RBR760 lost settings, now won't allow recreation

[randomtask]

Apologies for the vague title... For the past few days connectivity for several devices has been unstable so I decided to reboot the Orbi via the mobile app.  After rebooting, the app detected the Orbi as a new unconfigured device and wanted to go through setup.  I then went to a hard-wired device and configured the Orbi had router had completely lost it's setting, though the satellites were still broadcasting my SSID's (with no internet/network connectivity).  

I restored settings using a backed up config from 6 months ago and I was able to get everything back up and running... however I had some port forwarding rules I had created more recently so those need to be added.  Unfortunately, when I try to add these rules I receive a prompt that says that I cannot create the rule as it conflicts with existing entries.  As far as I can tell, the router must see traces of those settings that were lost when rebooted and they didn't completely clear.  

Any ideas?  I have already tried rebooting the router and satellites but I still cannot create the rules.  RBR/RBS760 with firmware v6.3.6.4_1.2.68.

[CrimpOn]

Just this week I had the same issue with my RBR50.  Wanted to test something on Port Forwarding and got that bizarre message. Opened and closed Port Forwarding screen a couple of times and suddenly, there it was.

Today the same thing is happening.  What I observe is that even though the error message appears, the port is actually being forwarded.  When I delete the service, the port is no longer being forwarded.

How do I know?

• Netgear routers support NAT Loopback.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_address_translation#NAT_hairpinning 
  When I point a browser at my public IP address, the connection request is forwarded to the correct internal device.
• The port I forward for test is to my Pi-hole web page (http) and within a minute the Orbi log showed some bozo on the internet had already tried to connect to it.

What happens if you define the port forwarding rule and then ignore the stupid message?

[randomtask]

Unfortunately, in my case that port is not forwarded.  That thought did occur to me originally so I had tested it - apologies for not including that detail in the original post.

[iyang]

Hi @randomtask ,

What's port forwarding rules do you setup ?

Thanks.

[CrimpOn]

---

@iyang wrote:

What port forwarding rules do you setup ?

---

Typically I test by forwarding port 80 to a Pi-hole server (has a web management interface).

and port 21 to a Windows FTP server.

I open them only to test and then close them quickly.  Within minutes there are robots trying to connect to them, which fills up the Orbi log and annoys me.  Just tried again.

• Made a typo (brain freeze) when creating custom rule and typed 30 instead of 80.  Rule created with no error message.
  Of course, there is no server on port 30, so no Loopback connect.
• Edited the rule to change it to port 80 (http) and got that stupid error message.  But... the port is actually open.
• Tried again with port 30 - no error.
• Edited it back to port 80 - error message.

All I can conclude is that there is a bug in the code that pops up an error message and then opens the port anyway.

[iyang]

Hi @CrimpOn ,

Can you share the screenshot in port forwarding page ?

Thanks 

[CrimpOn]

Here the screen shows no ports forwarded:

Create rule to forward port 80 to 192.168.1.30:

Press ADD

Port 80 is now forwarded to 182.168.1.30