RBR850 - SPC trial MISTAKENLY activated - Cannot set custom DNS servers?

[Batch48]

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!!

[FURRYe38]

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. 

[Batch48]

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.

[FURRYe38]

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...

[Batch48]

Thanks for the help. I’ll try to setup the RBR850 while disconnected from the ISP. I will report the result.

[CrimpOn]

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@Batch48 wrote:
Sent another request to Support today asking again to delete SPC from the registered account and the registered RBR850. Still waiting a reply.

---

How are you sending requests to "Support"?

My "90 days" expired years ago, and I have yet to find a method to reach Netgear support directly.  Are you within your "90 days"?

Or... sending messages in regard to the SPC subscription?

[Batch48]

The original 90-day support coverage for my Orbi RBR850 is expired. I'm sending messages to Support re the SPC activation. They reply to the SPC support requests with little help and then immediately close the case so no further comms or action can be taken. If another RBR850 factory reset and reconfig while disconnected from the ISP doesn't solve the issue I may be forced to subscribe to a 6 months support plan on the devoice in order to resolve this issue. I'm convinced there is a bug in the SPC registration info at the server.

[ChristineT]

Hello @Batch48 ,

We are continuing to investigate this issue. Can you please send me a private message with the serial number of your device. I am working with the engineering team to see if this issue can be fixed on the back end while we continue to debug this internally.

I sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding.

Best,

ChristineT

[Batch48]

THANK YOU for the follow up!! PM sent with device info as requested.

[DrRJ]

Just updated firmware  RBR750 V4.6.5.14. Still having the same issue.

[Batch48]

@ChristineT 

Typo in the OG post title..... my Orbi device is an RBR850 NOT an RBR750.

Further to this issue....

Just received a popup notice in the Orbi app linked to my Orbi RBR850 device and my Netgear account reminding me... 'Just 2 quick steps to to complete setting up Smart Parental Controls'.

So, as eviddenced by the Orbi app popup reminder, the accidental SPC registration HAS NOT been deleted from my Orbi RBR850 device or from the registered Netgear account as repeatedly stated by Netgear Support.

Additionally, the Orbi app popup reminder shows by green checkmark that a firmware update was completed relative to the SPC activation.

So, it is TRUE... SPC activation on an Orbi device alters the firmware on the registered Orbi device.

As solution to this issue why not regress the affected device to the firmware version previous to the SPC activation?

Still need help resolving this issue.

Thank you!!

[Blanca_O]

Hi @Batch48

We are currently looking into this issue. We will get back to you as soon as we have an update from the product team. 

Regards,
Blanca
Community Team

[Batch48]

For more than TWO WEEKS this has been an issue. NUMEROUS comms with various Netgear Support contacts in that period of time and NO solution to the issue? VERY disappointing. I ansolutel HATE this Netgear Orbi RBR850 product now. Looking for a solution soon! Thanks!

[Batch48]

I factory reset the RBR850 device YET AGAIN and reverted the firmware on the RBR850 router device to v4.6.3.9_2.0.50 hoping it would resolve the inability to set the custom DNS servers.

NOPE!!!

Still unable to set custom DNS servers.

Clearly this issue resides at the device registration server.

NETGEAR ENGINEERING.....PLEASE RESOLVE THIS ISSUE!!

[FURRYe38]

What FW version did you downgrade the RBR to before it updated aback to v9? 

Can you post a picture of the RBR basic tab page and the Advanced Tab/Setting/Internet and WAN pages? 

Please use the Choose File to include this on your next post. 

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@Batch48 wrote:

I factory reset the RBR850 device YET AGAIN and reverted the firmware on the RBR850 router device to v4.6.3.9_2.0.50 hoping it would resolve the inability to set the custom DNS servers.

NOPE!!!

Still unable to set custom DNS servers.

Clearly this issue resides at the device registration server.

NETGEAR ENGINEERING.....PLEASE RESOLVE THIS ISSUE!!

---

[Batch48]

The RBR850 firmware was downgraded from v4.6.3.16_2.0.51 to v4.6.3.9_2.0.50.

RBR850 firmware v4.6.3.9_2.0.50 was DL'd direct from the Netgear RBR850 product support page and installed to the device manually.

It appears that the RBR850 device firmware was auto-updated overnight to v4.6.3.16_2.0.51. Hate that!

The images of the Basic and Advance Internet Setup pages are included in this reply as requested. IP addresses are redacted from both images.

In both Basic & Advanced Internet Setup page images notice that the radio buttons for the DNS server addresses are grey-out and inactive.

While DNS server addresses CAN be entered in the correlating DNS server IP address fields on both the Basic & Advance pages the custom DNS address information CANNOT be successfully saved to the RBR850 device configuration. This condition exists whether Dynamic or Static IP Address options are selected.

Under the particular ISP service Dynamic IP Address MUST be selected..

Thanks for the help!

[FURRYe38]

Can you post a picture of the RBR Basic tab HOME page please. 

[Batch48]

RBR850 BASIC HOME TAB, ADVANCED WAN TAB and ADVANCED WIRELESS TAB images as requested. Local WAN & WIFI ID info redacted for privacy.

So far, I'm receiving NOTHING from Netgear Support or Netgear Engineering in the effort to resolve this issue. Received simply a "...we are looking int this issue." update by PM.

Thank you for the continuing forum help!

[FURRYe38]

I'll be checking my RBR today as well for this...though I've not had SPC enabled on mine since v4 updates started happening. 

[FURRYe38]

Ok so mines got DNS selectable and I can change to custom DNS:

Odd that yours is grayed out. A factory reset should clear this.

I'm wondering if you downgrade the RBR to v3, reset the RBR, if this would clear this out. 

[Batch48]

@FURRYe38  Again... I've performed probably 5-6 factory resets on my RBR850 device in the effort to cure this issue.

No result.

Same problem persists after each factory reset. I cannot set custom DNS server addresses and successfully apply those DNS server addresses to the RBR850 device.

I've downgraded the RBR850 firmware twice to v4.6.3.9_2.0.50 but each time I do so the system auto-updates the firmware back to v4.6.3.16_2.0.51. Very curious. How does that happen? Can firmware auto-update function be turned off in the RBR850 device configuration?

Reading the firmware v4.6.3.9 release notes I see that SPC support was added as part of that release. So, I should probably revert to a firmware release PRIOR to v4.6.3.9 in the effort to KILL SPC!!

Do you have a recommendation as to which version of RBR850 v3.x.x.x firmware I should DL and install as part of yet another factory reset? Perhaps the latest RBR850 v3.x.x.x - which is V3.2.18.1? Reading the v3.2.18.1 release notes I see no mention of SPC support.

The device firmware auto-update behavior, along with the Orbi app pop-up notice posted earlier in the thread wherein the Orbi app noted a successful RBR850 device firmware update as part of the SPC activation, causes me to believe that this 'RBR850 DNS custom server settings' issue is effected by configuration settings set at the Netgear device registration server or the Netgear SPC server.

Again... I CAN enter custom DNS server addresses in the corresponding DNS Address fields on the Advance/Internet Setup page but the DNS Address information CANNOT be successfully saved/applied to the RBR850 device. After applying the entered DNS server addresses to the device the DNS server fields remain blank. And, given network device behavior, its evident that the custom DNS servers are not being used by the network devices.

All very puzzeling!

And all VERY frustrating!!

Continuing thanks for the continuing forum help!!

[FURRYe38]

Do you happen to have a host router upstream from the RBR? 

This will impact what version of v3 FW you can revert too...

[Batch48]

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.

[FURRYe38]

Well you can try this, 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/forums/recentpostspage/post-type/message/category-id/English/user-i...

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. 

[Batch48]

So...

I have a POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT to report on this issue!!

Before diving deeper into any further firmware back dates and script implementations in the effort to enable telnet on my RBR850 device I tried ONE MORE factory reset and RBR device reconfig with the RBR device disconnected from the ISP/WAN.

And... SUCCESS!!

I was able to set custom DNS server address in the Advance/Internet Setup page. See the screen grab below. Again, IP addresses and DNS server addresses redacted for security.

And, I was able to successfully apply the DNS server settings to the RBR device and confirm through network device behavior that the network devices are using the custom DNS servers.

So, I am HOPEFUL that the custom DNS server settings will remain persistently saved to the RBR device and that an overnight firmware auto-update will not overwite or erase the custom DNS server settings from the RBR device.

Fingers crossed for a few more days that this works to finally solve the problem.

I will report rmore results in a few days.

Thanks again for all of the continuing forum support help on this issue!