Re: RBR850 ORBI blocking iPhone apps internet traffic?

boshuisen · ‎2021-03-02

Hello,

I was just wondering how my Orbi RBR850 router could be blocking some apps on my iPhone, without Armor activated and no specific site or service blocking rules active in the advanced security setup?

It's definately my router, as switching off wifi and connecting on 4G solves the issue.

Cheers, Tijn

Hardware version - RBR850

Firmware - V3.2.16.22

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-08

What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?

Is IPv6 enabled on the RBR?

If you have had Armor enabled, yes theres talk of after it's disabled, there is lingering code still running on it. One can try to power OFF the RBR for 30 seconds then back ON after disabling Armor. If not, yes, a factory reset will be needed and setup from scratch and this time do not enable Armor.

I don't run Armor so one reason why I haven't seen this on my 12 Max iPhone.

View solution in original post

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-02

Netgear has set up a community forum specifically for the Orbi AX product. Most of the people who watch that forum are more likely to have experience with Orbi AX and know how to work it better than those of us who follow this "general Orbi" forum. Might be more likely to find someone who has a solution if the question is posted there:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/bd-p/en-home-orbi-ax

Thank you.

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-07

Any progress on this?

@boshuisen wrote:
Hello,
I was just wondering how my Orbi RBR850 router could be blocking some apps on my iPhone, without Armor activated and no specific site or service blocking rules active in the advanced security setup?

It's definately my router, as switching off wifi and connecting on 4G solves the issue.

Cheers, Tijn

Hardware version - RBR850
Firmware - V3.2.16.22

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-08

Lets not presume this is a DNS issue just yet. The user has not responded back with additional feedback either. I don't see any issues on my iphone with my Orbi AX system, never have to date.

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-08

What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?

Is this the only device having problems with mobile apps?

What iOS version are you using on the iPhone?

FYI, there is more recent FW updates for ORbi:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/New-RBR850-RBS850-Series-Firmware-Version-v3-2-17-12-Releas...

@boshuisen wrote:
Hello,
I was just wondering how my Orbi RBR850 router could be blocking some apps on my iPhone, without Armor activated and no specific site or service blocking rules active in the advanced security setup?

It's definately my router, as switching off wifi and connecting on 4G solves the issue.

Cheers, Tijn

Hardware version - RBR850
Firmware - V3.2.16.22

DNS_PROBE_FAIL · ‎2021-03-08

They are reporting the exact symptoms we see on mobiles and IPv4 devices in our house on the same exact version of Orbis.

It's almost guaranteed to be the same DNS issues that so many people are experiencing.

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-08

Lets not assume anything until there is more feedback from the poster. It's been several days since they first posted and they haven't been online since. So other there still working with it or they may have resolved it. We don't know so let them respond first. Most of the DNS problems seen on Orbi AX have been mostly reported in browsers, not in mobile devices.

DNS_PROBE_FAIL · ‎2021-03-08

Yes, because the browsers show an error message. Mobile devices don't tell you anything, the app just doesn't work and people don't realize it's the wifi, much less a DNS issue on the wifi. They think because their phone is on wifi and other apps are working that it's an issue with the phone or app or just don't know it's a problem at all.

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-08

Maybe, I think we'd see more posts about mobile devices being effected more if they were really seeing this problem on the phones. Sure is a mixed bag though. I agree, NG needs to fix it. Just FYI, it took NG about 1 year to fix the NAT Filter bug I found. And with all this COVID stuff happening, who knows how much that has impacted developement and testing.

boshuisen · ‎2021-03-08

Hi,

sorry for not getting back on all the replies, really appreciate your input!

The issue is still there, and not only on my iPhone 12 (IPv6)

Let's describe the issue a bit more in detail:

Certain apps keep just 'polling' for network traffic after starting up, where normally I instantly get the startup screen.

Then when I turn off WIFI and connect to 4/5G the app loads instantly. After turning on the wifi again, the app is functionaly, so network traffic continues.

On my older iPad video streaming in native Dutch news app stops a couple of times, never had issues on my old router.

Many other devices in my home (big Sonos network) work flawlessly. Also my network range and speed are awesome, 500Mbps throughout the whole house, so overall really happy with this big investment.

What I've read somewhere is that Armor could be the cause? I switched off armor in the app after several hours, thinking the issues would be caused by this. It seems that Armor will never be switched off completely, advice was to do a factory settings restore and don't enable Armor during installation?

boshuisen · ‎2021-03-08

The modem is a branded KPN (Dutch network provider) Esperiabox V10A by Arcadyan. Used to work with the KPN network extenders.

My iPhone 12 is on the latest iOS version

Although my current firmware is at 3.2.16.22, it doesn't mention the 3.2.17.12 to be available if I try to update with the Netgear app.

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-08

What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?

Is IPv6 enabled on the RBR?

If you have had Armor enabled, yes theres talk of after it's disabled, there is lingering code still running on it. One can try to power OFF the RBR for 30 seconds then back ON after disabling Armor. If not, yes, a factory reset will be needed and setup from scratch and this time do not enable Armor.

I don't run Armor so one reason why I haven't seen this on my 12 Max iPhone.

energie · ‎2021-03-08

No, the RBR850 is not blocking apps. The problem is related to the DNS server / Netgear firmware. I have the same problem with my mobile apps.

Your router faulty DNS server is most likely the root cause of the problem you described. This causes web requests at apparantly random moments to fail. It actually is not random, as we know its the DNS server just breaking down at that particular moment, but from an end-user perspective we can't tell when it will happen. In a web browser you might see the page failing to load. Then when you refresh the page it will load up again. Chrome for example will automatically retry/reload when this happens.

In your case you're doing pretty much exactly the same with the mobile app that is failing. The initial request fails. The app does not try to reload/retry. Which actually is a problem in this case. You switch over to 4G. Bypassing the router. The app starts working again. You now think a certain part of the connection is getting blocked. Then you switch back to wifi and the app starts working again. Actually the app reloads the entire connection. Which causes the router to make new DNS request. So the solutions is not switching to 4G to bypass a 'blocked' connection, as nothing is actually getting blocked. The solution basically is having the app to retry the request/reload the connection and one way of doing that is by turning off/on your wifi on your mobile device.

You probably will get the same results if you just turn on/off airplane mode, restart your phone, restart the app, turn wifi on/off, etc. You get the point I guess.

Welcome to the club:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/Intermittent-DNS-Errors-and-WiFi-Issues/td-p/1950768/jump-t...

The only solution is to have Netgear fix the DNS server / firmware.

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-08

We can't presume the same for this user. He's already mentioned having Armor enabled and we need to check how his ISP Modem is configured as well first before call it a DNS issue. Not everyone has this DNS issue.

DNS_PROBE_FAIL · ‎2021-03-08

I don't think everyone does, Furry. 🙂

It's fairly safe to conclude this person's mobile apps issue is DNS becuase he has the same symptoms, hardware and circumstances as so many others including myself and my issues are 100% DNS related to the orbi.

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-08

Let the post give us feedback.

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-08

Poster, its their thread.

boshuisen · ‎2021-03-12

Hi all,

I perfmormed a fresh installation of the router and it seems this solved the issue.

Didn't activate Armor this time, so expect indeed some traces of Armor to stay in the code after switching it off in the app.

Many thanks for your support!

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-03-12

Thanks for letting us know.

If you feel this IS a Armor issue, I would post about this over in the Armor forum:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/NETGEAR-Armor/bd-p/en-home-armor

And advise them of what your seeing with it enabled.

I don't see this issue happening with my iPhones or anything else.

When you feel this is fully working for you, please mark your thread as solved so others will know.

Enjoy.

@boshuisen wrote:
Hi all,

I perfmormed a fresh installation of the router and it seems this solved the issue.
Didn't activate Armor this time, so expect indeed some traces of Armor to stay in the code after switching it off in the app.

Many thanks for your support!