Orbi/RBR50 - V2.7 was avabile, but Orbi thought it was already up-to-date with V2.5
Today (2020/Dec/29) I received an e-mail from Netgear from advising that an "Important Security Firmware Update" for my RBR50 was availble.
As per the instructions linked in the e-mail (which is what I would have done anyway), I used the Orbi App to check the firmware status, which was "Firmware is up to date".
The firmware in my router was V2.5.2.4.
I also checked via the web interface (Orbilogin.net), and it also said that the firmware was 2.5.2.4, and when I tried "Check" for a new version, it said that none was available.
But ...
I was curious, and checked at the Negear site -- and the current firmware listed for the RBR50 is 2.7.2.102. So, sure enough, there was a new vesion available - only for some reason the Orbi wasn't aware of it.
I downloaded that from the website, and manually updated it, and it "took".
Any ideas why the Orbi was not aware of the new firmware? This is the second time that I've faced this issue with the Orbi -- very confusing, and disturbing. If I had not received the e-mail message (or it had been consdered spam, etc.) then I would have permanently missed "an important security update" (???)
Can we not trust the Orbi to be aware of its own firmware version?
The firmware package at this site was "V2.7.1.60 (for US Region Only)"
After I downloaded it into my RBR50, the OrbiLogin site immediately advised that a firmware update was available -- V2.7.2.102. WHAT?!?!
So, I let it "automatically" download that one - and it also seems to be working OK.
If did not happen to be a computer software engineer, my Orbi's firmware would probably be at least two years out of date by now. Not only would I have had no idea how to update it -- I would not have even known that it was out of date.
To update it, I did NOT follow the instructions provided in the e-mail from Netgear (which didn't work in this case) -- I had to "jump through some hoops". There's no way that the average "civilian" user would be expected to figure this out.
Re: Orbi/RBR50 - V2.7 was avabile, but Orbi thought it was already up-to-date with V2.5
Thanks! I am in IT so I try to stay current on patches especially for routers. I have seen many security notices for the router and was wondering why no updates! I downloaded the patch (*.60) and uploaded to the satellites and then to the router. Once uploaded and installed I was able to do the update from the Android app.
Install was uneventful and all is working fine (so far).
