This is not a call for help, rather this is a post of my experience and the solution I found. Hopefully, someone else will find this helpful if they run into the same or similar problem.
I installed and used an Orbi RBR50 and Satellite several weeks before my problem surfaced, with no problems at all. My Internet connection is through Verizon FIOS. I had disabled the Wi-Fi on the FIOS router, connected an ethernet out of the FIOS router to my RBR50. Out of the RBR50 I also connected a switch to handle several devices in my home. I was getting great throughput and amazing coverage in our home!
After a few weeks I checked for firmware updates and saw that one was available. Naturally, I updated the firmware and rebooted the Orbi's. Shortly thereafter, I started noticing odd problems using the Internet, including:
- Some URL links produced "404 Page Not Found" errors. Sometimes I could load the page by typing in "https://www" at the beginning of the URL, sometimes this did not work.
- Some URL links produced an error telling me the page is not secure, and asking me to log in (for example, "401 Unauthorized").
- My DirecTV Genie was no longer connected to the Internet.
- My Amazon Fire Stick displayed a "Home is Currently Unavailable" message. Checking the network connections from their settings showed a" Network (Disconnected)" message.
- My Brother printer was no longer connected to the Internet.
Some of these problems were with devices connected via Wi-Fi. Some were connected to ethernet lines coming from the Orbi satellite.
After searching these forums, the Internet, and speaking with several people I determined that I was likely the victim of a double-NAT, sometimes referred to as a NAT conflict. For those who do not know (including me before this problem), a NAT is a Network Address Translation protocol intended to ensure a unique address for Internet connections. The protocol (for lack of a better term) ensures that Internet traffic flows to and from the correct connections.
In the end, solving my problem was easy:
- I disconnected all outbound connections from the Verizon FIOS router.
- I shut down my Orbi's (by disconnecting power).
- Connecting directly to the Verizon FIOS router, I worked through its settings to release the DHCP, then immediately pulled the outside FIOS ethernet cable to ensure a renew DHCP request could not be completed.
- I connected the outside FIOS ethernet cable to the RBR50, reconnected my home connections to the RBR50 and my switch, and powered up the RBR50 on. Once it stabilized, I powered up the Satellite.
Everything now works! I did have to reboot or reconfigure some devices (the Amazon Fire stick needed a reboot, the DirecTV required requesting a connection to the Internet so it could go through it's testing steps, and the Brother printer needed a power-cycle).
I hope this helps someone in the future who falls into the same or similar set of problems.
Enjoy your Orbi. It's a GREAT system.
P.S. The steps for releasing the DHCP were found here: http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15898 If that link no longer works, an Internet search for "FIOS router release dhcp" should provide lots of links.
