Anyone using Ring Doorbell Pro and Spotlight cams with Orbi RBK50?

[alokeprasad]

I'm considering buying an Orbi RBK50 (AC3000 tri-band) for use w my Ring video doorbell pro and spotlight cams.

I see people having issues with the Ring devices trying to connect to the wrong band (5 GHz instead of 2.4 GHz) and failing.

Is anyone here using Ring devices with the Orbi system? 

Any tips/tricks in doing that successfully?  I searched here and found old posts describing using Telnet and changing Orbi settings. Is that needed with the latest Orbi firmware?

Ideally, no tricks would be needed and the Orbi would automatically use the 2.4 Ghz bands w the Ring devices.  Does it?

Thx.

Aloke

PS: I'm currently using R9000 X10 but it is having difficulties reaching devices to the back of the house... And some issues with slow connections on the 2.4 Ghz bands.  I'm hoping that the RBK50 would be more reliable.

[CrimpOn]

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@alokeprasad wrote:

I'm considering buying an Orbi RBK50 (AC3000 tri-band) for use w my Ring video doorbell pro and spotlight cams.

I see people having issues with the Ring devices trying to connect to the wrong band (5 GHz instead of 2.4 GHz) and failing.

Is anyone here using Ring devices with the Orbi system? People post all the time about success with Ring products, which makes the situation hard to understand. The people who post about problems are not imagining them.

Any tips/tricks in doing that successfully?  I searched here and found old posts describing using Telnet and changing Orbi settings. Is that needed with the latest Orbi firmware? Splitting 2.4G and 5G bands should not be necessary. Plug, the newest RIng doorbells support both 2.4G and 5G bands.

Ideally, no tricks would be needed and the Orbi would automatically use the 2.4 Ghz bands w the Ring devices.  Does it?

The issue is not Orbi "using" bands. There seem to be two common problems (1) completing the device set up, and (2) opening a camera for "Live View".

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You are entirely right to be aprehensive. 

[alokeprasad]

Thx. for the reply. My Ring devices don't support 5Ghz.

I'm hoping for some success stories with Ring and Orbi.  I have been using Netgear routers, unmanaged switches, and even old ReadyNAS  (from Infrant days) for decades.  So I can set these up and update the firmwares etc.

Has anyone done that recently?  Did the Ring devices connect and function? Did they stay connected?

If not, how did you make things work?

IMO, Netgear should have a "advanced" setting that allows users to assign the frequencies to select devices that are finicky about connections.  But I cannot depend on that happening.

[FURRYe38]

A Fix: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Best-Performance-for-Ring-Devices-Orbi-Config-Settings/m-p/176...
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Need-some-help-with-Orbi-and-Ring-Doorbell-2/m-p/1671059/highl...
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Ring-Doorbell-2-and-Orbi/m-p/1685149/highlight/true#M49058
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-and-Ring-products-issues/m-p/1709487/highlight/true#M5299...

[alokeprasad]

Thanks.  Good post to bookmark for use, if needed.

The posts are 1-2 years old.  I was hoping that newer firmwares (on Orbi and Ring) would have addressed the problems.

Hoping to hear from people using these devices currently, and if they need to set the parameters as decribed in your links.

Aloke

[schumaku]

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@alokeprasad wrote:

Thx. for the reply. My Ring devices don't support 5Ghz.

...

IMO, Netgear should have a "advanced" setting that allows users to assign the frequencies to select devices that are finicky about connections.  But I cannot depend on that happening.

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Where ever you expect a 2.4 GHz client to connect to...

It's 100% on the client to which SSID (as configured), to which BSSID (so which radio and satellite), does connect to. Anything else (leaving alone that the existence of 5 GHz BSSIDs are irrelevant for a 2.4 GHz client) is of the control of the Orbi system anyway...

Praying the Ring WiFi clients are Mesh aware, so they can - wonder of technologies - dynamically and seamlessly change to a better BSSID does show up on air offering a better connectivity for the same SSID, e.g. because you install an additional satellite.

A wireless client needs connectivity - not a hard coded connection. This is what Mesh systems are made for.

There is a lot of false information around also here in the community... this does lead to ugly (sorry) questions like yours.

[alokeprasad]

Maybe the Orbi could use 3 SSID's: "Orbi 2.4" for 2.4 GHz and "Orbi 5" for 5 GHz for fixed and finicky clients (like the R9000 does) and  "Orbi" for mesh-aware roaming clients that can switch to the strongest frequencies at their location.

Not sure if this is technically possible, but it would make it easier to use older and ill-behaved client devices with mesh routers.

[FURRYe38]

Orbi doesn't offically support separation of SSID names. Based on Smart Connect of using 1 SSID name between 2.4 and 5Ghz radios. 2.4Ghz only supporting devices will never see or use 5Ghz. 

[alokeprasad]

Then why do Ring devices have so much trouble?

I'll repeat my original post question: Has anyone recently installed Ring devices and Orbi RBK50, followed all the instruction, and the devices simply worked?

I asked the same question on the Ring forum, but no one has answered there. Unlike the excellent responses here

[pdeethardt]

I installed two Ring Spotlight Cams this summer, and had no issues getting them connected. I did initially have issues with the live view where it wouldn't work consistently when my phone was on my wifi network, but if I switched to cellular data it would work every time. There have been several Ring app updates since my initital install (and I assume maybe a firmware update as well, but the Ring cameras don't show the firmware version number, only "up to date") and live view has been working reliably for me since probably the late summer. My cameras are the battery version, and I have two batteries in each so they don't reboot during battery swaps. I also have my router and satellite connected to UPSes, so they don't reboot during power outages/glitches. I'm not sure if that has helped contribute to the reliablity or not, but I'm pretty happy with how the Ring cameras have been functioning.

[FURRYe38]

Just curious, what Orbi system model and FW version do you have currently? 

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@pdeethardt wrote:

I installed two Ring Spotlight Cams this summer, and had no issues getting them connected. I did initially have issues with the live view where it wouldn't work consistently when my phone was on my wifi network, but if I switched to cellular data it would work every time. There have been several Ring app updates since my initital install (and I assume maybe a firmware update as well, but the Ring cameras don't show the firmware version number, only "up to date") and live view has been working reliably for me since probably the late summer. My cameras are the battery version, and I have two batteries in each so they don't reboot during battery swaps. I also have my router and satellite connected to UPSes, so they don't reboot during power outages/glitches. I'm not sure if that has helped contribute to the reliablity or not, but I'm pretty happy with how the Ring cameras have been functioning.

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[pdeethardt]

I have the RBK50 and I'm currently running firmware 2.7.0.70. I was also using them under firmware 2.5.1.16. The live view issue resolved itself while I was still on 2.5.1.16, and I've had no issues after updating to 2.7.0.70.

[FURRYe38]

Good to hear. Glads it working.

Next version of FW after v70 is here should you want to try this at some later date:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/New-RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-Version-v2-7-1-60-Officially-Released...

Enjoy. 

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@pdeethardt wrote:

I have the RBK50 and I'm currently running firmware 2.7.0.70. I was also using them under firmware 2.5.1.16. The live view issue resolved itself while I was still on 2.5.1.16, and I've had no issues after updating to 2.7.0.70.

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[alokeprasad]

Thanks for confirming that the systems work together now.

I took the leap and ordered the RBK50.  Hard to resist for $260.

[Joboo7777]

FWIW, I have RBK50 system and a mix of Ring devices including Floodlight, Spotlight, and DoorbellPro cams running without issue since purchasing my orbi 18 months ago. I will say that every Ring device I own is powered by an electrical outlet. I do NOT have any battery powered devices.

I also have MU-MIMO and Implicit Beamforming enabled in the advanced Wireless Settings settings section.

[alokeprasad]

Thx.

Can you tell if the Ring devices are connected to the Orbi base router or the satellites? 

Are you using the latest ORBI firmware?

Any difference in reliabilty whether you connect the Ring's to the usual SSID or the Guest network?

Aloke

[Kygord800]

Im using an inexpensive RBK13 Orbi system with our full Ring system(3 flood, 2 spots, doorbell, security system with a ton of sensors) and it works GREAT!!!

It did NOT work great when it was running off my COX modem/router/wifi.

Putting in the Orbi was the best decision made regarding my Ring system.

[pdeethardt]

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 @FURRYe38 wrote:

Good to hear. Glads it working.

Next version of FW after v70 is here should you want to try this at some later date:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/New-RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-Version-v2-7-1-60-Officially-Released...

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I did see the post about the new firmware, but my system is not prompting me to update when I do a firmware check either in the app or in the web interface, so I'm just going to leave it as-is for now.

[FURRYe38]

v60 isn't up on the auto update servers so it won't appear as an update on the RBR. Will up up to you to install it or wait of course. 

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@pdeethardt wrote:

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 @FURRYe38 wrote:

Good to hear. Glads it working.

Next version of FW after v70 is here should you want to try this at some later date:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/New-RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-Version-v2-7-1-60-Officially-Released...

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I did see the post about the new firmware, but my system is not prompting me to update when I do a firmware check either in the app or in the web interface, so I'm just going to leave it as-is for now.

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[pdeethardt]

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@FURRYe38 wrote:

v60 isn't up on the auto update servers so it won't appear as an update on the RBR. Will up up to you to install it or wait of course. 

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Usually I'm one to run the latest and greatest firmware, but the manual update to 2.7.0.70 wasn't the smoothest for me, so I'm just leaving it alone for now since everything is running great.

[alokeprasad]

Installed a new RBK50 w 1 satellite.  Firmware ver 2.5.2.4 (This is the latest firmware it finds after installation).

Everything works great!.  The Ring app (iOS) is detecting all my devices and the Dashboard is working great!.

I may never update the Orbi firmware again.  There are many newer versions available, so I guess it is only a matter of time before one is forced upon me.