RBS850: I updated my RBR850 firmware before my RBS850 satellite and now can’t detect my satellite

[kbonin]

I can’t detect my RBS850 after updating the firmware on my RBR850. I realize I was supposed to update the RBS850 first.
What do I do to detect it again?
Thanks

[CrimpOn]

Download the previous firmware from the support web site.

Manually load the previous firmware to the router.

Then reboot.

https://www.netgear.com/support/product/rbr850/#download 

[kbonin]

Thank you. I'll give it a try this evening when I'm done working. 

I should have mentioned that I also pressed the factory reset button on the satellite (using a paperclip). Do you think this could impact your suggested solution?

[CrimpOn]

The key is to get the router and satellite to link up again on the same firmware version.  If they do not, then it may be necessary to perform the "Add Orbi Satellite" process and then manually update the satellite firmware before updating the router firmware.

[kbonin]

Thanks. I tried “add Orbi satellite” multiple times but it didn’t work. The light never turns solid white in the beginning and either goes to solid blue or magenta at the end.

[CrimpOn]

If the root of the problem is that the router is on a different firmware release than the satellite, then restoring the ability to connect requires having them both on the same firmware version.

This may be why Netgear's advice is to update the satellite firmware first.  The logic seems to be:

• When they are both on the same firmware, they can communicate so the router can push new firmware to the satellite.
• When the satellite reboots after updating firmware, it can no longer communicate.
• Updating the router firmware means that after it reboots they are both on the same firmware release again and can communicate.

Please note that people on the forum are not Netgear employees and certainly not Netgear software engineers.  If I had been the person implementing this system, I would not have wanted it to be so easy to create a situation where the customer can no longer access the satellite at all, for example to learn which  firmware was actually on the satellite. I have no idea if the Netgear engineer intended it to work this way, or if our understanding is even accurate.

[kbonin]

I don't understand why this would be allowed to happen either. Very frustrating.

I really appreciate your help.

Anyway, I did as you suggested:

I switched to the previous firmware on my router (7.2.6.21), but the satellite was still not detected.

I then unplugged the satellite and plugged it back it in and the white light started blinking.

I pressed 'Add Orbi satellite' and the light started continued to blink but never became 'solid white' as it said it should.

I pressed the sync button on the back anyway and then on the screen.

After a minute or so, the light on the satellite turned solid blue indicating a good connection, but then the screen said satellite setup failed.

When I went to see if it was detected on the orbilogin.com page, it was still not there.

I repeated this last one again with the same results.

I then remembered that I skipped (at least one?) firmware update previously, so I changed to an older firmware on the router (4.6.14.3).

I then ran through the add satellite again and again there was no solid white light but I tried to sync anyway, and this time it said satellite setup successfully. After the blue light went out, I looked at the orbilogin home screen and it still wasn't in the connections or firmware update list.

I repeated this with the same results.

I rebooted the router, tried syncing again, but this time the syncing failed.

Perhaps I was on an even older firmware, which I will try tomorrow...

Thanks

[CrimpOn]

The Orbi web interface does not update instantly. (sigh.  It's a computer, right?)

If the satellite LED turned BLUE, it might be worth getting a glass of (whatever beverage) and singing Mary Had a Little Lamb, and then refresh the Attached Devices page.

[kbonin]

Thanks. It’s a computer.
I refreshed the device page several times over 30 minutes.

[CrimpOn]

I hate to bring religion into this discussion, but it sure sounds like purgatory to  me!

[kbonin]

I was thinking nightmare.

[FURRYe38]

If you were able to downgrade the RBR back to v4 and the RBS synced, you should now update the RBS to v.21 FW using the RBS web page to manually update it, then update the RBR lastly to v.21.