Voxels FW available for 50 series Orbi only available.

[FURRYe38]

Any one interested or users with Orbi that have units outside of there warranty period, can give Voxels FW for Orbi 50 series systems only, a try:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-orbi-rbk50-rbk53-rbr50-rbs50-v-9-2-5-1-9...

This is based off the new v2.5.1.8 stock NG FW. 

Post your experiences or any problems you might see regarding Voxels FW here:

https://www.snbforums.com/forums/netgear-ac-wireless.53/

Enjoy. 

[SW_]

(a) To set a separate SSID for the 5 GHz network on your Orbi RBR:

    • From telnet/ssh console run

Code:
        nvram set wla_ssid="NAME OF YOUR 5GHZ NETWORK"
        nvram set allow_diff_ssid=1
        nvram commit

    • Reboot your RBR and RBS
    • Set “allow_diff_ssid” in nvram to “0” to disable separate SSIDs.

NOTE:
    It is not recommended to separate the SSIDs.
    Your connection could be unstable.
    Under your own risk.

Nice addition, but still risky to enable it seems.

[FURRYe38]

Ya still has to be done thru telnet. 

[Jetdrive]

Anyone try this? Are there any new features added that stock NG firmware doesn't have?

[FURRYe38]

I have the prior version loaded on my RBK50. Working just find. 

Read the release notes to see what he puts in. There are 3 threads over there, each with what he's done to each version. Or find the notes over where you can download the files from. He supports separation of SSIDs however it's not in the UI. All done with telnet. He does not really recommnend separation though. For those who want it, it's there. 

You can load and try it out. If not, just re-load stock FW and your back to NG FW. Easy to migrate back and forth. 

[FURRYe38]

New FW available from Voxel for Orbi 50 series users if interested:

http://www.voxel-firmware.com/Downloads/Voxel/html/orbi.html

[FURRYe38]

New FW available from Voxel for Orbi 50 series users if interested: v9.2.5.1.11SF-HW

http://www.voxel-firmware.com/Downloads/Voxel/html/orbi.html

[FURRYe38]

New FW available from Voxel for Orbi 50 series users if interested: v9.2.5.1.12SF-HW

http://www.voxel-firmware.com/Downloads/Voxel/html/orbi.html

[CrimpOn]

Oh, my.  OpenVPN Client.  There was a post just yesterday asking how to get one.  What timing!

[FURRYe38]

Yes I saw that too. 

[FURRYe38]

New FW available from Voxel for Orbi 50 series users if interested: v9.2.5.1.12.1SF-HW

Changes (vs 9.2.5.1.12SF-HW):
1. PPP vulnerability CVE-2020-8597 is fixed (score of 9.8/10).

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8597​

2. proftpd package is upgraded 1.3.6->1.3.6c.
3. curl package is upgraded 7.68.0->7.69.1.
4. avahi package is upgraded 0.7->0.8.
5. ncurses package is upgraded 6.1->6.2.

http://www.voxel-firmware.com/Downloads/Voxel/html/orbi.html

[theoak]

Well, I was going to say he seems to release new versions near the end of the month.  That seems to be fairly consistent ... until today 🙂

Bulk of the updates I find are patches to the latest greatest versions of the various utilities installed on the Orbi.  Of course, he does add some new functionality in there too.

[FURRYe38]

I think the reason he came out with an unscheduled update was for the CVE that seems to be kind hot. 

[tylergray]

Just flashed the latest firmware.  Satelite went well.  Router is now stuck in bootup, flashes white forever.  Tried factory reset (reset button), goes from green to flashing amber, then eventually back to green, but still no boot.  Tried static IP on computer and scanning usual networks, nothing pinging.

Not sure what to try.  

[CrimpOn]

In this situation, the only recourse may be TFTP:

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

[tylergray]

Downloaded and trying to make it happen.  Any idea what the default IP for the router may be?  And also my router actually has a solid green LED, if I press the reset it goes amber then blinks amber and eventually goes back to green.  How do I put the router into the correct mode for TFTP?

Thank you for the help.

[CrimpOn]

My understanding is that TFTP is always active on Netgear routers.  Did you try 192.168.1.250?

[tylergray]

I have verified that it pings back on 192.168.1.1 for about 30 seconds if I hold down the reset button on power up, then the led starts green and goes solid red.  It will ping back as alive, but I can't get any ports to ping(including 69), and then about 30 seconds later the led goes solid green and it won't ping back as alive anymore.  192.168.1.250 doesn't seem to ping at all.  I have tried to tftp while the led is red and it is alive but no action and then goes back to green and offline.  Throughout all of this the top light is slowly flashing white. 

[CrimpOn]

I think it's supposed to be listening when the LED is green, not red.  Responding to ICMP (ping) may not be an indication of "alive" in the sense of listening for TFTP.  Maybe it's time to post in Voxel's forum:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/custom-firmware-build-for-orbi-rbk50-rbk53-rbr50-rbs50-v-9-2-5-1-1... 

[FURRYe38]

New version of my custom firmware build: 9.2.5.1.13.1SF-HW.
This is important release. Mainly because of using new Toolchain including significant changes such as latest GCC compiler v 9.3.0 released Mar 12, 2020 instead of old 5.5.0 (2017).
Goal is obvious: additional performance boost because of modern compiler optimization.

Changes:
1. Toolchain: GCC is upgraded 5.5.0->9.3.0.
2. Toolchain: binutils version is upgraded 2.32->2.34.
3. Toolchain: Go is upgraded 1.13.8->1.14.1.
4. DEV_show_device.htm is changed (Attached Device List order by IP, CrimpOn request).
5. hotplug2: changes for WG client (config from USB flash, dos2unix).
6. nano package is added (editor, CrimpOn request).
7. wireguard package is upgraded 0.0.20200215->0.0.20200318.
8. wireguard-tools package is upgraded 1.0.20200206->1.0.20200319.
9. OpenSSL v. 1.1.1 package is upgraded 1.1.1d->1.1.1e.
10. DNSCrypt Proxy v.2 is upgraded 2.0.39->2.0.42.
11. e2fsprogs package is upgraded 1.45.5->1.45.6.
12. Changes in the Linux kernel and in many packages to provide compilation by GCC 9.3.0.

The link is:
http://www.voxel-firmware.com/Downloads/Voxel/html/orbi.html

[fsoliveira]

Does it work on the RBR50?

[CrimpOn]

Voxel includes firmware for the router (RBR50) and the satellite (RBS50).  It is no intended for any other Orbi models.

[FURRYe38]

Voxels FW works for the RBK50 and RBK53 series which these Kits include the RBR50 and RBS50. 

---

@fsoliveira wrote:

Does it work on the RBR50?

---

[AaronLTek]

I cant find much info on the Voxel FW and what value it brings. Even on the Voxel site there is not much of any help?

new/improved UI?

better range?  *range on my old ASUS AC68P is almost as good as all 3 Orbi APs combined in my 3-level 3800sqft home.

better wifi signal strength / through put, etc?

ability to use other channels?  *stupid netgear design to limit 5Ghz to only 3 channel options

thx for the info

[CrimpOn]

I am not an expert.  My impression is that Voxel has a hobby of tweaking router firmware, along the lines of:

• Changing compiler options to make more efficient use of the CPU.
• Updating Linux packages to the latest versions.
• Providing ways to eliminate some of Netware's "bloatware", such Disney Circle, Armor, and ReadyShare (which does nothing anyway).
• Formalizing the procedure for "splitting" 2.4G and 5G SSID's.
• Improving the efficiency of OpenVPN.
• Making the Attach Devices web page work the way it "should."
• Installing WireGuard VPN "client" software, which is vastly more efficient than OpenVPN and thus less of a burden on the CPU.
• Enabling OpenVPN as a "client" package (not as efficient as WireGuard, but able to access a wider variety of VPN Hosts).
• Enabling a way to install misc. features that users may want.

Most of these things are explained in the various discussion threads and in the "ReadMe" file here:

http://www.voxel-firmware.com/Downloads/Voxel/html/orbi.html 

So, "more range" - No.  Not possible.  The FCC regulates WiFi signal strength.

Ability to use other channels - Not that I can see.

Better throughput - it appears so because it is more "efficient".

A huge amount of the Orbi firmware is Netgear proprietary, binary code that Voxel cannot modify.

There is 3rd party firmware for almost everything nowadays, including cell phones, tablets, and WiFi routers.  The Orbi platform appears to be built around an Open Source project called OpenWRT.

Sorry not to have answered the question, which I think is, "Should I install this on my Orbi?"  Beats me.  If the Orbi is well out of warranty and you have some horrible problem that the stock firmware cannot seem to fix, in the words of our Supreme Leader (the Donald), "What do you have to lose?"