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RBE770 v1 satellite stops accepting WiFi clients – reboot immediately fixes it – V10.5.20.10_2.2.51
Hi all,
I am experiencing a recurring issue with my Orbi 770 system and, after quite a bit of troubleshooting, this does not appear to be a normal roaming, coverage or client-side issue.
Before suggesting the usual troubleshooting steps, please read the details below, as I have already checked and tested quite a few things.
HARDWARE / SETUP
Router: RBE771 v1
Satellite: RBE770 v1
Firmware on both: V10.5.20.10_2.2.51
Both labels state RBE771 / RBE770, with no "v2" designation.
System is running in AP Mode.
Main internet connection: 1 Gbit fibre.
ISP router WiFi is disabled.
The RBE771 is downstairs.
The RBE770 satellite is on the first floor in my office.
Devices on the second floor normally rely heavily on the satellite.
The satellite reports its status as "Good".
The satellite backhaul is shown as 5 GHz + 6 GHz.
A desktop PC is connected by Ethernet directly to the RBE770 satellite.
THE ACTUAL PROBLEM
After the system has been running for a while, sometimes one or several days, all wireless devices stop connecting to the RBE770 satellite.
They all move to the RBE771 router downstairs instead.
This affects different kinds of clients and different bands. I have seen 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz and WiFi 7 / MLO-capable clients all connected to the downstairs router while zero wireless clients are connected to the satellite.
This causes a real problem for devices upstairs, especially on the second floor, because their connection to the downstairs router is weak and they start losing connectivity.
The important part is this:
The satellite itself does NOT appear to go offline.
While the problem is occurring:
- RBE770 still appears in the Orbi interface
- Backhaul status still shows "Good"
- My Ethernet-connected desktop behind the RBE770 continues to have a working network/internet connection
- Only the wireless clients appear to stop using or being accepted by the satellite
So the RBE770 is still forwarding Ethernet traffic and maintaining its backhaul connection.
REBOOT TEST
Today I deliberately tested this.
Before rebooting the satellite:
- Virtually every wireless client was connected to the RBE771 downstairs
- The RBE770 had no wireless clients
- My wired desktop was still connected through the RBE770
- Satellite status was still "Good"
I then rebooted only the RBE770 satellite.
I did NOT reboot the router.
After the satellite came back online, wireless clients immediately started connecting to the RBE770 again.
So the behaviour is reproducible:
RBE770 stops serving/attracting wireless clients
->
Satellite-only reboot
->
Clients immediately reconnect to the satellite
This strongly suggests to me that this is not simply a case of "sticky clients" refusing to roam.
If it were normal roaming behaviour, rebooting only the satellite should not suddenly cause multiple unrelated devices to start using it again immediately.
WIRELESS / MLO SETTINGS ALREADY CHECKED
I have also checked Advanced Wireless Settings.
Current relevant settings include:
Enable 20/40 MHz Coexistence: enabled
2.4 GHz Preamble Mode: Automatic
5 GHz Preamble Mode: Automatic
Under MLO Backhaul:
"Enable 200 MHz Bandwidth" is NOT enabled.
So before anyone suggests disabling the 200 MHz MLO backhaul option: it is already disabled.
The Orbi interface does nevertheless show the satellite backhaul as 5 GHz + 6 GHz, which I understand is normal for the WiFi 7 enhanced/MLO backhaul architecture.
I have deliberately not started randomly changing every wireless parameter, because rebooting only the satellite restoring all wireless clients is a much stronger indication of a satellite-side software/radio issue than a basic RF configuration problem.
OTHER THINGS ALREADY INVESTIGATED / TESTED
During earlier troubleshooting I have also:
- Rebooted both router and satellite
- Tested different security settings, including WPA3
- Checked Smart Connect behaviour
- Checked satellite placement
- Verified the satellite reports "Good" connectivity
- Tested client behaviour on different floors
- Observed clients on 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz
- Confirmed that the issue returns after the system has been running for some time
- Confirmed that rebooting the satellite temporarily solves the problem
Previously I also experienced situations where devices upstairs would insist on connecting to the router downstairs rather than the much closer satellite.
The important difference now is that I have been able to verify that, when the fault occurs, essentially all wireless clients disappear from the satellite at the same time, while Ethernet through that same satellite keeps working.
FIRMWARE / V1 VERSUS V2
I am aware of firmware 12.1.7.23.
However, my hardware is the original RBE771 / RBE770 v1, not the RBE771v2 / RBE770v2.
Therefore I will NOT attempt to flash 12.1.7.23 onto these units.
My current public v1 firmware is:
V10.5.20.10_2.2.51
There is another recent thread describing very similar behaviour:
"Satellites won't connect iPhone / Sonos to WiFi after 12 hours"
That user also appears to be running the RBE770/771 v1 series on V10.5.20.10_2.2.51.
This is one of the reasons I suspect there may be a firmware issue affecting the satellite's wireless/fronthaul functionality.
WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR
I would particularly like to hear from NETGEAR staff or anyone with direct experience of this issue.
Specifically:
- Is this a known issue in V10.5.20.10_2.2.51 on the RBE770/RBE771 v1?
- Is there a known condition where the satellite's 2.4/5/6 GHz client radios or fronthaul stop functioning while the backhaul and Ethernet bridge remain operational?
- Is there a newer beta or engineering firmware build for the RBE770/RBE771 v1 that addresses this?
- Is a new public firmware release for the 770 v1 series currently being tested?
- Are there specific debug logs or radio-status pages I should capture while the fault is occurring, before rebooting the satellite?
I am happy to reproduce the problem again and collect debug information while the satellite is in the failed state.
What I do NOT want to do is schedule a daily reboot of the satellite as a workaround. A WiFi 7 mesh system should be able to keep its satellite radios operational continuously.
If NETGEAR engineering has a test build available for the RBE770/RBE771 v1, I am more than willing to test it and provide feedback.
Thanks.
3 Replies
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.
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 wired or wirelessly connected.
I found odd timeouts and random high pings when connected behind the RBS of the 770v1 series. Others have post this as well. We've already made NG aware of this.
I've been testing a beta already and seems to have resolved the issues of devices connected behind the RBS and front haul. I'm hoping NG will be pushing this soon as it's badly needed by the 770v1 community. I can't say when they will. All up to them.
If you feel you want to try this, might give NG support a call and ask about it and see if they can get you something.
770v2 is NOT compatible with the 770v1 series and it will fail if you attempt to load it.
Thanks for the detailed reply, this is very helpful.
To answer your questions:
My ISP is KPN in the Netherlands on a 1 Gbit fibre connection. The Orbi system is running in AP mode behind a KPN Box 12. WiFi on the KPN Box 12 is disabled. I do not have the exact ONT model available at the moment, but I can check that if it is relevant.
The connection between the KPN Box 12 and the RBE771 is Ethernet. It is CAT6A. What I can confirm is that the internet connection itself remains stable when this problem occurs.
Also, my desktop is connected by Ethernet directly to the RBE770 satellite. When the issue happens and all wireless clients have stopped using the RBE770, that wired desktop continues to work normally through the same satellite.
So during the failure state:
the RBE770 remains online;
the satellite still reports a Good backhaul;
Ethernet traffic through the RBE770 continues to work;
but the wireless clients all end up connected to the RBE771 downstairs instead;
rebooting only the RBE770 causes wireless clients to start connecting to it again immediately.
My house is 150 square meters.
The RBE771 is downstairs and the RBE770 is one floor above it in my office. The straight-line distance between the router and satellite is approximately 12 metres. The satellite consistently reports a Good connection though, and when it has just been rebooted, devices on the first and second floor connect to it normally.
That is why I find the behaviour difficult to explain purely as a placement or roaming issue. It works correctly after a satellite reboot, and then after some time the wireless clients all disappear from that satellite again while the satellite itself and wired traffic remain operational.
Your comment about the 770v1 beta firmware is therefore very interesting to me, especially since you mention that it appears to have resolved both devices behind the RBS and front-haul issues.
I would definitely be willing to test that beta and provide feedback.
Unfortunately, my NETGEAR software support entitlement has expired, so I am no longer able to open a normal support case with NETGEAR myself.
If you know of another way to obtain the current RBE770/RBE771 v1 beta build, for example through a NETGEAR moderator, the beta programme or an engineering contact, I would be very interested.
Perhaps a NETGEAR moderator reading this thread could also help get this issue in front of engineering, as it appears to match an issue they are already aware of.
And yes, I am aware that the RBE770v2/RBE771v2 firmware is not compatible with the v1 hardware. I will not attempt to install the 12.1.7.23 v2 firmware on my system.
Thanks again for confirming that NETGEAR is already aware of similar problems on the 770v1. The fact that you are already testing a beta which appears to improve the RBS/front-haul behaviour sounds very promising.
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