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Forum Discussion
RBS750 satellite at 2.4ghz backhaul after firmware update
I have two satellites RBS750 with my Orbi Router RBR750. Both satellites were operating at 5GHz backhaul and both were delivering download speed of 350Mbps. However after firmware update to V3.2.18.1_1.4.14 a few weeks ago, one of my satellites is now operating at 2.4GHz backhaul and it's delivering download speed of 80Mbps even if I move the satellite to within 5ft from the router. I tried manually reverting to the prior firmware version but the system kept updating the firmware back to the lastest release. There is no option to disable auto firmware update. I even tried doing a factory reset and it made no difference. The LED on the satellite turns amber once it's done booting up.
I've seen a similar thread on backhaul and firmware update issue but my satellite worked fine with the previous firmware release and I don't see any solution for that thread.
7 Replies
I've already tried factory reset and it made no difference. NG needs to do better with their firmware and app. We need an option to disable firmware update. If not, then they need to give us lifetime warranty or give us a full refund. The latest firmware update also took a step backward. I used to be able to tell which router or satellite any wireless device is connected to. Now it shows only devices connected to the router and devices connected to the satellites are listed as "not currently connected to the network". I'm regretting my purchase.
Actually it would be a good thing not to get updates from NG. Their updates usually do not improve performance based on my other two other NG routers that I've owned in the last 10 years. At least I was able to go back to previous versions of firmware. Now I regret giving them another chance.
Tried once more to revert to the previous firmware release. After 20 seconds or so, it downloaded the latest release. If I pay for my router, shouldn't I as the owner get to choose what goes into my router? My router will be forever at the mercy of NG's firmware updates. One of these days, my router is going to stop working completely. This is ridiculous.
> You can try this and see if this blocks a FW udpate if you revert back to prior version:
> 1) Go to Advanced, Security, Block Sites and add the following sites.
> http.fw.updates1.netgear.com
> updates1.netgear.com
> downloads.netgear.com
> TCP port 443 (HTTPS): http.fw.updates1.netgear.com
> TCP port 21 (FTP): updates1.netgear.com
> I believe those two are all that's necessary to block.After talking to a tech support over the phone I was able to update my firmware back to the previous release. You need to plug your laptop directly to the ethernet port of the satellites and router to upload the firmware. If you update firmware wirelessly it will immediately update back to the latest release. Don't know why nobody told me this and why it's not explained clearly in the documentation. It didn't solve my problem with slow wifi but at least it updated my firmware successfully and not download the latest release. I guess my satellite went bad coincidentally after the latest firmware update. That is not a good sign for a $500 router system. If anybody knows how to disable 2.4ghz backhaul to force Orbi to use 5.0ghz backhaul, that would be great. Can we ask to have this option in the next firmware release? Otherwise I don't think I will buy another NG router again.
Great. At 2am my router downloaded the latest firmware. I just don't understand what these firmware engineers are doing. If you allow people to manually upload a firmware, don't you think it would be a good idea not to do an automatic firmware update to overwrite it??? Many smart devices out there allow people to have an option to disable auto firmware update just in case the firmware breaks a device or simply the user doesn't want it. This is ridiculous.