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Forum Discussion
Orbi RBK852 4.6.3.16 broken, WiFi drops every 15 seconds, autoupdate can't be stopped
Hi
I write this in a very distressed and disgusted, appalled state that a company like Netgear thinks releasing a firmware update that wrecks your home internet is acceptable. Today everything from home security to appliances, to lighting, it's all f**ked.
This 4.6.3.16 firmware that I wish I never clicked on has resulted in WiFi connection dropping to EVERY device, Samsung, Apple, LG TV, Hue etc every 15 or thereabouts seconds.
I have had to downgrade to 3.2.18.1 to make this work. And work it did few a few days. I had to edit the web page code to allow the YES button to appear to downgrade because Netgear in their infinite wisdom has hidden that. ABSOLUTELY WOW.
Now the Orbi insists on forcing the update on me! I come back an hour later and the router has been updated to the broken latest 4.6.3.16!! UNREAL.
So, I thought of enabling Telnet so that I could set the auto pudate to OFF and you guessed it, Netgear have disabled Telnet on my AX orbi! This company is absolutely UNREAL in their IDIOCY.
All I was doing was minding my own business in MY HOME and this company, Netegar, reached into MY HOME and messed it all up.
Within 5 minutes of downgrading to 3.X the router has FORCED the upgrade to 4.6.3.16.
There's more. I blocked *.netgear.com to block this forced firmware update - the satellite stops working as it is clearing doing some communicating back to netgear.com!!! YOU JUST CAN'T MAKE THIS SH*T UIP.
10 Replies
Looked at the Watchguard firewall logs to see where the Orbi was reaching out for firmware updates and found up.netgear.com
I've blocked that on the firewall and automatic updates are now failing. Problem solved.
Netgear, you are a disgrace and a joke. I am ashamed to have a Netgear product in my home and I will strenuosly advice everyone I speak to and or who asks me to stay away from Netgear. You are garbage.
Finally, I spent a little over an hour with support - the lady was fine, though undertrained. They acknowledged this is a known issue and that a new release was coming.
I am steering clear.
Good luck and pray.
It's been f**king months and they still haven't fixed this. They just closed my ticket as solved - this after they told me they were aware and a new firmware would be coming.
WHAT. THE. F***.
Never again buying from this garbage company. Will do everything in my power to spread the word.
Been having way better results with this FW loaded:
I created this post back in September 2021.
Netgear has yet to fix this. I tried the current 4.6.7.13 firmware and the Orbi RBK852 (1 router+1 satellite) keeps dropping the WiFi signal every 20-30 seconds. Identical problem from 6 months ago.
This is in AP mode.
Had to roll back to 3.2.18.1 to get this working again.
Netgear are a disgrace and clearly don't give a f*ck.
