I read that Circle is going away and I found this link to install Netgear Smart Parental Controls (https://kb.netgear.com/000062852/How-do-I-upgrade-from-Circle-to-NETGEAR-Smart-Parental-Controls#To%20manually%20install%20the%20new%20NETGEAR%20SPC%20firmware:)I followed the instructions and after rebooting I dont see the Tap ADD ONS on the Orbi App. I forced closed it and re-opened and still nothing is there. There is also no parental controls tile in the Orbi App. I need my parental controls back asap .. I have 4 teenage boys! Orbi RBR50v2Firmware v2.7.2.104In router mode (still)

I always keep my firmware up to date so probably the last version. I followed the directions... To log in to your router’s web interface and enable NETGEAR SPC:Launch a web browser on a computer that is connected to your Orbi router’s WiFi network.Visit www.routerlogin.net.Enter the default user name and password.The default user name is admin. The default password is password.The BASIC page displays.Select ADVANCED > Security > Parental Controls.Click UPGRADE TO NETGEAR SPC at the bottom of the page. A confirmation message displays.Select OK.Your router reboots.After the reboot the ADVANCED > Security > Parental Controls is goneon the app no Parental Controls tile and no ADD ONS... Everything else is working just fine... dreading falshing to factory default ..

bnbyrnes wrote:I read that Circle is going away and I found this link to install Netgear Smart Parental Controls (https://kb.netgear.com/000062852/How-do-I-upgrade-from-Circle-to-NETGEAR-Smart-Parental-Controls#To%20manually%20install%20the%20new%20NETGEAR%20SPC%20firmware:)I followed the instructions and after rebooting I dont see the Tap ADD ONS on the Orbi App. I forced closed it and re-opened and still nothing is there. There is also no parental controls tile in the Orbi App.I agree. The article is entirely wrong. On firmware 2.7.2.104 (a) the Orbi web interface Advanced Tab->Security has no menu item for Parental Controls. and (b) Android app 2.8.0.1395 Home Button has no menu item "ADD ONS" and no tile for Parental Controls.

While I personally have no need for, nor interest in Parental Controls, I really sympathize with customers who want to PAY for the product and try to follow Netgear's instructions that DO NOT WORK. Netgear provides no (unpaid) mechanism to contact Netgear and ask, "How the f**k do I get this to work???") (and, since I am on a rant, my suspicion is that paying for GearHead support would not turn out any better.) Meanwhile, we who participate in the community forum, and can do nothing to help, are of no use. This is not good.

I share this exact sentiment. I just land in this thread because I have the same issue. I upgraded to 2.72. I WANT TO PAY NETGEAR for their parental control feature and not use Circle anymore. I have the same bug described in this thread, Add on option is not available in the Orbi app, and there is no way to contact Netgear freely about their own bug... Bug preventing them to make more money. Instead, I become very frustrated by not getting any support and I'm considering to just sell their Orbis on Ebay and switch to competition. It is pretty damaging us their client base who LOVE their products. Software support branch is destroying all that. At short term, I don't see any other option but to downgrade the firmware (expecting this not to fail...) and switch back to Circle in the meantime, hoping a firmware fix would come soon (and we have no clue about that as no way to get free netgear basic support on their own issues...). Really, if I have to go back to Circle v1, I'm better off buy their own Circle device and use a non NG mesh router set on top of that. Netgear support please listen to your clients!

FURRYe38 wrote:PC is available on newer version of FW:https://community.netgear.com/t5/Circle-Smart-Parental-Controls/Missing-parental-controls-on-firmware-v-2-7-2-104/m-p/2054328/highlight/true#M4209 You can believe me or not. If not, then please contact NG support and have them help you out. Oh I do believe you. I'm already on 104, I went through all pages to install, try to troubleshoot etc. Problem is it's faulty firware / app. My problem is I CANNOT contact NG support for their bug - or I'm missing a link somewhere. But I'm not going to pay premium support to report them bugs they don't even detect in their QA process nor accept as feedback in a free form from their customers like me or vajim . If such a free support reporting page exists, kindly point it out to me and I will follow up with them, I haven't found such a page. Netgear has set up a community forum specifically for the Orbi App product. Most of the people who watch that forum are more likely to have experience with Orbi App and know how to work it better than those of us who follow this "general Orbi" forum. Might be more likely to find someone who has a solution if the question is posted there:https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-App/bd-p/en-home-orbi-appGood Luck.Thanks for this part, this is helpful. I will post the app part of it on this specific forum with screenshots showing the bugs and pray NG God their staff look at frustrated clients posts and start debugging their bad firmware.

RBR50v2 Firmware Upgrade 2.7.2.104 Lost Parental Controls

24 Replies

alokeprasad
Mentor
Feb 03, 2021
Are you using the latest Orbi app?

I don't see ADVANCED > Security > Parental Controls on the web interface,but I see Parental Control on my iOS Orbi app.
I'm still on .102 firmware.
- bnbyrnes
  Guide
  Feb 03, 2021
  I had it before the firmware and lost it after. There is only one app in the Android store. I guess I could try and reinstall.
  - FURRYe38
    Guru
    Feb 03, 2021
    What prior version of FW was loaded? v102?
    bnbyrnes wrote:
    I had it before the firmware and lost it after. There is only one app in the Android store. I guess I could try and reinstall.
CrimpOn
Guru
Feb 03, 2021
bnbyrnes wrote:
I read that Circle is going away and I found this link to install Netgear Smart Parental Controls (https://kb.netgear.com/000062852/How-do-I-upgrade-from-Circle-to-NETGEAR-Smart-Parental-Controls#To%20manually%20install%20the%20new%20NETGEAR%20SPC%20firmware:)
I followed the instructions and after rebooting I dont see the Tap ADD ONS on the Orbi App. I forced closed it and re-opened and still nothing is there. There is also no parental controls tile in the Orbi App.
I agree. The article is entirely wrong. On firmware 2.7.2.104 (a) the Orbi web interface Advanced Tab->Security has no menu item for Parental Controls. and (b) Android app 2.8.0.1395 Home Button has no menu item "ADD ONS" and no tile for Parental Controls.
- vajim
  Master
  Feb 03, 2021
  CrimpOn wrote:
  bnbyrnes wrote:
  I read that Circle is going away and I found this link to install Netgear Smart Parental Controls (https://kb.netgear.com/000062852/How-do-I-upgrade-from-Circle-to-NETGEAR-Smart-Parental-Controls#To%20manually%20install%20the%20new%20NETGEAR%20SPC%20firmware:)
  I followed the instructions and after rebooting I dont see the Tap ADD ONS on the Orbi App. I forced closed it and re-opened and still nothing is there. There is also no parental controls tile in the Orbi App.
  I agree. The article is entirely wrong. On firmware 2.7.2.104 (a) the Orbi web interface Advanced Tab->Security has no menu item for Parental Controls. and (b) Android app 2.8.0.1395 Home Button has no menu item "ADD ONS" and no tile for Parental Controls.
  does
  FURRYe38 the
  Guru
  
  know about this?
- alokeprasad
  Mentor
  Feb 03, 2021
  So, Android users are SOL?
  
  CrimpOn wrote:
  I agree. The article is entirely wrong. On firmware 2.7.2.104 (a) the Orbi web interface Advanced Tab->Security has no menu item for Parental Controls. and (b) Android app 2.8.0.1395 Home Button has no menu item "ADD ONS" and no tile for Parental Controls.
  - CrimpOn
    Guru
    Feb 03, 2021
    alokeprasad wrote:
    So, Android users are SOL?
    That's one way to look at it. To me, the "Big Picture" is not encouraging:
    Netgear Smart Parental Controls was introduced in August, 2020, yet
    There is no community forum for this "not-Circle" product.
    And no "sticky note" at the top of the Circle forum referring users to the new product.
    (Notice that sticky at the top of the Orbi forum about the Genie app no longer supporting Orbi as of Jan 31, 2019.)
    The Orbi AX product forum is still complaining, "Why NO Parental Controls?", and the AX products have been out over a year.
    The newest product datasheet (RAXE500) has no mention of Parental Controls.
    https://www.netgear.com/images/datasheet/networking/wifirouter/RAXE500.pdf
    Searching Parental Controls for the Nighthawk products turns up only material from 2019 about their deal with OpenDNS.
    That How To article was last updated on 1/29/2021 and has obvious errors about (a) the web interface and (b) the Orbi app (for those few of us who use Android)
    Not encouraging at all.

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RBR50v2 Firmware Upgrade 2.7.2.104 Lost Parental Controls