RBR20 wifi doesn't have a valid IP configuration

Well, that pretty much settles that.  When the Orbi is plugged into the modem, nothing works.  I'm assuming that you have tried restarting the Orbi?  (i.e. pull the power cord, count to 30, then plug it back in)

The only thing left is to do a "factory refresh" and configure it from scratch. And, yes, that will remove any port forwarding setting that have been done.  So, before pressing a paperclip in the reset hole, it is a good idea to connect the computer to the Orbi, go to the web interface, and copy down all of those settings.  You definitely want to make certain to reconfigure the Orbi with exactly the same WiFi name and password, so that all of your devices can reconnect.  I personally would leave the internet phone disconnected and use that ethernet jack for the computer to set up the Orbi.

Not sure how to do that. I have no other places to plug the Orbi into the tower while I have the modem plugged in, and it won't connect to the internet without the modem plugged in. 

Although I see from my previous issue that I saved and posted an image of what my ports were changed to, so I grabbed that and saved it to my computer again. 

This is what I saved. Is this enough for me to set it up again? 

Yes...

Yes, it looks like you saved the correct information.  So...

1. Unplug the ooma and set it aside.

2. Plug the yellow Orbi port into the modem.

3. Plug the computer into the remaining Orbi LAN port.

4. Power on the Orbi and insert a paperclip into the reset hole and hold it until the light blinks steadily (about 8-10 seconds).

5. Open a web browser on the tower and connect to 192.168.1.1

6. Log on with the default user name "admin", and password "password"

7. Set up the Orbi with the same WiFi name and password as it had before.

8. At this point, try to connect some WiFi device to the Orbi.  On the web interface, the "Attached Devices" page should show which of your devices have connected automatically.

9. Now is the time to add the satellites, one at a time.

10. If everything else is working now, unplug the computer and plug in the ooma phone.

11. Restart the computer and see if it connects over WiFi.

I am puzzled that ports had to be opened to get Facetime and Skype to work.  I have no ports opened, and we do Facetime a lot (Skype a couple of times).

Thanks for spelling that out for me, CrimpOn. I was just getting everything ready and looking it up in the manual (it wasn't there).  Paperclip...check. Satellites retrieved from awkward locations and ready to re-sync...check. Day wasted...check. Let the terror begin.

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blacknatty wrote:

 

OK, I tried this one also - unplugging ooma and plugging computer into Orbi. Lost internet again. 

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This is expected to not work.  The SB modem will not allow you to do this, hot swap client between Orbi and computer.  Everytime you switch/change the target client that attached to SB modem, you have to reboot SB modem.  In another word, it's best to turn off both devices and turn them back on.

OK test begun aaaaaaand ..... nothing. Pressing the reset button gave me no light over the power button. I YouTubed it to see how it was supposed to look beforehand - I get no light of any color. I held it down for awhile just in case and tried it, but no internet. 192.168.1.1 would not connect. Could it be that my base is wasted within a year of purchase? Recently both satellites have been intermittently turning orange and purple, but then going back to working fine. Do you think the base was failing and has now just given up the ghost? 

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blacknatty wrote:

 

OK test begun aaaaaaand ..... nothing. Pressing the reset button gave me no light over the power button. I get no light of any color.

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No light of any color is not one of the possible choices. https://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/RBR20.aspx

So, it either has to be (1) the electrical outlet (no power), (2) the power supply, or (3) the Orbi.  So, plug something into that electrical outlet (light bulb?) or move the Orbi to a different socket where something is working.  (I had a plug strip once that did not have an indicator light on it and turned it off by mistake one time.)  Maybe the power supply isn't plugged in all the way?  If my memory is correct, the power supply is supposed to be 12v DC (have a multimeter handy?)

I guess it is "possible" that the LED itself could be broken, but that's the last component I would think could fail.

The Orbi is plugged into the same surge protector that the computer is plugged into, so I'm sure the power supply is fine. Everything else on that power strip is still working. 

Sorry, but I get no light on the back of the orbi when I push the reset button. I also see no light on the top orbi ring at any time - when I press the sync button or power it on or off. Is there a way to get it to light up? The satellites light up. That's what's leading me to believe maybe the base unit has gone bad on me. 

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blacknatty wrote:

Sorry, but I get no light on the back of the orbi when I push the reset button. I also see no light on the top orbi ring at any time - when I press the sync button or power it on or off. Is there a way to get it to light up? The satellites light up. That's what's leading me to believe maybe the base unit has gone bad on me. 

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No light above the power switch EVER?  Yes, when the Orbi powers on, the ring at the top is supposed to be solid white while it is powering up.  (The power button doesn't move very much.  One time I thought it was pushed "in" when it was actually "out")

I'd swap the power supply with one of the satellites that does show a green LED.  If the power supplies are swapped and the satellite has no LED and the router suddenly does have light, that means the power supply is bad.

Yes, I've pushed the power button on and off a couple of times to confirm it's in the on position on the back of the base unit. No lights ever above the power button or on the top ring today during all this on and off stuff, plugging and powering shenanagins. 

I don't get this: I'd swap the power supply with one of the satellites that does show a green LED.

Swap my base unit with a satellite? The satellites don't have anywhere to plug anything into them. They can't be the router.  Also, the satellites don't show a green LED. They now just have a purple ring on the top showing no internet. Both of them at least still show that....so their power is working. Or am I misunderstanding? Swap the satellite with something else? Thanks for your patience and assistance.

On the back of the RBR20, to the right of the power button, under where it says "DC", that's where the power supply plugs into the router. It is not permanently attached.  If there is nothing plugged in there, then there is no power supply.

I keep making assumptions.  The base unit is the RBR20. What are the two satellites?  Do they look like the RBR20, or are they units that plug directly into the electrical outlet? (with no cord).

OK, scratch that. I just checked the power brick and saw that I had unplugged it while doing all the plugging and unplugging. Am now smacking myself in the head so you don't have to.

Plugged it back in and I am now getting lights on the base unit. Imagine that. 

BUT. Going through your directions, I still get bogged down when it comes to connecting the computer into the Orbi and opening a web page. Won't do it. I just keep getting the message that I'm not connected. I note also that the blinking reset light is red, not orange as it was in the video, and it has not stopped flashing after several minutes. If that makes a difference. 

No, the satellites are not the RBR20s. They are RBW30s. 

OK, so that could be the issue then. We're still within the year of purchase. I'll contact support, thanks CrimpOn.

OK, just had 20 minutes on the phone with support. They fixed it. Not sure how, but got me back up and running. Got everything plugged back in to where it was and wifi has returned. Worked through it on the orbi login websites and made some changes there - had to manually enter in the mac address, for one thing.  Everything is now reset back to factory, which is kind of a pain, but it's working. Thanks all for your assistance!

Be sure to do a back up of the RBR config to file for safe keeping. In case you need to do another reset, you can just load the file and save time. 

Enjoy. :smileywink:

Thanks FURRYe38

:smileywink: