RBS50 Satellites (2) WILL NOT update automatically or manually

[KristieSwisher]

I have an ORBI RBR50 with 2 RBS50 satellites. The router has been automatically updated to firmware version V2.1.2.18, but the satellites WILL NOT automatically update so I have REPEATEDLY tried to update manually. I have downloaded the appropriate newest file to my computer, extracted the file (RBS50-V2.1.2.18.img) and tried MULTIPLE times to upload this file so the satellites can be updated with the newest firmware, and I get an error message that says this is the WRONG firmware file and to correct and try again. Currently these satellites have firmware version V2.0.0.74, so I thought that possibly I would have to go through the chronologically "next" firmware version--I think there were 2 or 3 before I tried installing the latest--so I downloaded those firmware versions to my computer and tried manually installing them. No luck--I get the same error message no matter which firmware version I am trying to install. I don't know why this is happening or what to do to fix this...has anybody else had this problem and found a fix for it? Any help will be very appreciated!  

[FURRYe38]

What browser are you using? Try IE11 or FF browsers when updating FW. Seen bad issues with Chrome. 

Are you connecting directly to the Satellite with a LAN wired PC and to it's Web Page? 

Verify the current version thats loaded on the Satellites first before updating FW.

Current version for RBS50 units is v2.0.1.4:

http://netgear.com/support/product/RBK50.aspx#download

[KristieSwisher]

Hi--Thank You for your response. In my previous attempts to update the firmware, I was using Chrome, but tried again with Firefox to have the same results. I am not connecting directly to the satellite with a LAN wired PC--Orbi is wire connected to PC, but both satellites are connected wirelessly and on different floors of my house. I have tried updating from the LAN wired PC where Orbi is though with both browsers, and it has not made a difference in the results. It is odd, but when trying to update automatically, satellites one and two will first give the message to "Please wait"...and then satellite one will switch to "service unreachable" and satellite two will switch to "No internet" which is not correct as both satellites have active items connected to them at the time, which is puzzling to me as to why I would even get that "No internet" message. I have verified both satellites have firmware version V2.0.0.74. I did attempt to download FW V2.0.1.4 manually on FF, and when I got the authenticate/sign-in message, my password was not accepted, even though it was the same log-in just used to access my network! This same thing has happened on Chrome too.

[FURRYe38]

Please try connecting to the Satellites using a wired LAN cable PC or laptop. Thats how I got mine updated. Possible that updating thru the router is not working right...

[KristieSwisher]

Hi--I don'tthink that I have anymore cables to hook-up the satellites directly to the router and wired PC. I will have to check and then work on this situation more next week when I can get more time. This whole situation is puzzling to me as I never had any previous problems with the ORBI system installation or previous updates, which all worked as they should, both auto and manually. Thank you for your help. 

[FURRYe38]

You only need a cable temporarily. 

You need to directly connect to the back of the Satellite with a Laptop PC with a LAN cable and upgrade the FW there using the Satellites web page. 

Worked for me. 

[KristieSwisher]

Hi--I had meant to post way before now after having tried the solution posted by Furry several weeks ago. I finally had gotten the appropriate cable I needed to attach the satellite directly to my computer to see if the necessary firmware updates could be done that way as this had worked for Furry. I had not yet tried the procedure...and then this past Sunday morning I woke up to no wireless connection on any of my devices. I logged into my Netgear Orbi system on my wired PC, and found that only 1 satellite (#2) was showing up as "good" and the other was showing as "disconnected" (#1)--they are on different floors of my house. So, I began the process of finding out what was wrong. I rebooted everything--router, satellites as they were, and that changed nothing. I unplugged satellite #1 and #2 and switched their locations...still no wireless. I then replaced the outlet strip that satellite #1 had been plugged into--I might add here that there were 2 other things plugged into this strip also that were working properly. I left satellite #2 plugged in to the new strip in this location and satellite #1 plugged into the former location of satellite #2. Then I checked my Orbi system again and wireless was back and everything was connected properly and all devices working as they should. At this point, I requested updating to my satellites' firmware online, and the update worked perfectly. I would never have thought that a powerstrip that seemed to be working like it should, was not--I mean, there were 2 other things plugged into it that were working fine-- and that this powerstrip was causing the firmware updating problems I was having with my Orbi satellites, but in the end, that is exactly what was happening. I write all of this to maybe give another person some "other" place to check to solve their underlying problem if they are experiencing a problem like I was having updating my satellites' firmware. I think workarounds are great, but if there is something else that is the actual cause of things not working as they should, it is just a matter of time before another symptom/problem appears. In my case, I am hopeful that someone else will benefit from what I discovered, and am happy and relieved to have my equipment working and a possible fire hazard removed. I will surely check powerstrips as part of my troubleshooting routine in the future.       

[FURRYe38]

Glad you figured it out. Will keep the power strip idea in mind.

Enjoy now.