RBR50, RBS50,Outdoor Orbi

[JamesBr]

Greetings all! 

After an hour + wait for tech support chat with no reply, and no answers I turn to the community for hopefully some user answers. I installed the Orbi AC3000(main router and 2 satellites) system last fall to provide better coverage for the one dsl router and extender that wasn't really give good coverage in our old farmhouse. The system worked fine to start with a couple of quirk  tech support helped with but I'm into a new set of issues with no tech support in sight! Now in 2020 with Covid and, the whole world is going online, so I suspect our dsl signal browns out at time.We get the usual message no internet connection. When that happens the Orbi RBR50 says Offline with red dot in the network map. When internet resumes 5 to 10 minutes later the red dot stays lit and the satellites stay orange. I do all the sytem rebots starting the with dsl router, including phone app and sometimes things go green but as of now, I'm online with red at the router and orange at the satellites in the network map. 1 What can I do to improve and stabilize my connections?  2. Why does the app network map continue to stay red even when internet is working? this is recent after several restarts. I appreciate any help or guidance here. Don't want to scrapp the $$ system or bash Netgear for lack of support but color me "Frustrated"

[FURRYe38]

What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
I

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-router

What channels are you using? Auto? 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?

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or may not be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Set Short preamble instead of Long preamble modes. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).

One User Experience/Configuration:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Most-Stable-Orbi-Configuration/m-p/1941087/highlight/true#M970...

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update? 

[JamesBr]

Greetings and thank you for your reply. here are some answers to your Q

1.  Firmware is V2.5.1.8

2.  Comtrend B673...service provided by Fairpoint which has been bought up by west

coast company Consolidated. I'm in north VT

3. Older farm house with additions, not sure of SQFT. Have played with satallite locations to get green light when setting up. The RBR50 is at front of house in center on ground floor where where phone line comes in and DSL router has to be. The two RBS50 satallites are upstairs 1 floor in each wing/addition and are pretty stable though one goes orange every so often...Varous walls thickness etc.

Ive just  bought and added an outdoor unit to 

see if I can extend coverage to barn across driveway...so far just orange, but playing with the location still

4. Live in country with the nearest neighbor blocks away. Where do I check to see which settings you mention Auto,....etc

5. All the of your next Q's are beyond my knowledge/ experience at this point. I'm glad to follow steps to those settings if you can provide step by steps.

thanks!

[FURRYe38]

Whawt mode is your modem working in? Bridged or router mode? If your modem has a built in router already, This would be a double NAT (two router) condition which isn't recommended. https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT
https://kb.netgear.com/30187/How-to-fix-issues-with-Double-NAT
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge or modem only mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ/ExposedHost or IP Pass-Through for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode.
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the Orbi router to the modem, configure AP mode on the Orbi router. https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7LOcJ8GdDo&app=desktop 

For the suggestions meantioned already, use a PC or laptop and a web broswer to log into the RBRs web page at 192.168.1.1 or orbilogin.net 

[CrimpOn]

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@JamesBr wrote:

2. Why does the app network map continue to stay red even when internet is working?

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The Orbi "app" is a mystery to many of us who use the Orbi web interface for 99% of our interaction with the Orbi.

(Web browser to http://orbilogin.net)

My suspicion is that the Orbi app does some "test" to determine if the internet is really there (vs. an interface having a connection but not doing anything useful) and this test is not reliable.  Questions about the "app" are more likely to get an informed response if posted in the Netgear community forum devoted to the app: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-App/bd-p/en-home-orbi-app 

[FURRYe38]

Be sure that your ISP modem is fully bridged. Have the ISP help with you with this.

After getting the ISP modem bridged and wifi fully disabled. Run the Orbi system for a bit to see how it goes. If you encounter more problems, then I would uddate FW to v16. I'm on v16 now and have not seen any wifi problems. Been most stable version of FW to date IMO. Factory reset and setup from scratch would be recommended after you udpate FW. 

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@JamesBr wrote:

Greetings and thank you for your reply. here are some answers to your Q

1.  Firmware is V2.5.1.8

2.  Comtrend B673...service provided by Fairpoint which has been bought up by west

coast company Consolidated. I'm in north VT

3. Older farm house with additions, not sure of SQFT. Have played with satallite locations to get green light when setting up. The RBR50 is at front of house in center on ground floor where where phone line comes in and DSL router has to be. The two RBS50 satallites are upstairs 1 floor in each wing/addition and are pretty stable though one goes orange every so often...Varous walls thickness etc.

Ive just  bought and added an outdoor unit to 

see if I can extend coverage to barn across driveway...so far just orange, but playing with the location still

4. Live in country with the nearest neighbor blocks away. Where do I check to see which settings you mention Auto,....etc

5. All the of your next Q's are beyond my knowledge/ experience at this point. I'm glad to follow steps to those settings if you can provide step by steps.

thanks!

---

[JamesBr]

Greetings all and good Moday too.

Wanted to give progress report and ask another q

After many failed attempts I was finally able to log onto the OrbiLogon page after password reset. My first goal was to up date the firmware, which went ok as the Main Router and the two satillites now report version V2.5.1.16

The RBS50Y Outdoor has V2.3.5.32 and said no update available .

Results are interesting and a bit frustrating

The RBS50YBackhaul status was "poor" online and orange in phone app, and was also show in network map coming off one of the sattilites.

After the firmware updates it  changed to "Good" backhaul status online under the attached devices window to match the others "good", and on the phone app had gone green and  appeared for the first time in network map off the RBR50 main router and not off the closest sattalite. But after I rebooted the main unit RBR50...the out door satallite has returned to "poor" and Orange again. A short lived victory! So now what? A re-sync?

One new question regarding that unit is I noticed when online the default setting is SYNC off. What does that mean? I did the setup as directions reccomended using the buttons on back. I did searches regarding what that setting means but nothing in the user manual or online that helps explain what that setting is for?

I'm still waiting to hear back from the isp regarding the double Natt and bridge mode.

Is there anyone who has knowledge of the Comtrend ADSL2+ Router, Model #AR-5319

It says in the 2 pages availible online that it has a WIFI on/off button, on the front of the unit but pushing it doesn't seem to do anything. Perhaps there is a sequence? I've tested with my cell phone wifi to logon directly and then push the button, but it never disconnect me. Perhaps there ii a way of Logon via the HTTP page but I have not had any luck

finding a address to use...Or does the ISP only allow their access perhaps? 

I'll be rereading the reply to see what else was reccommnded now that I can access the settings pages

thanks in advance

[FURRYe38]

I would make contact with your ISP and ask them for help and information regarding your modem and how to ensure it's fully bridged and the wifi radios on this modem are disabled fully. Bridge mode would be preferred if possible.