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Solved
Orbi App has decided not to let me log in from my phone
So, it's been an uneventful month with this firmware for me, but tonight the Orbi App has decided not to let me log in from my phone. It says:
"Login Failed. Please re-enter the correct admin...
Fixed!
What I did:
- went to another computer that I use for music production and tried to login with the Firefox browser which I don't use but was on that computer - it would not accept my password either. Interesting - similar to the iPhone browser behavior. On some browsers the password works, on others, no go. WTF?
- same music computer, now I try with Chrome - it kicks me back with invalid password message and I try again, same thing, I try again, but this time I get the recovery screen asking for the Serial Number, security questions, etc - I fill all that out and set a new password - voila!
- new password works on the browser
- new password works on the Orbi App
So, these instructions https://kb.netgear.com/31016/How-do-I-recover-my-Orbi-admin-password do not work. They are the same instructions you see from the Orbi app if you tell Orbi you forgot your password. Clicking Cancel on the browser login does not work.
What does work is persistently entering some password - mine became very colorful as my irritation grew. Three or four goes at it in succession finally gets the recovery dialog going - do NOT close the browser window, just keep entering passwords until the recovery page comes up - and I have now replicated this behavior on my office computer and one of the iPads. Netgear needs to be made aware of this: the incorrect instructions and the need to have multiple successive logon attempts to get a prompt for recovery - that and why this becomes a problem in the first place.
What in the world brought all this on? And after a month of perfectly normal operations with the current firmware?
My only clue is I noticed the password requirements now must be different than they were when I set it up - it needs at least ten characters and my old one was only eight. It's still bizarre that this suddenly became a problem, but as I mentioned, the Orbi app was apparently updated 5 days ago and maybe it was unable to work with my old 8-character password that also had no special characters.
Nevertheless, the entire password reset process is crap - from the App it's not possible and from a Browser, the process is convoluted. đ
Ensure you have Local Network enabled on the apple devices for the Orbi app. I've seen it where this gets disabled thus not allowing the app to connect to the Orbi system locally while at home.
I just set up my 8 series yesterday in AP mode behind a XR1000 router connected to a CAX80 cable modem. No issues with Orbi app on my iPhone 12 Pro Max with iOS 16
"Ensure you have Local Network enabled on the apple devices for the Orbi app. I've seen it where this gets disabled thus not allowing the app to connect to the Orbi system locally while at home."
I wish it were that simple but, regardless of the Orbi App, I cannot login to the Orbi at all from any Apple device - iPhone App, iPhone Browser (chrome or safari), iPad Browser, etc.
I see in the logs:
"[Admin login failure] from source 192.xxx.x.xxx, Thursday, Sep 29,2022 14:45:29"
for every attempt, but no other good explanation comes from that
For the time being it's not a huge thing as I can manage the Orbi from my PC. Very bizarre and frustrating though. And I'm afraid to do anything crazy as far as config changes since it has been working and I have not changed anything to bring on these problems - been solid for over a month. I'm using the Orbi in AP mode and I wonder if there is something Xfinity may have done to their router that has broken things, although that still does not explain why I am only seeing this issue on Apple devices and not PCs, wired or wifi.
Recap:
what works:
- Connect to Orbi from PC browser wired
- Connect to Orbi from PC browser over wifi
- Apple devices (iPhone, iPad,) connecting to any other local servers (Hue, Powerview, Xfinity xFi router, etc, and internet servers
what doesn't work:
- Connect to Orbi from iPhone Orbi App
- Connect to Orbi from iPhone Browser
- Connect to Orbi from iPad Browser
My feeling is that something has changed in the way the Apple devices are communicating over the network - some protocol issue that Orbi doesn't like. Mystery. I like the Orbi system performance but the amount of effort to deal with it's quirks is a constant bummer.
Thanks to anyone who has a clue.
I do find it a bit random that the logs say "Admin" but the app forces "admin" as the username. Just a nitpick, but I prefer all the ducks to be in a row.
THIS!!!!! Is Exactly my problem:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-App/Orbi-iPhone-App-Login-Failure-default-User-Name-quot-admin-quot/td-p/2124123Unfortunately, I cannot decipher what the person is saying he did to solve it. Beyond that, what the heck suddenly brings on this problem?
So if anyone can decipher this fix and restate it in a meaningful way, that would be great.
And you are sure your devices are connected to the Orbi wifi?
^^^ Yes, of course. đ
What happens if you try to set up a new system and walk thru that on the Orbi app?
^^^ Not sure - fear of making the problem worse - seems like a pain and why should I have to do this out of the blue?Also might turn OFF the RBS, factory reset the RBR and set it up the RBR with Orbi app and a new system and walk thru the setup process.
^^^ Ugh - sick of doing that, and again, afraid of making it worse.Seems like something is blocking the app from getting to the RBR.
Are you sure the Orbi app is first signed into your NG profile account, then if the apple devices are connected to the Orbi wifi, the log in should be seen for the RBR admin log in using "admin" for the user name and then the password you have set on the RBR for the RBRs log in page.
^^^ No I'm not sure - not even sure what that means "signed into my NG profile account" - but let's forget about the app - why can't I get to it from a Browser on the phone when a Browser on a PC works fine?
I already had my system setup prior by wired PC, I used the PC to configure AP mode with the RBS still connected. I used static IP configuration on the RBR for AP mode. When the RBR rebooted, I connected it to the host router and the RBS followed behind and rebooted and got re-connected. After the system was online, I checked with my iphone and Orbi app connected fine.
^^^ Yes, that is the expected behavior which I have been experiencing until just now.
Interestingly, I cannot change my "admin" password even from the PC - tells me I'm using the wrong old password even though that is the password I use to log into it to change my password? WTF!!!
And you are sure your devices are connected to the Orbi wifi?
What happens if you try to set up a new system and walk thru that on the Orbi app?
Also might turn OFF the RBS, factory reset the RBR and set it up the RBR with Orbi app and a new system and walk thru the setup process.
Seems like something is blocking the app from getting to the RBR.
Are you sure the Orbi app is first signed into your NG profile account, then if the apple devices are connected to the Orbi wifi, the log in should be seen for the RBR admin log in using "admin" for the user name and then the password you have set on the RBR for the RBRs log in page.
I already had my system setup prior by wired PC, I used the PC to configure AP mode with the RBS still connected. I used static IP configuration on the RBR for AP mode. When the RBR rebooted, I connected it to the host router and the RBS followed behind and rebooted and got re-connected. After the system was online, I checked with my iphone and Orbi app connected fine.