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Forum Discussion
Cannot sync Orbi RBS50Y outdoor satellite to new Orbi RBR850 router.
Hello Community, I am copying my post here, that I subbmitted to Netgear support, but have not received any reply. Thank you for your assistance! <copied text> I spoke with a woman in tech ...
Has anyone successfully deployed an RBS50Y in Extender Mode with Orbi AX? Also, I have two older RBS50Y's can anyone confirm if extender mode is just a firmware update that wokrs with all RBS50Y's or just newer ones?
Thanks.
For everybody out there trying to sync an RBS50Y satellite and an RBR850 router:
After many attempts and some contact with NG Support, I managed to get this working, As it turns out, there are a couple of very important thing to keep in mind (at least valid at the time of writing):
- NG support confirmed RBS50Y and RBR850 can sync in Extender mode only. Orbi mesh mode is currently not supported.
- AX mode on the RBR850 does not have to be disabled.
- Extender mode only works on the main wireless network, not on the RBR850's guest network.
- 5GHz wifi only works in Indoor mode (makes sense to me as 5GHz is tri-band, just like indoor mode is. Outdoor mode is dual-band, but I don't know why these modes are called Indoor and Outdoor, radio frequency legislation maybe?).
- 5GHz between RBR850 and RBS50Y only works when going through the RBS50Y's Extender setup wizard. Just enabling 5GHz on the RBS50Y after setup is not enough (it will make the RBS50Y broadcast 5GHz but there is no 5GHz connection with the RBR850).
- RBS50Y FW 1.0.0.46 / RBR850 FW 3.2.15.25.
The setup sequence that did it for me:
- Boot RBS50Y in Extender mode: switch off RBS50Y with the power button, then press and hold the sync button while pressing and releasing the power button. Wait until led flashes blue and white before releasing the sync button. If the led is now blinking white, repeat this sequence. If the led is now blinking blue, proceed.
- Wait until the led is solid blue.
- Find wireless network NETGEAR_EXT and connect to it. If the network is not visible, press and release the RBS50Y's sync button.
- In a browser, go to mywifiext.local
- Start setup and when asked, choose manual setup for connecting the RBS50Y and the RBR850.
- Update RBS50Y's firmware if applicable (see menu on left).
- Enable 5GHz wifi (see menu left).
- Click the top item on the menu left. Start wizard to sync RBS50Y and RBR850.
- After setup, see if RBS50Y is connected as a device to RBR850 (it's not a satellite). If it is, copy it's ip address and navigate to it in a browser to check it's status.
Hope this helps anyone.
Grtz!
That is good info, thanks. I can not get my RBS50Y's to go into external mode. I am begining to think this has to do with the sync button "lockout" being left in place from my previous network with my old RBR50's. Does anyone know how to re-enable the sync button function on an outdoor satellite if you no longer have the orignal Orbi router it was synced with?
I'm sure you already tried the reset button, so I won't suggest that ;) What I did when I really got desperate, was turning the RBS50Y off using the power button. Then I pushed and held both the sync and the reset button while pressing and releasing the power button again. That resulted in the RBS50Y showing a continuous amber led, leaving me puzzled what that was supposed to mean. I thought I might had bricked the RBS50Y, but after that Orbi/Extender firmware swapping still worked. Maybe that helps? Otherwise I think you may be right about the sync button being disabled and I'm all out of suggestions...sorry.
Hi RebelPeacock
We’d greatly appreciate hearing your feedback letting us know if the information prrrtpieptoet provided has helped resolve your issue or if you need further assistance.
Regards,
Blanca
Community Team
Well, after waiting two months for a fix or firmware update, I just returned my Outdoor Satellite for a refund, and I was VERY unhappy about doing so. The rest of the one-thousand dollars + I spent was in large part motivated by the Outdoor Satellite component and was not happy I couldnt get it to work.
Sorry to say, Netgear support did nothing for ME, provided no solutions, and just said a firmware update would be pending.
Glad to hear SOMEONE managed to hack this :)
I returned mine long ago (I was the one who started this). You would think Netgear would have made a fix for this way before now. It seems that NG is using the Community to figure out their fixes. It is still in workaround status. There is no fix. Netgear should manufacture a new product that will work with an AX system, and GIVE that new product to anyone who complained about the RBS50Y's inability to properly mesh with their Orbi AX!
I originally bought my RBS50Y to go with my RBR850. It did not do what the ad eluded to, tech support was worthless (still are) and gave me some false information about a firmware fix that still has yet to hapen. Afterwards, I returned the item for a refund.
Yes you did and thank you for that!
It is on the website now, buried in the spec details, that this is not compatible with AX > "Note: Only supports ac routers." but you have to definitely look for it, and of course the average consumer wouldn't even catch that (or understand what it means).
Kind of goes against the idea of calling this an Orbi "System" at all
- Thank you
This seems to work.
prrrtpieptoet wrote:For everybody out there trying to sync an RBS50Y satellite and an RBR850 router:
After many attempts and some contact with NG Support, I managed to get this working, As it turns out, there are a couple of very important thing to keep in mind (at least valid at the time of writing):
- NG support confirmed RBS50Y and RBR850 can sync in Extender mode only. Orbi mesh mode is currently not supported.
- AX mode on the RBR850 does not have to be disabled.
- Extender mode only works on the main wireless network, not on the RBR850's guest network.
- 5GHz wifi only works in Indoor mode (makes sense to me as 5GHz is tri-band, just like indoor mode is. Outdoor mode is dual-band, but I don't know why these modes are called Indoor and Outdoor, radio frequency legislation maybe?).
- 5GHz between RBR850 and RBS50Y only works when going through the RBS50Y's Extender setup wizard. Just enabling 5GHz on the RBS50Y after setup is not enough (it will make the RBS50Y broadcast 5GHz but there is no 5GHz connection with the RBR850).
- RBS50Y FW 1.0.0.46 / RBR850 FW 3.2.15.25.
The setup sequence that did it for me:
- Boot RBS50Y in Extender mode: switch off RBS50Y with the power button, then press and hold the sync button while pressing and releasing the power button. Wait until led flashes blue and white before releasing the sync button. If the led is now blinking white, repeat this sequence. If the led is now blinking blue, proceed.
- Wait until the led is solid blue.
- Find wireless network NETGEAR_EXT and connect to it. If the network is not visible, press and release the RBS50Y's sync button.
- In a browser, go to mywifiext.local
- Start setup and when asked, choose manual setup for connecting the RBS50Y and the RBR850.
- Update RBS50Y's firmware if applicable (see menu on left).
- Enable 5GHz wifi (see menu left).
- Click the top item on the menu left. Start wizard to sync RBS50Y and RBR850.
- After setup, see if RBS50Y is connected as a device to RBR850 (it's not a satellite). If it is, copy it's ip address and navigate to it in a browser to check it's status.
Hope this helps anyone.
Grtz!
- I disagree with this workaround. If it doesn't mesh, it's not worth the hassle, headache, cost, and valuable time. I would think that most of us want something to work out of the box, without playing around with it all the time. We all have lives to live away from this mess. I recommend that you do NOT purchase this product, return it if you can, and move on with your lives. Send a clear message to NG that we are not their problem fixers.
Thats fine, however for some it maybe all they want. Will let then decide.
I'm sure NG will get it fixed.
Good luck.
