Orbi RBS/RBR 50 Version 2.1.3.4 and Apple homekit iDevices and Philips Hue problems.

My RBK53 system automatically updated to 2.1.4.10 overnight four days ago. I was angry. I think it is ridiculous that we can’t disable automatic updates.

But here's the odd thing… 2.1.4.10 is working well for me. My HomeKit-controlled devices are working great. No mysterious "unavailable" messages in the Home app or Eve. No ridiculous delays when asking Siri to turn on a device. Everything is working fine. I was prepared for a disaster with HomeKit, but I think this is my best Orbi release ever. Go figure. I gave it four days expecting things to go sideways, but it is still working.

I will admit, my HomeKit setup is pretty unique and that may be the reason for my luck. I use HomeBridge to control Home Control Assistant (HCA). HCA in turn controls a number of Insteon devices as well as some smart speakers. Both HomeBridge and HCA are running on a small Windows 10 PC. That PC is wired to the Orbi router so it is not dependent on WiFi or mDNS via WiFi. My HomeKit Hub is an Apple TV that is also wired to the Orbi router. This isn't your typical HomeKit setup and that may be the reason that it is working well. Introducing WiFi into the mix might change the story.

In any case, I still think we should be able to disable automatic updates. But 2.1.4.10 is working fine here. I’m going to enjoy it while I can...

-Whittle

I was away on vacation and Netgear updated my Orbi RBK50 firmware behind my back from v 2.1.2.18 to v 2.1.4.10.  I subsequently spent many hours trying to debug all the failing HomeKit devices that suddenly weren't responding in the Apple Home app, until I finally found a trail on the Internet that pointed to the router. Sure enough, Netgear hosed my Apple Home environment. Note that 2.1.4.10 is definitely problematic, with lots of unpredictable, intermittent "Not Responding" complaints from HomeKit devices. I rolled the firmware back manually to 2.1.2.18  and my Apple Home environment is working again flawlessly.

Negear software engineers badly need to:

1) Fully Q/A their firmware in an Apple Mac, iOS and HomeKit environment before releasing it to the public

1) Implement a method to turn off automatic firmware updates so customers aren't exposed to this kind of slopiness

Netgear, quit introducing lots of new bugs at the same tiime you fix others. Q/A, Q/A, Q/A!

I've been having the same issues with homekit that everyone else has been posting about. Mine started about a week ago, I'm assuming when my Orbi updated it's Firmware. It's been driving my family crazy since last week due to all the Homekit integrations we have in our house. tracked down one of the other threads on how to shut off "auto-update" through a telnet connection and rolled back to 2.0.1.4. I'm not sure what version I was on before everything went downhill. Everything was working so well! If this keeps up I may have to find a new wireless system, which is a shame becuase I really like the Orbi. 

Yes, this is particularly annoying.  In a perfect world, updates would all work, but in an imperfect world, we need to be able to block updates.

This journey has been quite upsetting.  I had to spend considerable trouble getting Netgear's attention.  Early on, I contacted one of the moderators here, and he's still, to this date, been unresponsive.  I then got Netgear to open a trouble ticket by asking them at their twitter handle, which took a couple of requests at least.

We then went through quite a few steps of them not finding anything.

However, last night, I was given a test version of firmware (the second time I was given test firmware), and this time, for the most part, it worked.  My network has now been stable for about 24 hours.

I'm not sure why there is no mention of anything from Netgear, but I have been referring their support guy to this thread so he can see it wasn't just me.

So after almost a month and countless hours of frustration, it looks like we are getting somewhere and it is quite probably that a solution is at hand.

However, what everyone needs to do in no uncertain terms is to make sure that it is understood that we need to be able to turn off firmware updates.  One can't have broken systems out there.  I am a home worker, and my ability to earn a living depends upon a well working home network.

I've had the same issues. Routers updated to 2.1.4.10. HomeKit functionality was destroyed. I've downgraded to 2.1.2.18. Things worked again. It autoupdated again. I downgraded again and this time, did the NVRAM changes. It just autoupgraded again last night despite the NVRAM settings. I just downgraded the router again and now the satellite won't even connect.

In addition to contacting Wirecutter, anyone affected by this should consider warning potential customers through Amazon reviews, too. Normal consumers do not have the patience or skill to do firmware updates and run telnet sessions to their routers. Right now, this is simply not a consumer product level of quality or care.

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pti wrote:

I've had the same issues. Routers updated to 2.1.4.10. HomeKit functionality was destroyed. I've downgraded to 2.1.2.18. Things worked again. It autoupdated again. I downgraded again and this time, did the NVRAM changes. It just autoupgraded again last night despite the NVRAM settings. I just downgraded the router again and now the satellite won't even connect.

 

In addition to contacting Wirecutter, anyone affected by this should consider warning potential customers through Amazon reviews, too. Normal consumers do not have the patience or skill to do firmware updates and run telnet sessions to their routers. Right now, this is simply not a consumer product level of quality or care.

 

 

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I just had the same thing happen to me. Thought I had it taken care of. I'm going to have to leave some reviews and purchase another brand's wifi platform. This isn't sustainable for me to keep working on. 

However, last night, I was given a test version of firmware

Any chance you could upload the firmware somewhere and share a link for others to download? 

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pti wrote:

 In addition to contacting Wirecutter, anyone affected by this should consider warning potential customers through Amazon reviews, too. Normal consumers do not have the patience or skill to do firmware updates and run telnet sessions to their routers. Right now, this is simply not a consumer product level of quality or care.

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I'd add that this is especially important for people who bought on Amazon. The Orbi listed on Amazon can only be reviewed by verified purchasers. People who bought from Costco, for example, can't post a review there. Costco people can (and should) leave reviews on the Costco site!

I mentioned it elsewhere, but there is a big push on the various Apple news sites to point out alternatives to the recently discontinued AirPort Extreme/Express. The HomeKit/multicast debacle is an excellent reason for Apple users to avoid the Orbi. These sites should know about these problems before suggesting the Orbi to their readers. 

PeytonBrandt, I am sorry but before using the beta software, I was required to agree to some terms which included not sharing the software. The only way to get it is directly from Netgear.

The good news I shared was so people would know there is now a light at the end of the tunnel as there "is" a solution that seemingly works.

This is particularly valuable for people who were considering purchasing alternate equipment - but unfortunate for those that already did. As this has been going on for more than a momth, it is quite frustrating.

Hang in there and sorry but I can't share it.

No problem, I understand. How did you contact them before getting the beta software? Twitter? Email? Phone?

Does the beta version have the ability to turn off automatic updates such that we can stick to a version that does work? Given that they’ve proven they don’t QA with HomeKit scenarios, I feel like any version that does work would be at risk of regression without the ability to suppress updates.

PeytonBrandt,

I detailed before the long and painful process of trying to get them to look at this.

As I was not willing to purchase a "support package" to fix a problem which is to me, 100% netgear's fault, I eventually went onto twitter and after more than one request, they opened a ticket.  

I didn't see one but I didn't examine the entire software package.

As you may have picked up, there is a way to do so in the NVRAM but it doesn't hold and reverts back to update.automatically.

 I think it is going to take a lot of pressure to get this changed, on all channels including here (which no one seems to reply to), twitter, and anyone who has a corporate netgear rep needs to make it clear that this needs to be set properly (they have a corporate orbi too, which as far as I am concerned, will NOT be deployed in a business as long as this firmware update is forced.