RBS20 won't reset

[SteveBBQ]

Hi - I just updating to the new firmware available for my Orbi system, and for some reason one of my two satellites got messed up. I have tried the 30-30-30 and the regular reset, and I can't get either one of them to work resetting the device. I was attempting to TFTP into the device last night, but all the directions that I can find are written for the router, not the satellite. 

Can anyone please point me in the right direction for what to do in order to get this satellite reset? 

Thanks in advance~ 

[plemans]

"messed up"

whats actually going on with the led and the satellite? 

have you tried hardwiring them into the router and syncing them? 

[SteveBBQ]

From what I can see it looks like it keeps boot cycling? I haven't been able to get any devices connected to it. 

Satellite from cold boot:

- Blinking white halo, green power LED

- 30 seconds later, pulsing white halo

- 3 minutes later, solid blue halo, but orange icon in app

- halo goes off, but still orange icon in app

- Pulsing white halo, orange icon in app

- Solid blue halo, orange icon in app

- Light off, green icon in app

- Blue light back on

- White flashing halo back on

- White pulse back on

- Light off

- Blue light back on

[SteveBBQ]

Just attempted to hardwire satellite into router and it appears to be doing the same boot loop.

[plemans]

You tried a factory reset? 

You can try recovering it with tftp or nmrpflash.
are you on windows? if so, follow this guide
https://kb.netgear.com/000059634/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-Windows-TFTP
just make sure you enable tftp
https://www.thewindowsclub.com/enable-tftp-windows-10

and here's a video walk through using a tftp client. Use the built in one for windows 10 though. the video is more of an example of how its done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9DLrLQrpaw

and if that doesn't work, you can try using nmrpflash
https://github.com/jclehner/nmrpflash

[SteveBBQ]

I have tried holding down the reset pin until the power light flashes amber several times.

I’m on MacOS; is there a guide for using that?

[plemans]

here's a guide someone made for the r7000. should be pretty similar. 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-WiFi-Routers/How-to-unbrick-the-Nighthawk-R7000-using-OS-...

[SteveBBQ]

I got all the way through that, but I didn’t have success attempting to upload the firmware. I kept getting a message that the upload had timed out.

[plemans]

It can take a few attempts as its sensitive to timings. I've tried up to 6 times before it finally worked. nmrpflash isn't as sensitive but not sure about its working on a mac

[SteveBBQ]

Got it - thanks for the background. I will keep working on it and see if I can hit the sweet spot for timing so it starts working. 

Would it make sense to attempt to reset the entire system and reload the backed up config file as a bypass for this process? 

[plemans]

You could try resetting but I wouldn't reload a backup config. if the configuration is the issue, reloading it just re-causes it. 

[SteveBBQ]

Thank you for the help - I was able to reload the firmware and it’s exhibiting the same behavior, so I think it’s just bricked at this point.

I’m not sure what else there is to do?

[plemans]

did you try a different firmware in case it was a firmware issue causing it? 

[SteveBBQ]

No - but I will give that one last try.