Alternatives to orbi?? (considering replacing already)

UPDATE:

So I manged to get it downgraded to V3.2.18.1_1.4.14 last week. it was glitchy to say the least with satellite and router drop outs but at least when it was up stuff was loading. 

NG support advised that after any firmware downgrade they recommend a factory reset. (wish I never listened to them!!!)

Anyway... did the factory reset and it tried to do the FW upgrade as part of the setup. i exited out of the app and wherever possible clicked skip. 

Fastforward to today and guess what... The orbi has automatically upgraded its own firmware back to V4.6.3.16_2.0.51 :smileymad:

I had blocked the site address "devcom.up.netgear.com" on my sky q hub as well, but this clearly hasn't blocked the FW update coming through.

back to square one with a useless paperweight of a system!!!! 

The more I read about this orbi the more I understand why NG has so many angry customers.

resets are sometimes a necessary troubleshooting step. Someting to try as it can and has recolved various problems. Others have mentioned that it has worked for them as well. Something to listen too. But of course, you don't have too. 

---

stu3886 wrote:

UPDATE:

 

So I manged to get it downgraded to V3.2.18.1_1.4.14 last week. it was glitchy to say the least with satellite and router drop outs but at least when it was up stuff was loading. 

 

NG support advised that after any firmware downgrade they recommend a factory reset. (wish I never listened to them!!!)

 

Anyway... did the factory reset and it tried to do the FW upgrade as part of the setup. i exited out of the app and wherever possible clicked skip. 

 

Fastforward to today and guess what... The orbi has automatically upgraded its own firmware back to V4.6.3.16_2.0.51 :smileymad:

 

I had blocked the site address "devcom.up.netgear.com" on my sky q hub as well, but this clearly hasn't blocked the FW update coming through.

 

back to square one with a useless paperweight of a system!!!! 

 

The more I read about this orbi the more I understand why NG has so many angry customers.

 

 

---

So i have downgraded again to V3.2.18.1_1.4.14 and everything appears to be working ok again... but the app has an "Update" button... clearly I wont be pressing this ever. 

But I'm assuming if that's there its just going to force another automatic update on me? :(

Any other way I can prevent these forced automatic updates?

Do you have a router or ISP modem with a built in router in front of the RBR? 

I have a sky q hub Er115 which has built-in modem and router. 

I have the wireless on it turned off and use the orbi in AP mode for my wifi.

Potentially upgrading to fttp next week and getting the latest Sky Q Hub SR203UK

Check to see if your ISP modem/router has blocking or firewall rule features where you can block certain host names or host IP addresses. 

If it does then you can load up last working v3 version of FW for your orbi AX and block the auto updates from happening with the modem/router.

---

stu3886 wrote:

I have a sky q hub Er115 which has built-in modem and router. 

 

I have the wireless on it turned off and use the orbi in AP mode for my wifi.

 

Potentially upgrading to fttp next week and getting the latest Sky Q Hub SR203UK

---

it does have the option to put firewall blocks in place, but only via IP. do you know what IP's need blocking? 

Try 13.225.0.117

thanks, is that http or https? or something else?

currently I've got it as HTTP, so it's 13.225.0.117 (80)

Usually TCP or UDP or ANY. Not sure what your ISP modem supports. 

Try just the IP only and see if the modem accept it. Or does it required a HTTP something? 

When you test this out, have the RBR online and go to it's FW update page, select on Check Updates. The status should return "service not reachable" if you have the up stream router configured right to block. 

Yep i was able to select "Any" so hopefully that solves it.

Put that IP address in WAN servers. 
I think for LAN you can put the IP address the RBR is getting from the modem here. 

Should be all thats needed. 

Hopefully this is looking correct now...

Yes, apply that and then check for FW updates on the RBR. You should see service not reachable. 

looks like it hasnt worked :(

Current Firmware Version V3.2.18.1 and in the status column for the RBR and RBS its showing V4.6.3.16

Add this address to the list as well:

52.42.72.107

Exit the page or navigate off that page then go back and check again. 

If your not seeing service not reachable, I presume the modem isn't blocking correctly. I have tried the first IP and it does work when I block it thought I don't have same modem/router you have. You might ask your ISP if these are correct input usage settings for there modem/router to block to be sure. 

I've added the second IP now, although I don't have the option for "Any (ALL)" this time so have picked "Any (TCP)"

have closed and refreshed the firmware update page but it still says status V4.6.3.16 :( 

Ok. I'd say something on the modem is not blocking addresses correctly. Something the ISP should have a look into. Would be kind of concerning if the modem isn't blocking any addresses...

Hopefully will be getting an ONT with fttp next week, so may need to just wait till then and hopefully just use the orbi as a router plugged straight into the ONT.

in the meantime I'll speak to sky and find out why the firewall isn't doing its job properly. 

could it be that the lastest firmware is already downloaded and stored on the orbi and that is why its saying its still available to upgrade?

Need to check to see if the new ONT has a built in router or not. If not, then you need to downgraded to the early version of V3 and use the telnet method to block NG updates. 

No, it just checks to see if the services has an update. Each time you log out of the web page or nagivate to some other place on the RBRs web page then go back to FW updates, and then check, the the RBR will attempt to query the NG service to see whats out there. If the upstream router is blocking correctly, the RBR will report "service not reachable". I've done this many times in testing myself. 

Firewall blocks definitely didnt work... orbi has forced updated to latest v4 again :(

No wonder so many people box these up and return them!

---

FiiJaS wrote:
Hi guys.
Let's back to topic.
I've tested a couple of days the Linksys Velop.
Connection is stable, WiFi signal also stable.
I'm not noticed any dropping etc. So positive ...
Now the downsides... System/Functions are pretty bare-bones .... What I miss is fully support of VLAN . I have to use between ISP modem still ISP router or switch with VLAN. Support will nothing to promise...
After reading last couple of posts in this thread I decided to keep Velop.

---

Question on the Linksys... does the little light on the top stay permenatly on when connected? or does it go off like the orbi? only ask as I have one of the satellites in a bedroom.

Can you turn off the 5ghz range so that it makes connecting 2.4ghz smart home devices easier to connect?

Can you disable firmware updates so we don't have the same issues like we do with netgear?

---

stu3886 wrote:

---

Question on the Linksys... does the little light on the top stay permenatly on when connected? or does it go off like the orbi? only ask as I have one of the satellites in a bedroom.

 

Can you turn off the 5ghz range so that it makes connecting 2.4ghz smart home devices easier to connect?

 

Can you disable firmware updates so we don't have the same issues like we do with netgear?

 

 

---

Again.  linksys have bare-bone options.

- Light stays blue - there is no option to turn off. The blue light is not so ,,intense" Satellites are the same as parent unit. I mean You can choose which one wil be ,,parent" Satellites working in bridge mode. I can check tonight how bad is this led light... 

-there is no option to turn off the 5Ghz network.

- Yes. You can uncheck ,,install updates automatically"  Updates are not so offten at linksys ( it's also not so good) In one year time there was 3 updates ...

Not sure if the below is stil accurate but it looks like you can split the SSID's on the velop even if you cant turn off the 5ghz range?

Login to the linksys router IP... From there, go to Router Settings > Wifi Settings > "Separate Wifi Settings" > "Show more". Provide a name for the 2.4 GHz and another for the 5 GHz (such as "HomeWifi" and "HomeWifi-5G"). You will be warned about setting up different Wifi names. Click on "Use different names". The Velop will restart, and you will now have two SSIDs