RBS50 Firmware very old, can't update

[Frankis843]

I am having trouble updating my RBS50's.  When I try to do it manually it says the Firmware File is incorrect. I have searched and have been unable to solve this issue. Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance!

Frank

Model Name	Device Name	Current Version	Status
Router	RBR50	RBR50	V2.7.4.24	No new firmware version available.
Satellite	RBS50	Orbi Satellite-1	V1.4.0.18	Service unreachable
Satellite	RBS50	Orbi Satellite-2	V1.4.0.34	Service unreachable
Satellite	RBS40	Orbi Satellite-3	V2.7.3.22	No new firmware version available.
Satellite	RBS50	Orbi Satellite-4	V2.7.4.24	No new firmware version available.
Satellite	RBS40	Orbi Satellite-5	V2.7.3.22	No new firmware version available.

[CrimpOn]

The most recent firmware for these devices is:

RBR50 and RBS50 - v2.7.5.4

https://kb.netgear.com/000065539/RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-Version-2-7-5-4 

RBS40 - 2.7.4.24

https://kb.netgear.com/000064873/RBR40-RBS40-Firmware-Version-2-7-4-24 

The process recommended by most users on the Community Form is this:

• Download the router and satellite firmware *.zip files from the support web sites.
• Extract the actual firmware images from the *.zip files (and remember where they are on the computer)
• Open a web browser and connect to each satellite in turn. Log in with the Orbi credentials ("admin" and password). Select the menu item Firmware Update. Browse to select the correct image file, and upload.
• After all satellites have been updated, use the web browser to log into the router and navigate to the Firmware Update page.  Select the Manual Update tab at the top of the page.  On that page, browse to the location of the router firmware image and upload it.

I see two issues:

First: That version 1 firmware is really old.  It is impossible to update directly from that version to the latest firmware.

Netgear released a version in 2019 specifically to make it possible to transition from the older versions to the newer versions:

https://kb.netgear.com/000060612/RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-Version-2-2-1-212 

This requires two steps: (1) update satellite firmware to this version, then (2) update satellite firmware to the desired version.

Second:

There have been numerous posts on the forum recently about major issues with the AX series products when the router and satellite are on different firmware releases  (BIG TIME PROBLEMS)  It is not entirely clear whether this is a problem for the original Orbi WiFi5 systems (or not).

As you may have noted above, the RBS40 firmware was not updated in Feb 2023 when the RBS50 firmware was.

My advice (for what it's worth) is to update everything to v2.7.4.24 and "see what happens".

[Frankis843]

Thanks for the tips. I keep getting an error saying "please select the correct configuration file" when I try to select the .img file from the download. I'm using chrome as a browser. Any ideas?!?

[CrimpOn]

There is a separate menu item for saving and restoring a configuration file.

[Frankis843]

When I go to the backup settings page and try to upload the RBS50-V2.2.1.212.img I get an error saying  "Please assign the correct file. The file format is *.cfg"  😕

[plemans]

try going the version right before that version. Sometimes you need a stepped process or something has changed in the process. 

[Frankis843]

That was it. I first updated them each around 4 times each to finally get to everything to 2.7.4.24!

[plemans]

glad that fixed it! might mark it solved so others aren't still trying to fix it. Also, a backup is a good option.