Re: RBR50 Ring flashing white continuously

Rudders64 · ‎2019-01-28

The RBR50 appears to have broken itself during an update two days ago. Router ring continuously flashing white, no WiFi network, can't access the router via cable, factory resets unsuccesful! Just a dead brick flashing mournfully on the desk and two useless pink glowing satellites!

My router is setup as an AP to share a mesh through a second building. It connects via cable to the primary router which is a Nighthawk X6. This has been working nicely for about 10 months but is now useless.

The flashing does cease after a long period of time but there is no activity from Orbi.

I would love to provide the firmware version but I can't access the router to find out.

This appears to be a similar proble to on that occured 18 months ago to satellites. Ther emay have been other instances as well but I haven't found those threads. Other than physically replacing the RBR50 is there a solution?

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-01-28

Did you press in the back reset button until the top LED on the router turned Amber, then let go and see if you can access the orbi's web page at 192.168.1.1? See if your PC get an IP address from the router after this...If not, then the router is probably broke.

You can try this with the Orbi router:

https://kb.netgear.com/000059633/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-TFTP-client

Try the TFTP client already built into Windows...

@Rudders64 wrote:

The RBR50 appears to have broken itself during an update two days ago. Router ring continuously flashing white, no WiFi network, can't access the router via cable, factory resets unsuccesful! Just a dead brick flashing mournfully on the desk and two useless pink glowing satellites!

My router is setup as an AP to share a mesh through a second building. It connects via cable to the primary router which is a Nighthawk X6. This has been working nicely for about 10 months but is now useless.

The flashing does cease after a long period of time but there is no activity from Orbi.

I would love to provide the firmware version but I can't access the router to find out.

This appears to be a similar proble to on that occured 18 months ago to satellites. Ther emay have been other instances as well but I haven't found those threads. Other than physically replacing the RBR50 is there a solution?

Ulairi · ‎2019-01-28

@Rudders64 wrote:

The RBR50 appears to have broken itself during an update two days ago. Router ring continuously flashing white, no WiFi network, can't access the router via cable, factory resets unsuccesful! Just a dead brick flashing mournfully on the desk and two useless pink glowing satellites!

Other than physically replacing the RBR50 is there a solution?

I have exactly the same thing going on. After a power cut last week the router did not come back online and is continully flashing white on top. The power LED on the rear is flashing red. The router will not reset. I cannot access it via www.orbilogin.com or http://192.168.1.1 . The Orbi User Manual (page 16) says that flashing white indicates that the router is rebooting and that the flashing red power LED means that the firmware is corrupted.

There have been other reports of this occuring in messages on this forum, albeit manily for RBS50 Satelitte problems rather than the RBS50 router. While some people have reported success with manually reloading the firmware, others have not been able to restore the Orbi. The official 'solution' per this thread is to RMA the Orbi (albeit for a RBS50 satellite, rather than the router).

I was unwilling to flash the firmware while the router was still under warranty, so I have returned it for replacement under warranty.

The really annoying thing was the woeful support from Netgear. Twice they arranged a support call and on both occassions I waited by the phone for two hours with no call from them either time. That was despite Netgear phoning me after the first missed call, apologizing and assuring me that they would honor the second time slot. Hence the warranty return - I'm not prepared to muck around any longer.

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-01-28

Next time try a manual FW update and then ERASE the router and setup from scratch and walk thru the setup wizard.

Its ok to do FW updates while the system is under warranty. You won't void the warranty by doing any FW updates. You'd only void if you applied non supported 3rd party FW. However there isnt' any currently for Orbi.

@Ulairi wrote:

@Rudders64 wrote:

The RBR50 appears to have broken itself during an update two days ago. Router ring continuously flashing white, no WiFi network, can't access the router via cable, factory resets unsuccesful! Just a dead brick flashing mournfully on the desk and two useless pink glowing satellites!

Other than physically replacing the RBR50 is there a solution?

I have exactly the same thing going on. After a power cut last week the router did not come back online and is continully flashing white on top. The power LED on the rear is flashing red. The router will not reset. I cannot access it via www.orbilogin.com or http://192.168.1.1 . The Orbi User Manual (page 16) says that flashing white indicates that the router is rebooting and that the flashing red power LED means that the firmware is corrupted.

There have been other reports of this occuring in messages on this forum, albeit manily for RBS50 Satelitte problems rather than the RBS50 router. While some people have reported success with manually reloading the firmware, others have not been able to restore the Orbi. The official 'solution' per this thread is to RMA the Orbi (albeit for a RBS50 satellite, rather than the router).

I was unwilling to flash the firmware while the router was still under warranty, so I have returned it for replacement under warranty.

The really annoying thing was the woeful support from Netgear. Twice they arranged a support call and on both occassions I waited by the phone for two hours with no call from them either time. That was despite Netgear phoning me after the first missed call, apologizing and assuring me that they would honor the second time slot. Hence the warranty return - I'm not prepared to muck around any longer.

Rudders64 · ‎2019-01-28

Thanks to both of you for the info.

The router eventually booted through the flashing white phase to a steady magenta ring (never a red power LED that I saw). The magenta is now out and I can see a WiFi network from it. I haven't flashed a FW update as I haven't been able to see it through an Ethernet cable. I now have access through the ios app. Trouble is that it has never been set up for my isp as it has always been an AP. The ios app doesn't seem to be able to reset it back to an AP and I still can't get to it through a cable. Fun times.

I can now say that it is running FW 2.2.1.210 though.

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-01-28

Need to use a wire connected PC to setup the router correctly.

What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?
Modem Combo Units:
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge 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 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

Ulairi · ‎2019-01-28

@FURRYe38 wrote:

Next time try a manual FW update and then ERASE the router and setup from scratch and walk thru the setup wizard.

Its ok to do FW updates while the system is under warranty. You won't void the warranty by doing any FW updates. You'd only void if you applied non supported 3rd party FW. However there isnt' any currently for Orbi.

Hi Furrye38 - long time no talk ...

[6 months = the amount of time that my Orbi's been behaving after the eariler speed throttling (fixed via factory resets ) and disconnects (fixed by getting rid of RBW30 and replacing it with RBS50 satellite)],

I'd have no idea where to source the firmware from, nor on how to erase the router and manually re-innitiate the firmware. If this is an acceptable 'user intervention' are there instructions on Netgear's website on how to do it?

Rudders64 · ‎2019-01-28

Thanks for replying again.

I have a skymuster satellite modem in a separate building which normally has a Nighthawk X6 router connected next to it. A cable connects a new house which has the Orbi Router plugged in and two RBS50s connected to it. All this has worked nicely for a while now.

Two days ago the RBR50 was flashing white continuously with no network activity of any kind. Since then I have rebooted it and factory reset it and now it will boot (albeit slowly) to the point where I have a steady magenta ring and a radiating WiFi network. What I can't do is get a response out of any of it's ethernet ports to configure it.

I managed a login wirelessly and reconfigured it to AP mode once but since then I can't get back in that way and it still isn't giving any response through a wire. I have it cabled into the Nighthawk just as it was pre error but it isn't seeing the internet. I'm not sure if that is a configuration problem or symptomatic of the ethernet ports not working (it is plugged into the internet port).

I have contacted Netgear for help and as it is within warranty I think I will be looking for a replacement. So far I have wasted over a day and more than a few swear words on this little unit 🙂

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-01-29

If you got in via wireless, you could try to send it the FW file and see if it loads, if it does, factory reset the router using the back push pin button. Hold it in until the top led turns on AMBER then let go. Wait for the WHITE led to slowly pulsate. Do this while the Orib is disconnected from the modem.

Be sure your getting a good connection between the house and modem as well.

Let us know how it goes with and RMA.

@Rudders64 wrote:

Thanks for replying again.

I have a skymuster satellite modem in a separate building which normally has a Nighthawk X6 router connected next to it. A cable connects a new house which has the Orbi Router plugged in and two RBS50s connected to it. All this has worked nicely for a while now.

Two days ago the RBR50 was flashing white continuously with no network activity of any kind. Since then I have rebooted it and factory reset it and now it will boot (albeit slowly) to the point where I have a steady magenta ring and a radiating WiFi network. What I can't do is get a response out of any of it's ethernet ports to configure it.

I managed a login wirelessly and reconfigured it to AP mode once but since then I can't get back in that way and it still isn't giving any response through a wire. I have it cabled into the Nighthawk just as it was pre error but it isn't seeing the internet. I'm not sure if that is a configuration problem or symptomatic of the ethernet ports not working (it is plugged into the internet port).

I have contacted Netgear for help and as it is within warranty I think I will be looking for a replacement. So far I have wasted over a day and more than a few swear words on this little unit 🙂