, hit the Upload button. Once installed, it should stay installed until you ask the router to update the firmware again, either manually or using the Check for Update feature.
  
  While I recognize that this is a workaround, it suffices well and requires nothing more. Eventually, I suppose, Netgear will fix the bug in the current version of the software.
  
  Good luck.
  
  Wil
  - CrimpOn
    Guru - Experienced User
    Apr 22, 2021
    Apart from the semantic issue of the meaning of "solution", it appears to me that lukedude is reporting a DNS issue with an RBR850, not an RBR50. (Post #30)
    
    No previous RBR50 firmware will install on an RBR850.
    I do not recall seeing posts that the RBR850 was subject to the iidentical Traffic Meter/Daylight Saving Time issue as the RBR50.
    But then, I do not read the AX forum because I do not have one.
    
    I continue to suggest that creating a new post in the AX forum is the most expeditious way to address this issue.

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Orbi (RBR50) DNS keeps failing.