Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
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RBR750 In AP Mode

jbirdkberg
Aspirant

RBR750 In AP Mode

System:

1) Edge device providing firewalling and DHCP.  Also more granular reporting and network visibility than what ORBI can supply.

2) Switch between so some of the wired devices don't have to flow through the ORBI

3) Orbi752 in AP mode (worked beautifully for just under a year - summer 2020 to early 2021) - version 4.6.5.14

 

I have seen several threads on this issue, but several seem to end in will try something, but no completion...

 

I had utilized a Netgear Nighthawk for a few years, but the number of devices created strain so I purchased my RBK752 system and used it in AP mode for some time.  After an automatic firmware upgrade (learned my lesson there) early in 2021, the system became unstable.  I assumed the router was just a defect, so I purchased a replacement via Netgear.  I didn't take chances so I built the new router from scratch, with the same settings instead of importing a potentially corrupt config.  Everything looked fine for all of 10seconds and then it began dropping WiFi connectivity.  

Steps taken:

1) Tried to go back to older firmware - BOTH (old and new) routers had the option to rollback to the old version grayed out!  

  Followed the following link (but YES is grayed out when trying to continue):

https://kb.netgear.com/31573/How-do-I-manually-upgrade-firmware-on-my-Orbi-router-using-orbilogin-co...

2) Called support - first level walked through with me and couldn't resolve.  Tier2 was supposed to call back - took a week to call back, but I had returned the new router to Netgear by that point, as I had to have something to Work from home with...  They wouldn't help with old router, as it had just passed warranty.

3) Tried removing the switch from the equation and connect directly to the Edge device

4) Spoke to a friend of mine with SAME issue, but he moved to router mode and got rid of edge device to resolve - more of a pain point for me

5) Just tried all of this again - hoping there was some sort of miracle to make this solution work (as I am now back to the Nighthawk that cannot support the number of connected devices, but works otherwise).

 

It would be really nice to utilize a $500 system for longer than 1 year..

Message 1 of 5
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBR750 In AP Mode

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last update?

 

How are the RBS connected to the RBR, wireless or wired?

 

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and 📡 satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS📡 to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.
https://kb.netgear.com/31029/Where-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite 📡

 

What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?

 

What channels are you using? Auto? Try Auto and 48 on 5Ghz. Or try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and 40 to 48 channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Message 2 of 5
jbirdkberg
Aspirant

Re: RBR750 In AP Mode

Factory reset has been tried multiple times...

Size of house is irrelevant as it happens with the Router sitting on my desk where it is being configured.

The modem is Optimum's cable modem (Arris TM1602 which we've had for at least 5 years now), and even tried when I tested out TMobile's 5G modem.

Tried all different channels...

I have tried rebuilding from scratch (unfortunately with this firmware) without using any satellites.  This starts to happen before I even connect one...

Tons of nearby neighbors, but it is the same amount as when I'm in router mode... 

 

As mentioned, purchased a new one and as soon as I put into AP mode, it happened all over again so I returned the new one...   It worked until it was upgraded, and there is no possibility to downgrade (the new router had the same issue).  

 

Router mode everything works perfectly (took a while and that is where I have to leave it now until they fix it), but as soon as I go to AP mode, WiFi goes in and out.  Doesn't matter what device (iPhones, iPads, Windows laptop, iMac, and MacBooks) as it is always the same result of the WiFi dropping.  The SSID actually disappears, then reappears, then disappears, etc - around every 20 seconds or so...  Tried some of the other oddball settings recommended from other threads, but nothing worked...  

 

Giving up on these - unless there is a resolution, the next purchase won't be Netgear...

Message 3 of 5
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBR750 In AP Mode

What is the mfr and model of this edge router? 

What the IP address pool string your using on it? 192.168.1. something to something range?

 

Please give feedback on size of home and distances between the RBR and RBS as these are relevant in troubleshooting this. 

 

Also if you have lots of neighbors you may have some wifi interferences. 

You mentioned that you tried a different Orbi system and has same issues. Kind of points to something in your environment or configuration that causing problems.

 

I would start with the RBR and just 1 RBS to work with. 

Message 4 of 5
jbirdkberg
Aspirant

Re: RBR750 In AP Mode

What is the mfr and model of this edge router? 

Ubiquiti EdgeRouter 4 - this acts as a firewall at the Edge and has some great statistics (that now I can't see because the Orbi has to remain in Router mode to work - it does work great as a router, but preferred AP mode for all of the control and stats from the EdgeRouter).

 

What the IP address pool string your using on it? 192.168.1. something to something range?

It is an 192.168 RFC1918 address space, but not 192.168.1.0/24.  I had used several others, but I did try that one as well...

 

Please give feedback on size of home and distances between the RBR and RBS as these are relevant in troubleshooting this. 

The distance has been anywhere from 50ft to 0ft (right next to it) to not even having the Satellite configured/connected.  it doesn't have an issue with the Satellite.  The issue is the WiFi is consistently dropping every 20 or so seconds.

 

Also if you have lots of neighbors you may have some wifi interferences. 

That would make sense if the issue existed in Router mode (and I have had no WiFi issues for days in router mode).

 

You mentioned that you tried a different Orbi system and has same issues. Kind of points to something in your environment or configuration that causing problems.

Points to the firmware that I can't remove (as mentioned everything worked before I updated - my bad for that).  Plus it worked WITHOUT a single issue for almost a year (it was set and forget) until the update around April of 2021.   When I received the replacement RBR750, I upgraded to the same firmware (as I didn't know this would be it) and then experienced the same problem when I put it in AP mode.  Also received same issue of inability to downgrade, as the option to select Yes was grayed out - returned it.  And this was not the manual upgrade process for either, it was the auto (check for updates and let it roll).

 

I would start with the RBR and just 1 RBS to work with. 

I had tried without the Satellite altogether, and I only have 1 - the kit was RBK752...

 

By the way, I can perform auto updates (I believe there was 1 since the last one where I started experiencing issues), but I still can't manually (including the rollback).

 

Appreciate the feedback...

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