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Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
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Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator

Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

we'll be removing the v2.1.1.16 firmware from the auto update server over the holidays and will resume pushing it in the new year. Firmware will still be available on product support pages for manual update. 

 

http://www.netgear.com/support/product/orbi.aspx

 

Thanks

DarrenM

 

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 1 of 59
webminster
Luminary

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

Nice for those whose not updated, but can Netgear say anything to those suffering from the update now about any upcoming fixes in the works?
Message 2 of 59
DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

We are aware of the issues and working on fixes I have no ETA on the next firmware release past .16.

 

DarrenM

Message 3 of 59
godspeed
Apprentice

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

Darren,

 

Can you tell us what issues the engineering team is aware of and investigating?

 

Beyond the display errors of devices not showing connected to the satellite, are the engineers aware of and actively investigating the reboot issues that are occuring with a large number of users?

Message 4 of 59
DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

yes the reboot and disconnect issues are all being investigated.

 

DarrenM

Message 5 of 59
aaz
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@DarrenM wrote:

yes the reboot and disconnect issues are all being investigated.

 

DarrenM


Might I suggest you strongly look at the UPNP handling subsystem, I and at least one other person found that to be the cause. Both of us have seen UPNP activity when the reboots would occur. 

 

I have every setting on except Circle and everything else is stable. I use the Netgear OpenDNS for content protection. I run it as a router not an AP.  In fact I would recommend everyone just try to repeat my settings because this has been the most stable router I've had since my old netgear N600 a long time ago, which was way more stable than my Linksys WRT54G, Apple airport extreme, Dlink AC1200, Asus AC87U, etc... 

Message 6 of 59
njweb
Luminary

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@DarrenM wrote:

yes the reboot and disconnect issues are all being investigated.

 

DarrenM


I am not facing any issues yet with 2.1.1.16. That being said, speaking of Auto Update, I think Netgear should allow users to disable automatic firmware updates; instead just send them a notification via the Orbi app and email (e.g.) stating that a new firmware is available with a link to the release notes and let users decide if they want to upgrade based on the benefits of the new firmware.

 

I realize it is a double-edged sword given important updates like the KRACK patch and MAJOR performance improvements e.g. where auto update ensures everyone gets the update, even people who are not tech savvy and who would not update on their own.

However, when stability issues come into play (I am not facing any luckily), auto update can be frustrating someime staking a well working system and impacting its connection stability. I have family members using routers who would need help from other family members / friends to download an older version of the firmware and update it for them, so this is especially frustrating in those situations. This is exarcerbated in case where non tech savvy family members live far away.

 

Message 7 of 59
JMU1998
Luminary

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

@njweb you mentioned you are not seeing any issues can you confirm you can see all your devices connected to the base and satellite?  I think  a bug introduced by latest firmware my devices are missing on the list and nothing showing connected to satellite, have factory reset many times reinstalled Firmware,  even tried nvram clean process, issue comes back.  Just curious you are not seeing this while many are and Netgear is aware of this.

Message 8 of 59
Retired_Member
Not applicable

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

Thanks

I guess this is good news.  As it may prevent others who are away from home this week, of receiving the update and it disconnects their network.

 

On the Orbi web GUI...some mention ..."my so and so is NOT listed showing connection".....does that affect it's connectivity?   Does the device still work?  I guess for me...if it works yet fails to show on a GUI list yet it still works, and they are aware, all well.  

Message 9 of 59
njweb
Luminary

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@JMU1998 wrote:

@njweb you mentioned you are not seeing any issues can you confirm you can see all your devices connected to the base and satellite?  I think  a bug introduced by latest firmware my devices are missing on the list and nothing showing connected to satellite, have factory reset many times reinstalled Firmware,  even tried nvram clean process, issue comes back.  Just curious you are not seeing this while many are and Netgear is aware of this.


@JMU1998

I should perhaps have clarified - I saw a number of members posting about connection stability issues with 2.1.1.16

When I referred to no issues, I meant no connectivity or other performance issues.

 

I see 21 devices connected (8 wired and 13 wireless). All 13 wireless devices show connected to the router which is not correct, so that issue indeed needs to be resolved. Luckily it appears to be a display issue only (correct me if anyone is seeing issues where all devices are actually connected to the router) and does NOT (appear to) impact throughput.

I'll have to run some signal strength and speedtests to confirm the devices are connected to the satellites.

 

I did run a test on my mobile phone a few days ago and it showed a signal strength consistent with being connected to the satellite (will need to double check though).

Message 10 of 59
webminster
Luminary

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

It doesn't mean it isn't connected, at least.  I have all sorts of listing "anomalies", but I know the devices are connected (since the list is wrong, it's hard to trust what the Orbi says in terms of where/how it's connected, though).

 

For instance:

* I have a couple of Amcrest cameras that don't show in the router/satellite lists at all.  I know they're connected, I can view them - but since they're not listed, I can't be sure to which unit they connect.

* My satellite's list is empty again.  The router does show connections to satellite, and those mostly seem plausible...

* I have a couple of devices connected wirelesssly, that the router list shows as "wired."   Which is impossible, not sure how it's gotten that idea, and disconnecting and reconnecting the client (wireless) isn't changing that.

 

Appears what they thought was "cosmetic" is more a bad breakdown in its connection accounting code across the board.  2.0.0.76 wasn't great, but 2.1.1.16 fails epically.

 


@Retired_Member wrote:

On the Orbi web GUI...some mention ..."my so and so is NOT listed showing connection".....does that affect it's connectivity?   Does the device still work?  I guess for me...if it works yet fails to show on a GUI list yet it still works, and they are aware, all well.  


 

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 11 of 59
richlin71
Initiate

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

for what it's worth, I'm another previously happy Orbi owner who's now incredibly frustrated with Netgear and regretting my purchase. 

 

if I recall correctly, my wifi started dropping with the old firmware 2.0.0.74, which is why I started checking these forums. Upgrading to 2.1.1.16 didn't help. Downgrading to 2.0.0.74 hasn't helped either. 

 

It's hard to quantify how often wifi drops bc the logs are so unhelpful, but it's 5-10 times/day that I notice. VERY frustrating!

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 12 of 59
DudeDad
Apprentice

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

I completely agree.  Let US decide whether to upgrade.  Some like to upgrade immediately, others like to wait and see.  I have an RBK43 system (than a month old) and it's working fine....even after the 2.1.1.16 update.  Give us that control.  

UPDATE - After reviewing all of the comments, I can confirm that some of the info in the list of attached devices is not correct....but all are connected and functioning fine.  I do see that some of the names I changed to the devices via my MacBook are not reflected in the iOS app.

Model: RBK43| Orbi AC2200 WiFi System
Message 13 of 59
aaz
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@richlin71 wrote:

for what it's worth, I'm another previously happy Orbi owner who's now incredibly frustrated with Netgear and regretting my purchase. 

 

if I recall correctly, my wifi started dropping with the old firmware 2.0.0.74, which is why I started checking these forums. Upgrading to 2.1.1.16 didn't help. Downgrading to 2.0.0.74 hasn't helped either. 

 

It's hard to quantify how often wifi drops bc the logs are so unhelpful, but it's 5-10 times/day that I notice. VERY frustrating!


Most certaily it has nothing to do which version of firmware you are on. 

As someone else here mentioned - it's most likely something new to your environment. If you had my very stable Orbi with my current 2.1.1.16 firmware on it in your home it would likely be crashing just as often if you set your settings on it the same.

The trick is to find out what device is causing it to crash - or what setting is allowing that device to crash it and disable that setting or disable the device from connecting.

Message 14 of 59
kmichalec
Apprentice

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@aaz wrote:

@richlin71 wrote:

for what it's worth, I'm another previously happy Orbi owner who's now incredibly frustrated with Netgear and regretting my purchase. 

 

if I recall correctly, my wifi started dropping with the old firmware 2.0.0.74, which is why I started checking these forums. Upgrading to 2.1.1.16 didn't help. Downgrading to 2.0.0.74 hasn't helped either. 

 

It's hard to quantify how often wifi drops bc the logs are so unhelpful, but it's 5-10 times/day that I notice. VERY frustrating!


Most certaily it has nothing to do which version of firmware you are on. 

As someone else here mentioned - it's most likely something new to your environment. If you had my very stable Orbi with my current 2.1.1.16 firmware on it in your home it would likely be crashing just as often if you set your settings on it the same.

The trick is to find out what device is causing it to crash - or what setting is allowing that device to crash it and disable that setting or disable the device from connecting.


It most certainly does have everything to do with the firmware, hence the over 130 postings in the other 2.1.1.16 post in this forum. And the number of complaints that started with the 2.x versions (1.x versions were rock solid) IS EXPONENTIAL.  Please don’t just assume that since you are lucky and not having issues, that the countless number of other people who are having issues since moving to 2.x who are having multiple reboots PER DAY are just clueless and don’t know what’s going on with their system. That’s just condescending and unhelpful. Glad it’s working for you. Good for you. But there’s no environmental reason whatsoever that a router should be maxing out CPU and rebooting mutilple times per day since moving to new FW versions. NONE. 

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 15 of 59
aaz
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

Fine dude - do what you've been doing and don't listen to what I say, because what you are doing has been working so well for you.

Message 16 of 59
ratickle
Apprentice

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@kmichalec wrote:

@aaz wrote:

@richlin71 wrote:

for what it's worth, I'm another previously happy Orbi owner who's now incredibly frustrated with Netgear and regretting my purchase. 

 

if I recall correctly, my wifi started dropping with the old firmware 2.0.0.74, which is why I started checking these forums. Upgrading to 2.1.1.16 didn't help. Downgrading to 2.0.0.74 hasn't helped either. 

 

It's hard to quantify how often wifi drops bc the logs are so unhelpful, but it's 5-10 times/day that I notice. VERY frustrating!


Most certaily it has nothing to do which version of firmware you are on. 

As someone else here mentioned - it's most likely something new to your environment. If you had my very stable Orbi with my current 2.1.1.16 firmware on it in your home it would likely be crashing just as often if you set your settings on it the same.

The trick is to find out what device is causing it to crash - or what setting is allowing that device to crash it and disable that setting or disable the device from connecting.


It most certainly does have everything to do with the firmware, hence the over 130 postings in the other 2.1.1.16 post in this forum. And the number of complaints that started with the 2.x versions (1.x versions were rock solid) IS EXPONENTIAL.  Please don’t just assume that since you are lucky and not having issues, that the countless number of other people who are having issues since moving to 2.x who are having multiple reboots PER DAY are just clueless and don’t know what’s going on with their system. That’s just condescending and unhelpful. Glad it’s working for you. Good for you. But there’s no environmental reason whatsoever that a router should be maxing out CPU and rebooting mutilple times per day since moving to new FW versions. NONE. 


Thank you KMICHALEC for saying exactly what I was thinking.  

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 17 of 59
mastervisa30
Luminary

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

Now my router have starting to rebooting,for the first time,my router has been rebooting by its self,happend to times yesterday,now im back on beta version 76 and everythings seems to work again,all ok on beta 76 version,uppdated to latest then it was working some days and the the router starting to reboot by its self,everything is of when im testing to make sure testing the firmwares.Please neatger fix this,,trying little more,if not sending back i januar when my return expires,does anyone have tested some other mesh system,if im sending back what mesh system should i get?maybe i can get asus ac5300?i have a big family and big house
Model: RBK53| Orbi Router + 2 Satellites Orbi WiFi System
Message 18 of 59
mastervisa30
Luminary

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update

Why netgear cant we get that options to turn off and on auto uppdate,its gonna be easy to downgrade to older firmware in the future,when there is a new firmware who has many bugs,we can turn off uppdate and get older version?options to turn off auto uppdate,if netgear get this options im not sending my system back:)if there is buggy firmware version we can turn of uppdates
Model: RBK53| Orbi Router + 2 Satellites Orbi WiFi System
Message 19 of 59
kmichalec
Apprentice

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@aaz wrote:

Fine dude - do what you've been doing and don't listen to what I say, because what you are doing has been working so well for you.


Dude, you’re the one not listening to what others are saying, and then want to come in here and tell us we’re all doing it wrong, just cause your system happens to be working? Read post 157 of the long 2.1.1.16 thread. Guy had his system working fine for months. System autoupdated itself to 2.1.1.16, and he is now experiencing reboots with no changes to his system other than FW. Tell me what changed in his environment, if you’re all knowing?  I’ll help you. It was the FW! If the system was working, and nothing changed, and Netgear auto installs FW that makes the previously stable system start crashing, that’s the FW’s fault, not “the environment”. 

 

If you’re not going to help, spare us the lectures that this is all our fault, when it’s clearly not.  Unless you happen to work for Netgear, and you’re just trolling to trying to take the heat off yourself...

 

EDIT

 

How about post 169 in that same thread. Same situation. Working fine for weeks, no changes, system autoupdated, now crashing.  Sound familiar? 

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 20 of 59
kmichalec
Apprentice

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@ratickle wrote:

@kmichalec wrote:

@aaz wrote:

@richlin71 wrote:

for what it's worth, I'm another previously happy Orbi owner who's now incredibly frustrated with Netgear and regretting my purchase. 

 

if I recall correctly, my wifi started dropping with the old firmware 2.0.0.74, which is why I started checking these forums. Upgrading to 2.1.1.16 didn't help. Downgrading to 2.0.0.74 hasn't helped either. 

 

It's hard to quantify how often wifi drops bc the logs are so unhelpful, but it's 5-10 times/day that I notice. VERY frustrating!


Most certaily it has nothing to do which version of firmware you are on. 

As someone else here mentioned - it's most likely something new to your environment. If you had my very stable Orbi with my current 2.1.1.16 firmware on it in your home it would likely be crashing just as often if you set your settings on it the same.

The trick is to find out what device is causing it to crash - or what setting is allowing that device to crash it and disable that setting or disable the device from connecting.


It most certainly does have everything to do with the firmware, hence the over 130 postings in the other 2.1.1.16 post in this forum. And the number of complaints that started with the 2.x versions (1.x versions were rock solid) IS EXPONENTIAL.  Please don’t just assume that since you are lucky and not having issues, that the countless number of other people who are having issues since moving to 2.x who are having multiple reboots PER DAY are just clueless and don’t know what’s going on with their system. That’s just condescending and unhelpful. Glad it’s working for you. Good for you. But there’s no environmental reason whatsoever that a router should be maxing out CPU and rebooting mutilple times per day since moving to new FW versions. NONE. 


Thank you KMICHALEC for saying exactly what I was thinking.  


No problem. Sad that people make ridiculous assumptions just cause they happen to not experience issues, and discount hundreds of similar complaints as “we don’t know what we’re doing, but I know everything, so listen to me...(not actually help)”.  As if he thinks most of the people who have been working together vigilantly via hundreds of posts, comments and feedback and have been trying to debug this (for Netgear, mind you) haven’t already been looking at all their settings, and trying to see what is the common element that’s causing the issue.  

 

Just sad really.

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 21 of 59
aaz
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@kmichalec wrote:


Dude, you’re the one not listening to what others are saying, and then want to come in here and tell us we’re all doing it wrong, just cause your system happens to be working? Read post 157 of the long 2.1.1.16 thread. Guy had his system working fine for months. System autoupdated itself to 2.1.1.16, and he is now experiencing reboots with no changes to his system other than FW. Tell me what changed in his environment, if you’re all knowing?  I’ll help you. It was the FW! If the system was working, and nothing changed, and Netgear auto installs FW that makes the previously stable system start crashing, that’s the FW’s fault, not “the environment”. 

 

If you’re not going to help, spare us the lectures that this is all our fault, when it’s clearly not.  Unless you happen to work for Netgear, and you’re just trolling to trying to take the heat off yourself...

 

EDIT

 

How about post 169 in that same thread. Same situation. Working fine for weeks, no changes, system autoupdated, now crashing.  Sound familiar? 


Well, forgive me for being  blunt - I keep reading the same comments over and over, with every firmware update that I've seen on here now for 3 months - a new batch of people come online saying that the latest firmware has caused their systems to start rebooting.

This happened with 1.12.0.18, then 2.0.0.74, then 2.1.1.12, now 2.1.1.16

Then they claim that after they rolled back it stopped rebooting. Then they come back a few days later saying it still rebooting but it's still on the old firmware so that means the firmware update must have done something that changed it. Not once do they consider that it's something else on their network that just started happening coincidentally around the same time.

Meanwhile many others are running the new firmware without any reboots.

 

I've been in the IT game long enough to know that people are not good at replaying changes that they made and really don't know everything that's new on their network. I hear what you are saying, it's just that chances are that it's not the whole story. People make really poor witnesses. Yes, even if there are 20 people on here saying the same thing - there are 5000 running the firmware without any issue. So it's not the firmware in a vacuum that is causing the issue. Find what the cause is and you can fix your reboot issue. 

 

I am not blaming anyone - where have I said it's your fault? I am trying to point to another way of solving this. It seems more like you are just saying that you are helpless in solving this and just want to heap blame on netgear (though they do deserve it since never have I seen envirnomental factors that are not power related before reboot a router)

You need to stop taking everything as a personal afront and start thinking in a solution mindset instead of a blame mindset. 

 

Sure there is some blame that netgear is not helping resolve this, but I've posted elsewhere how many routers I've run in the past 10 years and most of them had some issues that required a weekly reboot because of loss of internet connection or devices could not connect to them. Asus just accepted that fact and built in a function to reboot the router on a schedule you set. I set that to reboot every night and even then there where days where it would crap out. The Orbi has been the most stable home router I've ever owned and that is saying something.

Message 22 of 59
ratickle
Apprentice

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@DarrenM wrote:

we'll be removing the v2.1.1.16 firmware from the auto update server over the holidays and will resume pushing it in the new year. Firmware will still be available on product support pages for manual update. 

 

http://www.netgear.com/support/product/orbi.aspx

 

Thanks

DarrenM

 


Thanks Netgear for the best Christmas present you could give us.

 

Hopefully, when auto-update is turned back on in the new year, the NEXT version of firmware will be the one being downloaded.  This new firmware will fix all the problems for everyone!  (After all it is the time of year for hope and answered prayers.)

 

Merry Christmas

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 23 of 59
kmichalec
Apprentice

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


aaz wrote: 

I am not blaming anyone - where have I said it's your fault? I am trying to point to another way of solving this. It seems more like you are just saying that you are helpless in solving this and just want to heap blame on netgear (though they do deserve it since never have I seen envirnomental factors that are not power related before reboot a router)

 


Except for the part where you said it wasn’t Netgear or their FW, but our systems (whigh were working fine before the update with no changes.) Remember this?

 

aaz wrote:
“Most certaily it has nothing to do which version of firmware you are on.
As someone else here mentioned - it's most likely something new to your environment.“

 

Funny you want to twist it around and say we’re not doing anything to help ourselves, despite the pages and pages of self analysis and information sharing people on this site have been doing, as we try to diagnose the issue FOR Netgear. 

 

But, your equivalent of “your holding it wrong” is OH SO helpful. Thank god your here with you extensive years of IT experience. How would we survive without you?!  Keep stroking off Netgear for us since you love them so much. The  rest of us will try to figure out what’s really going on, and hold Netgear accountable for poor QA testing, and forcing us to be their Beta testers without giving us the choice whether to upgrade or not (thanks autoupdate). 

 

 

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 24 of 59
aaz
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Re: Firmware V2.1.1.16 auto update


@kmichalec wrote:

aaz wrote: 

I am not blaming anyone - where have I said it's your fault? I am trying to point to another way of solving this. It seems more like you are just saying that you are helpless in solving this and just want to heap blame on netgear (though they do deserve it since never have I seen envirnomental factors that are not power related before reboot a router)

 


Except for the part where you said it wasn’t Netgear or their FW, but our systems (whigh were working fine before the update with no changes.) Remember this?

 

@aaz wrote:
“Most certaily it has nothing to do which version of firmware you are on.
As someone else here mentioned - it's most likely something new to your environment.“

 

 


ahem... reading comprehension.... take a refresher.

Message 25 of 59
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