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New RBS850 Satellite showing blue LED but not connecting to router
Hello I recently received a new RBS850 satellite from an RMA. Here are the events of me attempting to get it connected. I plugged it in and waited. After a few minutes the LED showed solid blue...
To close: I managed to get on a call with the support agent tied to the RMA. The router's firmware was incompatible with the routers so it wasn't able to connect. She was able to direct me to find the Satellite's IP address in the router's logs (Advanced - Administration - Logs) by comparing the MAC address from the label beneath the satellite.
Using the IP address I was able to connect to the satellite by just entering the IP address in my browser window while connected to the router (something that would fail before the RMA) and then follow the prompts to manually update the firmware. Once updated the router only took a minute or so before it corrected the backhaul status and was good to go.
Did you give about 5-10 minutes after factory resetting the RBR and RBS for them to auto sync to the RBR before starting the setup wizard routine. I've found that if you bring the RBS to same room or near the RBR, 12-15 feet distance and let them auto sync then run thru the setup routine, this gets them detected by the RBR and setup wizard and you can complete the setup and then configured everything for your needs, once thats complete, you can power OFF the RBS and then return them to there remote locations.
I use this method in this PDF: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WIFI-6-AX-AND-Wi-Fi-6E-AXE/Procedure-for-Factory-reset-of-RBS850/m-p/2356834/highlight/true#M52575
Keep with v.21 FW as it's the most stable FW. V.31 has been reporting by many users as having problems so we can recommend that version.
I did leave the satellite some time to set itself up each time I powered it on. I didn't factory reset the router though. This is a disruptive step, I can try to get it done once everyone in the house is asleep but I want to know if you think it'll make the difference.
For brevity did you want me to do the factory reset where I hold the button for a few seconds or the one where I hold it for 2 minutes?
And you want me to reset the router, reset the satellite, leave both for a few minutes, then press the sync buttons?- Alright, I brought the router and satellite into the same room, powered it on and waited till the light was stable (it was purple this time).
- Then I held down the reset button on the router for 15+ seconds, then held down the button on the satellite for 15+ seconds and gave them some time to turn on.
- The satellite did not auto-connect to the router. It's LED was purple and the setup wizard for the router was unable to detect/setup the satellite.
- On a whim I pressed the sync button on the router and then the satellite, but this didn't fix the issue.
- The ORB173 network returned. It seems this is the default network for both router and satellite?
- Issue persisted after I went through the setup wizard and returned my router settings to how they were before to get the routers wi-fi working.
- After renaming our wi-fi network, the ORB173 network remained, but I was unable to do anything while connected to that network.
Pressing the Reset button for more than a few seconds is called a Factory Reset. This erase every configuration that the user has made on the system: everything. WiFi credentials. Login password. Any settings of any kind.
After Factory Resetting the entire system like that, I would (personally) gather the router and ALL of the satellites in the same room and power them on starting with the router. The WiFi network shown on the product label (bottom of the case) should appear in a few minutes and devices should be able to log in.
Use a web browser to open the Web interface on the router and observe the Attached Devices page. With all the satellites powered off, what does it show?
- If the previous satellites display as "Disconnected", power them up one at a time and see if the appear on the display (takes a minimum of 5 minutes.) If they do, then wonderful
- If only the new satellite does not appear on Attached Devices, then follow the steps in the Add Orbi Satellite menu.
- Press the Sync button on the new satellite for 1 second. (long enough to say "Press" and hear the click)
- etc.
To fully get the system synced, BOTH RBS and RBR need to be factory reset.
Okay, I was doing the right thing then.
So I did a factory reset of the satellite and the router. After a few minutes the router displayed no LED and the satellite displayed a blue LED. But it wasn't connected according to the satellite's webpage.
I then held the sync button down for 5 seconds, router first, then satellite. This prompted both to start pulsing white and after a few minutes one of two things would happen. Either both LED's would turn off. Or the satellite displayed it's magenta LED.
