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facest's avatar
facest
Tutor
Nov 29, 2023
Solved

I'm struggling with this with a new RBR853 kit

I'm struggling with this with a new RBR853 kit, I can ping the satellite IP but I'm not able to access the web interface anyway.   I've tried resetting them, tried wired backhaul, tried connectin...
  • facest's avatar
    facest
    Dec 04, 2023

    I ended up resolving this myself using nmrpflash after searching for info about how to fix a bricked device, even though mine weren't exactly bricked.

     

     

    After this I had to move the satellites closer to the router and power them on, and after a few reboots they were up and running with the sync error gone and web interfaces accessible.

    PS D:\Applications> .\nmrpflash.exe -L
    net15 192.168.1.107 22:22:22:22:22:22 (Wi-Fi)
    net13 192.168.1.254 33:33:33:33:33:33 (Ethernet) <--- use this interface

    PS D:\Applications> .\nmrpflash.exe -i net13 -f .\RBS850-V7.2.6.21.chk
    Waiting for Ethernet connection (Ctrl-C to skip).
    Warning: IP address marked as deprecated.
    Advertising NMRP server on net13 ... /
    Received configuration request from 44:44:44:44:44:44.
    Sending configuration: 10.164.183.253/24.
    Received upload request: filename 'firmware'.
    Uploading RBS850-V7.2.6.21.chk ... Warning: TFTP block rollover. Upload might fail!
    OK (38540186 b)
    Waiting for remote to respond.
    Remote finished. Closing connection.
    Reboot your device now.

    Netgear's manual flash instructions weren't helpful in this situation and I think they should extend it to include nmrpflash - it's an easy process... if you know it's something to try.

     

    Going around in circles with support re-doing the initial setup steps and hoping it'd do something different really isn't a good experience, especially when it was clear this was an issue with with the satellites on their own.

facest's avatar
facest
Tutor
Nov 30, 2023

No luck. I can downgrade as far as the first v4 version, and tried a few different versions of v4, and in all cases the satellites web interface doesn't come up and the RBR shows the satellite connected, backhaul out of sync (flicks between good and out of sync during boot), and the network IP/MAC, but nothing else.

 

Tried factory resetting the RBR and satellites and pairing the first one up via ethernet with no luck. They just seem to be stuck in this state where they connect to the RBR fine but don't get to the point where the web interface works.

 

Checking the BSSID on a connected client it does look like the satellite is accepting clients and the backhaul is fine - even with the web interface being down and the RBR showing backhaul issues.

 

It's the same symptoms as this thread, except it's happening on my satellites and not the router itself https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-App/RBR850-We-can-t-find-your-Orbi/td-p/2220651

 

 

  • facest's avatar
    facest
    Tutor
    Dec 04, 2023

    I'm working with support currently but they apparently didn't escalate over the weekend, and so far all they've done is ask me to factory reset and try to re-sync the satellites.

     

    The only interesting thing support mentioned was that they weren't convinced I bought these last week and wanted me to prove I did; the manufacture date and purchase date are years apart.

     

    I'm assuming they're just dead and need to be returned, so if you're in this situation don't do what I did - it's not worth burning your weekend factory resetting and rebooting your Orbi devices, sometimes they're just broken. I got these from Amazon during black Friday sales and the only reason I haven't just returned them is that I'd have to have them refunded and re-buy at full price just for the chance that I don't get an equally broken set.

     

    For anyone interested in symptoms, the web interface of the router shows the satellites as paired but out of sync. Here's a screenshot of them with one connected via wired backhaul, both with the same issue:

     

    I assume there's more people out there with this issue that don't even realise it, because while they're in this state the mesh doesn't work and each satellite will only connect to the router and not to other satellites, but they do broadcast the SSID and clients connected to them work fine. The Orbi app and web interface gives no indication that there's an issue unless you look in attached devices on the web interface, and the mobile app shows everything as green unless you tap into the satellite and check details to see there's no hardware or firmware version listed - but even that isn't obviously a problem.

     

    I couldn't in good faith recommend these to anyone especially at this price point. Just get the TP-Links and save yourself (or your family) the hassle.

     

    Orbi AX6000 WiFi Mesh System (RBK853) 

     

     

  • facest's avatar
    facest
    Tutor
    Dec 04, 2023

    I ended up resolving this myself using nmrpflash after searching for info about how to fix a bricked device, even though mine weren't exactly bricked.

     

     

    After this I had to move the satellites closer to the router and power them on, and after a few reboots they were up and running with the sync error gone and web interfaces accessible.

    PS D:\Applications> .\nmrpflash.exe -L
    net15 192.168.1.107 22:22:22:22:22:22 (Wi-Fi)
    net13 192.168.1.254 33:33:33:33:33:33 (Ethernet) <--- use this interface

    PS D:\Applications> .\nmrpflash.exe -i net13 -f .\RBS850-V7.2.6.21.chk
    Waiting for Ethernet connection (Ctrl-C to skip).
    Warning: IP address marked as deprecated.
    Advertising NMRP server on net13 ... /
    Received configuration request from 44:44:44:44:44:44.
    Sending configuration: 10.164.183.253/24.
    Received upload request: filename 'firmware'.
    Uploading RBS850-V7.2.6.21.chk ... Warning: TFTP block rollover. Upload might fail!
    OK (38540186 b)
    Waiting for remote to respond.
    Remote finished. Closing connection.
    Reboot your device now.

    Netgear's manual flash instructions weren't helpful in this situation and I think they should extend it to include nmrpflash - it's an easy process... if you know it's something to try.

     

    Going around in circles with support re-doing the initial setup steps and hoping it'd do something different really isn't a good experience, especially when it was clear this was an issue with with the satellites on their own.