Connecting to an Orbi RBR50 when internet isn't working

[Tobold]

I have an Orbi RBR50 system which used to work perfectly fine, until the modem provided my my ISP broke down and was replaced by a new model. Now the new modem (a b-box v3+) and the Orbi RBR50 seem to have some incompatibility, and the modem doesn't assign an IP address to the Orbi. So the Orbi doesn't have internet access, and when I use the Orbi app, the app gets stuck and tells me that there is no ethernet cable connected to the Orbi (of course there is).

Now I would like to use orbilogin.com to change settings on my Orbi and maybe fix the problem. However, when I connect to the Wifi of the Orbi via my iPad, the Wifi shows up as "no internet connection". And because of that, using a browser to connect to the Orbi via orbilogin.com doesn't work (Error message: "Safari cannot open the page "http://orbilogin.com/" because your iPad is not connected to the internet. And as I already said, the Orbi app doesn't work either.

I tried to connect the Orbi with an ethernet cable to a PC laptop. But when I surf to orbilogin.com, it tells me that I am not on an Orbi Wifi.

So how am I supposed to change the settings on my Orbi? 

[FURRYe38]

Power OFF The ISP Modem for 30 seconds then back ON. Press the reset button in back of the RBR for 15 seconds then release. Connect a wired PC to the back of the RBR and using a web browser walk thru the setup wizard at 192.168.1.1 or orbilogin.com. 

Does the modem have a built in router already? If so, This would be a double NAT condition which isn't recommended. https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT
https://kb.netgear.com/30187/How-to-fix-issues-with-Double-NAT
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge or modem only mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ/ExposedHost or IP Pass-Through for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode.
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the Orbi router to the modem, configure AP mode on the Orbi router. https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7LOcJ8GdDo&app=desktop 

[Tobold]

#FURRYe38 Thank you for the tips.

I spent a whole day already following different variations of the modem reboot / Orbi reboot sequence. Nothing helped.

Yes, the modem has a built in router already. And very few accessible settings, seems to be kind of hardwired by the ISP. I'll try the AP mode on the Orbi once I manage to connect to it.

Connecting to 192.168.1.1 gets me to the settings of my modem, not the Orbi. Orbilogin.com doesn't appear to be working either. I think somewhere in the process the internal IP address of the Orbi automatically changed, but I don't know to what exactly. I think it started with a 10.

[FURRYe38]

I would do this, disconnect the RBR from the modem. While having a wired PC connect to the RBR. Configure the RBR here for AP mode. 

https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7LOcJ8GdDo&app=desktop

One you have the RBR set up for AP mode, then connect it back to the modem. 

Sounds like the modem is working with 192.168.1.1 while the RBR also works at this same IP addresss by default however it should auto change to something different, i.e. 10.something. 

I would contact your ISP and have them disable any and all wifi radios on the isp modem if they are enabled. 

[Tobold]

I am still trying to connect in any way to my Orbi RBR50. I connected a laptop computer by ethernet cable to the back of my Orbi (one of the three Ethernet connections). Nothing else is connected to the Orbi, and the laptop also is connected to nothing else, Wifi is off.

That setup SHOULD allow me to access the Orbi by using either 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1 or 10.1.10.1. But no luck at all. I only ever get an "No internet" error message.

I don't know what else I can try. 😞

[FURRYe38]

Check your PCs networking adapter status. Are you getting an IP address here and do you see a gateway address as well. If you don't then something is wrong at the RBR or with the cable or at the PC. 

Try a factory reset with the RBR by pressing the reset button in back for 15 seconds then release. Once the top ring LED pulsates WHITE, check your networking status again, the PC should have an IP addess of 192.168.1.something and gateway address should be 192.168.1.1

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@Tobold wrote:

I am still trying to connect in any way to my Orbi RBR50. I connected a laptop computer by ethernet cable to the back of my Orbi (one of the three Ethernet connections). Nothing else is connected to the Orbi, and the laptop also is connected to nothing else, Wifi is off.

That setup SHOULD allow me to access the Orbi by using either 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1 or 10.1.10.1. But no luck at all. I only ever get an "No internet" error message.

I don't know what else I can try. 😞

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[Tobold]

I did the factory reset thing, and the IP address my PC got was 169.254.76.218. (via a DOS window and the ipconfig command). If I use netstat -r as a command, I see network destinations 169.254.0.0, 169.254.76.218, and 169.254.255.255

[FURRYe38]

So the RBR is not handing out a IP address or the cable is bad...

Try a different cable. 

I presume the laptop ethernet port has worked before? Be sure it's set for auto obtain IP addressing. 

You can check this, reset the RBS using same process. Connect your laptop wire cable to the RBS directly. Wait about 5 minutes. You should be able to log into the RBS web page at 192.168.1.250...If this works, then the laptop is working and something is bad on the RBR. 

[Tobold]

Without the RBR connected, the PC only sees a 127.0.0.1 IP address, which I think is the PC network card. With the RBR connected, either with the white blinking ring or the purple ring, the PC sees a network device with that strange 169.254.76.218 address.

I looked it up, but I don't really understand the explanation, or how it would help me.

https://packetlife.net/blog/2008/sep/24/169-254-0-0-addresses-explained/

I tried on the PC via the Chrome browser to connect to 169.254.76.218, but got a "refused connection" error.

[FURRYe38]

Check the RBS method to confirm RBS web page is accessible. 

169 is an APIPA address which is self assigned by the laptops adapter card after a period of time if it fails to get an 192. IP address from DHCP services. I.e. from the RBR. 

Possible your RBR if faulty and needs to be replaced. 

[Tobold]

192.168.1.250 gives me a "This site can't be reached" error on the browser. I think you are right, and my RBR needs to be replaced.

[FURRYe38]

Be sure you wait 5 minutes. The built in RBS mini server doesnt' hand out a IP for a bit longer. 

Ya, I would look into returning this system set and get another. Bad hardware.