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Forum Discussion
871 reports disconnected Internet in error in conflict with Orbi App and actual operation
I have a 870 router with 1 satellite. Internet via Centurylink fiber (Orbi connected to ONT). Centurylink connection uses PPoE with VLAN 201 tagging. 871 is operating as router, not bridge mode (ONT is just a "dumb" device).
Overall my 870 system works very well - good uptime, uses 160MHz channels, no issues on data performance.
Every couple of months I wake up to find the 871 router showing pink light - disconnected Internet. Has happened 3 times in last 6-months.
After investigating I find:
- Via the Orbi phone app - shows Internet WAN port as ok - shows the ISP assigned IP address and other parameters all find
- Via the Orbi web I/F - shows Internet as disconnected, no WAN IP address (0.0.0.0). I look at the log history and today (Feb 5th) only showed log entries mid-January
- Overall the Orbi system is working fine - 1Gbps speeds, all devices connected, no issues
The overall problem is that the router LED and web I/F is reporting the wrong status, but Orbi App and actual operationare correct. Also the Orbi logging for some reason isn't working correctly.
If I reboot the router, will fix the situation with Router/LED.
Any suggestions on how to fix w/o need to reboot on every occurrence?
9 Replies
Front PINK indicator on the RBR means the RBR has lost connection or internet services from the ISP ONT or ONT isnt' working to get internet services to the RBR correctly. Sometimes ISP services can go down. Something the ISP is responsible for. Possible bad cable as well.
https://kb.netgear.com/31030/What-do-the-LEDs-on-my-Orbi-mean
If this happens ever so often, maybe something at the ONT or upstream at the ISP level. I would have the ISP check the logs on there side when you seen this happen to see if they see anything on there side.
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?
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6A STP is recommended.
Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Smart Parental Controls or Circle, IPv6, Traffic Meter.
Try using custom IPv4 DNS like cloudfare or quad9.
Thanks for the reply. I'm using the latest F/W - 10.5.20.4.
Armor, Smart Parental Controls or Circle, IPv6, Traffic Meter - are all disabled.Also using 9.9.9.9 as my DNS.
Internet and all devices are connected - working fine. Nothing is indicating that Internet actually stopped working - I have some IoT devices that would report any actual outage. Just that router LED is "pink" and web I/F is reporting no Internet (in conflict with Orbi App reporting Internet is fine). In fact as I'm sending this reply (connected to Internet, 871 is reporting ISP assigned IP as 0.0.0.0 and the Orbi 871 has "pink" LED on). So don't understand how the cables or ONT can be causing issue.
Overall appears to be an annoying S/W issue with Orbi 871 incorrectly reporting no Internet. Was hoping that someone else had seen this issue and maybe had a work around or fix.Services on at the ONT or the ISP side needs to be checked when this happens. If cables ARE checked and good, then the signal on the ISP side, can drop or get interupted on the ISP side and would cause the front LED to turn PINK. Means the connection between the RBR and the ISP service has been interrupted or disconnected. The ISP should be able to check there logs and the ONT at the time frame when you see this.
Can try using ISP DNS or cloud fare to see if this still continues as well. Kinda doubt this is a DNS service as I use same quad9 as well. Just something for you to try though.
I've had my 870 series online have haven't seen this. Though mine is connected to a NG cable modem. I did have a service issue just last month and it was ISP related. Service was returned a while later.
I will add that the only the 871 router has "pink" LED on, the 870 satellite has no LED showing. I going to leave the Orbi system running for a day or so and see if the router fixes itself at some point and stops displaying the "pink" LED in error.
The LED on the RBS is an indicator for the connection between the RBS and the RBR. Does not track the ISP connection on the RBS.
Power cycle both ONT and RBR OFF for 1 minuted then back ON.
Again, if you seen the PINK LED on the RBR come on at random times, the ISP needs to check there side up to the ONT when you see this happen.
If I power cycle the problem will go away. Did this on previous occasions.
The "pink" light has been on the router for the last ~6hrs and the Internet access and data rate is working fine.
Again the issue is that the Orbi App is reporting that the router's Internet is connected and working. The router web I/F is showing no Internet WAN connection with no ISP assigned IP and the "pink" LED is on.
I can't really call my ISP since the Internet hasn't stopped working. If it did stop working for a few minutes, I would also receive email notices from several of my IoT devices providers and the log files of these devices would show any Internet outages.
Right now, I suspect possible issues are:
- Orbi 871 router software has a bug on setting Internet connection status - sets the "pink" LED in error
- Maybe somehow the Orbi 871 router is not setting the correct Internet status after PPoE IP renewal / authorization. I don't know how offer Centurylink renews the WAN IP via PPoE. But this would still likely be a S/W issue with the Orbi router since again the Orbi App displays / reports that the WAN Internet connection has IP and other settings correcctly.
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
Does the front LED turn OFF if you log into the RBRs web page?
Something to try, find a 1Gb non managed LAN switch. 5 port would work. Connect the RBR and the ONT to this LAN switch and nothing else. Power cycle the ONT and RBR after connecting them to this switch and power ON the switch at same time. Check the front LED behavior.
I left my 871 router on for last ~day, pink LED stayed on the whole time with Internet working fine. I did power cycle the router this morning and as expected the Pink LED goes away and the web I/F and logging starts working again.
Appears that the router will get in a state of incorrect reporting (both Web I/F and LED) (and logging stops), but the Orbi App will continue to report correctly.What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
Does the front LED turn OFF if you log into the RBRs web page?
Something to try, find a 1Gb non managed LAN switch. 5 port would work. Connect the RBR and the ONT to this LAN switch and nothing else. Power cycle the ONT and RBR after connecting them to this switch and power ON the switch at same time. Check the front LED behavior.
