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Installation Support Experience With AX600 WIFI-6

hughindublin
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Installation Support Experience With AX600 WIFI-6

We all complain when things go poorly, particularly with new network gear.  I am just as guilty as the next guy.  But I had a great customer experience today with my new AX6000 wifi-6 router and felt it was appropriate to give the Netgear guys a shout out.  My experience may be useful to others.

I am replacing an existing ORBI RBS50 with the newer WIFI-6 model (RBR850).  For some weird reason, the Orbi App was unable to switch to the new wireless ORBIxx network during the install, so my installation was completely hosed.  I suspect this was caused by the collateral setup data left on my phone by the older ORBI, but I really do not know the cause.  But no matter; I was dead in the water.  No router.  No Internet.  &^%$@!

 

Long Story: when I finally was able to speak to Netgear tech support, the tech was amazing and walked me thru the process (we had to use the manual way; the app was too confused).  He also helped me reconfigure to my taste and helped me upgrade all the satellites firmware.  Everything is working perfectly, and I have over 30 devices in my home, all chatting away at the network.  I feel comfortable having spent the kings ransom to own this bad boy!

 

To those who follow in my footsteps, here are some suggestions in case you get stuck like I did:

  1. have support phone # before you start.  looking it up when you have no IP sucks.
  2. be prepared for bumps.  The app is really great, but when you consider all the possible weird states the install might encounter, it's really amazing that things work at all!
  3. be prepared to go manual.  Netgear includes a spare RJ45 that you can use to configure using manual mode.  If you have a laptop with a network jack, you won't be disapointed.  The tech walked me thru manual using my iPhone; youch!  Freaky small print.  (it did work!)
  4. be patient when you call Netgear.  This was the only frustrating part of the entire exercise.  I got in the queue 3 times, waiting 30 minutes each.  I gave up on the first 2 times.  On the third try, I finally got a tech (25 min in queue).  Their queue system tells you "you are the mmmm person in the queue; estimated wait is mmmmbbbbllll".  Not exactly meaningful feedback.  But you know these guys are working overtime to help those of us who get stuck!
  5. use the mysupport page to open a ticket.  When you do this, you get a nice email from Netgear with an incident number that you can use when you reach the tech.  The install docs don't really tell you this, so you have to figure it out on your own.

I am very happy with the mesh (now that its up).  I may update the discussion once I have had some runtime experience with it.  As usual, I depend on my teenagers to let me know when my internet sucks and what a bad parent I am because they get crappy ping.

 

Cheers!

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FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Installation Support Experience With AX600 WIFI-6

Glad you got it working.

 

Please mark your thread as solved so others will know. Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/000062080/How-do-I-back-up-the-configuration-settings-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System
Enjoy. 📡

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Message 2 of 3

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FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Installation Support Experience With AX600 WIFI-6

Glad you got it working.

 

Please mark your thread as solved so others will know. Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/000062080/How-do-I-back-up-the-configuration-settings-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System
Enjoy. 📡

Message 2 of 3
plemans
Guru

Re: Installation Support Experience With AX600 WIFI-6

Glad to hear a positive experience with support!

We so frequently only hear complaints that we think that's all there is 🙂 

 

 

@DarrenM @ChristineT 

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