Firmware upgrade capped satellite bandwidth at 50Mbps

[GWild]

Checked for firmware update via Orbi web interface, showed everything current.

Visited Netgear CBK40 download page, showed new firmware for the RBS20 (two newer versions). Both updates related to security fixes, one related to the DNS lag errors that have troubled Orbi routers.

Updated RBS20 FW from v2.6.1.38 to v2.7.3.22 the CBK40 download page. 

Wifi speeds dropped from 500Mbps to 50Mbps. Yes, that is a full 10x reduction.  Upload remains unchanged at about 30Mbps.

It seems I am now running a 54Mbps wifi link; even though everything says the wifi is 2.4G@300Mbps and 5G@867Mbps.

Resets and power cycles did nothing. And here's where the problem starts:

I backrev'd the firmware to v2.6.1.38.  The speed limit remains.

Anyone know how to actually reset the slave, or did the v2.7.1.33 patch write some NV code or settings and I've essentially bricked my RBS20?

[GWild]

I can add that the router/satellite link is now reporting it is in CONFIG SYNC ... where it use to say GOOD.

Seems there are many reports of the backhaul sync status getting messed up, and no clear way to resolve the issue once it happens.

[FURRYe38]

Any thing releated to this?

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-with-Built-in-Cable-Modem/Slow-ethernet-and-wifi-satellite-spe...

[GWild]

Other than horrid Netgear Software Quality controls, probably something they introduced when trying to fix the DNS bug.

After a dozen resets, resyncs, and power cycles with and without 1000bT wires connected to the slave, and reloading the CBR40 setup from a few days ago, the slave finally reconnected and created a working backhaul.  In other words, it is a random event that allows it to work.

I am reluctant to do a test power cycle or reboot... I just don't feel like screaming right now.

[FURRYe38]

Well FYI, worked with NG support and enginnering last year on this and even sent me a new RBS, problem still happens and I believe its a CBR issue in FW. I reverted back to first version of FW on both CBR and RBS and the problem didn't reproduce. I sent NG all the debug logs and such. I'll reach out again and see what happened to our troubleshooting event from last year. 

[GWild]

I had only updated the satellite firmware. CBR was unchanged. So I seriously doubt it is a router issue. 

I also tried a direct downrev back to known working firmware. Problem remained. I then moved back to the latest patch and kept trying things until random events got it to work again.

My guess is just poor coding practices with some uninitialized variables that get trashed with the new firmware. Stack overflow, pointer errors, etc. Until Netgear takes the time to do a QC pass on their code the issue will remain. Lord knows what new "features" they have introduced with this most recent "bug fix."

I'm probably going to revert back to the RBS firmware I had been using - at least it appeared to be somewhat stable.

I can say with some certainty this was my last Netgear product - and I'll restate that my attempt back in February to install the CBK752 kit was also a disaster and was the last straw. The fact Netgear can't even keep simple firmware stable and reliable and safe means most of their products are also full of such holes and just waiting for an opportunity to fail on users. 

[GWild]

If you do hear of some resolution to this, and you can remember all the places folk have reported it, like here, any updates from Netgear would be approciated. 

Thanks again.

[FURRYe38]

Try downgrading both CBR and RBS, that worked. The testing I did last year points to the CBR. 

I'll check into this.

[GWild]

As stated before - the only change made in the past year was to upgrade the RBS. Highly unlikely the CBR is involved, I suspect you are chasing a red herring thinking it is.

I can add that I was able to get the updated RBS firmware to work, but it was a random game of chance to get it to do so. Even downreving the RBS didn't resolve the issue in a reliable way (2.6.1.38 stayed broken through several resets, syncs, and attempts to get it working). Oddly, through this epsiose, I recall seeing the back haul ranked GOOD with the older firmware, yet it wasn't - it had a 54k link). The new firmware at least showed the backhaul as in sync status.

[FURRYe38]

Well I was in contact with NG and they sent me a new RBS along with some FW to try. I could stil reproduce the problem on two different RBS. There FW didn't solve the problem either. Only dowgrading the CBR to first release version FW didn't reproduce the problem. 

[GWild]

Curiously -- the new firmware on the RBS20, after the back haul mysteriously sorted itself out, has improved my WiFi throughput - a lot.

Since new, the CBK42 kit WiFi link between router and sat has been topping out around 460Mb/s ... but with the latest RBS20 firmware the link is acheiving full bandwidth of 600Mb/s (ISP limit).  

At this point the updated firmware was worth the price of admission... but still leaves a bad taste.

[FURRYe38]

Ok. I'll try and check this out with my CBK40 as well. WIll be curious to see if something got fixed. I did pass this on to NG for review. 

[FURRYe38]

What FW version are you using on the CBR and RBS at this point in time? 

---

@GWild wrote:

Curiously -- the new firmware on the RBS20, after the back haul mysteriously sorted itself out, has improved my WiFi throughput - a lot.

Since new, the CBK42 kit WiFi link between router and sat has been topping out around 460Mb/s ... but with the latest RBS20 firmware the link is acheiving full bandwidth of 600Mb/s (ISP limit).  

At this point the updated firmware was worth the price of admission... but still leaves a bad taste.

---

[GWild]

Odd you should ask; while grabbing my firmware numbers I checked speeds and found my kit has also reverted to 50Mb/s ...

wifi through base router at 525Mb/s, wifi thru satellite at 48Mb/s.  Now investigating. Will report back...

The only thing I did recently was to try to reduce slave power - only option was to reduce all power, which lost ALL backhaul connectivity (router/slave 20 feet apart, go figure: I now firmly hate Netgear products). After finally wiring up to regain access to the router, reset power to 100% -- network seemed to come back after several power cycle resets. 

Going to reconnect / resync the satellite. Hoping that gets the speed off 48Mb/s ... Netgear software is just crap.

[GWild]

Status:
Model Device Name Firmware
Router CBR40 V2.5.0.28
Satellite RBS20 V2.7.3.22

[GWild]

Well - seems I can't get back to 600Mb/s or anywhere near it.   My guess is Netgear pushed a patch to the Orbi system that isn't public and we all have to suffer the forced downgrade until they figure it out and push a new patch. 

Seriously - how can a business do this and get away with it legally?  It's like Apple intentionally reducing CPU clocks to make it appear battery life isn't declining. 

As perfectly good routers continue to functionally "decline" under Netgear's control, consumers think it is their "usage" has grown and they need new gear. 

[FURRYe38]

So even on these version of FW, the speed is slow again? 

Just curious if you have tired the first version of FW for the CBR and RBS? I believe that the one version I found that worked.

[GWild]

It was working fine last week and had been for months. ISP will drop below 600 on occasion ... so variability was not the slave.

Then, when you posted and I checked serial numbers - boom. Almost like coming to the Netgear site blew up my slave. 

Side question - pretty sure it's been asked before. Any way to set the RBS20 into bridge mode?

 

[GWild]

Verified RBS20 really is limited to 50Mb/s now -- devices logged into the network via wifi thru the RBS20 are 50Mb/s along with the RBS20 ethernet ports. So even though backhaul status shows GOOD, it isn't.

[FURRYe38]

You might try v2.1.4x on both CBR and RBS and see what happens:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-with-Built-in-Cable-Modem/Slow-ethernet-and-wifi-satellite-spe...

[GWild]

What is the most troubling is things were working without issue until a few days ago, and I literally did nothing when this issue returned. One day it was working, the next it is locked to a 50Mb/s backhaul.

A couple weeks ago - I had tried reducing 2.4GHz transmit power (only touched the 2.4) - but that affected everything, including the router - and the two could no longer link. I reset the router 2.4GHz power to 100%, power cycled, and things were back to the 500+Mb/s. Until the 23rd when I touched this web page. 

Since a FW update and full factory reset then retraining of the slave haven't affected anything I plan to do a factory on the CBS40.  I am reluctant to go backwards with FW due to a couple severe vulnerabilities that were 'fixed'. 

I have an old config file - not up to date with all the devices I am now using, but at least won't be starting from scratch. But there's a part of me thinking I just need to get my drill and long bits ready and tap a wire through the floor from the east wing to the router and not worry about the mesh doing what it should simply do well.

[FURRYe38]

Just curious, what is the distance between the CBR and RBS? 

Makes me wonder if something was done from behind the scenes if it had been working. 

Wired will always work better then wireless. 

I'll try and load up my CBR and RBS and see if I can reproduce this. Being that the CBK40 is getting a bit long in the pants, no idea if NG will address this. 😑

[GWild]

Doesn't matter if the master and slave are 2 feet apart or the 30 feet-3 walls they are normally. Since one is on a shelf and the other sitting on a wall bracket - neither moving more than 1/2 inch in years -- and the house walls haven't changed.

Though I have rearranged the pillows on the couch so yeah - that's it !!!  I'll just toss those pillows and I'll get my 500Mb/s back!!!

And no - Netgear wasn't interested in fixing this three years ago - and they aren't interested in fixing it now.

Regarding the Orbi 40 being old -- it is AC and to date, I have no gear in my house that is AX - not even my newest phone nor 6 month old smart TV. So there is ZERO reason to buy into the Net6 hype and spend $1000 for new gear with ZERO benefit.  

[FURRYe38]

I'll see if I can get some info from NG on this. 

I presume you have factory reset both and setup from scratch since last FW upate?

No other ideas for now unless you try what I tested with v2.1.3x FW on both. 

[GWild]

All attempts to resolve the speed issue at the satellite failed.  Reboots, Factory Resets, Resyncs, FW changes, etc. 

Factory reset of the router has restored partial speed -- now getting about 300MB/s - nowhere near the 500+ I was getting. 

Reloading settings saved earlier today yielded the same 50Mb/s backhaul.

Reloading settings save in 2021 yielded mediocre ~350Mb/s data rates.

386.14 Mbps DOWNLOAD  
  31.68 Mbps UP  

Definitely a CBR40 issue - nothing to do with the slave.