ORBI RBR750 Smart Parental Controls - Activation fails after FW upgrade

[breakc0de]

I purchased a year of SPC from netgear when I bought my ORBI RBR750 with 2 satellites. They have been working great until after a FW upgrade. I logged in to the Orbi app and noticed the app prompting me to re-activate the SPC. It tries to activate and then gives and error "Activation failed".  I tried many things including hard reset (factory reset) on all devices, delete the ORBI app, reinstall and did a new setup of the ORBI routers. I did this 2 times. I tried removing all the profiles from the parental controls area, then tried to reactivate and nothing has worked. I am now stuck with non functioning Smart Parental Controls feature. Please HELP!!

RBR750 with 2 satellites

FW: V4.6.14.3_2.3.12 

[breakc0de · Accepted solution]

Yes, they finally fixed my issue. They did something on the cloud services side, then told me to reset my router and reinstall the ORBI app on my phone and it worked. I wasn't given any other details on the fix they made. But I did NOT have to update my FW on the ORBI, so it was something to do with the communication with the web service that allows the parental controls to happen. 

[breakc0de]

I purchased a year of SPC from netgear when I bought my ORBI RBR750 with 2 satellites. They have been working great until after a FW upgrade. I logged in to the Orbi app and noticed the app prompting me to re-activate the SPC. It tries to activate and then gives and error "Activation failed".  I tried many things including hard reset (factory reset) on all devices, delete the ORBI app, reinstall and did a new setup of the ORBI routers. I did this 2 times. I tried removing all the profiles from the parental controls area, then tried to reactivate and nothing has worked. I am now stuck with non functioning Smart Parental Controls feature. Please HELP!!

RBR750 with 2 satellites

FW: V4.6.14.3_2.3.12

[FURRYe38]

Has a power off for 1 minute then back ON with the ISP modem and router been performed since last update?
Be sure to restart your network in this sequence:
Turn off and unplug modem.
Turn off router and computers.
Plug in and turn on modem. Wait 2 minutes for it to connect.
Turn on the router and wait 2 minutes for it to connect.
Turn on computers and rest of network.

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update? A complete pull of the power adapters for a period of time after the factory reset then walk thru the setup wizard and setup from scratch. Recommend setting the default DHCP IP address pool range to the following after applying and a factory reset: 192.168.#.100 to 192.168.#.200.
I would power OFF the ISP modem for 1 minute. Factory reset the Orbi router and power it off. Power ON the ISP modem and let it sync. Then power ON the Orbi router and walk thru the setup wizard again using a wired PC and a web browser.
Press the back reset button for 15 seconds then release.

https://community.netgear.com/t5/NETGEAR-Smart-Home-Parental/Smart-Parental-Controls-Help-and-Inform...

@Blanca_O @KevinLiT 

[breakc0de]

Hi thank you for your reply. Yes I have tried factory resetting now 3 times. I just tried what you suggested and did full unplug of modem and router. Then factory reset the router and performed the ORBIT setup wizard using a wired computer and the web browser. I went to then go activate the SPC and it still gives me "activation failed". 

I have tried everything you suggested in your reply, is there any other avenue to fix this issue? Is this a software bug? 

I also filed a bug through instabugs using the ORBI app. Please help!

[CrimpOn]

Perhaps this would be a good place to start:

https://kb.netgear.com/000063635/How-do-I-get-help-with-my-NETGEAR-subscription-service 

[breakc0de]

I went through several rounds of troubleshooting with Netgear chat representative.

- I tried updating the firmware manually to the latest version (even though it had already been installed). SPC activation still fails

- Downloaded the ORBI app another device to try to active SPC - SPC activation still fails

- Factory reset router/satellites used the Web interface to setup ORBIs again - SPC activation still fails

- Factory rest router/satellites uninstalled the ORBI app - reinstalled ORBI app, setup ORBIs AGAIN - SPC activation still fails.

The end of the chat is the representative said he would escalate the case. 

[breakc0de]

My issue still exists. I have not been able to use my smart parental controls for about 3 months now. It is supposedly in level 2 support now, I have sent support several instabugs and debug logs from my router and still no solution. This is getting ridiculous. I paid a lot of money for this Orbi, AND they are charging me to use a broken SPC!!!

[CrimpOn]

When you go through that support web site all the way to selecting the subscription SPC, does it indicate that there is an active subscription? 

(I tried to make a screen shot of the pull down menu to show SPC at the bottom, but it closes before I can grab it.)

It allows me to select SPC and brings up this screen:

(Having never subscribed, that seems a bit odd, but what do I know?)

At some point does it show anything acknowledging that there actually IS a subscription to SPC?

Where any of those interactions with "Level 2" recent?

[CrimpOn]

p.s. Did Netgear charge your credit card?

[breakc0de]

I wish it was that basic of a problem. I have interacted and provided logs 2 times with Level 2 (or 3?) support who are supposedly working with the developers. I sent all the information they are asking for. And yes I do have a valid subscription.  

[CrimpOn]

So in about 20 days the subscription will expire.  Is there a way to stop it from auto renewing?

Maybe if it "times out", you could start over again?

One of the things I observed (back when I was employed) was a definite trend for people to not communicate.

Support person A sends a request to support person B.

Person B looks at it, concludes, "nothing I can do", and drops the issue. But... fails to tell person A, "I'm not doing anything with this"

C'mon.  If I had something to say, I would have said it.

Person A waits (and waits) for Person B to respond.  No reason to "bug him" (because nobody likes to be nagged).

Or, even worse, "It's not my issue to track any more.  It belongs to Person B. I have other things to work on."

The issue is thus DEAD IN THE WATER. Nobody is doing  anything.

Makes me SCREAM.

Did you find SPC useful, and worth the cost?

[breakc0de]

I'd rather  have Netgear fix the bug. But thanks for the suggestion. 

[CrimpOn]

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@breakc0de wrote:

I'd rather  have Netgear fix the bug. But thanks for the suggestion. 

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Absolutely. Netgear owes you 1/4 of the annual subscription fee.  I would rather they not charge my credit card for another year than have to dispute the charge with the credit card company.  (Went through that once, "Sir. It shows you approved this charge.")

[Cayenne08]

Has anyone gotten any updates on this.  Big let down been paying for a couple years feel like this happens every year.  

[breakc0de · Accepted solution]

Yes, they finally fixed my issue. They did something on the cloud services side, then told me to reset my router and reinstall the ORBI app on my phone and it worked. I wasn't given any other details on the fix they made. But I did NOT have to update my FW on the ORBI, so it was something to do with the communication with the web service that allows the parental controls to happen. 

[FURRYe38]

Please mark your thread as solved so others will know. Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/000062080/How-do-I-back-up-the-configuration-settings-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System
Enjoy. 📡

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@breakc0de wrote:

Yes, they finally fixed my issue. They did something on the cloud services side, then told me to reset my router and reinstall the ORBI app on my phone and it worked. I wasn't given any other details on the fix they made. But I did NOT have to update my FW on the ORBI, so it was something to do with the communication with the web service that allows the parental controls to happen. 

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