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Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

suckage
Aspirant

RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words)

Hey Folks - first post here. I'm running an Orbi RBR50 with two sattelites. It's been running fine for a year but now I'm wanting to bypass my ISPs DNS because they keep having issues. My ISP requires a login name ("name@isp.net") and password which is in the Orbi admin page and, obviously working fine (as I have functioning internet). 

 

To change the DNS, I naviagate to my Internet Setup in the orbi admin web page, cruise down to DNS, click the button to enter my own settings, enter those, then click "Apply," and I get the message: 
"192.168.1.1 says:
Invalid Login name, can't accept non-english words"

My first thought was that I accidentally entered a character in the wrong field, so I logged out of the router and back in. Yep, login/password is obviously correct because Interent still works. So I go to the Internet Setup again, don't change anything, and just hit the "Test" button -- same error pops up.

Rebooted, same issue/err. "Test" button pops the error message whether I try to change a setting or not. In fact, not changing anything and just clicking save still pops the error.

 

I'm not sure what's going on because I had to enter these credentials when I set up the Orbi. I know they're right and they work or else I wouldn't have internet (they are the credentials necessary to connect the Orbi to my fiber modem).

 

Other things I've tried:

  • I rebooted the Orbi.
  • I tried changing the router language from "Auto" to "English"
  • Tried a different browser

no changes with any of those. 

 

Things I haven't tried:

  • Firmware update: It says there's one available, however I'm a little afraid to try it because I don't want to get locked out of my working internet if the firmware decides it doesn't like my login credentials. 

 

Anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to get this working? Thank you!

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 1 of 12
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

Interesting that a log in is causing a DNS UI change problem. 

Is Armor or Circle enabled? 

For the Admin log in the main log in should be admin and a password. Not a email address. Possible that Orbi doesn't support this and is causing problems. 

 

What Firmware version is currently loaded?

 

 

 

What region are you located? 

 

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update? Might do this and this time leave the "admin" log in as default and set a password. Then try the DNS. 

 

Be sure Armor or Cicle is not enabled as well. 

 

Message 2 of 12
suckage
Aspirant

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

Thanks for the reply: To clarify a couple things:

 

  • DNS is not an issue right now. I only ran across this issue because I wanted to not use my ISP provided DNS. However, the Internet Setup page wouldn't allow me to change the DNS (or do anything else) at the Internet Setup tab. So the issue is purely the error and inability to change any settings on this page.
  • The Orbi router Admin login is just that Admin/MyPassword.
  • the log-in (I believe) that is causing the Error is the (ISP) log-in that I enter into Orbi and then Orbi passes to my fiber ONT (see screenshot).  At the "Internet/Internet Setup, the first changeable item is: "does your internet connection require a login". In my case, the "yes" option is chosen. The next section below that is: Internet Service Provider. In that section, the next thing is "Login" (in my case it's myusername@myispdomain.net). The next thing below that is "Password". The default setting shows all asteriks, but I've tried it with the current password, too). Next item is Service Name (if required). Mine isn't required and its blank.  Next item is Connection Mode. Mine is "Always On". Final item is Idle timeout (in minutes). Mine is 0 (and grayed out). 
  • I'm not running Circle or Armor

 

Prior to the last firmware update, I did a factory reset. The router is currently running 2.5.2.4. I'm hesitant to do another full reset or add the updated firmware because if I can't enter my ISP credentials, I can't get internet.

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 3 of 12
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

I don't think you need to use the ISP log in. Rather just change the DNS address to what the ISP uses or recommends using. You can do this under Advanced tab/Setup/Internet setup. Select Use These DNS Servers und Domain Name Server. Input the DNS IP address from your ISP here.

Message 4 of 12
suckage
Aspirant

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

Hi - I think we're missing each other on this -- 

 

In addition to "routing" I'm using the orbi to do Vlan taggng and handle the credentials necesarry to log into my fiber connection. That is the login information I populated when I set up the Orbi and it's been working fine. Something changed at some point (firmware update?) because, like I said, I put that info in to the Orbi in the first place so I could connect to my fiber. It didn't generate the error then. Those credentials are required for my Internet won't work. But with those credentials there, I'm unable to "save" (or even "test") that page. 

 

So while I realize what I should do to change the DNS settings IF the Orbi was working properly and not generating the "invalid log-in/non-english words" error, my point is that I can't do that (or anything) on that page because that page also contains (and must contain) my ISP login information, and that log-in info is apparently what's now generating the error. What changed? I don't know.

 

I'm pretty that removing my ISP credentials would allow me to adjust the DNS settings (or whatever else I wanted to do on this page) and save the changes, but that would be pointless because the Orbi would no longer be able to communicate with my Fiber ONT and I'd lose my Internet.

 

Is there any way ot report a bug to Netgear without paying for extended support?

Message 5 of 12
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

Something to contact NG support about and see if there is additinal help and information regarding this. This maybe a local issue regarding your ISP and there services. 

Message 6 of 12
suckage
Aspirant

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

Thanks. I actually have no idea how to contact NG Support. I've over 90 days (well over) so it looks like there's no free support. Does that mean I actually have to pay to report a bug?

Message 7 of 12
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

Try contacting a forum moderator to see what your options are:

@Blanca_O 

@Christian_R 

Message 8 of 12
suckage
Aspirant

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

For fun, I thought I'd respond to this a year+ later and note that ~5 firmware updates later (currently V2.7.4.24), it's still broken and I've still yet to get any help or response from Netgear. I originally noted this as an inability to change my DNS settings, but actually it blocks me from changing ANY Internet settings. Otherwise everything is working and continues to work with firmware updates. I've not done a factory reset because I'm afraid if that the Orbi blocks my login after the reset, I won't have internet access any more. 

 

As suggested a year ago, I contacted @Blanca_O  and @Christian_R. Apparently Christian is now retired, but @Blanca_O replied to me asking for follow up contact info. I supplied that info (3 times over the course of the past year), but I've yet to get any reply from them or anyone at Netgear.

 

Surely the fact that my previously working Centurylink login (Lastnamefirstname120@qwest.net) credentials are seen as "non-English" is a bug!

 

As described earlier in this thread, clicking "Save or Test" (at the "Internet" Setup page) prompts the Orbi to return an error message

""192.168.1.1 says:
Invalid Login name, can't accept non-english words"


and blocks me from making changes at the Internet settings panel.

 

I find it strange that Netgear isn't interested in fixing this. It worked once (when I set up the router) and my credentials haven't changed (I've had this century link account long before I got an Orbi router) so it's obviously something that go broken along the way with a Netgear update. Please, any suggestions would be appreciated. I'd really like to make some changes to my Internet Settings but I'm currently frozen out by some strange firmware coding that sees (and blocks) valid login credentials as "non-english words". 

 

Thank you. 

Message 9 of 12
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

Definitely not helpful.  Would have been so much better if the error message displayed the offending word

 

If you feel like an adventure.....

  • Use the advanced tab, Administration menu to make a backup copy of the configuration file.
    (a good thing to do from time-to-time anyway)
  • Download this program that will decode the configuration file into plain text from:
    https://github.com/Fysac/orbicfg 
  • Input the config file into this program and output a text file:
    orbicfg [name of config file] >a.txt
  • Open the text file with a text editor (Notepad, Notepad++, etc) and scan for all instances of the string "pass".
  • The Orbi web admin password is not contained in the saved config file, but a number of other passwords are, such as:
    • The WiFi password
    • Password used to email log files
    • Password for the backhaul link
    • and..... several passwords that mention PPPoE
  • It would be interesting to see how that CenturyLink user password appears in the config file.

 

Message 10 of 12
suckage
Aspirant

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words

Hey, thanks @CrimpOn for your help. I was able to use the "decoder." And it did show me both my login (as saved in the cfg backup) showing the full username@isp.net and the password. So there's proof that at some point, the Orbi was able to take that full log-in with the "non-English" characters on the admin screen.

So I contacted CL support again and eventually got escalated to someone who said that because my fiber was so old, it was set up to require the @isp.net in the log-in. But they said they'd update my account credentials so the full @isp.net part was no longer necessary.


Because I had two config backups (and was able to "see" what was in those backups -- thanks again!), I felt reasonably OK that I'd be able restore the Orbi if it came to that. Plus I had my CL router as backup I could use if nothing worked (and then I'd just sell the poorly-supported Orbi to some sucker).

 

Long story short, the new credentials worked and I'm now able to save changes to the router admin config because the "non-English characters" are gone. 

 

BUT, that begs the point. Why/When did Netgear change this in the firmware and create a bug? If that login worked once, it should continue working that way, even after they updated the firmware. And at the very least, if a firmware update breaks an existing log-in, shouldn't Netgear actually be responsive and helpful rather than dragging this out for more than a year? I know they want to sell their paid support, but frankly if a company creates a bug, it's on them to fix it (and support the users in the meantime). You guys are helpful and all, but if I want a router with only community-provided support, I might as well go back to using something like Tomato. 

Message 11 of 12
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: RBR50: Can't change DNS settings (error msg that existing log-in can't contain non english words


@suckage wrote:

BUT, that begs the point. Why/When did Netgear change this in the firmware and create a bug? If that login worked once, it should continue working that way, even after they updated the firmware.


When I was programming for a living, the bugs I introduced were never intentional.  Every day we read of vulnerabilities that have existing in open source software for years. (maybe even a decade!)  My guess is somebody was doing entirely "something" and did not realize a consequence was this issue with non-English characters.  That release went out. Nobody discovered that bug at first. And, the staff moved on to other projects. 

 

What an ordeal for you!

Message 12 of 12
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