New RBR20 Random/spontaneous reboots

[fmalloy]

Brand-new RBR20 (w/2 RBS20) router is experiencing spontaneous reboots. Started at about once per day (always seems to be in the late evening) and once rebooted, comes back on line and works for hours. This morning, it's rebooted a couple of times so it seems to be getting worse.

I've confirmed it's a reboot checking the System Up Time. I've also seen the reboot (pulsing white light on the router).

I have updated the firmware to V2.5.1.16 using the manual update, direct wired connection (not via Wi-Fi), updated satellites first, then router. Update went fine.

Since it's unstable, I'm back to my R7000.

Do I have a bad router?

[fmalloy · Accepted solution]

Netgear sent out a replacement RBR20 and I sent back the original. It's now up for more than 24 hours. Hoping I just had a bad unit.

What's interesting is this seems to be an older/returned unit, comparing the serial # to the one I bought.  I guess Netgear keeps returned units around for replacements. I don't really care as long as it's reliable.

[CrimpOn]

"Brand new" means that you are within the Netgear "90 days of complimentary support".  It might be a good idea to go on the Netgear registration page and open a support ticket with Netgear.  (You PAID for it already.)

I agree, "this is insane".  My Orbi has never spontaneously rebooted since 2018.  My Orbi went over 6 months before I had a question about it, which is why I joined this forum (I'm too cheap to pay for support).  I envy  your ability to get direct support from Netgear.

[fmalloy]

Thank you, @CrimpOn Yes, I opened a support ticket today. I bought the router on May 27, and it only took a couple of days of use for it to spontaneously reboot. I wanted to do my due diligence before I just return it as broken.

While I am waiting for a response, I have been reading about others here who have experienced it. I even tried another 12V power supply to see if that could be the cause. In most cases here, it seems to be a defective unit. I am hoping Netgear will make it easy for me to get a replacement router. This one is just not stable for more than a day. 

This is my second Netgear router; the first one (R7000) also had reliability issues. I am counting on them to make things right.

[FURRYe38]

Does the RBR do this while in AP mode connected to the R7000?

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@fmalloy wrote:

Brand-new RBR20 (w/2 RBS20) router is experiencing spontaneous reboots. Started at about once per day (always seems to be in the late evening) and once rebooted, comes back on line and works for hours. This morning, it's rebooted a couple of times so it seems to be getting worse.

I've confirmed it's a reboot checking the System Up Time. I've also seen the reboot (pulsing white light on the router).

I have updated the firmware to V2.5.1.16 using the manual update, direct wired connection (not via Wi-Fi), updated satellites first, then router. Update went fine.

Since it's unstable, I'm back to my R7000.

Do I have a bad router?

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[fmalloy]

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@FURRYe38 wrote:

Does the RBR do this while in AP mode connected to the R7000?

Not sure I even know how to do this. Thanks for your help, but I am wondering what this experiment would prove - even if is reliable as just a Wi-Fi access point I paid for a reliable router and an access point.

If it was more stable as just an AP, then what? Just the router part is defective?

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[FURRYe38]

Yes would test to see if the RBR is faulty while in router mode and or 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

[fmalloy]

With a substituted power brick (I borrowed it from an Apple AirPort Extreme) the router has gone 24 hours without a spontaneous reboot. I have read other threads that implicated the power supply. I will continue to monitor it. 

The Apple AirPort Extreme power supply seems beefier and better made.

[fmalloy]

Well, after about 25 hours with the substituted power supply, the router rebooted itself again. It's going back.

[fmalloy · Accepted solution]

Netgear sent out a replacement RBR20 and I sent back the original. It's now up for more than 24 hours. Hoping I just had a bad unit.

What's interesting is this seems to be an older/returned unit, comparing the serial # to the one I bought.  I guess Netgear keeps returned units around for replacements. I don't really care as long as it's reliable.

[FURRYe38]

Glad you finally got a working unit. 

Please mark your thread as solved so others will know.