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Forum Discussion
Akolite
Nov 03, 2017Tutor
Orbi RBK50 keeps rebooting!
Hi there, Just got my shiny new ORBI RBK50 system and after working well for 2 days, The system keeps rebooting every few hours. The satellite stays on and reconnected to the main unit once it is...
gloryguy
Dec 23, 2017Tutor
I really, really wanted to make the Orbi's work. I did what I thought was a lot of reaserch before the purchase. Read all all the reviews, checked all the comparison reports and everything I read said they were awsome and wireless beasts. I have to admit, that I never checked these forums before buying them. I wonit make that mistake again! I have had the Nighthawk X6 8000 for 4 or 5 years and a 1900 extender on the 1st floor. It worked pretty well, but with all the mesh hype and just being able to plug in a new router in dead spots etc.... After installing the Orbi's, the first few hours they worked great and then the wife started complaining about her phone and tablet dropping the wireless connection. Then no connection to the alarm and then no Vera controller connection and then no Ring door bell connection. My wife was not happy that I spent 400.00 to ruin our I read about. Different firmware versions, swapping the power adapters, moving units around. When I called support the tech told me thatI had already tried everything that he had in his support script. I figured it must be hardware, so back to Bestbuy for a swap. The new units were exactly the same, random reboots, different hardware? So then I thought well maybe the Bestbuy store had the same batch and I went and swapped them again at a third different store. Same issue! Then I tried turning off UPNP as someone had sugested on here. That seemed to work for a few days and then the reboots started again. I also noticed during the few days that it wasnt rebooting on its own, that the speed was terrible. If I did a speed test when the router first booted up it would be right around 100 mbps down and 10 mbps up. after an hour or so it would drop to around 50 mbps down and 4 mbps up. If I rebooted the router, it would be back to full speed but only four an hour or so. I tested this on the last 4 or 5 firmware revisions with the same results. I read alot of comments from useres that had these working with no issues for a year or so and then after a firmware upgrade several months bck, the problems started. I work from home so all of this was a huge deal to me. If im on a support call with a customer and remoted into them and suddenly the router drops or keeps dropping during our call then.... I thought to myself, if I wait and see if I can fix this or wait for a new firmware version and this takes months or never gets fixed at all then im out 400.00 and be way by the point that I could return them and get something different. I went to Bestbuy and because they extend there return/refund policy during the holidays, I was able to swap th Orbis out for the Velops. The difference was night and day, no more reboots or dropped connections or speed issues. Works awesome now and the wife is happy. We all know that Netgear makes great products, I have been using thier products for years! From the Prosafe firewalls to the Nighthawks, I have never had any issues. I really think they just need to concentrate on the firmware issue and get this fixed before they alienate alot of long time customers. I also think that users with older wireless devices and devices with subpar wireless controllers like Ring are going to have issues regardless. The whole new mesh wireless networking craze and the claim that devices will just switch between networks on the fly and pick the optimal router or satelite is I think a little optimistic, especialy with older wireless devices or devices like Ring or Vera plus etc.
Streak2
Dec 23, 2017Master
These random reboots would drive me around the bend!
I must say though that as one of the beta testers for Orbi neither I nor any of the other testers ever experience this reboot problem.
That's across many firmware versions and various versions of the Orbi eg. 50, 40 etc. and over a period of many months.
I still believe that these reboot issues are environment related and almost impossible to reproduce in the lab. Send me your rebooting unit and it will work perfectly here, I send you my working unit and it will start rebooting at your home.
Not an easy one for Netgear to get to the bottom of but I certainly hope they do
- vreynoldsDec 23, 2017Luminary
I can re-create at will, usually when I haven't been using the phone for a while, then use it..Typically around 4 or 5am when I wake up. I touch my phone, check my email..and I lose wifi. When I am at my desk, and working on a ethernet connected laptop, same thing happens. The act of waking my phone and using internet is making the Orbi reboot. Sometimes it is twice a day, and sometimes it is 4 or 5 times a day. Any way to keep logs of the disconnections in an app?
I have a Samsung Galaxy S8 (AT&T). Others on Pixel 2 phones are also reporting this issue (but not all Pixel owners have this problem). So tough to get to the bottom of this! I am ready to give up, but spent a lot of money on this router.
OK, I realize I am posting the same thing on multiple threads...forgive me. There are so many threads on this!
- Streak2Dec 23, 2017Master
So is this a case of the Orbi losing internet connectivity with your router or a case of it rebooting.
Two different problems.
I have experienced the former problem previously but not for many months now and since my RBR50 was replaced.
I have an S7 Edge the rest of the family have Iphones all working fine.
- vreynoldsDec 23, 2017Luminary
Streak2 wrote:So is this a case of the Orbi losing internet connectivity with your router or a case of it rebooting.
Two different problems.
I have experienced the former problem previously but not for many months now and since my RBR50 was replaced.
I have an S7 Edge the rest of the family have Iphones all working fine.
I'll say it's rebooting. It goes through the colors on the router and the satellite. Also, after the reboot, the log on the router shows:
[Initialized, firmware version: V2.1.1.16] Saturday, December 23, 2017 09:33:25
Perhaps someone with networking experience can confirm or not if this log entry means it's reboting.
- madbrainDec 23, 2017Luminary
Streak2 wrote:These random reboots would drive me around the bend!
I must say though that as one of the beta testers for Orbi neither I nor any of the other testers ever experience this reboot problem.
That's across many firmware versions and various versions of the Orbi eg. 50, 40 etc. and over a period of many months.
I still believe that these reboot issues are environment related and almost impossible to reproduce in the lab. Send me your rebooting unit and it will work perfectly here, I send you my working unit and it will start rebooting at your home.
Not an easy one for Netgear to get to the bottom of but I certainly hope they do
Agree they may not be reproducible in the lab. However, Netgear should have some sort of telemetrics/debugging built into the device to record the crash stacks / kernel dumps that cause the reboots.
What is really infuriating is that after 3 months, you have to pay for support incidents, even when they are device bugs.
And the firmware updates are still forced, so there is no way to stay on a "stable" version.
At this point, most of us are paying beta testers for Orbi, ie. suckers.
My Orbi AP just had yet another reboot an hour ago. Second one in less than 12 hours. All my wireless devices went down during that time.
Since I'm now using a separate R7000 wired router for internet, and Orbi in AP mode, all my wired devices remained up.
- BchildressDec 23, 2017Star
Yes, I think it is issue with handling additional WIFI signals with certain characteristics hitting on same frequency. This is based on me catching the Google Home office.k network being on at the same moment that my router rebooted. That blast from Google Home triggers the reboot for me , in many cases.
I would suggest that Netgear place a Google home or two in their lab and they may have a repeatable situation.
Obviously it is not the only trigger but if they can reproduce that scenario, I suspect that the solution for that, may likely also address a number of other scenarios that result in a reboot.
- godspeedDec 23, 2017Apprentice
Bchildress Do you have Guest Mode enabled, on your Google Home? If so, that enables a hidden SSID emanating from the Home. Additionally, when the Google Home is no longer on the network, it starts its own SSID to enable re-setup.
see: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/googlehome/wSxsrr_HvWI
- BchildressDec 23, 2017StarI don’t have guest mode on but I’m reversing my thoughts on this. I was thinking that the fact that I saw Office.k when I became aware of reboot happening meant it was the trigger, now I’m pretty sure it’s broadcasting that because it also lost WiFi and that’s what it does when that happens, I.e. it’s a victim
- mastervisa30Dec 24, 2017LuminaryNow my router have starting to rebooting,for the first time,my router has been rebooting by its self,happend to times yesterday,now im back on beta version 76 and everythings seems to work again,all ok on beta 76 version,uppdated to latest then it was working some days and the the router starting to reboot by its self,everything is of when im testing to make sure testing the firmwares.
- aazDec 24, 2017Virtuoso
Agree that Netgear needs to troubleshoot this and resolve it, but my experience with their support was less than useless and their suggestions to try some things were effectively designed as time wasters that had nothing to do with the issue.
- mastervisa30Dec 24, 2017LuminaryI have tested asus lyra and linksys velop in august then it was too many bugs,now im trying orbi i think was the best and fastest,but i can not keep this if its staring rebootings by its self some times,my children wife and family doesnt like this,we have a lots of devices,laptops,ipdads,iphones,ip camera,philips hue many others,ehen rebooting by its selv i got a lots of problem gett devices to start again,if not sending back i januar when my return expires,does anyone have tested some other mesh system,if im sending back what mesh system should i get?maybe i can get asus ac5300?i have a big family and big house
- RSRADec 24, 2017StarLike a number of colleagues, we have returned our Orbis to Amazon for a refund. I can wholeheartedly recommend the Zyxel Multy X if you are looking for stable, reliable, fast WiFi coverage over a large area - this kit has offered flawless performance thus far, including a firmware update that added new functionality without causing any problems whatsoever. Whilst the Orbi looks attractive on paper and in the reviews, the testimony of so many users here confirm that it is not with taking the risk if you value your patience and time!
- mastervisa30Dec 24, 2017Luminary
Im gonna have some time inn christmas time and think,after new year im gonna decide if im gonna return my orbi sett,and gett me Zyxel Multy X Tri-Band AC3000 ?maybe Zyxel Multy X Tri-Band AC3000 is gonna beat orbi.Have a good christmas everyone and happy new year.
I can return my orbi free and get my money back if i send it before 15january.
I live in Norway and i think im gonna buyher https://www.komplett.no/product/961948/datautstyr/nettverk/routere/zyxel-multy-x-tri-band-ac 3000#
and here is a link https://www.pocnetwork.net/technology-news/review-zyxel-multy-x-ac3000-tri-band-wifi-mesh-network/
- xlerateDec 24, 2017Guide
Bchildress wrote:
I don’t have guest mode on but I’m reversing my thoughts on this. I was thinking that the fact that I saw Office.k when I became aware of reboot happening meant it was the trigger, now I’m pretty sure it’s broadcasting that because it also lost WiFi and that’s what it does when that happens, I.e. it’s a victimI did oddly notice my 3 Google Home's broadcasting an SSID yesterday but I have Guest mode disabled on all of them.