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Re: Help - Orbi outdoor satellite issue

Help - Orbi outdoor satellite issue

Help! Bought an Orbi outdoor satellite last year to use with my virgin wifi router. It never really worked. But also I had suspicions that the virgin wifi hub 3 wasn’t helping. Recently, I lost my temper with the virgin hub and bought a Orbi router and indoor satellite - thinking “great I can use the outdoor satellite but in Orbi mode”.

Long story short while I can get the router and indoor satellite to work, I can’t, for the life of me, get the outdoor one to work... a couple of things seem odd...

1) I’m trying to set up in Orbi mode but I see the outdoor satellite in my wifi - as Netgear Ext but no internet. Also you can’t see the outdoor satellite on the Orbi app - network option

2) I’ve done a factory reset many times but then when I try and sync with the router the outdoor satellite, after powering up, never shows a solid white light - only a flashing and eventually blue light. In the instructions it says wait for the light to go solid white.

Any advice is appreciated!

Message 1 of 5

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CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Help - Orbi outdoor satellite issue

If this is a version 2 RBS50Y, there are specific steps to change the mode. See page 2 of the Installation Guide:

https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBS50Y/RBS50Y_QSG_EN.pdf 

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Message 4 of 5

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CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Help - Orbi outdoor satellite issue

The RBS50Y has two firmware loads: Orbi satellite and Extender mode to be used with any brand of WiFi router.  Might want to check that this unit is in the "Orbi satellite" mode.

 

A solid blue light for a couple of minutes is the "Sign of Success". A good backhaul connection:

https://kb.netgear.com/31030/What-do-the-LEDs-on-my-Orbi-mean 

 

I, personally, would set it up in the same room as the Orbi router before attempting to mount it outside.

 

I am also partial to the Orbi web interface for adding satellites, not the "app". (That's just me, but it seems many of the folks who watch this Orbi forum have similar tendancies.)

Message 2 of 5

Re: Help - Orbi outdoor satellite issue

Thanks for the feedback CrimpOn.

The blue light on my outdoor satellite is constant. And when I factory reset the outdoor satellite- the light never goes white when rebooting. It just goes to blue flash, then solid blue constant. Does that sound right to you?

I originally had the outdoor satellite set up in extender mode (again never got it to work properly) so could it be that’s causing the issue ? Could it be trying to switch from extender to orbi mode requires something specific on my part? I’d assumed a factory reset would be enough.

But After doing a factory reset and then trying to set it up in orbi mode - (see above note about the constant blue light) i get these issues. Even with the constant blue light I can’t see the satellite in the orbi app network map and am not picking up the wifi in my garden. So pretty sure it isn’t working. Any thoughts?
Message 3 of 5
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Help - Orbi outdoor satellite issue

If this is a version 2 RBS50Y, there are specific steps to change the mode. See page 2 of the Installation Guide:

https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBS50Y/RBS50Y_QSG_EN.pdf 

Message 4 of 5

Re: Help - Orbi outdoor satellite issue

Ahhh - thank you. Seems to be working. Really appreciate your advice
Message 5 of 5
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