I've got an Orbi RBR850 router and two RBS850 satellites. The router is on our main floor. The satellite upstairs (directly above the router) shows "good" for backhaul status, and was just added today. The satellite downstairs (pretty much directly below the router) shows "poor" for backhaul status, but has been operating with the router for ~6 months. (I just learned today of the web user interface...) Both satellites are connected via 5G and both have fully updated firmware. The 5GHz channel is set to 48. Apart from a computer (wired to the downstairs satellite) and peripherals, there are no electronics which I would expect to cause interference. I'm leaning towards a physical reset on the back of that satellite, but welcome any other advice.After a two hour waste of time on the phone with Netgear CS, I'm hoping for input from people who know something... 😀Thanks in advance

What Firmware version is currently loaded?What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. Depending upon distance and building materies, it maybe common to see a poor status for 1 RBS. Swap RBS placements with the other to see if status changes or follows. Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

What mode is the ISP modem working in? Router or Bridged? This would be a double NAT (two router) condition which isn't recommended. https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAThttps://kb.netgear.com/30187/How-to-fix-issues-with-Double-NATCouple of options,1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge or modem only mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ/ExposedHost or IP Pass-Through for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode.3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the Orbi router to the modem, configure AP mode on the Orbi router. https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7LOcJ8GdDo&app=desktop

Hopefully you can brige the modem. If not, try option #2. The Arris modem you have is just a modem only, no router so that would be recommended to use that modem if all else fails.

I would try this, unbridge the modem and configure router mode on the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, set up AP mode on the RBR and then see what happens. If it still happening, then the Orbi AX needs to be reviewed by NG support. OK - apart from undoing what I did before in switching to bridged mode (a process which took hours - factoring in the calls to Xfinity, resetting the Orbi network including 2 hours on hold with "tech support"), I don't know how to (1) disable all wifi radios on the modem, or (2) set up AP mode on the RBR. If this is just a 5 minute process, no sweat - I'm willing to try it. But if it's a repeat of the effort involved in merely switching to bridge mode, I'm wondering if the Orbi mesh system is really even worth it. I've dropped close to $1k on something that seems to be incredibly difficult to get to work. The message to the moderator has gone unanswered

After reading about more Xfinity problems, I decided to try to double-down on the Netgear equipment, and at the same time isolate the radio and other issues. So I purchased and am now running a Netgear CM1150V cable modem. Xfinity is supposedly still working on adding back my voice phone, and supposedly sending a firmware update to the modem, but here are the current details: RBS web UI shows all of the devices in the house, and the RBS upstairs at "Good" and the RBS downstairs alternates between "Poor" and "Good". Again.Speeds:Orbi app - 915/38RBR - 936/34 wired to laptop, and WiFi speeds in the same room from 280/35 (laptop) to 886/28 (iphone)RBS upstairs - 450/36 WiFiRBS downstairs - 314/41 wired to RBS and 293/38 WiFiStability - remains to be seenI will report back in a bit on stability. In the interim, if I'm a glutton for punishment, in case there's a chance it is the RBR that's the problem for stability (given my prior experience in having a stable connection via an ethernet connection to the RBS in the basement), are the options to (a) swap out for another RBS, (b) get another Netgear router to work with the RBS, or (c) something else?

RBR850 poor backhaul status | NETGEAR Communities

33 Replies

FURRYe38
Guru - Experienced User
Jan 18, 2021
What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. Depending upon distance and building materies, it maybe common to see a poor status for 1 RBS.

Swap RBS placements with the other to see if status changes or follows.

Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?
- CrazyEddie
  Apprentice
  Jan 18, 2021
  Many thanks to your reply and follow-up questions. My answers:
  
  The firmware reflected on the web UI is V3.2.16.22_1.4.9
  The cable provider is Xfinity and the cabel modem/router is their XB7-T, which I believe is made by Broadcom
  I would say the size is ~6k square feet (although I've got the router and satellite so close that I'm not sure the size is impacting the setup)
  I estimate the distance from the router to the "good" backhaul status is less than 30 feet, and the distance from the router to the basement might be about the same distance, or slightly further away
  I will swap the satellites in the morning to see if there is a difference. FWIW, both satellites were "good" today when I had them within ~6 feet of the router when I added the 2nd satellite
  There are a handful of wifi neighbors - beside, behind and across the street - I can see seven from my Mac wifi drop down menu
  - CrazyEddie
    Apprentice
    Jan 18, 2021
    Updates:
    This morning both satellites are showing "good" under backhaul, but internet seemed to be completely down last night and this morning for the upstairs satellite. After unplugging the device and turning WiFi on and off on my phone, I was able to connect to the mesh network.
    Here are the speeds I got:
    Using the Orbi app, my speeds were pretty consistently ~1190Mbps download and ~42Mbps upload, with the exception of the basement, which was ~940M/42M. (It has always seemed to me that the Orbi app speed is faster than the Ookla Speedtest app.) All other speeds below are with the Ookla app.
    Upstairs satellite (eventually) - 555/40 and 723/41
    Main floor: wired to Xfinity modem (942/42); WiFi at the router location (928/41); elsewhere on same floor (211/39)
    Downstairs: wired to the satellite (244/18 and 326/40); WiFi at the satellite (396/41 and 289/32).

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RBR850 poor backhaul status