Orbi 960 2.4GHz Bug Causes Devices to Disconnect from 5GHz and 6GHz Networks

Hello all,

I’ve been investigating the device disconnect issues that many users have reported on this forum. After extensive testing of various wireless settings, I believe I’ve identified the root cause.

The issue appears to be related to the 2.4GHz network, which, under certain conditions, disrupts both the 5GHz and 6GHz bands, causing devices to disconnect and reconnect. Interestingly, the 2.4GHz network itself remains unaffected, making this problem harder to diagnose.

What’s Causing the Issue?

The problem seems to stem from the channel selection and 20/40MHz coexistence settings on the 2.4GHz band. The impact is random—it doesn’t necessarily occur in all areas of the house—but when it happens, both the 5GHz and 6GHz networks completely disappear, while the 2.4GHz network remains stable.

How to Fix It?

To mitigate the issue, I recommend the following:

Set a static channel for the 2.4GHz network (e.g., Channel 11 in my case).

Turn off 20/40MHz coexistence.

In my testing, these changes had no negative impact on the 2.4GHz network but completely resolved the 5GHz and 6GHz dropouts.

Is This a Bug?

I’m unsure if this is a firmware bug, as not all users experience the issue. However, the fact that 2.4GHz settings can severely impact the other bands suggests something isn’t right. I observed the same behavior on both firmware versions "6.3.7.10" and "7.2.6.31".

Hardware Variations?

Does anyone know if Netgear uses different hardware revisions for the Orbi 960? I’m wondering if slight hardware differences could be contributing to this issue.

Let me know your thoughts or if you have any questions!

Regards,

Liam