New RBK30 - what is the safest newer FW version?

[tagteam]

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VAJim wrote:
...I'm currently not having any issues (other than the constant blue light on one of the sats this morning)...

Shot in the dark, but is the "Enable Daisy-Chain Topology" box checked (under Advanced>>Advanced Setup>>Wireless Settings)?

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[Retired_Member]

Did the power reset. No luck. Blue light came back on. The daisy chain is enabled

[tagteam]

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VAJim wrote:
Did the power reset. No luck. Blue light came back on. The daisy chain is enabled

Are you using the Star Topology or Daisy Chain? If you're not using Daisy Chain, try unchecking that box. After my Orbi system auto-updated to v2.0.0.74, that box was checked and the blue light illuminated on my Sats. Simply unchecking the box caused the blue light to turn off.

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[Retired_Member]

Thanks

Doesn't matter now.  I left it alone for about an hour.  Cam back and now the blue light is off.

Someone said in here that it's because the sat changed from 2.4 to 5g.

So how did that happen and what's that got to do with the blue light staying on.  I didn't do anything?  Been running fine for about 3 weeks then this.

[tagteam]

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@Retired_Member wrote:

...So how did that happen and what's that got to do with the blue light staying on...

A mystery of sorts. All I know is that the blue LED disappeared after I unchecked the Daisy Chain box. I suppose if a Sat is too far away from the router to utilize 5G for the backhaul, then it will use 2.4G and, again I suppose, the blue LED will appear (just not 100% sure about that).

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[Retired_Member]

as of this morning the blue light on the sat remains off.  I guess the power reset did the trick.  Now I have a whole new problem and this has been discussed in another post. 

I have a device (Lacrosse weather station - C84428) which requires wifi setup through your iphone.  The iphone must be on a 2.4g network.  well now my iphone only connects to 5g.   so now the weather station will act as a stand alone with no updates from the NWS.

This can't be an isolated situation for i'm sure there are many devices on the market that require a iphone connection through a 2.4g network

[netgearguy]

Replacement RBK30 arrived from Amazon.

Set up and updated to newest FW, which as of today/yesterday is: 

Router

RBR40

RBR40

V2.1.1.16

Satellite

RBW30

Orbi Satellite-1

V2.1.0.18

So an even newer FW for the sat than for the router. 

We'll see how things hold up and if the intermittent network drops resume as w/my previous unit. 

[netgearguy]

Two restarts since I set up the new system w/the new firmware. 

Not looking good, probably going back to Eero. 

[netgearguy]

After more intermittent network drops, and then coming home from dinner later in the evening to find the network doing its disappearing/reappearing act once again, my wife called on her executive powers to veto Orbi in favor of "The other one that works." (I.e., Eero.) 

So we're back on Eero. My return window on this second Orbi unit is mid-Jan, and I've updated status w/my level 2 support contact at Netgear in case he has any new suggestions beyond resettinng/re-FW-updating/rebooting, re-changing settings and other re-stuff that hasn't helped so far. Not exactly highly optimistic at this point, for obvious reasons. 

[netgearguy]

Per Netgear Level 2 support request on my case, I've set up my Orbi RBK30 system again.

Also per request from support I've made the following changes to defaults:

•  Reset both router and satellite (two times on each) 
•  Left all defaults in place, except: 
  • Turned off Daisy Chain Topology (one satellite, don't need it)
  • Set 2.4 GHz to channel 11 (least congested) rather than leaving at "Auto"
  • Set 5.0 Ghz to channel 48 (least congested) rather than leaving at "Auto"

Both devices are on the most current FW releases available: 

• Router (RBR40) is on: 12.1.1.16
• Sat (RBW30) is on: 12.1.1.18 

I have the router sitting three feet away, and an iPhone attached to the network streaming audio so that I am aware when a network interruption occurs and I can see what the router is doing (rebooting or simply dropping/reconnecting). 

I have only a few devices on the network. If it remains stable as-is for the next four or five hours, I will add all of my devices to it later today and see if it remains stable. 

Hopefully this will be interesting and productive test. 

[netgearguy]

Two hours later and there have been no disconnects or reboots. 

Going to wait until after lunch, and if it is still stable, I'll connect all of my devices to it and see if stability remains. 

[netgearguy]

Four hours later with no reboots or network drops

I've now enabled all my devices (total ~30) to connect to the Orbi network. 

Monitoring to see if the surprising network stability continues...

[webminster]

netgearguy wrote:

Both devices are on the most current FW releases available: 

• Router (RBR40) is on: 12.1.1.16
• Sat (RBW30) is on: 12.1.1.18

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18?   Is that a typo, or did they give you an unadvertised new version?

[tagteam]

That's the most current firmware for the RBW30 (wall plug satellite) that netgear guy owns.

https://www.netgear.com/images/datasheet/orbi/RBW30.pdf

[netgearguy]

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@webminster wrote:

@netgearguy wrote:

Both devices are on the most current FW releases available: 

• Router (RBR40) is on: 12.1.1.16
• Sat (RBW30) is on: 12.1.1.18

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18?   Is that a typo, or did they give you an unadvertised new version?

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Major typos - OOPS!  Aside from providing the wrong version number I also put "12.1.1.xx" - adding a "1" in front of each version as well. DOH!  Wish I could update old posts to fix stuff like that! 

Actual FW versions: 

Model Name	Device Name	Current Version	Status
Router	RBR40	RBR40	V2.1.1.16
Satellite	RBW30	Orbi Satellite-1	V2.1.0.18

Thanks for asking/pointing that out!  🙂 

[netgearguy]

A little over two hours later an no drops. 

I know - two hours is pretty insignificant amount of time, but previously I would have been expecting something to have happened by now. 

Could the simple change of setting the channel manually to 11 be the key? Nothing else has changed as far as I know.  Same FW as before, same HW, same settings except for manual channel selection vs. Auto. 

[netgearguy]

Thar she blows...dammit. 

Same as before: 

- Notice losing connection on devices

- Check router - white flashing LED

- Check sat - purple LED

- All devices lose connectivity, wired and wireless 

- Back online again after router finishes reboot and satellite reconnects

So looks like no improvement w/stability, at least none when a normal load is on the router. 

I never saw CPU load go above 20% when I was checking it.