Orbi AC3000 system constantly dropping Wifi

Nice update!

The reason Satellite is more reliable is due to its stable 5GHz backhaul back to Orbi.  Given Macbook Air is 30ft away and connects to main Orbi, it could be suffering from weak 5GHz WiFi signals.  If you haven't already, try restoring 2.4GHz back to 100% and see if that helps.

I tried upping 2.4GHz power, but even if I raise it to just 50%, immediately my LG TV latches on to the 2.4 signal and I get vastly reduced WiFi speed--which greatly affects Plex and Netflix viewing. Going back to 25% the LG grabs the sat's 5GHz signal again and all is well. I would kill 2.4GHz tranmission altogether if I could.

At this point, it looks like I'm going to have to put up with occasional WiFi drops in my bedroom in order to have the best-possible (but still not drop-free) connection to my basement iMac and family-room LG smart TV.

Overall, the Orbi system has been a disappointment. It's great WHEN it works, but the lack of a completely reliable connection and the not-up-to-the-hype range (particularly from the RBR base unit) ultimately means, when I can affford to do so, I'll be replacing it with a true mesh system. I'd even settle for slightly reduced WiFi speed (which was one of the reasons I opted for the Orbi) for a more reliable connection and less hassle with IT issues.

No "home" WiFi system should be this challenging to set up, so finicky about firmware, power settings, location of units, etc. Again, while it's hopelessly dated compared with today's high-speed systems, my old Airport Extreme was absolutely effortless to set up (plug it into the bridged modem/router, done!) and rock-solid day in and day out. I NEVER saw a spinning "loading" icon while watching Netflix. Never. With the Orbi ... It's already happened several times.

LD

LG TV shouldn't have an issue with 2.4GHz, which supports link rate up to 400Mbps at 100% power.  With your current 200Mbps ISP speed, 2.4GHz should be sufficient unless it's heavily congested.  If 2.4GHz is really congested, get a 2nd Satellite for the MacBook Air location or enable separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz SSIDs.

Yes, LG TV can use 2.4GHz and should work that way at 100% power. In THEORY. In practice, the moment the LG acquires a 2.4GHz signal (always from the main RBR), connection drops and TV performance suffers considerably (i.e., Netflix autoplay previews that work perfectly on 5GHz now take forever to load or simply don't work at all). Plex performance (running off my basement iMac server) becomes so slow as to be unusable. The only solution for decent smart TV performance is lowering 2.4GHz to minimum power (25%) so TV always picks up the 5GHz signal off the RBS.

Also, I plan to upgrade the Xfiniity speed (I've sort of inherited the current 200MB/s plan) to at least 500MB/s. Will see how that affects things in general.

As for adding a second sat ... I'm not spending another dime on this Orbi system. As is, the two-unit AC3000 is advertised as "whole house WiFi" for a 5000 sq ft abode. My place is 2400 sq ft at most and the signal is subpar in all but a couple locations (I just had a dropout as I write this!). The other night my wife was in the den trying to watch Netflix on her iPad and the signal dropped so often (spinning buffer) she quit trying to watch her movie in frustration. And the den is barely 25-30 ft from the main RBR! This is pitiul. Does the "5000 sq ft" coverage only apply to houses made of balsa wood?

Today I got an email from Netgear asking me if my issues had been solved (I suppose they can't wait to apply the happy green arrow to this thread). Answer: NO. I have now spent well over a month of almost daily fiddling with the system, trying new router/sat locations, varying power and other settings, dealing with dropped WiFi and rebooting units, etc, etc., etc.

I bought the Orbi system simply to get great Wifi (per many glowing reviews) and, above all, rock-solid performance. Instead, I now have a part-time IT job and none of my WiFi needs met.

Possible the wifi adapters in your TVs could be the problem as well. Seen others with issues in these TVs. They seem to prefer 2.4Ghz rather then 5Ghz. Ensure the TVs FW is up to date as well. 

You might try another Orbi MESH system or ask about an RMA from NG. See if a different system exhibits the same problem or not. If it does, i would presume it maybe a TV issue rather then Orbi. 

I bought the second satellite figuring that would fix my drop-outs. Instead, it's gotten worse. Now I'm regretting not just going with the Xfinity mesh pods. We'll see if I can troubleshoot to make it work better, but I agree that in 2020, a consumer WIFI solution shouldn't be this hard or take this much vocabulary. 

What Firmware is currently loaded? Ensure both RBR and RBS are using same version of FW. 

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

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-router

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).

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PaulInSF wrote:

I bought the second satellite figuring that would fix my drop-outs. Instead, it's gotten worse. Now I'm regretting not just going with the Xfinity mesh pods. We'll see if I can troubleshoot to make it work better, but I agree that in 2020, a consumer WIFI solution shouldn't be this hard or take this much vocabulary. 

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PaulInSF  ...    I feel your pain. Sorry to hear that adding a second sat didn't help (and actually worsened) your setup, but I do appreciate your sharing that info as I was considering that route myself.

I haven't returned to this thread in some time as I've essentially accepted my setup as-is and, for the most part, it's now working pretty well.

Regarding the notes from FURRYe38 ... I have tried EVERYTHING you mentioned at one time or another. I am currently runnning FW v2.5.1.8 on both the base station and the sat. I'm using the base in AP mode; it's attached to a Comcast Technicolor modem with service at 200/20 (I'm going to upgrade that to 1GB soon--and I'll likely dump the rental modem and buy one).

Sat is about 50 ft from the base. I get excellent signal/speed at 5GHz in my basement office (the sat sits almost directly above on the main floor), but my LG smartTV in the family room--about another 50 feet or so from the sat) usually locks onto 2.4GHz. I've tried various channels (Auto and manual settings) for both frequencies. Right now I'm on Auto 2.4 and 48 for 5.

For about three weeks I had almost zero wifi drops--then I stupidly moved the base unti about 8 inches to the left (to get it out of the sun coming thru a window), and suddenly I'd lose wifi 2-3 times a day. Needless to say, I moved it back. It seems to be better now, but seriously can't believe the system is THAT placement-sensitive.

I do have 5-6 other wifi neighbors who I scan for channel use and attempt to distance my setup from. Otherwise, right now I have beamforming on, fast roaming off (dropped all the time with that enabled), coexistence at 40MHz only, IPv6 on, no daisy chain obviously (just one sat), and not using the other features as the base is not in router mode.

All the other questions mentioned I believe I've answered elsewhere in this thread.

For now, I think I can live with what I've got--as long as the drops don't come back (or very rarely). I'm hoping upping my cable service speed will help, too.

LD

LanceD 

Possible your buiding materials and envrionment are playing a roll in this. If you moved it a short distance and it got worse then moved it back and got better, this would be some material and envronment causing some of this. What happens if you go in the other direction with the RBS. 

What the initial move away from the RBR or closer to the RBR when you noticed it got worse? 

Hi,

I'm finally getting back to this. 

I have an xFi router from Comcast but it doesn't have a model number on it. Our house is 4200 square feet and I was told a router and 2 satellites would be good for this setup, though I'm regretting not just buying some xFi pods since @ $79 each, they were more cost-efficient.

I can't find the Orbi settings on the app so have not been able to troubleshoot other than moving one satellite about 15' closer.  I have just found the Orbi settings on the browser admin and will try some of these settings changes next.

We daisy chain an Apple Time Capsule off of the Orbi router and the odd thing is that the Orbi router often just stops completely, requiring a reboot. When it goes out, the daisy-chained Time Capsule goes out too. 

We do have 7-8 WIFI neighbors near us. 

Thanks!

If your modem has a router buit in, it may have wifi as well. This would be a double NAT condition which isn't recommended. https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT
https://kb.netgear.com/30187/How-to-fix-issues-with-Double-NAT
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge or modem only mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ/ExposedHost or IP Pass-Through for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode.
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the Orbi router to the modem, configure AP mode on the Orbi router. https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7LOcJ8GdDo&app=desktop 

Please try one of the suggestions above with the Orbi RBR. 

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last update? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMw4ePACgc4
https://www.howtogeek.com/434350/how-to-factory-reset-a-router/

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PaulInSF wrote:

Hi,

I'm finally getting back to this. 

 

I have an xFi router from Comcast but it doesn't have a model number on it. Our house is 4200 square feet and I was told a router and 2 satellites would be good for this setup, though I'm regretting not just buying some xFi pods since @ $79 each, they were more cost-efficient.

 

I can't find the Orbi settings on the app so have not been able to troubleshoot other than moving one satellite about 15' closer.  I have just found the Orbi settings on the browser admin and will try some of these settings changes next.

 

We daisy chain an Apple Time Capsule off of the Orbi router and the odd thing is that the Orbi router often just stops completely, requiring a reboot. When it goes out, the daisy-chained Time Capsule goes out too. 

 

We do have 7-8 WIFI neighbors near us. 

 

Thanks!

 

 

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Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. I've kept the xFi WIFI going since it's sometimes the only working WIFI in the house but will turn it off to test.

When you say do a reset on the router, do you mean the Orbi or the xFi?  If I reset, won't i have to reenter all these details again, or does Orbi store the Orbi ones in the cloud ?

Thanks!

Yes, try the ISP modems wifi disabled first to see if this helps with the dropping of WiFi on the Orbi. I believe it may.

A reset sometimes is needed as a troubleshooting step. Sometimes newer FW udpates cause problems in pre-existing configurations that become incompatible with newer FW code. Thus a reset maybe needed if users are experienceing problems after a FW update. To save a configuration of the RBR, you can use the backup feature under Advanced tab/Administration/Backup. This will save your current configuration to file for save keeping and saves time. Nothing is saved to the cloud. 

Let us know how it goes. 

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PaulInSF wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. I've kept the xFi WIFI going since it's sometimes the only working WIFI in the house but will turn it off to test.

 

When you say do a reset on the router, do you mean the Orbi or the xFi?  If I reset, won't i have to reenter all these details again, or does Orbi store the Orbi ones in the cloud ?

 

Thanks!

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Any progress on this? Please let us know. 

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PaulInSF wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. I've kept the xFi WIFI going since it's sometimes the only working WIFI in the house but will turn it off to test.

 

When you say do a reset on the router, do you mean the Orbi or the xFi?  If I reset, won't i have to reenter all these details again, or does Orbi store the Orbi ones in the cloud ?

 

Thanks!

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the SQ Ft range is way over-rated - maybe that works for a open banquet style hall.  I'm using 4 satellites + base across a house ~4000 sq feet one story but lots of walls and getting a solid roaming mesh connection all the way thru (I bought 2 x RBK53 to do this and just use the satellites on the second kit - but there is a way now someone has found to convert RBR50 to RBS50 using telnet commands - u can google that on your own).  When I first bought Orbi I had stability issues, but it's come a long way - FW 2.5.1.16 as of this post.    I don't have neighbors close by but that could be the big advantage (no interference).  I have CAT 5 so I can use ethernet backhaul or NOT - it seems to actually not make a big difference.  On Wifi I can get 200-300-400 Mbps speeds (on a 1g Fiber connection).   AC 3000 (RBK50).  On the hardwired satellites I'm getting full speed 940 Mbps hardwired to the ethernet ports.  

I don't use AP mode - I'd rather it NAT and create a separate subnet - I found that this is actually MORE stable for me than trying to bridge to the cable or fiber modem - (I don't game, but I do have ring cameras, Alexa, Nest with no issues).   So my cable modem is 192.168.100.xx and my orbi wifi network is all 192.168.1.x and that presents no issue for me (i know people say u shouldn't do that but I experience no problems and I've been doing this for several years setup like this).  Turn off the cable modem wifi - u dont need more wifi congestion.  

Settings I'm using:  Automatic for the channel settings 

Advanced - advanced setup - wireless settings

All the following OFF:   20/40 Coexistence (NOT checked) -- this I found DID make a difference in my old house where I had too much wifi interference leaving it checked (ON) made my signal range worse. 

All the following ON:

Enable Implicit BEAMFORMING - Boosts WiFi speed, reliability, & range for all mobile devices
Enable MU-MIMO
Enable Fast Roaming
Enable Daisy-Chain Topology
Enable WMM (Wi-Fi multimedia) settings
Enable SSID Broadcast

I leave the power settings at default 100%

So bottom line I think - u need more satellities than u think - the range isn't that good esp thru walls - but the speeds are awesome with the right number of satellites.

Distance, size and building materials are important. Concrete and steel will impact wifi travel. 

5000sq ft size home two story with basement works for my 1 RBR50 and 1 RBS50. 

On http://orbilogin.com/

Go to Advanced/Administration/Backup settings, and backup current settings to a file. If you have to perform a factory reset, when you are finished setting up, you can restore that saved file, using the restore function, on above mentioned page. .