Orbi satellite dropping connection

[Surfer44]

Thanks, I am getting my money back and I'm going to use my Netgear N600 with extender. I had a lot of dead spots but at least they didn't drop the internet all the time.

[Jclapper1814]

Not that I’m aware of, but full disclosure, I haven’t spent much time looking. Might be a Netgear Twitter or FB handle, and of course, we could review the products online, which is probably the best way to provide feedback to prospective consumers.

Given this is likely an issue introduced by Netgear as part of the automtic upgrade process, it will be interesting to see if Netgear steps up. Their warranty support is clearly about selling additional services / extended support services, so I’m skeptical. Think they are underestimating the lifetime value of satisfies customer. Certainly I won’t ever be buying anything Netgear unless the fix this.

[ajdscc]

After reseting to factory default the satellite, then changing the router LAN IP address space from default network 192.168.1.1/24 to 192.168.2.1/24, restart the Wireless connection and resync the Satellite, it worked!! It has been 10h without drop and the satellite is placed 60ft away in another room.  Fingers crossed. 

Both router and satellite are on the latest firmware version 2.1.1.16.

[bluefish10]

 If this is happening to people with multiple satellites, try turning off all but one of the satellites (obviously, keep the main router plugged in). My disconnect issues have stopped for 3 days since doing this, and I'd much rather prefer stable connection that's slightly limited in range over unstable connection.  

[Jclapper1814]

Thanks Bluefish... I have tried this already, but to no avail on my end.  Drops occur with zero / one / two satellites.  Hope your solution holds for you.

[Raka1212]

I am on 2.0.0.74 since I installed router and satellites about a month ago and everything working fine though I am running on AP mode. The system hasn’t upgraded automatically to latest version and I am not going to try it. I bought it from Costco so should be no problem in return anytime if it start acting up. It is true that Netgear has lemon in their hand with orbi system because there are too many complaints from too many for such a premium system. Not acceptable. Only thing I would say to Netgear at this moment - ‘Make orbi great again’

[Inkrediblehull]

I'm seeing horrible disconnects of my satellites as well. Router and satellites are on version V2.1.1.16. Disconnects seem to have just started with this update. 

[Bchildress]

So I'm using the Velop for my main system now but I saw there was new firmware out for Orbi but I didn't want to try it as I wanted to see if my Orbi as a standalone router - 1 satellite system still rebooted. Well after one day it hasn't rebooted at all so added the new software won't prove anything I would have to re-insert it as my main system since it does seem to be triggered by something there - just don't know what. Not sure if I'm willing to troubleshoot it but I feel I can sell it with clear conscious if it's just on my system that issue is occuring and someone with a different setup wouldn't see it.

[mm06905]

Has anyone seen this

[Dittim]

I’ve downgraded to 2.0.0.74 (and disabled auto updates) due to inaccuracies showing on attached devices list with 2.1.1.16 (everything shows as connected to the router and nothing to the satellite).  I don’t have the drops like others are experiencing but I don’t have any android devices either. 

I tried 2.1.1.16 for the wired backhaul, but I never saw any significant performance boost from it. I have a pc right next to the satellite and only get about 60mb download vs. 100mb at the router. They aren’t that far apart and the signal strength shows as good from the web interface. I guess I should be happy I don’t have the restart/dropping issues, but a friend has the same model and gets full speed from their satellite

My my only note of caution to those looking for Velop as an answer is to check the Linksys and Reddit forums..  There are just as many, if not more complaints about their firmware as I see here!

[drshko]

I still experienced frequent disconnections on a wired backhaul on the latest firmware.

I really tried my best to persevere with the orbi having had good experiences with their previous products but had to give up eventually because it was frankly not fit for purpose

On a separate note, my 2 day old velops is so far working well without a single disconnection

[jeffholiday]

With the 2.1.1.16, I'm seeing devices like my iPad that may sit for sometime without use have trouble getting to the internent. If I turn wifi on/off, it resolves whatever conflict and works as normal immediately so not sure if its an IP conflict or what. I'm also getting alot of freezing when watching Netflix which I was not seeing in previous versions so I'm guessing it might be a wifi connectivity issue now dropping the connection intermittently. Both of these have been happening since the update over several days, so it doesnt seem to be an internet issue and something with the Orbi. Tried restarting everything but problem still persists. I had pretty solid results with previous 2.x versions of the firmware as others have noted.

[Surfer44]

I kept getting a " you elected to watch on wi-fi only" message" "please change in settings." I dont have a data plan on my Tab 12.2  and didn't know what was happening since there is nothing in settings regarding this. I called Netflix and the tech told me it was because my network was being dropped and there was no data plan to keep it going , so therfore it sent that message. My Orbi drops about every 15 minutes before 11:00 PM

[Surfer44]

Last night was the last straw. Kept on losing the internet every 15 minutes on my Tab 12.2 while TRYING to watch Netflix. Changed back to my old router today and NO DROPOUTS! Returned my Orbi. Netgear should be ashamed about putting this piece of junk on the market. I still have some dead spots but MUCH better than NO INTERNET ANYWHERE. Netgear SHOULD have someone monitoring the community to see the problems related to this.

[Jclapper1814]

Surfer - Sorry to hear you are having similar problems to the rest of us. As an FYI - I installed my old Apple AirPort Extreme router and used another as a range extender, and of course, not a single drop for more than 24 hours. Then Amazon delivered Google WiFi, and it is rock solid throughout the house. While it doesn’t have the dedicated backhaul, it is completely sufficient (our spectrum connection tops out at 200mbps) and the setup and testing couldn’t be simpler. It’s a dream compared to Orbi. No blinking satellites, etc.

Should also mentioned that before I gave into spending the $269 for google WiFi, I also tried downgrading the firmware - installed the first 2.x release - but to no avail. Dropped within 15 min.

In addition to fixing our equipment, Netgear should have to compensate everyone for the time we’ve spent dealing with this disaster.

[Bchildress]

I'm thinking maybe we should post the type of devices that are not standard items like iPhone, Android phone, windows and Macintosh machines. I have Amcrest wifi cameras, nvidia shield,  smartthings, phillips hue, Wink, and some other home automation bridges. Some tvs, appletv, rachio , chamberlain IQ garage door, Synology Nas, brother printers.
It may be better if we isolate the least common setup that has the issue and they could duplicate that.

[Bchildress]

I've got 2 days solid uptime on my old system which has no devices on it. it would be nice to have an option to have a trigger to capture the log to somewhere to capture the trigger.

[Surfer44]

Thanks for the support. I just returned it to Walmart.I'm so glad to be free of the frustration. Too bad Netgear has not solved the problem. I have been a Netgear customer for over 10 years but not anymore. I agree with the hours of frustration AND talking to their CS we should be compensated for our time.

[Jclapper1814]

Good point...

-3x Apple TV 2nd gen; chamberlain IQ garage door; 2x Android TV (older OS); Amazon FireStick; MacBook Pro (late-2013 High Sierra); MacMini (High Sierra); Intel Windows 10 PC; 2x Google Home Mini; 4 iPads (OS11.2); 3 iPhones (OS 11.2); HP LJPro M252dw (wireless); Sony Bravia (LAN connected); Xbox One (wireless); 3x Nest CamPro; Nest 3rd gen thermostat;

I should mention that when I reverted to an older firmware on the router and satellites, I created a new network that only had my laptop and phone connected, and it still crashed. My plan was to slowly add other devices until I was able to isolate the offending device, but I’m starting to think the issue involves the router’s ability to maintain an IP address. My connection seems to time out without satellites, and when the satellites are connected its a very short duration before a drop - as if there is an almost immediate IP conflict that crops up.

[jacher]

I run Spiceworks Network Monitor on a PC hard wired to my network. I have it set to regularly ping the management IPs of the Orbi router and two satellites and email me when they immediately go down. The upstairs satellite (not showing any strange colour so it is operating normally) is farthest away from the basement level router. My Orbi router/satellites auto-upgraded to the latest 2.1.1.16 a week ago and the CPU is 8% (router) and 16-19% (satellites). It's great Netgear finally allows custom NTP server. Not so great that there is so little logged in the logs. I noticed a few days ago, my iPhone - connected to the upstairs satellite, could no longer load a web page - while I was reading a website that required periodic loading of more scrollable content. My iPhone was unable to ping out to anything. But the Network Monitor showed no loss of network on the management IPs. So my iPhone lost its Wifi connection to the satellite. It came right back after switching to Cellular and then back to Wifi.

I am not sure how I can track my iPhone disconnections. Perhaps I can setup another Network Monitor for my iPhone wifi IP address.

[myriad_rocker]

You guys sure are making me nervous about the Orbi system I just bought a few days ago.  I picked up the RBR50/RBS50 combo from Best Buy.  I have everything set up and it seems to be working just fine.  I speed tested using my Samsung Galaxy S7 have had some great measurements and just ok the very next test.  There are times when I get 90+% signal strength but the speed registers sub 20mbps (and even 5mbps at times).  I figured it was an app issue since it wasn't really predictable.

I definitely get extended range and I can even get a signal in my shop, which is a seperate building.  The satellite has to go through two brick walls and cellulose insulation.  It's connected on the 2.4 band.  I was surprised.  I listened to music for a few hours in the shop today and even streamed some video.  Then...drops.  I couldn't get connected reliably again.  I assumed it was because my family got home and everyone started firing up their devices and streaming.  It happened about the same time they all got home.

Anyway...I've got an RBW30 coming next week from Amazon.  I'm going to put it in the shop so I can daisy chain to the satellite and extend my wifi out to the shop for a stronger signal.  I had already ordered it before the drops start happened today.  We'll see how I come out next week.  I'm on firmware 2.0.0.74 right now.  I updated it when I initially set it up but it doesn't show a new version of firmware available on the web interface even though there is one available on the Netgear site.

What makes me nervous is everyone is saying they had their Orbi's for X months and then all of a sudden drops started.  I certainly don't want to get outside the return window and start having issues.  I'm contemplating a pre-emptive return and trying Eeros or Google Wifi.  The whole point of me getting a new system was to get internet in my shop.  I had a Nighthawk that was working flawlessly before in my 4200sqft house.  It just couldn't quite reach out to the shop and an EX7000 extender was not working well for me.

[Jclapper1814]

Keep us posted... hopefully the RBW30 works as expected. I’m having good luck with Google WiFi, but you do see a drop in performance as it extends out from the router (220mbps to 180mbps for sat#2, which is closer, and 115mb for #3, which is upstairs across the house - 4,500sq ft).

If Orbi can keep a connection for you, it should have the best performance because of the third band being used as a dedicated backhaul and the daisy-chaining, which allows the satellites to communicate through each other versus having to each communicate directly to the router, which most of the mesh WiFi systems do. From what I’ve read, Velops is the next best alternative to Orbi, but you do find some complaints on message boards there too (but nothing like this).

For what you’re trying to do, think you’re on the right path, but Velops, or painfully, a buried cable to the shop, would likely be your best alternatives. If you were able to hard-wire, Google becomes a good alternative as it would use your wired Ethernet for full speed and as the backhaul, which would give you what you’re looking for.

... just my two cents... good luck!

[myriad_rocker]

Yeah, I'll post my findings here with regard to the RBW30. 

I had thought about a buried cable for a hardwired connection.  It'd really be ideal and, like you said, the Google unit for ethernet backhaul would be great.  I really have no idea how I'd drop the cable down the wall from my house.  Fishing it through packed cellulose would be a nightmare, I imagine.  Then there's the airgap and the brick to get through.  And then I know there's a drain pipe from my pool right in the path of where I'd want to run it across the yard to the shop.  Ugh.

[myriad_rocker]

Alright, reporting back.  To my surprise, the RBW30 was delivered today.  I wasn't expecting it until next week, so kudos to Amazon.  I love their shipping.

I got the RBW30 running and synced while I was sitting in my kitchen because I didn't want sync issues if the shop was too far away.  It synced up fine and the led turned blue.  My devices stayed "stuck" to the router and the RBS50, but all seemed well so I packed up some stuff and headed to the shop.  Got the RBW30 plugged in and waited for it to boot up.  Eventually the light turned a solid amber.  It was connected at least.  And I knew it was daisy chaining correctly through the RBS50 because the main router is definitely out of range from the shop.

I opened up the laptop and started doing some testing.  Checked out how my devices were connected and confirmed my phone was on the RBW30.  Ran a speedtest from the Orbi app and was consistently getting around 400MB and 80 to 90 signal strength.  So far so good.  I then went to Netflix on the laptop.  Laggy.  Pulled up speedtest.  I have 50MB down and 5MB up for internet service.  Test did 5MB down and 0MB up (it failed).  I moved the laptop basically right on top of the satellite and pulled up orbilogin.  In attached devices I noticed that the laptop was stuck to the RBS50.  That was the issue.  I had assumed it was connected to the new RBW30.

At this point I disconnected from the wifi and reconnected, hoping to renew the IP and connect to the strongest signal, which was the RBW30.  It still connected to the RBS50.  I checked my phone and noticed the RBW30 was updating firmware (automatically because I didn't tell it to).  I then checked orbilogin again and the laptop was now connected to the RBW30.  I ran three speedtests and was getting over 60MB down and around 5 to 6 upload.  Remember, I have 50MB/5MB for internet service.  I'm pretty happy about those performance numbers considering.  We'll see if it stays that way.

Sorry for the novel, but just wanted to tell the whole story.  I'll report back if anything changes.  I'm about to pull up Spotify and listen to some music while a work in the shop for a bit.  I figure that longterm test is probably a good indicator.

[abdu232]

The last firmware gets disconnect with satellite every 1 hour i dont know why i have reset and did again same issue.... keep disconnecting the router and satellite near by only