×

Introducing the Orbi 970 Series Mesh System with WiFi 7(BE) technology. For more information visit the NETGEAR Press Room.

Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
Reply

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Mabashi
Tutor

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Has anyone tried any other versions of firmware on the Orbi router to see if these issues only affect specific versions?

Message 51 of 222
vreynolds
Luminary

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

@lprzybylski - I don't think you can recreate it just like that.  It happens after a long sleep on my phone, generally in the morning, or if I am busy with work and I don't touch my phone for a few hours.  I've had uptime of around 5 hours today after it disconnnected once at 3am and again at around 9:30am today.  I know about the 3am because my wifi devices nag me via email or the app when they don't have internet.

But that's discourating...to think they don't believe you or worse...haven't though of that as a posibility.  Sure, the phone connection could trigger something else which is causing the reboot, but it does happen.  Enough people have reported it.  I started troubleshooting settings on my phone like turning off wifi calling.  My 2.4 GHz phones don't affect the Orbi the same way.

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 52 of 222
Only1Z
Aspirant

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Oh yes you can. My Orbi has literally rebooted over 20 times today prior to taking both our Pixel phones off wifi. It only needs about 10-15 minutes of snoozing. Then bam. A reboot as soon as the phone wakes up.
Message 53 of 222
lprzybylski
Guide

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

You lucky it only reboots every couple of hours. Before I took my phones off the WiFi, I could make the router reset on every connection to the WiFi from either of the two phones that are being affected. So since this packet capture change, and fully utilizing each of the phones again for over 20 hours, it's been great. Try what I did or don't, I just wanted to share it out because so many people are being affected and we can't count on Netgear to solve it anytime soon. My thing isn't a solution, it's a bandaid to get people working.

Another solution, if you have an old router, would be to set it up as an access point connected to the Orbi's network. Then connect the affected phones to it. I was experimenting with this before I worked with Netgear and had some good results. This solution isn't in place now that we were trying to make the router reboot.

Message 54 of 222
Only1Z
Aspirant

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

I turned my logging on one night and that didn't fix it. Here is the panic log. Not sure if this is helpful to anyone or if it kosher to post this. But it is attached.

Let me know if it doesn't work. I got it into a PDF somehow from my phone.
Message 55 of 222
jasonjason
Guide

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

My Orbi is in access mode with an Asus RT-AC68U serving as the router. This has been my config for the past year. I had no trouble whatsoever until earlier this month.

 

I have also observed that the router/sats reboot when my phone or my wife's connect or disconnect to the wireless network. (both Pixel 2 XL on 8.1. Hers seemed to not cause the problem until she updated to 8.1, which also has Dec security patch). I removed the Orbi wireless network from our phones and turned the 5Ghz band on again for the Asus router. I had our two phones connecting the the Asus. Still had the disconnection issues at the same frequency.

Message 56 of 222
Only1Z
Aspirant

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

I figure with other routers that the disconnections still happen. But does the Asus router actually reboot? My gut feeling is the December security patch broke this. Unfortunately for me, my Orbi is new and I have no "before" test as my phone was already on the December security patch when Orbi was installed. I have a sneaky suspicion that Google will fix the wifi issue in the January security update. But I'm still in my return window and can't risk it. I am about to change back to my R7000.
Message 57 of 222
jasonjason
Guide

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

I should have been more clear. The Asus router NEVER reboots, as far as I can tell. The Orbi reboots, even when my phones are connected to the Asus wifi that's running as a router for the entire network.

 

I monitor this by keeping the Orbi System Statistics popup open on my computer that is hardwired to the Orbi. I check the System Uptime frequently. In times that I notice things dropping, I go to my computer and see the Orbi admin is inaccessible (page not found) when trying orbilogin.com and trying the IP address. It's possible that it's inaccessible due to the Asus router messing with DHCP assignments or something, but doubtful since many with this issue aren't running their Orbi in AP mode like I am.

Message 58 of 222
turnerm05
Luminary

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

I've been running Eero for a week now. Not one single issue. Not even a little one.

Running an Orbi setup is like trying to build a house of cards in a windy beach.
Message 59 of 222
Mabashi
Tutor

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

I turned off wifi on all of my Android phones in my household and the orbi hasn't rebooted since.
Message 60 of 222
ZeroOctane
Aspirant

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Just to confirm everyone's hunches and to add to it, I have the Pro System, 2 Satellites, and about 29 other random devices. Kept rebooting for the last week +. After reading this systematically took my 4 Android phones and Galaxy Tab2 off the network and tested each. ALL caused a reboot as soon as they connected. 

The phones are 3 Galaxy S7 and one Galaxy S8+. So it may not be just android 8 or 8.1, it looks like it may be the 7s too with the security update.

Model: SRS60| Orbi Pro Tri-band WiFi Add-on Satellite
Message 61 of 222
vreynolds
Luminary

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Thanks for confirming. I have a S8 with Android 7 and I've had reboots everyday without fail for a while now. Strangely I've been up for over a day without any reboots. And I've been using my phone regularly. I'm trying to think what's different.
Message 62 of 222
turnerm05
Luminary

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

As long as your phone doesn't really go to sleep you're usually ok. But it will cause a router reboot without fail when you first use it after a long sleep period... First thing in the morning seems to be repeatable on demand for most folks.
Message 63 of 222
vreynolds
Luminary

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Yes, it was crashing every morning when I woke up to check my email around 4 or 5 a.m. But it didn't this morning. I don't think this is the fix, but here's the only thing I changed. I changed my WiFi during sleep from always to only when charging. And I did not charge my phone last night. So it went into a long sleep cycle, but WiFi apparently wasn't on in the phone. Then when I woke up the Wifi came on. That is the only thing different that I did last night. They're all just a bunch of guesses, but the debug log definitely shows I've been up for more than a day which is like it was when the unit was new.
Message 64 of 222
lprzybylski
Guide

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Neither the debug logging or the separate access point connected to the network worked for long. This issue must have more to do with then just the WiFi on the phones, because when my phones were connected to the separte AP they show up as wired connections. And they still brought down the network. 

Message 65 of 222
vreynolds
Luminary

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Message 66 of 222
Tpars
Guide

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 67 of 222
sandaboy
Tutor

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

I have the same issue. Everything was working fine and now my system frequently reboots. I tried rolling back to other firmwares, but no dice. I have a Pixel 2 XL running Android 8.1 and like others have said the reboots mainly happen when the Pixel is woken up after a period of not being used. This seems really odd, how can a client device cause such an issue anyways? What would be the final fix for this--something that Google does to update Android or is there something Netgear can do to remedy this? This is so frustrating I have family coming over tomorrow and they are going to hate me because our internet is so unreliable right now. I'm tempted to go out and get another router, this is so frustrating. 

Model: RBK53| Orbi Router + 2 Satellites Orbi WiFi System
Message 68 of 222
guzzijason
Apprentice

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

This is interesting... I've been wondering why my Orbi system (still on V2.0.0.76 currently) has been absoluately rock solid while others here seem to have constant problems, even causing people to get rid of their Orbis. I currently have no Pixel/Oreo devices on my network, so I guess that's something. I'll be interested to see how this pans out... if the root problem is on the Android or Netgear side. Fingers crossed for a quick fix.

Message 69 of 222
turnerm05
Luminary

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

The root of the problem is most definitely on the Orbi side. There is no excuse for having a client device consistently cause a router crash and reboot scenario.

I've switched to Eero and have been running a week and one day with zero issues. Nothing but rock solid wifi 24/7. As if more proof were needed... This is the definitive proof that the issue is 100% Netgear's issue.
Message 70 of 222
Modxmv
Aspirant

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

@turnerm05 I agree.  I swapped back to my old Google Wifi and it's been rock solid.  Netgear needs to fix ASAP.

Message 71 of 222
guzzijason
Apprentice

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

I agree that the Netgear devices shouldn't be crashing as a result of this, but there is clearly something wrong on the Android side as well, as folks are reporting problems with varous other WiFi equipment also. Some routers (or router cofigs) seem to be handling it better than others. A fix from either side should prevent the crashing, but Netgear should obviously defend against it once the root cause is figured out.

 

I'm also curious if if anyone having the problem actually has a support case open with Netgear. I have no idea if anyone from the company pays attention to these forums or not.

Message 72 of 222
Origosis
Guide

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Not a Single Android 8 device even in my area (3 Houses in the neighborhood. Neighbors all have Samsung S6 ane S7 and iPhones.)  Unless the 2 Google homes and Chromecast V2 run on some version of Android 8?  

 

Router reboots and crashes seemingly randomly throughout the day. The Satellite also loses connection a few times a day.  

 

The Orbi has never been a good router, but it has been much worse thes epast few weeks. Atleast for my situation the Orbi  crashes are unrelated to Android 8. As far as I can tell.

Message 73 of 222
vreynolds
Luminary

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

Not just Android 8 as the title indicates. It's also happening for people with Android 7.0. devices.
Message 74 of 222
Mabashi
Tutor

Re: Android 8 Crashes Orbi

It's not just limited to Android 8.0, I have the issue with android 7.1.
Message 75 of 222
Top Contributors
Discussion stats
Announcements

Orbi WiFi 7