Intermittent DNS Errors and WiFi Issues

Users can and will need to keep in contact with NG support. You have that option using support tickets or PM a forum moderator. 

If you don't feel like keeping your Orbi system, then you can always retuirn it, for those who have that option, and wait until NG fixes this. We don't get any informaton on when NG fixes or posts new FW so users will need to keep an eye on the NG download site and or in here in the forums. 

Nothing else we can do here in the forums about this issue. 

Good Luck. 

NG doesn't give any information on when new FW updates are forth coming. 

One could downgrade and try to apply the mentioned telnet change as a work around earlier in this thread I believe. 

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rr20552 wrote:
When do we think we get a fix for this DNS issue.

Due to the lack of parental controls (don’t even get me started) I am forced to use a family friendly DNS provider (1.1.1.1 for families) but are plagued by this intermittent DNS issue.

I’ve tried talking to support but their advice was to try and downgrade - even though I was having the same intermittent issue on the previous firmware.

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Downgrading your firmware won't solve the DNS issue. The issue has been reported almost a year ago. 

• https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/RBR850-frequently-issuing-DNS-REFUSED-responses/td-p/1926055

The only solution is for Netgear to fix the DNS server / firmware.

One can certainaly try the downgrade and the telnet modification that was mentioned. 

This is not correct, I still have my telnet enabled and running the fix I mentioned earlier. 

I dont know when they removed the possibilty to enable telnet, but for sure know that they dont clear the telnetd_enable from nvram on update

Output from cli today:

root@RBR850:/# version

Release version : Orbi 11AX Router RBR850 

                  U12H404T00/V3.2.17.12/1.4.14

           Time : Dec 28 2020 22:06:59

    CFE version : V1.0.12

root@RBR850:/# nvram show |grep telnet

telnetd_enable=1

root@RBR850:/# 

Me too! My modem is only a few days old and I regularly see DNS errors. I've logged a support ticket and hope that anyone else with the problem will too, so that Netgear see that they have to fix their firmware.

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DNS_PROBE_FAIL wrote:

You've got that right.  I'm at 24 days of back and forth with their support.  Logs, remote connections to my machine, proving I can recreate the issue on demand.  And to make matters worse, a fix that previously worked via telnet is no longer available because they blocked that feature with their firmware updates.

 

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Sadly it's this kind of nonsense that means I haven't raised the issue with Netgear support. It seems clear that they're not taking this issue seriously and haven't for many months.

I bought the Orbi system because we now have three people working full-time from home in this house due to Covid and I needed to improve the wi-fi coverage. Like others I initially found it unusable due to the DNS errors but using the workaround of running the Orbi in AP mode I have found it meets my needs. (The wi-fi coverage is, admittedly, excellent). I definitely don't have the luxury of spending weeks going backwards and forwards to Netgear support recreating their own issue for them when I need a product that works, and works now. Netgear shouldn't need our input to troubleshoot this problem anyway, it's immediately obvious as soon as you start using the device.

I'm lucky because I do have an ISP modem/router and therefore do have the luxury of running the Orbi in AP mode. I accept that many in this forum are not so lucky, and I don't consider having to use a workaround to use a £900 product in any way acceptable - but it meets my needs. Good luck to all of those pursuing this, I wish you every success.

Retired_Member Hopefully telnet is not accessible externally, it's an insecure protocol and not advisable to keep enabled long term in any network environment.

I thought you said telnet was disabled upon firmware upgrade, but I guess you said the DNS settings changes were reset, not telnet enable. 

I did send a link to your post and findings to NG support, hopefully they read it in between their nap times and whatever else they do.  Thank you

I would presume that you updated your system over the top of what you had and have not done a factory reset since. I tried this after v12 was applied to mine however mine was reset. I could not enable telnet on v12 using the enabler from a command line.

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Retired_Member wrote:

This is not correct, I still have my telnet enabled and running the fix I mentioned earlier. 

 

I dont know when they removed the possibilty to enable telnet, but for sure know that they dont clear the telnetd_enable from nvram on update

 

Output from cli today:

root@RBR850:/# version

Release version : Orbi 11AX Router RBR850 

                  U12H404T00/V3.2.17.12/1.4.14

           Time : Dec 28 2020 22:06:59

    CFE version : V1.0.12

root@RBR850:/# nvram show |grep telnet

telnetd_enable=1

root@RBR850:/# 

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Telnet is old, outdated and easy to sniff tool for sure, so I am in the process of getting dropbear (ssh) up and running.

Besides utelnetd which is the one running on orbi has the switch "-i br-lan" for binding to the lan-interface only, and internally I like to think I have control :)

That is correct I have done the firmware updates without doing the factory-reset, that would explain the different behavor.

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FURRYe38 wrote:

I would presume that you updated your system over the top of what you had and have not done a factory reset since. I tried this after v12 was applied to mine however mine was reset. I could not enable telnet on v12 using the enabler from a command line.

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Retired_Member wrote:

This is not correct, I still have my telnet enabled and running the fix I mentioned earlier. 

 

I dont know when they removed the possibilty to enable telnet, but for sure know that they dont clear the telnetd_enable from nvram on update

 

Output from cli today:

root@RBR850:/# version

Release version : Orbi 11AX Router RBR850 

                  U12H404T00/V3.2.17.12/1.4.14

           Time : Dec 28 2020 22:06:59

    CFE version : V1.0.12

root@RBR850:/# nvram show |grep telnet

telnetd_enable=1

root@RBR850:/# 

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I tried reaching out to Netgear to make them aware of this issue, however because the 90 day support window expired I am unable to do so. 

I don't want or need phone/chat/mail support to ask questions on how to setup my router or how to turn on/off the router. I want to make Netgear aware there is a serious fault with their product that affects all customers. However with their 90 day policy in place Netgear effectivily blocks any communication. Again this shows that Netgear support is basically a department that has been set-up to monetize basic help questions and not to provide actual product support when it comes to solving bugs. 

Netgear needs to fix the DNS server / firmware.

It also affects other product lines:

• https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-with-Built-in-Cable-Modem/Page-Not-Found-delay/m-p/2062890

This forum is scattered with it. Also FURRYe38, it would be great if you would stop telling people to use workarounds without telling that there is an actual issue with the DNS server / firmware that only Netgear can fix. As you are doing in the thread I linked.

Fun fact, for the Orbi Pro they fixed this problem on 2020-09-08 with V2.5.3.110:

• https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-Pro-WiFi-for-Small-Business/New-Firmware-V2-5-3-110-for-SRR60-SRS60-SRC60-RBS50Y-for-Orbi/m-p/1973098#M2366

As it reads: Fixes a DNS problem that intermittently causes loss of connectivity. This could make you wonder that Netgear simply deemed the Orbi product line to be finished and no active firmware support is given and they moved on to other product lines. Considering no response up until this date has been given.

Users can reach out to forum moderators as well if they feel to let them know there concerns. 

Again. this issue is being reviewed with NG at this time. Not information on feedback or when any fixes will be forth coming as NG will NOT devuldge this information. 

Forum a forum perspective, this is beating a dead horse. Users will need to contact NG support about this and wait for the fix to appear. 

I post how I see fit. Thank you. 

Good Luck. 

DNS_PROBE_FAIL 

I get the dilemma. Basically the Orbi would be a nice wifi system if the DNS server / firmware is working correctly. However in the current state it isn't. DNS handeling is basic functionality and the Orbi is failing at it. Causing DNS errors / timeouts, which in turn causes all sorts of end-user problems: websites not loading, streams stopping/not loading, mobile applications not loading correctly etc. 

I am actually looking in to switching the Orbi for the Asus XT8, as I am doubting whether or not Netgear will actually fix the issue. The reports on connectivity issues with the XT8 are not much, as far as I can tell. However the only downside is that the 2,4 Ghz channel is limited to 2x2. Which is a small step backwards as I think the Orbi has 3x3. This is only a downside though if you have 3x3 wifi-5 clients.

As a short term workaround, have you guys tried overriding the DNS server on your computers and just point to an open DNS server?   In my case, I spun up a piehole server and and repointed my computers to piehole.  Other IOT devices are SOL tho but users don't interface w/ those anyways.

Also, I find it stupid that Netgear doesn't allow you to set the DNS server it hands out in the DHCP settings.  I guess their protecting their paid security service but don't see why they can't allow that for it.  

Once the steam escaped my ears and I calmed down I decided to at least try to help everyone out, even if I return the system.

• I disabled IPv6, switched to IPv4 and recreated the error going to a known-good website.  Error on NewEdge browser is: ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED
• Took screenshot of the DNS error in browser and uploaded it to support
• Pasted all logged events from Administration, Logs into support 
• Backed up my router config, zipped and uploaded to support

So they have literally everything they have ever asked for from me, some things they've receved multiple times. 

Unfortunately I have no hope that this issue will be fixed any time soon. I have provided all the information requested many weeks ago (logs, screen shots etc). Still no resolution. In my opinion, only solution is to set static DNS at each device level. If that solution is not acceptable to you, return/sell your device and move to other device.

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DNS_PROBE_FAIL wrote:

Once the steam escaped my ears and I calmed down I decided to at least try to help everyone out, even if I return the system.

 

• I disabled IPv6, switched to IPv4 and recreated the error going to a known-good website.  Error on NewEdge browser is: ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED
• Took screenshot of the DNS error in browser and uploaded it to support

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Curious - The DNS failure is intermittent so difficult to reproduce on demand.  Did you set something up to repeatedly visit a website in a browser until it fails or something like that?  It could be a useful testing tool for Orbi owners who believe they are unaffected.

No, I didn't set something up to repeatedly visit a website or list of sites, I just manually typed in one website after another - trying to use sites that I haven't been to recently so it's doing an actual DNS lookup and not using cache.  (Browsers can cache DNS lookups, chrome does this) Within about 10 sites or so I'll get the error every time.

To capture it for support, I just hit the print screen button on my keyboard then pasted into pain and saved to upload.  You have to act fast to get the screenshot this way because the browser will retry on DNS failures and usually resolves the second time.

Netgear needs to fix their firmware.

I was running almost flawlessly for 2 years, last week the DNS problem started. IPhone and Android phones started loosing connections. Reboot router fixed it  for a while and back within a day or less. Seems to be getting worse each day. Latest Firmware update I think was a few weeks ago. I have 2 Satelites with the system. One of the strangest parts is we have 1 system hardwired to a Satelite and that would hold connection fine while the cell phones or tablets loose connection. LAst night nothing would connect except TV's could stream Netflix and You Tube. Makes no sense.

It sounds like your system had older, working firmware and wasn't updating firmware automatically, then for some reason it updated and the more recent firmware has the issue.  Sometimes a reboot after power drop or something can initiate that.  It's speculation but the fact that it was working and now isn't points to firmware update being a possible cause. 

My system has been on v12 since 1-21-2021

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/New-RBR850-RBS850-Series-Firmware-Version-v3-2-17-12-Released/m-p/2043544/highlight/true#M11411

and it was manually updated to v12 since v12 was not put on NGs update services by NG. It's only for manual download.