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FURRYe38's avatar
FURRYe38
Guru - Experienced User
Sep 15, 2021

New RBR750 / RBS750 Firmware Version 4.6.3.16 Released

Security Fixes: Fixes security vulnerabilities. For more information about security vulnerabilities, visit https://www.netgear.com/about/security. Bug Fixes: Fixes the issue where the s...
Stephonline's avatar
Stephonline
Guide
Sep 15, 2021
My experience with the V 16 upgrade is mixed and hard to understand.

As suggested, I powered off all my devices and let the nighthawk docsis modem sync up, and then repowered my main router, let it sync, then repowered the satellite.

I did not do a factory reset which the Netgear admin said was ok.

For about 10 hours, everything was great. Download speeds as measured by the Orbi app were back to 900 mb. Thruput - both wired and wireless was excellent: 600 on wired connections and 400-500 mb on wireless.

Suddenly the wireless thruput as measured on the speed test dropped to 10 - 20 mb. The hardwired speed test had not changed. The Orbi app still reported download for ~800/850 mb but there was just a trickle of data being pumped out of the system.

I have several wired devices (an Apple 4k streamer) connected to the satellite. They were stuttering and buffering all over the place.

I checked the modem and the connection, SNR, and power levels were all nominal. I do not think it was a provider issue.

I repowered the base station and the satellite - let everything sync up and now I'm back to 400 - 500 mb wireless.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

Last point: this was the behavior that the migration to version 4x initiated.

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
ChristineT's avatar
ChristineT
NETGEAR Employee Retired
Sep 15, 2021

Hello Stephonline ,

 

Thank you for reporting your experience! I'll relay this to our internal teams for further investigation. Are you experiencing similar issues with any devices connected via WiFi?

 

Again, thanks for sharing your experience!

 

ChristineT

  • Stephonline's avatar
    Stephonline
    Guide
    Sep 15, 2021

    Hi Christine,

     

    There doesnt seem to be any issues with clients though it was painful to get the satellite to mate to the host router.  At one point, the satellite LED went blue though the Orbi app reported that no satellite was attached.   Trying to re-sync with the push button switch also failed.  This is with the satellite two feet away from the host router!

     

    I had to do a second factory reset and resync to get the satellite recognized.  When I moved it to its place upstairs and about 50 feet away, it went thru multiple retrainings before syncing up.  And there may be an issue because while I was working upstairs, I saw it go from blue to flashing white before finally going blue and then shutting the led off.

     

    The unpredictable behavior seems to start about the tenth hour of operation.  The orbi router reports lots of data coming in from the attached CM1150V modem.. but wireless apps are stuttering and Oookla's speed test - which is normally reporting 600 - 800 mbs is barely making 7- 10 mbs.  Power cycling the Orbis seems to clear the issue for another 10 hours.  Software reset does generally NOT clear the issue.

     

    I hope this is helpful.

    • FURRYe38's avatar
      FURRYe38
      Guru - Experienced User
      Sep 15, 2021

      Try syncing the RBS to the RBR at 10-15 feet away. 2 feet maybe too close...

      After syncing, give the RBS web page about 2-5 minutes to update the status on the connected devices page...

    • raven_au's avatar
      raven_au
      Virtuoso
      Sep 16, 2021

      Stephonline wrote:

      Hi Christine,

       

      There doesnt seem to be any issues with clients though it was painful to get the satellite to mate to the host router.  At one point, the satellite LED went blue though the Orbi app reported that no satellite was attached.   Trying to re-sync with the push button switch also failed.  This is with the satellite two feet away from the host router!

       

       

      Actually this is something I have had problems with, and I had discussed on the forum recently, and is I think something that Netgear engineering could answer if Christine could forward the question.

       

      Basically, I found it really hard to work out how to reset a satellite to defaults and sync. it to the main router.

      Trying to do this always left me wondering if the satellite had syned properly and ended up me doing a factory default reset to be sure (since there were other problems with the firmware).

       

      The procedure for add-on satellites is documented in the manual (IIRC, maybe it's not) and it's the same as it was with the WiFi 5 Orbis (I don't have any WiFi 6 add-on satellites) but the behaviour of kit satellites (I have two of those) seems to be different and isn't documented.

       

      Pressing and holding the reset button on a kit satellite doesn't result in booting to white light so performing the push button sync nevers works for them.

       

      I suspect that kit satellites actually auto-sync so the extra step of the push button sync isn't needed but official documentation on it is missing.

       

      Christine, can we get an official answer to the question of how resetting a single kit satellite to factory defaults is meant to be done please.

       

       

       

      • FURRYe38's avatar
        FURRYe38
        Guru - Experienced User
        Sep 16, 2021

        raven_au 

        A 15 seconds press on the reset button is enough to trigger the reset. 

        On the RBR one can use the ERASE button on the Web UI. 

  • Lasertour's avatar
    Lasertour
    Star
    Sep 16, 2021

    Hi  ChristineT,

     

    Netgear’s FW is still a major issue which is affecting school, work, etc.

    Here's my setup, brief history, and the current situation:

     

    • Upon the FW4.6.3.7 upgrade started to experience complete system outages about every 60 minutes for around 90 seconds.

    ORIGINAL SETUP = att Fiber (pass through mode) > Orbi RBR750 in router mode > Backhaul (wired via CAT6) RBS750 satellite

    Efforts to resolve with no resolution:

    - Power cycle of all hardware (Orbi’s and ATT) for 10 minutes

    - Remove and add satellite

    - Test cabling

    - Reset entire system (start over)

    ***STILL EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT OUTAGES***

     

    • Replaced RBS750 Satellite FW V4.6.3.7 with new RBS850 Satellite FW V4.6.3.9

    SETUP = att Fiber (pass through mode) > Orbi RBR750 FW V4.6.3.7 in router mode > Backhaul (wired via CAT6) RBS850 satellite FW V4.6.3.9

    Replacement successful as outages disappeared (for 5 days until new firmware was automatically updated).

    ***SYSTEM STABLE***

     

    • Upon FW V4.6.3.16_2.0.51 automatic upgrade the complete system outages about every 60 minutes for around 90 seconds came back.

    SETUP = att Fiber (pass through mode) > Orbi RBR750 FW V4.6.3.16_2.0.51 in router mode > Backhaul (wired via CAT6) RBS850 satellite FW V4.6.3.9

    Efforts to resolve with no resolution:

    - Power cycle of all hardware (Orbi’s and ATT) for 10 minutes

    - Remove and add satellite

    - Added previous RBS750 satellite and upgraded to FW V4.6.3.16_2.0.51

    - Reset entire system (start over)

    ***STILL EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT OUTAGES***

     

    In summary, my configuration was working for over a year BEFORE the FW 4.6.3.7 or FW 4.6.3.16 upgrades.

    Does Netgear acknowledge this Firmware issue? When can all of us customers expect a Firmware update that will actually resolve this major issue?

     

    Thanks again for following up.

    • ChristineT's avatar
      ChristineT
      NETGEAR Employee Retired
      Sep 16, 2021

      Hello Lasertour ,

       

      First, thank you very much for the detailed feedback! I have shared your feedback with our engineering team and will provide an update once I receive their guidance on the best next steps. 

       

      Best,

      Christine

      • Lasertour's avatar
        Lasertour
        Star
        Oct 25, 2021

        Hi ChristineT,

         

        RE: Unstable FW 4.6.3.7,  4.6.3.16, and 4.6.5.14 Netgear software - Still Not Resolved

         

        Can you provide an update from your engineering team as promised on the unstable 4.6.3.7, 4.6.3.16, 4.6.5.14 Netgear firmware releases affecting so many customers with hourly intermittent outages? You mentioned back on 9/16/21 that you would provide guidance and next steps to resolve after reaching out to them. I apologize if I missed anything since but this is still a major issue.

         

        We are all looking for, at a minimum, Netgear's acknowledgement of this firmware issue and preferabbly a commitement/timeline to resolve. 

         

        Thanks.

    • r-lerman's avatar
      r-lerman
      Guide
      Sep 17, 2021

      Did you try to switch to AP mode?

      I had the same issue. In AP mode it works fine. I had to connect my satellites with a cable in this configuration.

      You also need another router for this, or you have to switch your modem from bridge to roter mode.

      It is a temporary solution but at least I do not have intermittent wired and wireless connection any more.

       

      Lasertour wrote:

      Hi  ChristineT,

       

      Netgear’s FW is still a major issue which is affecting school, work, etc.

      Here's my setup, brief history, and the current situation:

       

      • Upon the FW4.6.3.7 upgrade started to experience complete system outages about every 60 minutes for around 90 seconds.

      ORIGINAL SETUP = att Fiber (pass through mode) > Orbi RBR750 in router mode > Backhaul (wired via CAT6) RBS750 satellite

      Efforts to resolve with no resolution:

      - Power cycle of all hardware (Orbi’s and ATT) for 10 minutes

      - Remove and add satellite

      - Test cabling

      - Reset entire system (start over)

      ***STILL EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT OUTAGES***

       

      • Replaced RBS750 Satellite FW V4.6.3.7 with new RBS850 Satellite FW V4.6.3.9

      SETUP = att Fiber (pass through mode) > Orbi RBR750 FW V4.6.3.7 in router mode > Backhaul (wired via CAT6) RBS850 satellite FW V4.6.3.9

      Replacement successful as outages disappeared (for 5 days until new firmware was automatically updated).

      ***SYSTEM STABLE***

       

      • Upon FW V4.6.3.16_2.0.51 automatic upgrade the complete system outages about every 60 minutes for around 90 seconds came back.

      SETUP = att Fiber (pass through mode) > Orbi RBR750 FW V4.6.3.16_2.0.51 in router mode > Backhaul (wired via CAT6) RBS850 satellite FW V4.6.3.9

      Efforts to resolve with no resolution:

      - Power cycle of all hardware (Orbi’s and ATT) for 10 minutes

      - Remove and add satellite

      - Added previous RBS750 satellite and upgraded to FW V4.6.3.16_2.0.51

      - Reset entire system (start over)

      ***STILL EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT OUTAGES***

       

      In summary, my configuration was working for over a year BEFORE the FW 4.6.3.7 or FW 4.6.3.16 upgrades.

      Does Netgear acknowledge this Firmware issue? When can all of us customers expect a Firmware update that will actually resolve this major issue?

       

      Thanks again for following up.