Re: devices not connecting

ecniVgiB · ‎2020-12-10

Hi fellow forumers.

I'm a mess! I'm sad, angry, frustrated and close to separating from my Orbi.

Here is my story...

For a long time my Orbi RBR50 and my two satellites have been working great! Apart from some hiccups in early firmware, things have stabilised and everything seemed to work well. I have over 100 devices (smart home and a device addicted family of 5) for which most I had assigned an IP address. Both my satellites are ethernet backhauled to the router (one directly, one daisychained of the other).

Along came firmware 2.6.1.40 and updating was without issues.

Summary: happy days and long live the Orbi

But then...

I started getting "400 Bad Request" messages on the screen, which meant I was no longer able to assign IP addresses for some new smart fans (hoorah for summer!) or do anything else. Confused about the error I started digging in the forums. Inevitably, I had to factory reset the router. No problem, just not looking forward to the work, so I postponed it. Next I started running into problems adding new smart devices: they could no longer be added. Thinking about the "400 error", I decided to factory reset and start from scratch. No problem and I held off assigning IP addresses. I kept the name and password the same in the new setup, as well and the LAN config (I don't like using 192.168.1.1 for my router).

Summary: factory reset to solve the "400 Bad request" error

But then...

The router started to operated weird:

- hardwired devices started dropping the IP and kept refreshing the DHCP

- still wasnt able to add new devices

- some previously working devices would not connect

- hardwiring the satellites did NOT work: the light would be magenta and there was no connection

- the router started to reboot at random

- switches in the network seem to work but cannot be found in the list of devices (smart switches with an IP address)

- LAN devices seem to work but drop the IP occasionally

It is now to the point that when I disconnect a device that is working on the network, I can no longer connect it afterward (e.g. Nest Protect removed from the system while it was working cannot be added through its app).

Summary: confusing, frustration and a very unreliable mesh system

I have performed another hard reset and renamed the router something different, trying to add WiFi devices (LAN devices seem to work) which worked for some but for most: no go. Hardwiring a satellite still gives a lot of problems (I ran a ping to a WiFi backhauled satellite on a computer wired to the router without issues; the moment I plugged in the backhaul cable - this was a brand new cable - ping started dropping packets).

I know this is a long story, but anyone have any idea what is happening here???

Eternal gratitude becomes you... Vince

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-01-05

"The ONLY issue I have is that I can’t go to access control. It seems turned off on the page while every other page tells me it’s set to access allowed. It’s just useful to see which devices have connected in case something is trying to jump on my network."

When you have Circle enabled, access control is not enabled.

Glad you got it all working. Please mark yoru thread as solved so others will know.

Enjoy.

View solution in original post

vajim · ‎2020-12-10

Sounds like your problems began with 2.6.1.40

perhaps you should revert back to your previous stable version

FURRYe38 · ‎2020-12-10

Has a power off for 1 minute then back ON with the ISP modem and Orbi system been performed since last update?
Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update?

@ecniVgiB wrote:
Hi fellow forumers.

I'm a mess! I'm sad, angry, frustrated and close to separating from my Orbi.
Here is my story...

For a long time my Orbi RBR50 and my two satellites have been working great! Apart from some hiccups in early firmware, things have stabilised and everything seemed to work well. I have over 100 devices (smart home and a device addicted family of 5) for which most I had assigned an IP address. Both my satellites are ethernet backhauled to the router (one directly, one daisychained of the other).

Along came firmware 2.6.1.40 and updating was without issues.

Summary: happy days and long live the Orbi
But then...

I started getting "400 Bad Request" messages on the screen, which meant I was no longer able to assign IP addresses for some new smart fans (hoorah for summer!) or do anything else. Confused about the error I started digging in the forums. Inevitably, I had to factory reset the router. No problem, just not looking forward to the work, so I postponed it. Next I started running into problems adding new smart devices: they could no longer be added. Thinking about the "400 error", I decided to factory reset and start from scratch. No problem and I held off assigning IP addresses. I kept the name and password the same in the new setup, as well and the LAN config (I don't like using 192.168.1.1 for my router).

Summary: factory reset to solve the "400 Bad request" error
But then...

The router started to operated weird:
- hardwired devices started dropping the IP and kept refreshing the DHCP
- still wasnt able to add new devices
- some previously working devices would not connect
- hardwiring the satellites did NOT work: the light would be magenta and there was no connection
- the router started to reboot at random
- switches in the network seem to work but cannot be found in the list of devices (smart switches with an IP address)
- LAN devices seem to work but drop the IP occasionally

It is now to the point that when I disconnect a device that is working on the network, I can no longer connect it afterward (e.g. Nest Protect removed from the system while it was working cannot be added through its app).

Summary: confusing, frustration and a very unreliable mesh system

I have performed another hard reset and renamed the router something different, trying to add WiFi devices (LAN devices seem to work) which worked for some but for most: no go. Hardwiring a satellite still gives a lot of problems (I ran a ping to a WiFi backhauled satellite on a computer wired to the router without issues; the moment I plugged in the backhaul cable - this was a brand new cable - ping started dropping packets).

I know this is a long story, but anyone have any idea what is happening here???

Eternal gratitude becomes you... Vince

vajim · ‎2020-12-10

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-Version-2-6-1-40/td-p/1997895

ecniVgiB · ‎2020-12-11

Thanks for your suggestions.

I have performed a hard reset (through the reset button in the back) which gave me a clean 2.6.1.40 firmware and I started my setup from scratch, NOT by restoring a backup. I didn’t configure anything and attempted to add the devices (one new DETA smart switch that are already used in the house and are working: didn’t want to connect, and my new Nest Protect: didn’t want to connect. Furthermore, most devices started to reconnect, with exception of some devices. Those devices I tried to reset and reconnect, without avail.

I wouldn’t know how revert to a previous firmware. I can’t find a place to download it.

My system is 75% back up, but still lots of weirdness when I try to Ethernet back haul the satellites.

I’m open to further suggestions in the hope it’s a software issue and not a hardware issue...

vajim · ‎2020-12-11

"I wouldn’t know how revert to a previous firmware. I can’t find a place to download it."

Look up at the top of this page for the DOWNLOADS link.

FURRYe38 · ‎2020-12-11

IF you have ethernet connected RBS, then it's recommended that you downgrade to v16 on the RBS first then RBR lastly. I also found problems with FW versions v4 and all after this which seems to have problems with ethernet connected RBS.

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-2-5-1-16-Update/m-p/1897955/highlight/tru...

v16 works the best and doesn't have problems with ethernet connected RBS.

@ecniVgiB wrote:
Thanks for your suggestions.

I have performed a hard reset (through the reset button in the back) which gave me a clean 2.6.1.40 firmware and I started my setup from scratch, NOT by restoring a backup. I didn’t configure anything and attempted to add the devices (one new DETA smart switch that are already used in the house and are working: didn’t want to connect, and my new Nest Protect: didn’t want to connect. Furthermore, most devices started to reconnect, with exception of some devices. Those devices I tried to reset and reconnect, without avail.

I wouldn’t know how revert to a previous firmware. I can’t find a place to download it.

My system is 75% back up, but still lots of weirdness when I try to Ethernet back haul the satellites.

I’m open to further suggestions in the hope it’s a software issue and not a hardware issue...

vajim · ‎2020-12-11

wow

ecniVgiB · ‎2020-12-12

Seems like a project for the weekend! Thanks Fuz, I’m going to give that a try. Stay tuned.

ecniVgiB · ‎2021-01-05

Well that was more than a weekend project... I’ve replaced the cable between one of the satellites, went down a firmware only to get frustrated with the missing devices, powered down the full board to reset ALL devices in house (wall switches, GPO, fans) and did a clean install of the Voxel firmware and reverted back to a clean install of 2.6.1.40 (with everything disconnected) and only a cat6 cable to the router... fingers crossed!

Knock on wood, I slow started adding all the devices and satellites and am currently in a stable setup with one wired and one wireless satellite, all devices recognised and allocated an IP address, Circle and Armor running. Even my notoriously difficult Nest Protects are working!

I think my Biggest learn is that it takes time for for devices to fully boot and get set up, especially with the satellites. Also some devices were only recognised after a couple of days.

I’ve made a backup of the setting, left everything for what it is and seriously knock on wood that this stability maintains.

The ONLY issue I have is that I can’t go to access control. It seems turned off on the page while every other page tells me it’s set to access allowed. It’s just useful to see which devices have connected in case something is trying to jump on my network.

Now my next challenge is to convince Lenovo to disable the random MAC address on their Google Clock so that it doesn’t flood my Circle with new devices.

Anyway, thank all for contributing and encouraging me not to give up on the Orbi 🙂

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-01-05

"The ONLY issue I have is that I can’t go to access control. It seems turned off on the page while every other page tells me it’s set to access allowed. It’s just useful to see which devices have connected in case something is trying to jump on my network."

When you have Circle enabled, access control is not enabled.

Glad you got it all working. Please mark yoru thread as solved so others will know.

Enjoy.

ecniVgiB · ‎2021-01-06

I had a sneaky suspicion that that would be the case. Case closed. Thanks again!

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-01-06

Enjoy.