Primary Network drops, but the Guest Network doesn't

[BillYoung]

Furrye38 or to whomever can answer this:

Ever since I upgraded my firmware from 2.2.1.210 to 2.2.1.212 to 2.3.0.32, my Primary Network has become unstable.  It drops connections to the internet regularly.

However, if I connect to my Guest Network, my connections to the internet do not drop.

I have not tried doing anything special to the router after upgrading.  Should I have done something to the router like say rebooting, or resyncing?

Thanks in advance for your prompt response.

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

Wow, something isn't right.

What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?

When you had the Orbi online and working before, what mode was the modem in? Bridged? 

You can do this while the ORbi is OFF line from the modem. Download v212 and v32 file to a wired PC. Don't connect the RBR to the modem just yet. 

Use a wired PC with the RBR. Re-Send the v212 file first using the RBRs web page manual FW update UI. I would use IE11 or FF browsers for this. After v212 is applied, turn around and send the v32 file to the RBR using same process. After it's applied, use the routers web page to ERASE (factory reset) the RBR. Keep the wired PC connected. Don't connect the RBR to the modem just yet. 

With the web browser, log in to orbiligin.com and instead of walking thru the setup wizard, skip it. You'll still need to give a PW and recovery info. Do this. 

When you get to the main page of the Orbi, navigate to wireless settings and setup a SSID name and PW, give a different SSID name from what your using on the modem. This will be just temporary. Save settings. Don't enable Guest Network. 

Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Look at a mobile device and check to see if this new SSID appears on the mobile device. If so, connect to this SSID. Check to see if you get a IP address on the device as well. 

Guest Network should not appear. 

If you can get this far, you can configure the Orbi for AP mode and connect it up to the ISP Modem. Besure to DISABLE ALL wifi radios on the ISP modem. Leave the modem in router mode, not bridged. Run the Orbi for a while to see if the wifi SSID remains and that you don't see it drop off. 

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@BillYoung wrote:
FURRYe38: Sorry to inform you this, but doing what you said has totally wrecked my Orbi network. Now it allows you to access the Router, but not the Internet. I tried to fix the problem several times, but it keeps giving me the same thing - it tells me that my modem was not rebooted during the process (which it has been now several times) or that the cables are plugged into the wrong place or not plugged in well enough (neither is the case; the cables are in the right place and are plugged in all the way). So I tried downgrading the firmware to 2.2.1.212. Successfully done, But no improvement in the situation. The network still tells me the same information. At that point, I have removed the Orbi from my system, and turned my modem into a modem/router combo. Now I can access the internet to tell you what has been happening. It will be a couple of days to get back to trying to fix the Orbi. So, should I: a. Downgrade the firmware to 2.2.1.210 b. Upgrade the firmware again to 2.3.0.24 and see what further instructions await. Please let me know what to try next. I am at a loss.

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[ekhalil]

1. What other devices (wired and wireless) do you have attached to your primary network?
2. Any specific devices that you noticed the issue of dropped internet connection with?

[BillYoung]

ekhalil:

Thank you for your response.  In answer to your two questions:

1. 1.  What other devices (wired and wireless) do you have attached to your primary network?
2.  

We have several different devices attached to the Primary Network.  Laptop computers (2 - wireless), cell phones (2 - wireless), a Roku (wireless), a TV (wireless), a desktop computer (wired), tablets (as many as 8 - wireless).

1. 2.  Any specific devices that you noticed the issue of dropped internet connection with?
2.  

We have noticed the issue primarily with the laptops and tablets.  My wife reports that her laptop just loses internet; the same with her tablets.  My laptop either reports no internet or connects to the Guest Network automatically.  It does that because I have connected to the Guest Network previously.

Please note that since first posting this, in an attempt to stablize the Primary Network, I have rebooted the router.  So far, it seems to be OK.

[FURRYe38]

I would do a factory reset on the system and setup from scratch. Others have reported having odd problems after upgrading. Reset seemed to fix. 

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@BillYoung wrote:

Furrye38 or to whomever can answer this:

Ever since I upgraded my firmware from 2.2.1.210 to 2.2.1.212 to 2.3.0.32, my Primary Network has become unstable.  It drops connections to the internet regularly.

However, if I connect to my Guest Network, my connections to the internet do not drop.

I have not tried doing anything special to the router after upgrading.  Should I have done something to the router like say rebooting, or resyncing?

Thanks in advance for your prompt response.

---

[ekhalil]

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@BillYoung wrote:

........

Please note that since first posting this, in an attempt to stablize the Primary Network, I have rebooted the router.  So far, it seems to be OK.

.......

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It could only have been a "hiccup" in the system after the upgrade 🙂 that is now sorted out with the restart. Please monitor the system and see if further action is still needed 🙂

[BillYoung]

FURRYe38: Sorry to inform you this, but doing what you said has totally wrecked my Orbi network. Now it allows you to access the Router, but not the Internet. I tried to fix the problem several times, but it keeps giving me the same thing - it tells me that my modem was not rebooted during the process (which it has been now several times) or that the cables are plugged into the wrong place or not plugged in well enough (neither is the case; the cables are in the right place and are plugged in all the way). So I tried downgrading the firmware to 2.2.1.212. Successfully done, But no improvement in the situation. The network still tells me the same information. At that point, I have removed the Orbi from my system, and turned my modem into a modem/router combo. Now I can access the internet to tell you what has been happening. It will be a couple of days to get back to trying to fix the Orbi. So, should I: a. Downgrade the firmware to 2.2.1.210 b. Upgrade the firmware again to 2.3.0.24 and see what further instructions await. Please let me know what to try next. I am at a loss.

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

Wow, something isn't right.

What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?

When you had the Orbi online and working before, what mode was the modem in? Bridged? 

You can do this while the ORbi is OFF line from the modem. Download v212 and v32 file to a wired PC. Don't connect the RBR to the modem just yet. 

Use a wired PC with the RBR. Re-Send the v212 file first using the RBRs web page manual FW update UI. I would use IE11 or FF browsers for this. After v212 is applied, turn around and send the v32 file to the RBR using same process. After it's applied, use the routers web page to ERASE (factory reset) the RBR. Keep the wired PC connected. Don't connect the RBR to the modem just yet. 

With the web browser, log in to orbiligin.com and instead of walking thru the setup wizard, skip it. You'll still need to give a PW and recovery info. Do this. 

When you get to the main page of the Orbi, navigate to wireless settings and setup a SSID name and PW, give a different SSID name from what your using on the modem. This will be just temporary. Save settings. Don't enable Guest Network. 

Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Look at a mobile device and check to see if this new SSID appears on the mobile device. If so, connect to this SSID. Check to see if you get a IP address on the device as well. 

Guest Network should not appear. 

If you can get this far, you can configure the Orbi for AP mode and connect it up to the ISP Modem. Besure to DISABLE ALL wifi radios on the ISP modem. Leave the modem in router mode, not bridged. Run the Orbi for a while to see if the wifi SSID remains and that you don't see it drop off. 

---

@BillYoung wrote:
FURRYe38: Sorry to inform you this, but doing what you said has totally wrecked my Orbi network. Now it allows you to access the Router, but not the Internet. I tried to fix the problem several times, but it keeps giving me the same thing - it tells me that my modem was not rebooted during the process (which it has been now several times) or that the cables are plugged into the wrong place or not plugged in well enough (neither is the case; the cables are in the right place and are plugged in all the way). So I tried downgrading the firmware to 2.2.1.212. Successfully done, But no improvement in the situation. The network still tells me the same information. At that point, I have removed the Orbi from my system, and turned my modem into a modem/router combo. Now I can access the internet to tell you what has been happening. It will be a couple of days to get back to trying to fix the Orbi. So, should I: a. Downgrade the firmware to 2.2.1.210 b. Upgrade the firmware again to 2.3.0.24 and see what further instructions await. Please let me know what to try next. I am at a loss.

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[BillYoung]

FURRYe38:

In answer to your questions:

What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?

Smart/RG SR360n

When you had the Orbi online and working before, what mode was the modem in? Bridged?

Bridged.  To get my wired PC working through the Orbi, I set it to Routing.

Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Many, like 6 or 8.

I will do what you suggest.  The firewall is already at 2.2.1.212.

[FURRYe38]

What channels are these wifi nieghbors using? Set the Orbi appropriately to avoid these neighbors as best as you can using channels 1, 6 or 11. 13 if your outside of the USA. 

Besure to DISABLE ALL wifi radios ON the ISP modem when you go to configure AP mode on the RBR. 

Keep us posted. 

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@BillYoung wrote:

FURRYe38:

In answer to your questions:

What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?

Smart/RG SR360n

When you had the Orbi online and working before, what mode was the modem in? Bridged?

Bridged.  To get my wired PC working through the Orbi, I set it to Routing.

Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Many, like 6 or 8.

I will do what you suggest.  The firewall is already at 2.2.1.212.

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[BillYoung]

FURRYe38:

I have done everything you have suggested.  It seems to be working now.

I have the modem in Router mode, and the Orbi in AP mode.

Why would the firmware update break the ability to have the modem in bridged mode and the Orbi in router mode?

[FURRYe38]

Not quite sure at the moment. Could be anything. Seen odd issues with FW updates or auto updates. 

If you feel it's working, You can configure the Orbi back to router mode and see if it remains working. I would keep the Modem in router mode and use it's DMZ or IP Passthrough feature for the IP address the RBR gets from the modem and put this in the DMZ or IP Passthrough then see if the Orbi in router mode continues to work for you. If so, you can try enabling Guest Zone WiFI then see how the systems works for you. 

Trying to have you take this one step at a time to ensure the system keeps working for you. 

I know you shouldn't have to do this after a FW update. One thing that seems to keep rearing it's ugly head at each time NG releases new FW for Orbi. 

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@BillYoung wrote:

FURRYe38:

I have done everything you have suggested.  It seems to be working now.

I have the modem in Router mode, and the Orbi in AP mode.

Why would the firmware update break the ability to have the modem in bridged mode and the Orbi in router mode?

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[FURRYe38]

So what was the resolution on this?