Need Help Setting Up Orbi Outdoor RBS50

[OrbiOutdoorHelp]

Hi folks,

I'm brand new too the Orbi club, and I'm hoping some kind soul who is smarter than myself can help me figure out why I'm unable to set up my new Orbi Outdoor range extender properly. I am a mildly tech-savvy mom, but not super confident I'm doing everything right.

Yesterday I was able to set up the Orbi AC2200 Mesh system with 2 satellites all by myself and it seems too be working great! Because I'm a Verizon FIOS customer with TV service enabled, I learned online that I had to set it up in Access Point (AP) mode and keep my existing FIOS router, so I did that. So far so good. Internet speeds are blazing fast.

Now today I'm attempting to add the Orbi Outdoor AC3000 extender into the mix so that we can get coverage in our backyard, but it's not going well. I've attempted to connect the Outdoor unit three different times so far, but keep getting the dreaded magenta light which means it's not connecting properly.

Here are the exact steps I'm following, per the user manual:

1. First, I made the determination that my Orbi Outdoor needs to be set up in "Extender Mode" since I do not have an "Orbi Router" (why? because my Orbi AC2000 unit is being used in AP mode, not router mode. I am still using my existing FIOS router). Not sure if this was the correct choice.

2. I placed the Orbi Outdoor unit near both my Orbi AC2000 unit and FIOS Router.

3. I plugged the Orbi Outdoor unit into the AC power, while ensuring the power button was OFF.

4. I pressed and held the Sync button while simultaneously pressing the power button to turn the unit on.

5. I keep holding down the Sync button until I see the Orbi Outdoor unit pulsing blue and white, then I release it. The Orbi Outdoor unit light pulses blue for a minute or two, then turns solid blue.

6. I then get on my iPhone and connect to the NETGEAR_EXT wifi network.

7. I launch Chrome on my iPhone and go to the web address printed on the back of my Orbi Outdoor unit, which tells me "You are not connected to your extender's WiFI network." Further down on the page, there is a link which says: "To log into your extender, enter one of the following URLs in your web browser depending on your device." Since I'm on an iPhone, I click the link for iOS: http://mywifiext.local

8. I see the browser address change to 192.168.1.250. I click a purple button on the screen that says "New Extender Setup." On the next screen I agree to the Terms of Service.

9. The next screen prompts me to create an admin account for my extender, which I do. I made sure the credentials are different from the admin credentials used by my other Orbi AP unit. (Not sure if that even matters.)

10. Next screen says "Your WiFi extender is not connected to the router. Do you want NETGEAR genie to help?" I choose "YES."

11. The next screen scans available wifi networks and finds my existing Orbi mesh network -- both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz versions. I select my Orbi network name in both lists, then click "Next."

12. Next screen asks for my password for the existing Wifi network I selected (Orbi). So I enter the same key for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz versions. (Well technically I enter the network key into the 2.4 GHz box, and the same key auto-populates in the 5 GHz box.) I am 100% certain the network key is correct, since I can show the password to see it on my screen. I click "Next."

13. Next screen asks for a network name and password settings for my extended Wifi Network. However, the information is already auto-populated and cannot be changed. I click "Next."

14. Then the "Applying Your Settings" pop-up appears, and I wait several minutes for it to finish. Meanwhile my Orbi Outdoor unit is pulsing blue, which supposedly indicates it's trying to establish a connection.

15. After about 2 minutes, the Orbi Outdoor light turns magenta. 😞

I've repeated the above steps 4 times now, same result. What am I doing wrong? Any help or guidance would be sincerely appreciated. 

[CrimpOn · Accepted solution]

Yes, they could have explained that better.  Technically, you ARE "using the Orbi router", only the router is in Access Point "mode".  It is still the Orbi router (says so on the box).  Customers should not have to parse terminology to install a product.

[CrimpOn]

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@OrbiOutdoorHelp wrote:

Hi folks,

I'm brand new too the Orbi club, and I'm hoping some kind soul who is smarter than myself can help me figure out why I'm unable to set up my new Orbi Outdoor range extender properly. I am a mildly tech-savvy mom, but not super confident I'm doing everything right.

Yesterday I was able to set up the Orbi AC2200 Mesh system with 2 satellites all by myself and it seems too be working great! Because I'm a Verizon FIOS customer with TV service enabled, I learned online that I had to set it up in Access Point (AP) mode and keep my existing FIOS router, so I did that. So far so good. Internet speeds are blazing fast.

Now today I'm attempting to add the Orbi Outdoor AC3000 extender into the mix so that we can get coverage in our backyard, but it's not going well. I've attempted to connect the Outdoor unit three different times so far, but keep getting the dreaded magenta light which means it's not connecting properly.

Here are the exact steps I'm following, per the user manual:

1. First, I made the determination that my Orbi Outdoor needs to be set up in "Extender Mode" since I do not have an "Orbi Router" (why? because my Orbi AC2000 unit is being used in AP mode, not router mode. I am still using my existing FIOS router). Not sure if this was the correct choice.

---

I think that was the wrong choice.  RBS50Y has two "modes" (a) to be part an Orbi network and (b) to be connected to any WiFi router of any brand (including Netgear "non-Orbi" WiFi networks - and sacrifice all of the "Orbi integration features".

[OrbiOutdoorHelp]

Hmm OK, so you are saying I need to try this again in "Orbi Mode" which is the default, huh? I will give that a try!

I guess I got confused because the very 1st step in the user guide says this:

"Extender mode: Set up your satellite in extender mode if you have a router or gateway that is NOT an Orbi router."  I was thinking that since I'm still technically using my FIOS router, that this mode applied to me.

I will try Orbi Mode instead and see what happens and report back. Thanks!

[CrimpOn · Accepted solution]

Yes, they could have explained that better.  Technically, you ARE "using the Orbi router", only the router is in Access Point "mode".  It is still the Orbi router (says so on the box).  Customers should not have to parse terminology to install a product.

[OrbiOutdoorHelp]

Just wanted to circle back and say thank you SO MUCH for helping me out! I got my Orbi Outdoor satellite all set up and running and the wifi strength in my backyard has never been better. I feel like a dummy for not realizing the main Orbi unit is also still a "router" even though I'm using it in AP mode. I guess I was over-thinking those setup instructions!