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Forum Discussion
RBR850 - SPC trial MISTAKENLY activated - Cannot set custom DNS servers?
Hardware reference: One Orbi RBR850 + two synced Orbi RBS850 satellites running Netgear firmware version 4.6.3.16_2.0.51. Windows 10 PC using Firefox v92.0.1 and Chrome v94.0.4606.61 browsers to access the Orbi RBR850 web configuration utility over Ethernet LAN.
Fundamental issue is that after the accidental SPC free trial activation I now cannot set custom DNS servers on my RBR850 in the router web configuration utility. Custom DNS servers WERE SET previously in the RBR850 device configuration BEFORE accidental SPC free trial activation.
I MISTAKENLY activated the Netgear Smart Parental Controls free trial from the Orbi app in a dark hazy morning brain fog while fumbling around with the app. I sent email to Netgear Support asking to CANCEL / DEACTIVATE the accidental SPC activation. I received a convoluted email reply from Support containing numerous English misspellings and grammatical nonsensicals that did not make it clear in the Support reply if the SPC activation was actually cancelled / deactivated on my registered Netgear account and Orbi RBR850 device, or not.
Referencing the Orbi app it is evident that the SPC activation is NOT cancelled / deactivated but is still ACTIVATED on the registered Netgear account and the registered Orbi RBR850 device. I cannot get any further reply from Support re the SPC cancellation request because the original support case was closed following the unclear email reply - followed by a further Support explanation on telephone "...you dont' have an active support contract on your [<1 year old] registered RBR850 device".
WTF?!?!
Reading the numerous threads in the Netgear Community and other various online forums re SPC conflicting with custom DNS server settings on Orbi devices it appears that SPC activation on Orbi devices REMOVES the option to set custom DNS servers from the web configuration utility. Apparently, SPC relies on it own DNS servers for DNS filtering to perform the Internet Nanny functions?
So, as mentioned in the various threads and forums as the solution to restoring the DNS servers setting availibility in the Orbi web configuration utility, I DISABLED SPC from the Orbi app, power cycled the modem, power cycled the RBR850, and returned to the router configuration utility hoping that process resolved the DNS server settings availability issue.
Nope!! No luck!!
The custom DNS server settings availability is still greyed out in the Orbi RBR850 Advance/Setup/Internet Setup tab in the router web configuration utility - even when the 'Use Static IP Address' option is selected.
So, in the continuing effort to resolve the custom DNS server settings availability issue I VERY RELUCTANTLY performed a FACTORY RESET on the Orbi RBR850 and the two synced Orbi RBS850 satellites and went through the network setup process again. That factory reset process was a MAJOR PIA as it wiped out ALL of my previous global network customizations. And... NO CHANGE TO THE DNS SERVER SETTINGS AVAILABILITY IN THE WEB CONFIGURATION UTILITY!?!?!
Again... WTF?!?!
So, the fundamental question is...
How can Netgear SPC be DEACTIVATED / DISABLED / REMOVED from the Netgear registered account and the registered RBR850 device sufficient to restore custom DNS server settings availability in the Orbi RBR850 web configuration utility?
Alternatively, how can the DNS server settings be hacked / customized and successfully saved to the Orbi RBR850 device if SPC cannot be deactivated / disabled / removed?
Thank you in advance for the help!!
29 Replies
Factory reset the RBR and setup from scratch using a wired PC and web browser. Avoid enabled any Armor notifications on the RBRs web page. Don't enable or select the SPC icon on the Orbi app.
You should be able to set DNS addresses after you set up the RBR.
- Yes. Performed this EXACT procedure TWICE. Still unable to set DNS server addresses.
When I delete and reinstall the Orbi app after the factory reset and RBR setup via Ethernet connected PC and web utility the SPC shows ACTIVATED - OFF in the Orbi app tiles.
Thus SPC must be registered to the account and the registers device?
Sent another request to Support today asking again to delete SPC from the registered account and the registered RBR850. Still waiting a reply.Try a reset with the RBR disconnected from the ISP modem/ONT. Walk thru the setup wizard and select manually setup. When you get to the home screen, Don't show again for the Armor window. Go in and see if DNS can be set to Custom...
Do you happen to have a host router upstream from the RBR?
This will impact what version of v3 FW you can revert too...
- I do not have a router upstream of the RBR850. The RBR serves as my primary router
Given the frustrations with this DNS server address issue I have begun to evaluate adding a Netgate pfSense device upstream of the RBR to act as the primary router and then config the RBR as an AP. At least in that network topology I can control most all aspects of the router config settings on the Netgate device w/o interference from a hawkish router manufacturer.Well you can try this,
See if you can get v3, even the last version loaded. See if it blows this away, factory reset and then try applying DNS.
Do this off line with the RBR from the ISP modem.
I would turn OFF the RBS and leave them alone during this process.
If it works, you can try re-updating back to v4. Leave the DNS setting in place.
