Orbi MR 2.1 Update 3/23/18

[bsholbrook]

I’ve had my share of HomeKit issues with this new firmware myself. I moved the HomeKit hub between Apple TVs and its re-stabilized for the time being.   I’m not holding my breath, but hoping this helps.

[FURRYe38]

Have you tried disabling Beamforming, MIMO, Daisy Chain and or Fast Roaming?

What hub device are you using for home kit?

Are the Apple TVs using a dynamic or static IP address. My one ATV is set on a Static IP address outside of the rourters IP address pool.

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@bsholbrookwrote:

I’ve had my share of HomeKit issues with this new firmware myself. I moved the HomeKit hub between Apple TVs and its re-stabilized for the time being.   I’m not holding my breath, but hoping this helps.

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[bsholbrook]

All three Apple TVs in the House are dhcp clients of the Orbi router with fully dynamic ips.  The Environment has run with this config for months and months without HomeKit issues.  I’m a big fan of keep it simple.

It is difficult to single Orbi out exclusively as the iOS platform itself has also just gone through an update cycle.  Crossing fingers for now.

[guzzijason]

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@FURRYe38wrote:

Yes this is a beta. Some received this via auto update.

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-MR-2-1-Update-3-23-18/m-p/1533584/highlight/true#M26234

Was probably mistakingly put up on the auto update servers. It's been removed. Please do a factory reset on the Orbi system and set up from scratch if you haven't already.

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No, it was deliberately added to auto-upgrade. Seems like it was promoted to GA to me:

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@AmitRwrote:

I can confirm, we've begun pushing 2.1.3.4 available for auto-upgrade.  Feel free to upgrade using mobile app / WebUI.

Orbi Product Management

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[bsholbrook]

For the record and clarity, fresh firmware factory reset with no bemaform, mu-Mimi, daisy chain, etc...

[FURRYe38]

Kewl ok then. Thanks for share this info.

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@guzzijasonwrote:

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@FURRYe38wrote:

Yes this is a beta. Some received this via auto update.

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-MR-2-1-Update-3-23-18/m-p/1533584/highlight/true#M26234

Was probably mistakingly put up on the auto update servers. It's been removed. Please do a factory reset on the Orbi system and set up from scratch if you haven't already.

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No, it was deliberately added to auto-upgrade. Seems like it was promoted to GA to me:

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@AmitRwrote:

I can confirm, we've begun pushing 2.1.3.4 available for auto-upgrade.  Feel free to upgrade using mobile app / WebUI.

Orbi Product Management

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[FURRYe38]

OK, let us now how it goes.

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@bsholbrookwrote:

For the record and clarity, fresh firmware factory reset with no bemaform, mu-Mimi, daisy chain, etc...

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[Mayhugh1]

FUrrye38,

Are you somehow connected with Netgear?

[nkd]

I did a factory reset after installing almost a week ago. Its been rock solid for me and no devices drop internet. Especially my iOS devices. I particularly had issues with them being connected but no internet. 

My satellite did reboot once but I think that might have been power related. But other than that I haven't had any connection issues with any of my devices. Family has been quiet cuz before I used to hear why is this internet not working or its so slow(it really wasn't loading anything but wifi was connected).

So far I am pretty happy with this firmware. 

[FURRYe38]

Glad it's working well for you.Thanks for letting us know. 

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@nkdwrote:

I did a factory reset after installing almost a week ago. Its been rock solid for me and no devices drop internet. Especially my iOS devices. I particularly had issues with them being connected but no internet. 

My satellite did reboot once but I think that might have been power related. But other than that I haven't had any connection issues with any of my devices. Family has been quiet cuz before I used to hear why is this internet not working or its so slow(it really wasn't loading anything but wifi was connected).

So far I am pretty happy with this firmware. 

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[usahale]

Agree. Homekit got hosed with the new firmware. Back to stable version.

[stangebelm]

Ich verstehe das alles nicht warum macht ihr alle einen Factory Reset? Einfach die neue Firmware ordnungsgemäß abspielen und fertig ist!

Und falls er nicht alle Satelliten erkennt einfach noch mal den Router neu starten fertig aus!!

[FURRYe38]

In English please...

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@stangebelmwrote:

Ich verstehe das alles nicht warum macht ihr alle einen Factory Reset? Einfach die neue Firmware ordnungsgemäß abspielen und fertig ist!

Und falls er nicht alle Satelliten erkennt einfach noch mal den Router neu starten fertig aus!!

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[Sdiver2489]

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@stangebelmwrote:

Ich verstehe das alles nicht warum macht ihr alle einen Factory Reset? Einfach die neue Firmware ordnungsgemäß abspielen und fertig ist!

Und falls er nicht alle Satelliten erkennt einfach noch mal den Router neu starten fertig aus!!

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Ich verstehen sie nicht was du hast gesagt (Sorry I'm just trying out my high school level german where I see an opportunity) How close did I get?

[FURRYe38]

Some of us haven't taken german so no sprechen ze deuch. Please state your post in English since this is an English forum. Thank you.

[Sdiver2489]

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@FURRYe38wrote:

Some of us haven't taken german so no sprechen ze deuch. Please state your post in English since this is an English forum. Thank you.

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Relax....all I told him is that "I don't understand what you said"...or something like that..

Google translate does a pretty good job on his post:

I do not understand all this, why are you all doing a factory reset? Simply play the new firmware properly and you're done! And if he does not recognize all the satellites just restart the router!

I agree somewhat, I have had issues with other routers getting corrupted with carrying over settings.

[usahale]

/google translate

I do not understand all this, why are you all doing a factory reset? Simply play the new firmware properly and you're done!
And if he does not recognize all the satellites just restart the router!

[FURRYe38]

Not bothered or anything so I'm relaxed. LOL. Just saying, users can please type in english when they post. Google has a good translator they can use before hand then copy and paste too.

Anyways, Yes, factory reset IS needed for now. At least with this v2.1.3.x Betas and such. Theres changes in FW between versions that seem to be causing problems with exhisting configurations. So users need to factory reset there systems fully to clear them out. FULLY!  Then setup from scratch while this FW is in flux. Was told that NG is aware of this issue and users will be able up upgrade FW with out resets in near future FW versions.

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@Sdiver2489wrote:

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@FURRYe38wrote:

Some of us haven't taken german so no sprechen ze deuch. Please state your post in English since this is an English forum. Thank you.

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Relax....all I told him is that "I don't understand what you said"...or something like that..

Google translate does a pretty good job on his post:

I do not understand all this, why are you all doing a factory reset? Simply play the new firmware properly and you're done! And if he does not recognize all the satellites just restart the router!

I agree somewhat, I have had issues with other routers getting corrupted with carrying over settings.

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[Retired_Member]

Updated to 2.1.3.4 yesterday without knowing about the need for a factory reset. I'm running everything without resetting and without a glitch (RBR50+RBS50). *knocks on wood*

[rhester72]

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@Retired_Memberwrote:

Updated to 2.1.3.4 yesterday without knowing about the need for a factory reset. I'm running everything without resetting and without a glitch (RBR50+RBS50). *knocks on wood*

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From which version?

Please let us know if it's solid for more than a week - both my router and satellite rebooted at the same time 8 hours after upgrade, which was a shame because everything else was working very well (no issues with speed/bandwidth, no issues with UI, no latency issues between satellite and router - all was well, at least in AP mode) right up until it wasn't.

[Retired_Member]

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@rhester72wrote:

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@Retired_Memberwrote:

Updated to 2.1.3.4 yesterday without knowing about the need for a factory reset. I'm running everything without resetting and without a glitch (RBR50+RBS50). *knocks on wood*

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From which version?

Please let us know if it's solid for more than a week - both my router and satellite rebooted at the same time 8 hours after upgrade, which was a shame because everything else was working very well (no issues with speed/bandwidth, no issues with UI, no latency issues between satellite and router - all was well, at least in AP mode) right up until it wasn't.

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I was coming from 2.1.2.18 if I remember the sequence correctly. I know for certain it ended with .18. I've read somewhere that particular firmware was pulled from the servers but it functioned nicely for me. In fact, need to knock on wood again, I haven't had any problems with my Orbi set since I bought them 14 months ago. If I remember I'll let you know how I fare with 2.1.3.4. So far, so good.

[FURRYe38]

If your running well with out any problems, then don't reset. If you seem to run into something. Please consider a reset and set up everything from scratch.

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@Retired_Memberwrote:

Updated to 2.1.3.4 yesterday without knowing about the need for a factory reset. I'm running everything without resetting and without a glitch (RBR50+RBS50). *knocks on wood*

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[loomis1975]

Finally upgraded to 2.1.3.6 on the RBR40 and 2.1.3.4 on the RBR50 and RBS50 when they released the beta RBR40 firmware.  RBS50Y is still on 2.1.2.20.  The RBR40 downstairs is daisy chaining through the outside RBS50Y to the router, since something in the floor/ceiling between my living room and den absolutely attenuates wifi signals to almost nothing trying to pass through.  I was so glad daisy chaining was released.  I used the Orbis mostly at another place and Velop here because of that reason alone.  That and the internet provider use to be faster at the other place, but now is fastest at my main residence, so they are swapped now.

This is coming from 2.1.2.18 on the main units, where I didn't have any big issues with performance.  I have all the bells and whistles turned on, but only a few devices I have are capable of MU-MIMO and I really am unsure if they are actually using it.  Did not have to reset as I am not seeing any degradation in the time since switchover.

The only thing outstanding (this has been the case for over a year, if not longer) that I think is interesting is that Samsung smartphones (S7 and S8) seem to want to use 2.4 ghz instead of the 5 ghz most of the time even when in the same room as router/satellite.  When you manually turn wifi off via the phones, then back on, they will usually connect to 5 ghz, but over time end up at 2.4 ghz no matter where they are located. (Smartswitch is turned off on all 3 S7s,S8)  No clue why, but not the biggest deal in the world. We are more of a laptop/tablet and above household when it comes to streaming HD video, so it hasn't been a big issue.  An Alcatel Idol 4s Windows 10 Phone (I know, I'm trying to hold back the ocean by still using a Windows 10 phone) doesn't have that issue.

[FURRYe38]

Curious, did you do a factory reset and set up from scratch or just update FW and continue?

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@loomis1975wrote:

Finally upgraded to 2.1.3.6 on the RBR40 and 2.1.3.4 on the RBR50 and RBS50 when they released the beta RBR40 firmware.  RBS50Y is still on 2.1.2.20.  The RBR40 downstairs is daisy chaining through the outside RBS50Y to the router, since something in the floor/ceiling between my living room and den absolutely attenuates wifi signals to almost nothing trying to pass through.  I was so glad daisy chaining was released.  I used the Orbis mostly at another place and Velop here because of that reason alone.  That and the internet provider use to be faster at the other place, but now is fastest at my main residence, so they are swapped now.

This is coming from 2.1.2.18 on the main units, where I didn't have any big issues with performance.  I have all the bells and whistles turned on, but only a few devices I have are capable of MU-MIMO and I really am unsure if they are actually using it.  Did not have to reset as I am not seeing any degradation in the time since switchover.

The only thing outstanding (this has been the case for over a year, if not longer) that I think is interesting is that Samsung smartphones (S7 and S8) seem to want to use 2.4 ghz instead of the 5 ghz most of the time even when in the same room as router/satellite.  When you manually turn wifi off via the phones, then back on, they will usually connect to 5 ghz, but over time end up at 2.4 ghz no matter where they are located. (Smartswitch is turned off on all 3 S7s,S8)  No clue why, but not the biggest deal in the world. We are more of a laptop/tablet and above household when it comes to streaming HD video, so it hasn't been a big issue.  An Alcatel Idol 4s Windows 10 Phone (I know, I'm trying to hold back the ocean by still using a Windows 10 phone) doesn't have that issue.

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[tizmagik]

I’ve tried this firmware for a few days now and while the dropped internet connections have seemed to stop happening I am now noticing intermittent bandwidth issues. I notice it mostly when watching YouTube TV via my Apple TV 4th Gen. It will go from crystal clear 1080 HD to a really abysmal pixelated picture for a few seconds then jump back to clear HD. It happens about once every 5-10 minutes.

Here’s hoping the next version addresses this issue. Happy to also help by providing any logs or anything if that would be useful.