I can not log into my Orbi 850 router anymore locally, only with Anywhere Access or the web.
Hi,
Lately I have not been able to log in locally with the Orbi app on Android to my Orbi 850 router. I can use Anywhere Access and the web interface from a browser on my phone a computer so I am not locked out, but not the normal local login with the app. I have deleted cache, deleted data, reinstalled the app and rebooted the router. I am told that the "router is unreachable". It is not since I can easily reach on my local network with a web browser. This has worked just fine until recently. What could be wrong? An do not tell me to factory reset for this. That takes a long time for something that shouldn't be very hard to have working.
Re: I can not log into my Orbi 850 router anymore locally, only with Anywhere Access or the web.
Perhaps a silly question.... is there another Android device that the Orbi app can be installed on? (I was offered so little trade-in value the last time I upgraded phones that I just kept the old phone and use it for experiments. No SIM card, but WiFi works just fine.)
There was an issue (months ago) where the Android version of the Orbi app could not connect locally and gave a "connection timed out" error. Users who had not enabled Anywhere Access were thus completely locked out of the Orbi app (because Anywhere Access can be enabled only when the specific device running the Orbi app is connected to the Orbi WiFi locally.)
That issue was resolved months ago.
Somehow, I agree that doing a Factory Reset is not likely to resolve this issue. On a scale of 1 to 100, how serious is this problem?
(a) the Orbi app works when connected to the Orbi LAN, and (b) the Orbi app works when away from home. It is annoying and offensive not to be able to choose "Connect Locally", but does the Orbi app not function with Anywhere Access?
Anyway, there is a "quick and dirty" form of Factory Reset:
Use the Advanced Tab, Administration, Backup Configuration menu to save a copy of the configuration to your computer.
Get out the trusty paperclip and stick it in the tiny reset hole.
Hold it in there until the Power LED begins to flash amber.
Let go and the router will reboot.
Using a computer connected to the router (Ethernet is what we Old Timers perfer, but WiFi will work as well), go through the setup process ignoring every attempt to "do anything". Don't register it (again). Do not enable Armor, Parental Controls, or any damn thing. Do not change the WiFi SSID from the default. Just power through the setup until a screen comes up offering two choices:
Load a previously saved configuration, or
Continue manual setup.
Choose to load a configuration, browse to wherever the config file was saved, and APPLY.
In .less than three minutes the router will reboot and, like the Terminator... I'M BAAACK!
I can to this entire process in under 10 minutes. No entering information. No resetting WiFi credentials. Just "boom".
If there is some "junk" that has crept into the Orbi memory, this quick reset will probably erase it.
