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Re: HELP! Orbi RBR50

jjm006
Aspirant

HELP! Orbi RBR50

First a foremost! A big F YOU to Netgear! I’ve had the Router for over a year with limited to no issues. Then as all warranty and coverage expires.... dooms day. About two weeks ago it would no long get IP addresses for Sonos. I didn’t have time to address the issue. But then, the internet just started to drop. I came to this board to read all the other issues owners are having with this garbage product. After following USER suggestions, my Sonos came back on line. But as we started our fantasy drafts our internet has dropped three times in 30 minutes. There is a special place in hell for you Netgear! Anyway... do I have any option besides investing hours into trouble shooting?
Model: RBR20|Orbi AC2200 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 1 of 8
tucsontico
Virtuoso

Re: HELP! Orbi RBR50

A quick, somewhat snide, answer is: "No". The problem(s) you describe can have a simple or complex fix depending on what caused the issue. Since you've already scanned this forum for help, let us know what you've done so far to recover your internet connectivity.

 

One of the most common causes of intermittent internet dropout is interference from other WiFi transmitters. Is you home near other WiFi signals, e.g, neighbors who recently installed a new, more powerful WiFi router? If so, try turning off auto channel selection and choose a clear channel. Usually, 1, 6 or 11 for 2.4 gHz. Here's a link to a website expalining why 1, 6 and 11 are the best choices for 2.4 gHz in a crowded environemnt: https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/why-channels-1-6-11.html 

 

There are 23 non-overlapping channels on the 5 gHz band. However, not all those are good choices as some are designed for radar, weather stations and military WiFi use. I'd recommed channels 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, or 60. Higher channels tend to be cluttered with non-residential use (powerful) transmitters. That being said, technically, the 5 gHz band should not be as big a problem as the 2.4 gHz band. I know that Sonos requires th 2.4 gHz band to operate. According to the Sonos FAQ page: 

  • Networks using wireless range extenders are known to cause issues with Sonos systems that are configured in a wireless setup.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

 

Message 2 of 8
jjm006
Aspirant

Re: HELP! Orbi RBR50

Thanks so much for reply to my rage post. Quick question on the interference you mentioned below. When my internet drops, it is not just on one device, it is on all devices, at the same time. Would this still be caused by interference? 

Message 3 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: HELP! Orbi RBR50

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between them to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.

 

Any Wifi Neighbors/Devices near by? If so, how many?

 

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

Message 4 of 8
jjm006
Aspirant

Re: HELP! Orbi RBR50

The Home Size is Roughly 1400 Sq Feet. 

The Router is located in the Basement, and the Satalite is located on the 1st Floor. The distance is about 30 feet, but the ceiling of the basement has ROXUL Safe'n'Sound which is made of a stone wool which seems to reduce the distance the router can reach outside of the basement. 

 

There are four Wifi Neighbors, All low singles in the basement 2-3 bars. 

 

There is a Netgear Hub by ADT Security that is near my Router that does transmit a WiFi signal, and you are unable to turn that off. That being said, that has been next to the Orbi since day one, and we are only now expierencing issues.  

 

Yes, I performed a Factory Reset. 

 

I just had another Drop in Internet. Again, the internet was lost across the entire home, all devices. The time to reconnect is always painfully long, about 5 minutes. This time I just got a flashing orb, and needed to restart the Router to regain internet service.  

 

Some more information: 

Fios-G1100 Router/WiFI

Speed Test run from Orbi App: 520 mbps Down: 876 mbps Up. Ping 6ms. 

 

Yesterday I switched from Router to AP mode. While this helped relocate the Sonos Speakers, I am still having issues with the Internet Dropping/Router Restarting.  

Message 5 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: HELP! Orbi RBR50

Ok, 

1 item that stands out is the main host router prefer being on the 1st or main floor. Basements are problematic. And with your SafeNSound built into the ceiling materials, this will also cause problems. 

 

If you have other wifi devices near the router, make sure they are at least 3-6 feet away from the wifi router. 

 

You FIOS modem has a built in wifi router already.

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
https://kb.netgear.com/19863/Ping-Test-to-determine-Optimal-MTU-Size-on-Router

 

 

Since your in AP mode already, ensure the Wifi on the ISP modem is fully disabled and turned OFF. 

 

What channels are you using on the Orbi? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.

 

Message 6 of 8
tucsontico
Virtuoso

Re: HELP! Orbi RBR50


@jjm006 wrote:

Thanks so much for reply to my rage post. Quick question on the interference you mentioned below. When my internet drops, it is not just on one device, it is on all devices, at the same time. Would this still be caused by interference? 


It is possible that interference is causing the drop out. However, it is not too likely based on the description of your equipment. I agree with Furrye38: sounds like a double NAT issue. Follow his advice and keep us posted on your progress.

Message 7 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: HELP! Orbi RBR50

Any chance you can get the RBR out of the basement and on the main floor?

Message 8 of 8
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