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Forum Discussion
RBR/RBS 50 firmware 2.7.3.22
New firmware is incoming this week I have been told. No release notes details yet but may fix either device list issues or link rate issue. Keep an eye on https://www.netgear.com/support/product/RBK50...
RBR50 + 2 x RBS 50 firmware just upgraded from 2.7.2.104 to 2.7.3.22
Seems it broke my setup without me clicking to update (I read in another thread that Netgear forced an update - seriously??? WTF??? Is that serious? In the middle of a pandemic, break everyone's wifi while they are working from home?)
Issues found:
* wired backhaul no longer working, only connects using wirelsss (which is poor quality, thus the reason for the wired backhaul). MAJOR ISSUE
* using Android "Netgear Orbi - WiFi System App" version 2.10.6.1635 (the latest, released 23 July 2021) shows both RBS50 as disconnected (red lines), whereas logging into the router itself shows both RBS50 connected using wireless backhaul.
* [subjective] wireless connectivity is poor when via the RBS50 now, previously it was rock solid using v2.7.2.104 with wired backhaul.
* no "enable telnet" option, so no way to properly diagnose or fix
Can I revert to the 2.7.2.104 ? How? Will it "auto-upgrade" itself again? And can I avoid an auto-upgrade by blocking some particular DNS addresses? (Orbi is inside another network).
Well in case anyone was wondering how I just recently (Christmas 2021) solved the problem of my Orbi updating to 2.7.3.22 and thus breaking wired backhaul and having various ongoing app issues...
Firstly a recap:
- wired backhaul became unreliable at best after Netgear forcibly updated my stable 2.7.2.104 Orbis to the crappy 2.7.3.22 firmware.
- The auto-update happened without my approval, and doesn't have any way of being stopped.
- The Orbi App kept reporting only one Satellite connected, but showed devices (that were working, albeit unreliably) connected to the other Satellite when you clicked into that Satellite (i.e. the app was broken too)
- No "enable telnet" option so the ability to diagnose & fix has been removed.
So in summary, Netgear forcibly updated to unreliable software, with no way back (just auto-updates again) and destroyed a previously functional network.
Now the solution:
- Get Officeworks to pricematch (and minus 5%) Bing Lee's current $329 offer on a Google Nest Wifi 3 Pack (router + 2 points). https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/google-nest-wifi-3-pack-1-router-and-2-points-sygg1m2v3 and https://www.binglee.com.au/products/google-ga00823-nest-wifi-3-pack-one-router-and-two-points (valid to end of 2021)
- Rock solid performance, zero dropouts. I bought 2 of these 3-packs and also used the second Google Nest Router as a "point" (wired backhaul between the second Nest WAN to the "main" Nest LAN and it "just works")
- The SONOS (4 units all latest firmware with their wireless disabled, connected via a switch to the LAN of the Google Nest Wifi) also now just works consistently, instead of fighting with the Orbit and going randomly offline (suspect something to do with Spanning Tree Protocol, worked with 2.7.2.104 but another thing that the Netgear auto-update broke)
- WAF has moved to 100% and the kids have STFU about dropouts. So Netgear and their forcibly-updating Orbis can GaGF.
Worth every cent (the Google Nest Wifi that is). Yeah, there is nothing to configure, no knobs to play with, no telnet console (to my knowledge) etc etc. But unlike the Orbi with the 2.7.3.22 firmware, the Google equipment actually just works, so no real need.