Hi, I have a recently purchased Netgear Orbi AX6000, it’s setup and I have Netgear Armor. I’ve installed Bitdefender Total Security on several devices, and I’ve found out that the version is actually the PREVIOUS YEAR Bitdefender (version 25 vs 26).
Is this an issue on my end, or is this the business model?
Regular updates I would get and totally understand (as the Netgear Armor team would need to take Bitdefender's build and make the necessary adjustments to have it go to the Netgear Armor portal vs. Bitdefender Central). However, speaking with Bitdefender support yesterday the latest NA build (25.0.21.80) is "pretty old". Again, there's an entire major number difference, which is typically the annual release with other systems (i.e. the current BD build is 26.xx.xx.xx).
I'm not saying having the latest version is a must-have, but at some point being too far back in a build takes you from a security tool to a security risk - One that I'm paying the subscription for.
I've noticed the same for Mac versions too. Latest version on Bitdefender website shows version 9.xx, but even using the link from Netgear Armor portal it only installs V8.x.
I have the same concerns as @TheGrumpyGent - at some point it becomes a security risk. Given the amount of money paid for the subscription, I'd expect updates to be on par with the core product. Hopefully someone at Netgear realises? I'm starting to think this product is going to be the one for me and I am already looking at alternatives to change to before my subscription expires.
There was an update today, 3rd Febuary. Its still a full version behind Bitdefender who are on build 26 with Armor on 25 even the about page is still dated 2021
I migrated from BitDefender Box 2 licenses to Netgear Armor (RAX20 Router), I also bought Netgear VPN Pro licenses ... and I saw that in both cases the software versions, both Windows and Android, are older versions, 25 instead of 26, the VPN is 24 ....
It's a slightly embarrassing situation, especially since financially Netgear packages are even more expensive than those of Bitdefender Box ...
In our country (Romania) there is a saying ... "and **bleep**ed, and with the money taken" ... that's how I feel now, especially since I bought 2 RAX20 equipment, 2 Armor licenses for them, VPN Pro .. ..
When estimating Netgear support, are the software versions used updated ??? Why aren't the same versions, the latest ones available on BitDefender ?? That they both brag about working together ...
I just ran into this problem myself. The current version of Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is 9.0.5.5. The version available through Netgear Armor is 8.3.0.30. The current version of Bitdefender VPN is 4.1.2.6. The version available through Netgear Armor is 1.0.3.16. It's hard to figure why the Netgear versions are so far behind the current Bitdefender versions. It makes me think that Bitdefender Armor isn't worth it.
I was trying find answers to my worries on the French forum (since I'm French) but couldn't get any feedback. So, I've found this interesting post.
I've just bought an Orbi router+satellite pack (RBK) since I had a very good deal (89€). On the app, I saw the 30 day free trial for Armor. It got automatically activated (??!!). However, I just turned it off since I'm using my own antivirus which is very efficient. I know Bitdefender since I had a free trial but didn't want to buy it since its parental control is not as effective as the one on my antivirus. Now, if you're saying that Armor uses an older release of Bitdefender, I won't even consider it in the future.
Someone knows if Armor offers Bitdefender's parental control ? If yes, why is there an additional paid subscription to Smart Parental Control ?
I don't think Bitdefender offers parental controls directly. Parental controls come from a service called Circle but I don't know if that's provided through Netgear Armor or Bitdefender. I've been exchanging messages with Bitdefender for the past week and I'm fed up with the problems. Managing the Bitdefender products provided through Netgear Armor is a nightmare. I just turned off auto-renew for my subscriptions because I'm going back to getting them directly from Bitdefender. I am completely fed up with this bizarre arrangement between Netgear Armor and Bitdefender. It's just not worth the frustration.
I contacted Bitdefender re out of date Armor and for nearly 2 years have had the same repeating automatic replies, every 3-4 weeks. 1/ they are working on a fix and 2/ if I don’t respond the ticket has been resolved and they will close it. . Well the ticket has never been closed as I keep getting the same 2 messages and no the product is very out of date and this clearly has never been either worked on or resolved. I suspect the only worse support is Netgear themselves, after using PC’s for nearly 50 years this product (the whole thing Orbi and Armor) is the worst experience with support and value I have ever had the moist misfortune to have (not totally true some of the products that Symantec and Corel took over they turned from good programs with equally good support to appalling in months, a common connection of IT firms business model?)
I've been using Bitdefender products for several years and I've been satisfied with them and always got good support from them in the past. The problems I'm having now are specifically related to the way Bitdefender products are distributed and supported through Netgear Armor. The problem I'm running into now with Bitdefender appears to be related to the agreement between Bitdefender and Netgear. That has absolutely nothing to do with me as a customer, so I have no patience for that excuse. I am fed up with Netgear Armor at this point and want to go back to dealing just with Bitdefender. The arrangement between Netgear and Bitdefender is a screw job for the customers. If I had known that I would be getting outdated, poorly supported versions of Bitdefender products through Netgear I never would have signed up for this.
Bitdefender offers parental controls. I had a free trial during 30 days. I think it's lacking some very useful features you can find on other antiviruses. I'm not talking about Bitdefender through Armor. But I've seen on the Orbi app that there's an option to get parental controls, so this feature doesn't come with Armor. That's too bad.
Anyways, if Armor is a downgraded (outdated) version of Bitdefender, it's better to stay with my own antivirus.
The parental control with Orbi is called Circle and you have to install a separate app for it. The basic service is free but if you want more options you have to buy a premium subscription, just as with the Bitdefender VPN. I agree, though, that it's better to get anti-virus/security software directly from the source rather than through Bitdefender Armor. I am completely unhappy with the way things have turned out with the Bitdefender software provided through Netgear Armor.
The program and the VPN one are now months behind Bitdefender updates. Indeed both are a full version never than the Netgear versions and piling on updates which I can only think are pushing security gap updates.
