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RBK753S - Much slower wifi speeds after AUTO firmware upgrade to 3.2.18.1! 3.2.17.x was MUCH faster
I had intentionally downgraded my RBK753S from 3.2.18.1 to 3.2.17.x and with 3.2.17.x, everything was great!
But this morning I noticed that my firmware updated automatically to 3.2.18.1, which seems to have happened in the past few hours or so. I thought they might have disabled automatic firmware updates. I now see they have not, so let me block connections to the update site on my RBK753S (like I did with my RBK53).
Now on 3.2.18.x:
This morning while watching live TV I did notice a couple of connection losses from that particular TiVO Mini to the main TiVO Roamio DVR via my MoCA network (i.e hard-wired coaxial link). I have had this occasionally anyway even before upgrading from my RBK53 to RBK753S, so I am not sure where the issue lies.
2 disconnections on a TiVO Mini in a short period of time are rare, but I suspect it may have nothing to do with the Orbi in general nor with the latest Orbi firmware.
Far more troubling:
Now that I am on 3.2.18.1, I see wireless speeds dropped from 465/470 Mbps to 330/340 Mpbs on my Netgear A7000 wifi adpater for the first time since the weekend (when I was still on 3.2.17.x!!!).
I have been checking wifi speeds numerous times daily with 3.2.17.x, since last Friday night, and I consistently got 463 Mbps + (lowest was 450 Mbps).
Now on 3.2.18.1 it dropped as noted above. I tried different speedtest servers and still get the same lower result on 3.2.18.x
Frustrating when things had been going great on 3.2.17.x and speed dropped right after auto upgrade to l 3.2.18.1. They really need to have a feature to disable auto updates.
:(
Quick update - Since I am / was experiencing the low speeds noted above (330 - 350 Mbps), I just disconnected and reconnected my Netgear A7000 wifi adapater from the network in Win 10 (did NOT unplug it).
After reconnecting to the network, speeds improved to 430 Mbps on first run after reconnecting, then 471 Mbps, 476 Mbps, 468 Mbps, one slower one of 451.7 Mbps but much better than before the disconnect/reconnect, and then 470 Mbps.
Will monitor stabilty after a few hours and also after a full day or two / after restarts / hibernates/ shutdowns etc.
12 Replies
Did you power OFF the RBR and RBS for 30 seconds after the update or factory reset and setup from scratch?
Something to contact NG support about and let them know.
FURRYe38 wrote:Did you power OFF the RBR and RBS for 30 seconds after the update or factory reset and setup from scratch?
Something to contact NG support about and let them know.
Thanks.
Unfortunately, I could not power off and restart the router / satellites yet since that takes too long given I was working and on a call and wife is on a call now. A quick adapter disconnect / reconnect right after my call was less intrusive.
I can try when we are both not actively on calls / responding to emails etc.
In the meantime, will run some more tests...
Very happy to report that for now, wireless speeds have stabilized, ever since the 10:24 AM test I referred to above. Also no wifi connection issues (tested using my Netgear A7000 USB wifi adapter).
The true test, based on my prior experience, will be seeing how it holds up, in terms of continued stability, over the next day or so...
So long as speeds hold up and I have no disconnects the next day or two, I will consider this 'solved'.
My plan is 400/10, but as you can see, I am getting almost 480 Mbps wirelessly.
Date/time......Ping.Download. Upload.
04/29/2021
9:57 PM11475.8411.97~ 50New York, NYSurfshark LtdXFINITY04/29/2021
3:23 PM12478.3811.77~ 50New York, NYSurfshark LtdXFINITY04/29/2021
12:45 PM12445.9511.72~ 50New York, NYSurfshark LtdXFINITY04/29/2021
10:43 AM13466.3911.91~ 50New York, NYSurfshark LtdXFINITY04/29/2021
10:30 AM12469.9911.72~ 50New York, NYSurfshark LtdXFINITY04/29/2021
10:29 AM12451.6911.95~ 50New York, NYSurfshark LtdXFINITY04/29/2021
10:28 AM12468.4411.94~ 50New York, NYSurfshark LtdXFINITY04/29/2021
10:25 AM12476.3111.94< 50Matawan, NJVultrXFINITYThe 10:24 AM test got 471.09 Mbps did but not copied / pasted...
Quick update - Since I am / was experiencing the low speeds noted above (330 - 350 Mbps), I just disconnected and reconnected my Netgear A7000 wifi adapater from the network in Win 10 (did NOT unplug it).
After reconnecting to the network, speeds improved to 430 Mbps on first run after reconnecting, then 471 Mbps, 476 Mbps, 468 Mbps, one slower one of 451.7 Mbps but much better than before the disconnect/reconnect, and then 470 Mbps.
Will monitor stabilty after a few hours and also after a full day or two / after restarts / hibernates/ shutdowns etc.
Correct. However, since 3.2.18.1 is working great, I am going to stick with it and glad to have the latest security fixes again. However, I am going to block connections to the update server, so it can no longer update automatically.
It has been written in many places that once you update manually once, the Orbi supposedly no longer updates automatically. However that is not the case anymore / not the case with the RBK753S.
Sure. I prefer to play it safe with security though 🙂
Interesting that you have not seen any auto updates in so long; which model do you have?
I had also noticed the reference to the ability to turn off auto updates (jn some old threads); they must have removed that option again (assuming it did get implemented at the time), or perhaps it only applied to a specific model.
Thanks...a couple of thoughts....IMHO the whole thing about security fixes is over blown. I believe in most cases it's just NG padding the update to get people anxious to try it. As far as auto updates, I personally haven't seen one in maybe 2 years and for me it's not due to manual updates for I don't do those. Some say you turn off auto updates, if you can, I've never seen how.
Mine auto updated the other night. It was about 2am Eastern and my wife woke me up asking why the satellite in the room was blinking blue. I looked at my tablet and saw it was down, and realized what might be happening. As soon as it was back up, I looked and lo and behold, it was the .18 firmware (I know for a fact that it was on the .17).
Another reason why I'm dumping Netgear/Orbi on my next upgrade and going back to Asus.
