I bought an Orbi RBR50 v2 router with sattalites and connected it to a Netgear CM 1000 cable modem. Since disconnecting my Apple AirPort Extreme and connecting the new Orbi, however, the location services in all my devices are no longer supported: iPhones, MacBooks, iMacs, nothing. If I connect an old Airport Express to one of the Sattalites, I get the location services back, but without that, nothing. None of my devices can determine their location. It's frustrating. I've chatted with NetGear for hours, tried changing settings on the router, updated firmware, restarted the device, but all to no avail. Any advice?

Also, I'm trying to get rid of the Airport. That's why I bought the Orbi. Is the Orbi unable to provide a location by itself? If that's the case, I'll likely return it.

What Firmware is currently loaded? What happens if you configure AP mode on the RBR and leave the Apple router online and disable its wifi radios?

The Orbi should be providing location or passing thru the services for your devices. Mine does. I have a CM1100 modem. Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update? What DNS are you using? ISP provided or something different? You might try 1.1.1.1 and 9.9.9.9 on the RBR to see if this changes anything.. Be sure to not enable Armor or Circle when you go to facory reset the RBR and setup from scratch. I would also power OFF the ISP modem during the reset of the RBR for 30 seconds then back ON. Then walk thru the setup wizard on the RBR with a web browser.

FURRYe38,Thank you for the advice. I've had the device over two weeks now and spent over a week in chats with Netgear trying to resolve the issue: updating several firmware packages, rebooting the router, performing a factory reset on the router and setting it up again from scratch, tried various DNS addresses, trying many other settings, and more. Finally, Netgear admitted the device might be defective and offered on December 18 to send me a replacement. It took them a week, apparently, to locate that replacement, which should be here tomorrow. I will do as you suggest and walk through the set-up wizard, turn off the modem (Also a Netgear CM1000), and cross my fingers. I have already turned off Armor and Circle. I appreciate the help. I'll let you know what I find out, but I admit, I've been pretty frustrated with Netgear's response. RevHoney

Orbi Location Services | NETGEAR Communities

9 Replies

FURRYe38
Guru
Dec 26, 2019
What Firmware is currently loaded?

What happens if you configure AP mode on the RBR and leave the Apple router online and disable its wifi radios?
- RevHoney
  Tutor
  Dec 26, 2019
  My current version is 2.5.1.8
- RevHoney
  Tutor
  Dec 26, 2019
  Also, I'm trying to get rid of the Airport. That's why I bought the Orbi. Is the Orbi unable to provide a location by itself? If that's the case, I'll likely return it.
  - FURRYe38
    Guru
    Dec 26, 2019
    The Orbi should be providing location or passing thru the services for your devices. Mine does. I have a CM1100 modem.
    Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update?
    
    What DNS are you using? ISP provided or something different? You might try 1.1.1.1 and 9.9.9.9 on the RBR to see if this changes anything..
    
    Be sure to not enable Armor or Circle when you go to facory reset the RBR and setup from scratch.
    
    I would also power OFF the ISP modem during the reset of the RBR for 30 seconds then back ON. Then walk thru the setup wizard on the RBR with a web browser.
schumaku
Guru
Dec 30, 2019
RevHoney wrote:
If I connect an old Airport Express to one of the satellites, I get the location services back, but without that, nothing. None of my devices can determine their location.
This is because already the presence of a (known to the location service cloud) wireless device (SSID, wireless MAC address) in the vicinity is sufficient so the cloud based location services can create a correlation and provide location service.

At least your iPhones should be able to get the exact location from the built-in GPS/Glonass modules, unless the devices are located in the underground or to far away from the building hull/windows. If these can gain satellite location information while in the wireless range, and you have not decided for not sharing location data (that would be a show stopper!), the cloud location databases will be updated with your new Orbi wireless name, MAC address, and location. Of course, this process does take a while - and it has to happen for the Orbi router and the Orbi satellites due to the different MAC addresses.

This is - among the re-config hassles for the possibly many wireless devices - the key reason why we suggest not to change the wireless name (SSID) when installing a new router or wireless system, and carry forward the existing name and wireless security key.

Regards,
-Kurt

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