HelloI have an RBR50 with 2 satellites since 2019. I have the same ISP for the same duration.My RBR50 is connected behind the ISP modem. Firmware version is V2.7.5.4Everything was working fine for several years. Beginning of 2024 I have started to have internet disconnection : RBR was flashing red. After a restart of RBR50 it was ok again.But it has become worse and now every month, month and a half or so, for nearly an entire day I am unable to connect to internet : RBR is red and even after a reboot of RBR or a reboot of the modem or both it is working for a few minutes and then it is dripping again. I have replaced my modem by a newer model and even tried to replace my RBR router by another one with the same settings but to no avail ... the problem regularly shows up and after having struggled with the problem for nearly one day it is working again .... For several weeks and then the problem happens again ... This is driving me mad ... Does anybody know what this is and what I can try or check ? Are there any logs I could have a look at to help me understanding what is going on ?Thanks

Which part of the router is blinking red? (See page 9 of the User Manual: https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBK50/Orbi_UM_EN.pdf ) As long as the router has not rebooted, the Orbi log may give a hint to what has happened. The log is found on the Advanced Tab, Administration Menu: Ordinarily, it might be appropriate to do a Factory Reset, manually reload the firmware from the support web site: https://kb.netgear.com/000065539/RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-Version-2-7-5-4 Then do another Factory Reset and configure the router from scratch. This is complicated because two RBR50 routers have shown the same behavior.

I neglected to ask How many devices are connected to this router? Have you ever cleared the 2nd and 3rd tables on the Access Control page?(devices which are not connected) My impression is that there is a known programming error in the RBR50 firmware which can cause problems when the configuration file gets "too big". This bug was never addressed when the RBR50 was an active product, and now that this system is "End of Service", Netgear will not spend any money fixing it. (I had the same sort of issue with my 2013 Honda. Not issuing any more Map Updates (that cost $150!). Sort of a f**k you for keeping your Accord for more than 10 years!)

What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too? Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended. Test a PC directly connected to the ISP modem and see if anything appears here. Ensure the ISP has checked the signal on the line up to the modem. Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update? A complete pull of the power adapters for a period of time after the factory reset then walk thru the setup wizard and setup from scratch with a wired PC and web browser. https://kb.netgear.com/22697/How-do-I-install-my-NETGEAR-router-using-the-router-web-interface Zbobthecat wrote:HelloI have an RBR50 with 2 satellites since 2019. I have the same ISP for the same duration.My RBR50 is connected behind the ISP modem. Firmware version is V2.7.5.4Everything was working fine for several years. Beginning of 2024 I have started to have internet disconnection : RBR was flashing red. After a restart of RBR50 it was ok again.But it has become worse and now every month, month and a half or so, for nearly an entire day I am unable to connect to internet : RBR is red and even after a reboot of RBR or a reboot of the modem or both it is working for a few minutes and then it is dripping again. I have replaced my modem by a newer model and even tried to replace my RBR router by another one with the same settings but to no avail ... the problem regularly shows up and after having struggled with the problem for nearly one day it is working again .... For several weeks and then the problem happens again ... This is driving me mad ... Does anybody know what this is and what I can try or check ? Are there any logs I could have a look at to help me understanding what is going on ?Thanks

Hi, Thanks a lot for your message; when the problem happens, it's the top of the router which is red (= no WAN connection).I have to try the factory reset; however I have a second RBR50 router (of the same type (RBR50 v2) which I got when I bought a second-hand RBK50 kit (to have an additional satellite) and a few weeks ago I did a factory reset on this spare router and I installed the latest firmware but with this second router I had exactly the same problem ...I will also try to clear the access control tabs (I have an impressive list for the non connected devices), but again on the spare router this list is almost empty (and I had the same problem as well). Could it be that my ISP is sending some signals to the modem which arrives at RBR level and which makes it lose the WAN connection ? Strangely this problem is coming up during weekends (so are maintenance operations going on at that moment ?) and after a restart of the router the connection is ok but a few minutes after it drops again. The problem is that this issue happens for almost an entire day and I do not know how to reproduce it .... For example, the problem showed up on last Saturday : at around 10:00 AM internet connection dropped then I tried to reboot RBR router and my modem a countless number of times but the problem was still there (connection was ok for a few minutes after the restart but then it was down again); it's only on Sunday morning after a n-th reboot of everything that the problem has gone and the connection is stable since then. It was like that several times by the past : connection issues for almost an entire day and then the connection was stable again for several weeks .... Really strange ....

Does the Orbi log contain any entries at the time this happens?

RBR50 dropping internet connection

17 Replies

CrimpOn
Guru - Experienced User
Jan 12, 2025
Which part of the router is blinking red? (See page 9 of the User Manual:

https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBK50/Orbi_UM_EN.pdf )

As long as the router has not rebooted, the Orbi log may give a hint to what has happened. The log is found on the Advanced Tab, Administration Menu:

Ordinarily, it might be appropriate to do a Factory Reset, manually reload the firmware from the support web site:

https://kb.netgear.com/000065539/RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-Version-2-7-5-4

Then do another Factory Reset and configure the router from scratch.

This is complicated because two RBR50 routers have shown the same behavior.
- CrimpOn
  Guru - Experienced User
  Jan 12, 2025
  I neglected to ask
  
  How many devices are connected to this router?
  
  Have you ever cleared the 2nd and 3rd tables on the Access Control page?
  (devices which are not connected)
  
  My impression is that there is a known programming error in the RBR50 firmware which can cause problems when the configuration file gets "too big". This bug was never addressed when the RBR50 was an active product, and now that this system is "End of Service", Netgear will not spend any money fixing it. (I had the same sort of issue with my 2013 Honda. Not issuing any more Map Updates (that cost $150!). Sort of a f**k you for keeping your Accord for more than 10 years!)
  - Zbobthecat
    Aspirant
    Jan 13, 2025
    Hi,
    
    Thanks a lot for your message; when the problem happens, it's the top of the router which is red (= no WAN connection).
    I have to try the factory reset; however I have a second RBR50 router (of the same type (RBR50 v2) which I got when I bought a second-hand RBK50 kit (to have an additional satellite) and a few weeks ago I did a factory reset on this spare router and I installed the latest firmware but with this second router I had exactly the same problem ...
    I will also try to clear the access control tabs (I have an impressive list for the non connected devices), but again on the spare router this list is almost empty (and I had the same problem as well).
    
    Could it be that my ISP is sending some signals to the modem which arrives at RBR level and which makes it lose the WAN connection ? Strangely this problem is coming up during weekends (so are maintenance operations going on at that moment ?) and after a restart of the router the connection is ok but a few minutes after it drops again.
    
    The problem is that this issue happens for almost an entire day and I do not know how to reproduce it .... For example, the problem showed up on last Saturday : at around 10:00 AM internet connection dropped then I tried to reboot RBR router and my modem a countless number of times but the problem was still there (connection was ok for a few minutes after the restart but then it was down again); it's only on Sunday morning after a n-th reboot of everything that the problem has gone and the connection is stable since then. It was like that several times by the past : connection issues for almost an entire day and then the connection was stable again for several weeks .... Really strange ....
FURRYe38
Guru - Experienced User
Jan 13, 2025
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended.

Test a PC directly connected to the ISP modem and see if anything appears here.

Ensure the ISP has checked the signal on the line up to the modem.

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update? A complete pull of the power adapters for a period of time after the factory reset then walk thru the setup wizard and setup from scratch with a wired PC and web browser. https://kb.netgear.com/22697/How-do-I-install-my-NETGEAR-router-using-the-router-web-interface

Zbobthecat wrote:
Hello
I have an RBR50 with 2 satellites since 2019. I have the same ISP for the same duration.
My RBR50 is connected behind the ISP modem. Firmware version is V2.7.5.4
Everything was working fine for several years. Beginning of 2024 I have started to have internet disconnection : RBR was flashing red. After a restart of RBR50 it was ok again.
But it has become worse and now every month, month and a half or so, for nearly an entire day I am unable to connect to internet : RBR is red and even after a reboot of RBR or a reboot of the modem or both it is working for a few minutes and then it is dripping again. I have replaced my modem by a newer model and even tried to replace my RBR router by another one with the same settings but to no avail ... the problem regularly shows up and after having struggled with the problem for nearly one day it is working again .... For several weeks and then the problem happens again ... This is driving me mad ... Does anybody know what this is and what I can try or check ? Are there any logs I could have a look at to help me understanding what is going on ?
Thanks
- Zbobthecat
  Aspirant
  Jan 13, 2025
  Hi,
  
  Thank you for your message; I live in France; my ISP is Nordnet (a subsidary of Orange):
  - PON : Huawei EchoLife HG8010H
  - Modem : Sagemcom NordnetBox Emotion (I don't have anything else (model number ...) ...)
  - The cable between the modem and the RBR router is a cat 6 cable
  
  The last time the problem showed up I could connect my laptop to the network cable to which the RBR router is usually connected and internet connection was ok; I could also verify that my modem was up and running from the ISP web site ... To summarize : internet access was ok up to the ethernet cable to which the RBR router is connected .... so problem is clearly the RBR router which loses the internet connection .... but the strange thing is that a spare RBR router (of the same model, with the same firmware and with the same configuration) presented the exact same problem .... After one day of internet loss (a reboot of the router restored the internet connection for a few minutes but then it dropped again) the problem was gone .... This happens regularly : every 4, 5 or 6 weeks ...
  
  I do not know where to look at and what to do to investigate that problem deeper.
  
  I will do a factory reset and cross fingers ...
  
  Thanks for your help
  - CrimpOn
    Guru - Experienced User
    Jan 13, 2025
    Just a thought:
    
    What is the purpose of the Sagecom NordBox? This appears to be a combination router/WiFi device (similar to the Orbi RBR50). Do you subscribe to telephone service from Nordnet?
    
    Have you ever tried connecting the Orbi directly to the Fiber Optical Network Terminator (ONT)?
    
    p.s. I was going to suggest that for about 150 Euro, Amazon could provide you with a WiFi6 mesh system with two satellites. If that worked and the Orbi did not, it would be a solution. If it also failed, that would indicate there is nothing wrong with the Orbi and it could be returned to Amazon. However, 5-6 weeks might be longer than Amazon's return window.

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RBR50 dropping internet connection