Re: Orbi Voice model RBS40V, Alexa not responding to voice command or playing through the speaker

Kohnstamfamily · ‎2020-08-19

Okay. about april/ may a firmware version seems to have corrupted many of the units. Mine included. I have a complete orbi set up ( rotuer and three satellites) and the only thign not now is the echo/amazon functionality . I have tried all resets and all present firmware updates I can and even killed off my applicaitons on my phone for the orbi and alexa( I know I have the latest of those) . and I have facory reset everything multiple times. the speaker even " speaks" when reregistering the speaker from the orbi ap to the alexa ap and says it is ready and paired. if you press the alexa wake button - in the middle ( not usign voice ) on the top it listens and blue ring flashes but no voice responce. I did notice that there is no id number in the field in the alexa ap like my other echo devices I also have several non amazon alexa devices and none have this problem . it does not respond to the alexa wake word or any other wake word. I used to like this unit in the kicthen cause it did double duty as reasonable speaker and a wifi mesh node which I needed for my back yard. I will send it back to be fixed or refund. if they cant figure out a firmware fix. it will just be another mesh node some where else in the house. this make no sense that some find it works fine and others have exactly the same problem . there should not be this level of variability even in a consumer product and a " factory reset" should do the trick ( even if you had to push mutliple new updates- like windows? -- GACK). too bad the concept was great. "speaker and node" but it suddenly stopping ( yea I know cross company integrations and rev changes are a bear) just pisses people off. i'll watch the board for a little while longer to see if netgear has a fix. And no dont start with me, have you tried turning it off and on ...." 🙂

BrollAmerican · ‎2020-08-19

@Mstrbig wrote:
I'm very familiar with the product, as I install many of them and never had a bad one, and own one myself.

I've been looking all over this community message board and I'm not the only one with this issue. I'm not even the OP of this thread regarding this issue. But you know this, and I've seen your handle responding to many people with this same issue, so I don't know why you're pleading ignorance to this apparenly common problem. No one should have to go through all the hoops of resetting, restarting, changing modes, upgrading firmware over and over again -with no results. I'm inclined to believe it's a crappy product. I purchased it new directly from Netgear and intend to return it.

Jude21 · ‎2020-10-12

Save your money. I bought pro support and the wait times are ridiculous and inability to resolve questions even worse.

Mstrbig · ‎2020-10-12

@Jude21 wrote:
Save your money. I bought pro support and the wait times are ridiculous and inability to resolve questions even worse.

Not to Hijack, but if you use support through chat, it is almost immediate, is easier to communicate and it gets rid of all the language slang barriers.

BrollAmerican · ‎2020-10-12

@Jude21 wrote:
Save your money. I bought pro support and the wait times are ridiculous and inability to resolve questions even worse.

I returned the Orbi speaker. The product is a mess. To Netgear's credit, they took it back and gave me a refund without issue. I purchased the Nighthawk Mesh 6 system and it works fine and I'm happy with it.

Mstrbig · ‎2020-10-12

Try this:

Find the IP address of the orbi voice. in your browser type 192.168.1.xx<- the ip adress/debug.htm, example 192.168.1.15/debug.htm and perform Upgrade Touch Board Firmware.

Mstrbig · ‎2020-10-12

@BrollAmerican wrote:
@Jude21 wrote:
Save your money. I bought pro support and the wait times are ridiculous and inability to resolve questions even worse.
I returned the Orbi speaker. The product is a mess. To Netgear's credit, they took it back and gave me a refund without issue. I purchased the Nighthawk Mesh 6 system and it works fine and I'm happy with it.

The Nighthawk Mesh 6 system is a nice entry level system, with a good price point. It's not as powerful as an Orbi system and it has no backhaul channel because it is not Tri-Band.

The Orbi RBS40v is a nice unit, as long as it gets setup properly, like any device.

90% of any wifi mesh problem, from any manufacturer is human error.

When all else fails, before blaming the product, and returning it, hire a professional. Because in the end, one may have the same poroblems with their second choice.

BrollAmerican · ‎2020-10-12

This is the most insance advice ever. So because a retail, consumer level product isn't ready to roll out of the box... because the solution is to diddle with IP settings and firmware downloads to acheive basic functionality it is the consumer's fault? MAKE A BETTER PRODUCT. This is all crap that should have been sorted out before it was placed into a box. Hire a professional? To set up a consumer level product??? Are you nuts?

Make products that work for people, or people will buy products from other manufacturers. Don't tell people to work and spend money on incomplete products to get them to work as advertised.

Jude21 · ‎2020-10-12

Chat function where?

Jude21 · ‎2020-10-12

Did you have to pay postage to return? They said I would even though it’s a defective product!!!

Jude21 · ‎2020-10-12

Wow that is ridiculous advice. A brand new product should work out of the box. I spent 2 hours on the phone with their pro support and it’s still not working!!!

BrollAmerican · ‎2020-10-12

@Jude21 wrote:
Did you have to pay postage to return? They said I would even though it’s a defective product!!!

No. They emailed me a pre-paid shipping label.

Jude21 · ‎2020-10-12

Well that stinks. I got an RMA which requires me to pay for postage!! The worst customer service ever

BrollAmerican · ‎2020-10-12

@Jude21 wrote:
Well that stinks. I got an RMA which requires me to pay for postage!! The worst customer service ever

That's really too bad. But I'm sure according to @Mstrbig this is somehow your fault. You either don't have all the facts or you should hire a professional to do this.

Netgear: DO BETTER!

Mstrbig · ‎2020-10-12

@BrollAmerican wrote:
@Jude21 wrote:
Well that stinks. I got an RMA which requires me to pay for postage!! The worst customer service ever
That's really too bad. But I'm sure according to @Mstrbig this is somehow your fault. You either don't have all the facts or you should hire a professional to do this.
Netgear: DO BETTER!

You missed my point. And it's no one's fault. It boils down to proper configuration and installation.

The RBS40v is more complex to setup vs. a regular satellite, for a couple reasons. It has 2 modes. It is a Smart Speaker. It has Alexa support. With that said I have installed over 2 dozen RBS40V satellites, on existing Orbi systems, with very minimal issues. I had to factory reset and/or firmware update brand new out of the box units. I've also had to factory reset a router or 2, in order to get them to pair successfully.

There are only so many reasons why the RBS40V satellite does not work.

1. Malfunction possibly new DOA or used and defective.

2. Firmware needs updating

2. Needs to be factory reset

3. Improperly synced

4. Needs to be put in the proper mode.

4. Alexa not configured correctly

5. improper configuration, which includes all the above

All brands of products are ready to install out of the box, and tout Plug and Play. But they're not. The minute you start adding devices, you can run into a problem.

If you go to any forum for any wifi mesh product, you have tons of complaints. I find it humerous as Linksys's Velop forum have people trashing their product and moving to Orbi, Nest, Google, etc. If you go to Google's Nest forums, they are having issues there as well and people are selling their Nest system and moving to another brand. Same thing happening at TP-Link, Eero, Dlink, Arris, etc.

So Occam's Razor comes to mind. Are all brand products bad or is it possibly user configuration error.

Mstrbig · ‎2020-10-12

@Jude21 wrote:
Chat function where?

If you go to the product registration page and register your product.

Register Your Product To Activate Complimentary Support

Register your product to receive 90 days of live chat and phone support.

https://www.netgear.com/support/contact.aspx

BrollAmerican · ‎2020-10-12

Dude... you are impossibly annoying and obnoxious, and that's your fault.

I've been setting up networks and configuring computers and components for my small business for two decades. I know a flawed product when I see one. Some products are more user friendly than others. This product was not user friendly. Even if it did get configured correctly it was lacking in several key aspects: 1) It doesn't have all the Alexa functionality of an Echo device 2) it's a speaker, yet not compatible with Apple Music 3) The volume controls were still a persistant problem (as evidence on this discussion board by multiple consumers)

@Mstrbig please don't bother replying to my posts anymore. Your responses are not helpful, welcomed nor appreciated.

Mstrbig · ‎2020-10-12

@BrollAmerican wrote:
Dude... you are impossibly annoying and obnoxious, and that's your fault.
I've been setting up networks and configuring computers and components for my small business for two decades. I know a flawed product when I see one. Some products are more user friendly than others. This product was not user friendly. Even if it did get configured correctly it was lacking in several key aspects: 1) It doesn't have all the Alexa functionality of an Echo device 2) it's a speaker, yet not compatible with Apple Music 3) The volume controls were still a persistant problem (as evidence on this discussion board by multiple consumers)

@Mstrbig please don't bother replying to my posts anymore. Your responses are not helpful, welcomed nor appreciated.

Insult accepted. I just try to help people who have issues with many products and ask for nothing in return. I was there once and want to pay it forward. But once in a while someone can't be helped, or maybe they are the competitor of the product and post absolute negative comments, to try to change user's minds. Either way good luck with the entry level product you chose.

I'm sorry I offended you about the fact that you didn't have enough experience in the Wireless mesh field, to install such a simple Orbi product. If I was close to you I would glady come by and set it up for you, so you weren't so frustrated.

Jude21 · ‎2020-10-12

Interesting comments, but as I already mentioned I paid extra for Pro support and they couldn't get it working, so it is not my user error...... 2 hours plus on the call, escalated to a supervisor and the bottom line is mail it back at MY expense as it is a defective unit according to the pro support.

Jude21 · ‎2020-10-12

I agree and honestly don't find it helpful to hear that you have to make all these technical changes on something that is touted as a plug and play. The average person does not have that expertise. So if anyone has been successful, please share your step by step instructions for the rest of us uninformed. Thank you in advance.

Mstrbig · ‎2020-10-12

@Jude21 wrote:
I agree and honestly don't find it helpful to hear that you have to make all these technical changes on something that is touted as a plug and play. The average person does not have that expertise. So if anyone has been successful, please share your step by step instructions for the rest of us uninformed. Thank you in advance.

First off this is for new RBS40V, as it is possible that a used one could be defective.

After you unpack it, make sure you set it in the correct mode. You would want Orbi mode for connecting to an Orbi AC system and Extender mode for connecting to an Orbi AX system.

If you follow these directions exactly, you should be successful in getting the RBS40V to work. I find using the app helps.

https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBS40V-200/RBS40V-200_QSG_EN.pdf

Jude21 · ‎2020-10-12

Thanks and that's exactly what I did. Brand new out of the box on Friday, ordered directly from Netgear. While on the phone with them, we updated the firmware, did all of the synching, rebooting, etc. etc. She never once mentioned changing the mode to Orbi Voice. I located that in the directions and did that and got it to synch with the router. But I can't get the Alexa part to work as far as setting an alarm. It works for other simple questions, turning on the radio etc. I have checked Amazon Alexa and it shows the alarm set, but it never goes off. An the Orbi Voice says, alarm set at XXX time ..... making you think it is set but it never goes off. Do you have help for that? Thank you in advance.

Mstrbig · ‎2020-10-13

@Jude21 wrote:
I can't get the Alexa part to work as far as setting an alarm. It works for other simple questions, turning on the radio etc. I have checked Amazon Alexa and it shows the alarm set, but it never goes off. An the Orbi Voice says, alarm set at XXX time ..... making you think it is set but it never goes off. Do you have help for that? Thank you in advance.

What I have found is when I ask Alexa to remind me when it is a certain time and it does. When the time comes up it chimes and tells me the time. I'll have to try using the command, "set an alarm" to see what is different. Maybe check volume levels in the app and see if it is set to 12 hour or 24 hour time?

Jude21 · ‎2020-10-14

They’re telling me prepaid is only for: “By the way, where have you seen that others were given a prepaid envelope for returns? This is the normal process if you paid for a next business day replacement or advance shipping we will send the product first and include a prepaid label for the return.“. Was that your case?

Jude21 · ‎2020-10-14

Please let us know. Ty