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Forum Discussion
OrbiOS 2.1.4 availability
A quick update. We're about to release an updated version of OrbiOS 2.1.4 in the next few days through our auto-update mechanism for all Orbi models. When it goes live, you should see a prompt in t...
Retired_Member wrote:
The problem with turning off the auto-update is you are now sitting on the sidelines. Then you have to figure when to jump back in and upgrade your FW and how will you determine that? By reading the posts in here...? Really?
Many of the problems the Orbi has been having can be traced to product diversity. Trying to be all things to all consumers. If FW updates scare you, then perhaps you should try a lower cost basic wifi router.
Firmware updates shouldn't scare you at any price...that's kinda the point of the frustration here.
I have products that auto-update themselves and don't then immediately ruin the sheets. If Netgear showed that level of discipline, I'd be inclined to agree that it's better to keep a complicated (security sensitive) device as up-to-date as possible, but they aren't that careful. 2.1.4.10 apparently has known issues with HomeKit and ethernet backhaul, but they sent it to my setup anyway and screwed it all up. Again.
Until Netgear gets their QA processes in order, automatic updates are irresponsible. And I agree, I don't think the customer should have to weed through a sea of other angry customers, trying to intuit how broken multicast is this release, but that's the position Netgear has put them in.
And I'll never understand the willingness of some in this forum to give Netgear a pass for the current state of things. Even compared to other products, it's not deserved.
Amazon let us return it after having had it for 8 months, i've had enough of crashing firmware. Going to buy a google wifi pair and see if that can run for 4 hours without crashing. I would give Netgear the benefit of the doubt on this one but this is probably the 4th firmware update this year that has caused problems regarding flaky crashes and so on.
Dare I even talk about the disabled features that this router was meant to have unlocked in a future firmware update?
I will admit, during these 8 months there have been occasions when the router / satellite worked without fault... for a while anyway. However they NEVER worked 100% as intended. I can't remember one auto-firmware update that I didnt have to apply manually. The light ring on the top never truly gave a clear indication of the status of the satellite and if or not it was coming up (had to press the hard reset over and over again around about during the firmware issues with Android smartphones and chromecasts sending the spam)
Either way, i'm out. Really annoyed I trusted any of the "PC" sites that reccomend routers without a long term usability test. I guess this is too hard to offer.
Oh, and I remember when I was within the 3 months complimentary Netgear support period for full support... you know, apple style... I tried to use it.. utter garbage. I dont even remember being able to get through to a customer representive who knew what Orbi was.
After 183 posts on this firmware, where is the "we are aware that some of you are having issues with this... we are doing, a, b, c to remedy" just silence :(
I am sure Netgear are brewing up "the next" Orbi 2... now with extended range! for £500+ ... and all of us whom bought in to their Mk1 Mesh router will be forgotten as the beta test pilots that we are. :(