RBR50 DNS Issues

Hi, THanks for the reply. I should have mentioned in my initial message, I tried turning off automatic DNS and had used Googles DNS servers 8.8.8.8 Still the same problem.

---

Dnoseattle wrote:
The final step was to set the router to use my MAC address and apply update. It now works smoothly. It was a big pain trying to figure it out but I got it.

---

I am often incorrect, but my suspicion is that choosing "Use this IP address" instead of "Use Default IP address" is not significant.  I believe the "default" is in fact the same IP address.  (Default is my setting.)

I am also not entirely convinced that Comcast would nfail to resolve IP addreses.  Were that the case, 99% of the customers would immediately be unable to do anything, and the resulting howls would be heard nationwide.

This is one of the frustrating aspects of our Orbi systems.  The vast bulk of users experience nothing out of the ordinary.  I swear that many of them never actually "set up" their systems.  Plug it in.  Use the credentials on the product label, just as they do with their Comcast, Spectrum, or AT&T box, and get on with life.  When a few do experience problems and turn to the forum for advice, often they tinker with some setting or other and the problem goes away.  I often think, "There should not have been a problem in the first place, and doing this should not have solved it."

Anyway, thanks for the report, and good luck!

What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?

Does using default DNS or letting the RBR auto detect and use DNS keep the DNS running for your devices. Try quad 9?

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update and use auto DNS? 

Circle has been know to cause problems as well. Try a reset and setup from scratch with out any Armor or Circle.

If any of these fail to resolve anything, please file a support ticket here:

https://www.netgear.com/support/#

---

tcomp wrote:

I have an RBR20 and in the last few weeks have been having the exact same issue.  I'm a professional IT person by trade, and have a lot of networking knowledge, including previously being employed as a network engineer for a large software company - so I know a lot about how to troubleshoot issues like this.

 

• I am on firmware version: V2.3.5.36
• I use CloudFlare DNS: 1.1.1.1 for default
  • I have also tried using a variety of DNS providers, including my own ISP, Google, etc.  Same problems.
• I am using Circle for the kids in the house.
  • I have tried turning off and on circle through the Orbi settings, as suggested in this thread - seems to have no impact on the issue.

 

I have done a lot of investigation and determined, when this DNS resolution issue happens:

• DNS resoltuion through the entire home, on multiple devices stops working, using the forced resolver of the Orbi (192.168.1.1 on my network)
• Manual DNS resolution on devices like my laptop works fine.  I.E I can do a NSLOOKUP or DIG (depending on OS) of domains normally.
  • DIG @1.1.1.1 google.com -> resolves properly
  • DIG @192.168.1.1 google.com -> hangs and eventually times out
• Pings and public internet access (over IP only) work fine.  This is definitely just a DNS issue.

To resolve the issue, what works is either:

• Rebooting the Orbi RBR
• Logging into the Orbi admin page, clicking on "Internet", clicking "Test".  It fixes it a bit faster, without a full reboot.

I'm pretty sure what is happening here is that the Orbi is running dnsmasq or something similar locally, and it just hangs for some reason.  Hitting "Test", or rebooting the router obviously clears this issue.

 

The issue appears to happen randomly.  There is no specific timing between incidents. Sometimes we will go a few days without the issue, sometimes we will have it happen multiple times in the same day.

 

It's really starting to frustrate me.  Hopefully someone from Netgear or elsewhere knows how to fix it.  I'm guessing at this point it's likely going to require a firmware fix :-(

 

netgear - Please help!

---

All of your information stated is great. This is exactly what I'm experiencing. I have yet to read through this entire thread, but wanted to comment here as I am reading through these while on hold with support AGAIN. I am within my 90 days so I've been on the phone with them like 5 times trying to figure it out. They are useless. 

Additionally, what I've found... is that it does appear to be random when it happens and when it does happen, it seems to affect maybe 50% of my devices on my network. Some of them continue to function just fine. 

If the Orbi's DHCP Server settings could be configured to hand out the Primary/Secondary DNS server IPs during the DHCP request from the clients, we could fix this by using cloudflare 1.1.1.1 and google 8.8.8.8 but every client always just has 1 DNS... 192.168.1.1 which is the Orbi, which has issues with its DNS services. Very frustrating.

What I've found is that almost every time I get on Zoom (I'm on a new Lenovo C940 laptop, Win 10, 64bit, ethernet/wired or wireless), it triggers the problem in the router and my laptop is definitely affected. 

I'll keep reading and see if you guys figured anything else out. 

What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?

Does using default DNS or letting the RBR auto detect and use DNS keep the DNS running for your devices. Try quad 9?

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update and use auto DNS? 

Circle has been know to cause problems as well. Try a reset and setup from scratch with out any Armor or Circle.

If any of these fail to resolve anything, please file a support ticket here:

https://www.netgear.com/support/#

---

iamkeyman3 wrote:

I want to echo tcomp post as I too am an IT professional and have done extensive testing.  The problem IS in DNS resolution.  Obviously, a reboot does fix the issue, but then it takes time for the satellites to re-sync.  The solution 100% of the time is to run test internet on the orbi web page.

 

Here are some notes i have found:

• ping works from every device to an ip adress
• ping DOES NOT work to DNS name as DNS cannot be resolved, i am using nslookup.
• I can telnet into the orbi, run nslookup and it DOES work
• I do use Circle
• this strated happending in the past 2 months, more now that i am on 2.5.1.8.
• I correct the issue by running test on the internet setup page.
• If i have a device with manual DNS, no issues.
• I've been watching the debug page and have not been able to attribute high cpu to issue.
• I am logged into router via telnet, looked at many log messages and have not found any errors, where should I look.

Here is what is running on router regarding dnsmasq:

 

ps |grep dns

 9137 root      2364 S    aclhijackdns

 9787 root      2412 S    /usr/sbin/ntgrddns -c /tmp/ntgrdns.conf

22492 root      2616 S    dnsmasq -h -n -c 0 -N -i br0 -r /tmp/resolv.conf -u

22768 root      1216 S    /mnt/circle/shares/usr/bin/mdnsd 172.16.5.1 FE80::C0

22794 root       888 S    runsv dnsmasq

22800 root      2972 S    /mnt/circle/shares/usr/bin/dnsmasq -k --max-ttl=1 --

26368 root      1568 S    grep dns

26369 root      1572 S    /bin/sh -c /usr/sbin/dns-hijack

26370 root      1572 S    {dns-hijack} /bin/sh /usr/sbin/dns-hijack

26372 root      1564 R    killall -SIGUSR2 dnsmasq

 

 

 

netgear Please help!

---

Please post about this in the Circle app forum:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Circle-Smart-Parental-Controls/bd-p/en-home-circle

Thank you. 

---

MarkMorton72 wrote:

Just to echo whats been said before in this thread.  Had this happen for the first time last night and a reboot of the RBR solved the problem.

 

Running RBR50 and three RBS50 satellites with no problems for over a year - been very impressed with the ORBI.  Not an IT professional but been around this stuff long enough to troubleshoot most stuff.

 

So, set up is:

 

• Virgin Media ISP - router in modem mode
• RBR50
• 3x RBS50 all wifi backhaul
• All on V2.5.1.8
• 35-40 devices on the network, mix of wired/wireless
• Disney Circle enabled (paid for version)
• Armour not enabled
• All DHCP; Auto DNS

What I found echos much of what;s above:

 

• DNS lookup fell apart suddenly
• Some DNS resolution happening (e.g. could resolve news.bbc.co.uk but not https://www.disneyplus.com) - cache working?
• Couldn't change DNS resolver in the ORBI (due to Circle?)
• Manually changed DNS to 4.4.4.4/8.8.8.8 in iPad settings - so bypass router resolver (192.168.1.1) and worked fine (or appeared to)
• Restarting the RBR50 only fixed it and no problems in the last 14 hours

Looks like an issue with the ORBI running out of some internal resource - maybe circle but I think people without circle enabled are having the probelm?

 

Would be good for someone at netgear to look at this - it's a showstopper when it happens and we're all working from home right now.

---

Traffic Meter needs some processing power to do it's jobs. 

Glad you are experiencing better operation it and Circle disabled. Circle has been causing problems recently for Circle users. 

If you need Circle support, please post over in the Circle forum:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Circle-Smart-Parental-Controls/bd-p/en-home-circle

Hopefully NG can get that fixed. 

Good Luck. 

---

agregory23 wrote:

For what its worth my traffic has been great since last night.  Longest its gone in a couple weeks. 

 

Disabling Traffic Meter in the Orbi app as well as toggling Circle (I did the toggle first) has seemed to solve my DNS problems.  I have a feeling the Traffic Meter may put too much strain on the system hardware when both are enabled.

 

My CPU usage was higher when the Traffic Meter was enabled.  (telnet into the device, type "top" and then press the number 1 to see individual core usage).  Before it was hovering in the 40-50% range consistently.  Now its down in the 8-20% range.

 

 

---

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Yes this is a CIrcle issue. Users are advised to disable Circle until NG get that app and services fixed. 

Users are encouraged to post about this over in the Circle forum since this is a Circle problem and not a Orbi or FW issue. 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Circle-Smart-Parental-Controls/bd-p/en-home-circle

For 20 series systems, you can update to v16 if you choose too though no mention of Circle fixes are mentioned for it:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-2-5-1-16-Update/m-p/1897955/highlight/true#M89460

Good Luck

---

tcomp wrote:

I'm still on 2.3.5.36, but have followed some of the recommended suggestions in this forum and have had more stability/success recently.  Specifically, it does appear this is specific to the Circle on the network.  I have done the following things and have been stable for the last few days now:

 

• Turned off Cirlce in settings on Orbi.
• Rebooted the orbi.
• Let it fully boot/sync with satellites, etc.
• Turned Circle on again - another reboot cycle.

 

This seems to have helped in some way.  I wouldn't say it's perfect still - seems like there is still an underlying issue with the DNS service, but overall it's definitely an improvement.

 

---