Netgear Armor Not Recognizing Bitdefender for Armor on Mobile Devices

[Briansf]

I feel the same way! After my sub runs out I'll be going else were. Software is just be buggy.

[Jeffgear]

After playing around for a while disabling and enabling Armor app notifications and killing the Orbi app and restarting it, rebooting my phone, Orbi app now steadily reports a higher security score of 85 up from 84 and correctly thinks notifications are now enabled. Last week it was 88 and all that's changed over the week is Orbi's insistence notifications were frequently being disabled and enabled. 

[Briansf]

Ya I'm getting tired of this flakey software. Seems to change almost everyday! Bitdefender installed, Bitdefender not installed, Your score dropped because you have not turned on notifications, Your score increased because you turned on notifications. Will be ending my subscription soon. Will be going to another protection service. One that has American (English) support. 

[Jeffgear]

I spoke too soon! Orbi is now saying I have notifications turned off and reduced my security score accordingly.

Another quirk - I moved my work mobile and laptop to my guest network in the hope the laptop is no longer correctly reported as being eligible for Bitdefender. I can’t install a 3rd party app anyway and it has an enterprise grade endpoint protection anyway. I would have thought the Guest network was excluded from the Bitdefender check as guest endpoints are transient and should be excluded from this check. Yes scanning them for vulnerabilities is good but exclude from the Bitdefender agent and not let them impact the security score unless they of course have vulnerabilities.

Come on Armor - please sort your Bitdefender and Orbi integration as well as iOS.

[Briansf]

Here's a new one. For some reason Netgear Nighthawk app stoped recognizing my iPhone 13! This came out of the blue for no reason! It now says it's a iPhone 14.5! It said I had to log in to use the app. When I tried it said that my device was not recognized and that I had to have a push notification sent to my phone! Tried that with no luck. The other option was to have a code sent to my e-mail which I tried. That e-mail was sent to junk folder. I deleted the Nighthawk app from my iPhone 13 and reinstalled it. No luck. Still showed that the iPhone as not recognized by the app. Had the code sent again and checked my junk folder and found the code. Good to go?...nope! Now it says I have reached my 5 device limit and I have to delete a device. So I deleted the iPhone device and it installed on my iPhone just fine...with the original problems still there! This stuff would drive a squirrel nuts! I think I'm going to go on a long vacation!

[Jeffgear]

The new Orbi app update this week (2.22.0.247) hasn’t resolved the two bugs with Armor for iOS devices (although Android users are now reporting these). These bugs are iOS devices not being recognised as protected despite running the Bitdefender app and VPN, and Armor/Orbi thinking security notifications is disabled when notifications are enabled in both the Orbi and Bitdefender apps. Both of these issues impacts and misreports the security score shown in Orbi. I suspect they are related in that it thinks my iOS devices are not protected, one of these being my iPhone running the Orbi app itself, and therefore the Orbi or Bitdefender app cannot parse the notification status from iOS to the Orbi app’ Security function. Logging out of Bitdefender and back in, temporarily resolves the notifications issue for a day or so.

[Briansf]

I was hoping that a fix was on the way. I'm now only using netgear nighthawk app to check if anyone is logged on to my network. Using Bitdefender app for scanning my devices. Is netgear/bitdefender aware of this issue? and if so are they doing anything about it?

it's like they don't care.

[-SlowJoe-]

Sorry meant to update you guys last week, but life took hold...

So NG closed my MONTHS long support case and appears to have admitted defeat and are claiming it’s Bitdefender’s issue to figure out (See attached NG Support screenshot). As frustrating as this situation is, after looking at both apps in the iOS store (Nighthawk and Bitdefender for NG Armor), I think they actually may be onto something. Netgear is listed as the developer for the NH app (and Orbi); HOWEVER, the developer for the Bitdefender for NG Armor app (mobile security) is in fact Bitdefender, not Netgear. This is the app that hasn’t been updated for 9 months now and I’m convinced is at the root of the issue. Assuming the same for android, but I only have iOS devices.

I put a ticket in with bitdefender support a couple weeks ago, but haven’t gotten a response. While I do think Netgear should take more responsibility in coordinating with bitdefender, at this point I think our best bet is to raise the issue with bitdefender. If anyone has time, please go to the following link and submit a ticket! The more of us that raise it the better, because the companies definitely don’t read these community posts!

Here’s the link: https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/help/

Once at the link, select: "How to's & Troubleshooting Bitdefender products" > "Troubleshooting" > "Netgear Armor powered by Bitdefender"

Then fill out the email box and submit. May not hurt to link this community post as well. Fingers crossed!

[BK1959]

I called Bitdefender and explained the issues many of us are experiencing and they scaled up to the second level at my request. Their first reaction was to refer me to Netgear but In the end they said they would scale up.
I received a message to confirm this and am now awaiting further news.

[Jeffgear]

Thanks SlowJoe and BK1959 - I have just followed the Bitdefender support link and logged two tickets, one for the iOS devices not being recognised as having Bitdefender running and another for it thinking iOS security notifications are disabled when notifications are enabled for both Orbi and Armor apps. Last week I followed up with Netgear on my old case (that I think has been closed) and they said they were still working on it. Seems like it takes a lot of effort to get an issue escalated up through the Netgear ranks and then across to Bitdefender despite numerous people raising tickets over the last year. Hopefully this additional prodding will help.  I'm convinced it's an issue with the API between Orbi and Bitdefender apps/Armor console as the console doesn't seem to reconcile iOS devices that are running Bitdefender with duplicates listed with and without the Bitdefender badge that might be where it's getting confused.

[Dorm]

It happens with android and IOS devices. Pls don't refer only to ios devices when you open tickets.
Thanks,

[Jeffgear]

I did advise in the ticket that I believed it alao affected android but I couldn’t confirm any details as I only have Apple.
I heard back and provided further screen shots from the Orbi and Bitdefender apps. Hopefully this goes somewhere.

[Briansf]

Two days ago I e-mailed Bitdefender and got a response the next day! I gave them more information about Bitdefender not recognizing iOS devices and also some Android devices. I have given them screen shots of the NetGear Nighthawk App showing that Bitdefender is not installed on my devices when it actually is! Also sent screen shots of Bitdefender on my Mac mini showing that my iPhone and iPad are entered twice. One each showing Bitdefender installed and and one each not installed. Also sent a pic showing that my "security notifications" keeps changing even though it stays the same. Hoping for a solution soon. If everyone creates a ticket maybe the problem will be solved. Keeping my fingers crossed!

[Jeffgear]

Orbi app update 2.23.0.67 was released today, apparently with bug fixes, but sadly this hasn’t resolved the two issues with Armor/Bitdefender - the security score flipping about as it thinks iOS notifications are changing between disabled and enabled every few days, and it thinks my iOS devices are not running Bitdefender, which they are.

[Briansf]

I'm not running the Orbi setup but there was an update to NetGear Nighthawk app. Did not seem to fix anything as our problems still exist. Now that my Threats Detected went from 100+ to 0 my score has improved to 96. Thats because the DOS threats have stoped. 

Bitdefender app has not been updated for 9 months!! I opened a ticket and supplied Bitdefender a detailed explanation as to what was going on and supplied several screen shots of my iOS phone and my iMac computer. I have not heard back from them yet. I sent pics of my iPhone showing Bitdefender as needing to be installed on my iPhone and also my iPad! Not sure what else to do as right now I have to manually scan my iOS devices thru Bitdefender that is installed on each device. There is no automatic scan for these devices because Netgear Armor with Bitdefender does not "see" my iOS devices. However Bitdefender does see my wife's Motorola phone and Bitdefender does do periodic scans...lucky her! So right now I guess I'm at a wait and see status. 

[-SlowJoe-]

No solution yet, but feel better about it than the responses received from NG up to this point. Seems like bitdefender is at least taking ownership of the issue:

Thank you for providing us with the requested logs and I hope my email finds you well.

First of all, please accept my apologies for our late reply, it was by no means intended. We are working around the clock to improve our response time and I am sure that in the future you will notice a significant improvement.

I have looked into the case and I would like to inform you that the situation is caused by an issue that has already been acknowledged by our development team. We are currently working on a fix that will be done by means of an automatic update and won't require any additional action on your end.

This issue is strictly related to a display error in the app/website and it does not affect the protection modules.
You can test if the protection is enabled by accessing our safe test pages below:
bitdefender-testing.com/malware
bitdefender-testing.com/phishing

Additionally, you can troubleshoot the issue by following the steps below:
- Uninstall Armor from the device;
- Reboot the router by unplugging it and then plugging it back in;
- Restart your mobile device;
- Connect your device without any VPN to the router's network;
- Reinstall the Armor Security app.

Should you require any additional information or assistance don't hesitate to contact us.

Have a wonderful day!

Bitdefender BOX Support Engineer
signature.png
-------------------
https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/
https://community.bitdefender.com

[BK1959]

In my case, the heading should be ‘Netgear’s Orbi app not recognizing Bitdefender’s Armor status on mobile devices’.

[Jeffgear]

I received the same response from the Bitdefender support team.

Hopefully it’s fixable via an update to either the Orbi or Bitdefender app.

[Briansf]

I to received a response from Bitdefender! Let's hope there is a solution soon. At least their on to something and working on the issue.

[BK1959]

Same here. I also received such a message yesterday.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed for a solution!

[mmheitzman1]

3-25-23. I still have this issue. iPhones have armor installed but nighthawk app says it needs installed. Are they ever going to fix this? Netgear nighthawk MR 80.

[Briansf]

I feel your frustration. However I and others have received an E-Mail saying that they aware of the problem and a fix should come soon. It will be a fix over the internet and no user intervention will be needed. However all modules are still working and protecting your products. Hopefully it will be soon when a fix will come. 

[Jeffgear]

I think this issue has been present for a year now possibly longer. Seems to take a lot to get such a fundamental issue acknowledged and escalated. I hope lessons are learnt here and future issues like this are resolved within a few months at most.

[-SlowJoe-]

Yea it’s too bad. The concept of Netgear Armor is gold, but it’s been poorly executed. I’ve tried to remain optimistic, but I’m 99% sure I’m not renewing in May without some type of big change. It’s clear to me bitdefender gives priority to its own apps and not the apps it’s partnered with netgear on. Bitdefender mobile security app (same as bitdefender for netgear armor app) has had 12 updates in the last year compared to bitdefender for armor’s 1 update. I’m all for if it’s not broke don’t fix it…but it’s broke, and we’re paying subscriptions…they should fix it lol.

[Briansf]

Ya I understand where you're coming from. Even with bitdefender extending my subscription by 3 months I to will probably move on to another

program. They sound like a solution is just around the corner but with no results. To bad. I liked their software at first and it's easy to use. But if it's not complete then I'm not getting my bang for the buck. I still have close to a year left using this software. If the problem

 is still there then I'm gone. Everything was working great until an update then nothing but problems. Makes ya wonder if they are outsourcing their software development!