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Forum Discussion
RBR750/RBS350 won't sync and have no way to update firmware
Over the last week or so my family has been increasingly complaining about the wifi performance dropping off significantly. I decided to take a look. I had never accessed my router via web browser - I've only ever used the app. I finally get into the router settings online and realize that neither of my two satellites are synced (and I'm not entirely sure they ever have been). I spent a few hours trying to unplug them, replug them in, wait for startup, then pressing sync button. I did this individually for both satellites. I eventually got one to turn blue and sync up to the router. That was very short lived. I went over to my computer and it said "out of sync". Then I decided to take a look at the firmware situation. According to the auto update function, the router is up to date. It has yet to allow me to update the satellites. I've tried rebooting everything. I've tried manually downloading and installing the firmware myself. Each time it failed and said to check the files (the file ends with .img and it IS for my satellite). Then I try to auto update again, now it says "service unreachable" for both my satellites. Now one of the satellites is missing the model number AND the firmware version. The other satellite has a firmware version for an entirely different product (FW version 4.6.3.16 - which says on the netgear website that its for RBK852). I ended up doing a full reset on each of the products. I attempted to redo all of it and tried to resync the satellites and even tried using an ethernet cable from the router to the satellites themselves. I do not know what else to do. I purchased this set from best buy around 3 months ago and it seems there is not really any support on it and its no longer being sold. What else can be done?
15 Replies
heres a snapshot of my devices. Notice how one of my satellites has a different picture than the other one. IRL they are exactly the same. I bought them in a 3 pack from Best Buy so I have no idea why the firmware matches an entirely different product and why it's showing a completely different product.
My guess is the original packaging is long gone. Netgear prints the "kit" number on the box, as in RBK753 ("K"
for "kit") Netgear packaged all sorts of Orbi products into various "Kits".It would help to report the specific model numbers printed on the product label on the bottom of each unit for the router and two satellites. That will clear up any confusion over which firmware file to use:
- The RBS350 satellite indeed has a firmware file ending in *.img, whereas
- The RBS750 satellite has a firmware file ending in *.chk.
Firmware updates on Orbi systems are indeed awkward. When the actual firmware does not match the latest version shown on the support web site, customers have the option of downloading the firmware, unpacking the zip file, and using the "Manual" tab on the Firmware Update page to load the firmware.
Obviously, when the router reports a satellite as "Out of Sync", it has no reliable connection to the satellite and updating the firmware is going to be a challenge.
It might be worth trying this:
- Power off both satellites.
- On the Attached Devices web page, both satellites should show as "Disconnected" and there should be an option to "Delete" them. Do so.
- Select one of the satellites and do a Factory Reset. i.e. hold a paperclip in that tiny Reset hole when you power on the satellite and hold it until the power LED begins to flash Amber. Let it boot up.
- Use the web interface Basic Tab menu item, "Add Orbi Satellite" (bottom item) to add that one satellite while the satellite is in the same room with the router. (makes watching things a lot easier).
After factory resetting each satellite, I cannot get either one to stop flashing white. Instructions on the GUI for setting up the satellites says to wait for it to be solid white. I attempted to sync anyways and the GUI repeatedly said "failed to sync". I noticed under the "attached devices" page, it showed up as connected to the router, even though it said it had failed (and still not sync'd). After trying to use update the firmware using Furrye38's solution, the satellites IP address that was listed under attached devices did not work. I attempted to update it again through the manual update button in the GUI, and it said it failed again. I tried clicking the update button below that and it opened up another page asking for credentials. I typed in my GUI login (admin and password) and I got an error - 401 Unauthorized.
edit: I want it to be known that I am not rushing through any of this. Between yesterday (Saturday) and today, I have spent almost 8 hours working on this and trying different things.
Are you attempting to sync the RBS while in same room as the RBR and pressing the sync button on the RBS and then select the WEB ui button or press the sync button on the RBR?
I'd also select the GENERATE new backhaul button Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings, then try to resynce the RBS.
FW for your system can be found here:
If the RBS get a IP address, you can log into the RBS web page at this IP address and update FW manually if needed. Manual FW instructions are given in the link.
champ_here wrote:
Over the last week or so my family has been increasingly complaining about the wifi performance dropping off significantly. I decided to take a look. I had never accessed my router via web browser - I've only ever used the app. I finally get into the router settings online and realize that neither of my two satellites are synced (and I'm not entirely sure they ever have been). I spent a few hours trying to unplug them, replug them in, wait for startup, then pressing sync button. I did this individually for both satellites. I eventually got one to turn blue and sync up to the router. That was very short lived. I went over to my computer and it said "out of sync". Then I decided to take a look at the firmware situation. According to the auto update function, the router is up to date. It has yet to allow me to update the satellites. I've tried rebooting everything. I've tried manually downloading and installing the firmware myself. Each time it failed and said to check the files (the file ends with .img and it IS for my satellite). Then I try to auto update again, now it says "service unreachable" for both my satellites. Now one of the satellites is missing the model number AND the firmware version. The other satellite has a firmware version for an entirely different product (FW version 4.6.3.16 - which says on the netgear website that its for RBK852). I ended up doing a full reset on each of the products. I attempted to redo all of it and tried to resync the satellites and even tried using an ethernet cable from the router to the satellites themselves. I do not know what else to do. I purchased this set from best buy around 3 months ago and it seems there is not really any support on it and its no longer being sold. What else can be done?
I had no idea I could do that with the satellites. I will try that after I try the other users (crimpon) solution of individual factory resets on the satellites. thanks for quick responses. I thought for sure it would take a few days to get help on this. I'll update with results after I try these things.
A 15 seconds button press on the reset button on back is recommended to factroy reset the RBS.
