Re: ORBI RBK53 Region Change

SW_ · ‎2019-04-28

If you'd like to save some bucks and buy Orbi from Costco and bring it home outside the US, but you want to make a region change from North America to your region, try this:

1. Login to Orbi/debug.htm page and enable telnet (tick telnet box)

2. telnet into Orbi and type these:

root@RBR50:~# rm /tmp/firmware_region
root@RBR50:~# echo WW > /tmp/firmware_region

3. Check the result, it should return WW

root@RBR50:~# cat /tmp/firmware_region

Go back to Advance Wireless Settings page and refresh it. You should be able to use Region Selection drop down menu to select your region. Alternately, you can also use artmtd command, see @ekhalil's trick.

Good luck!

michaelkenward · ‎2019-04-29

Nice idea. Does not work with the RBW30.

Nor does artmtd.

SW_ · ‎2019-04-29

I don't have access to RBW30, have you tried loading French firmware and see if that works for RBW30?

Mike_D_il · ‎2019-09-21

For months I couldn't find a solution to my Raspberry Pi (Model 4) disconnecting reguarly from the AC3000. (To be more accurate - it was staying connected to the Orbi wifi, but somehow, had no access to the Internet). The Orbi was purchased in Canada, but the Raspberry Pi came from Europe. I repeatedly tried adjusting the Localisation settings on the Pi - but to no avail.

Then I came across this post. Although it specifies the RBK53, I decided to try it on my RBK50.

It's now 48 hours since I changed my Orbi to Europe and I'm delighted to see that I'm still attached to the Internet. Many thanks.

If someone has an explanation about what's going on here, I'd love to hear it. If my Pi is set to US, and my Orbi to North America, why would it repeadedly disconnect? Why would placing them both on Europe make a difference?

michaelkenward · ‎2019-09-22

@Mike_D_il wrote:

If someone has an explanation about what's going on here, I'd love to hear it. If my Pi is set to US, and my Orbi to North America, why would it repeadedly disconnect? Why would placing them both on Europe make a difference?

My guess, and it is no more than that, is that the communications standards are different.

Stuff sold in Europe is not locked to a region. The browser graphical user interface (GUI) lets us change it, with a dropdown that covers most of the world.

In the USA they lock them down. (I got sent one from the USA.) This is probably because the FCC, or whoever sets the rules, does not allow the use various wifi bands and perhaps other things. So Netgear, and others, may just be following the law.

SW_ · ‎2019-10-15

@Mike_D_il wrote:
For months I couldn't find a solution to my Raspberry Pi (Model 4) disconnecting reguarly from the AC3000. (To be more accurate - it was staying connected to the Orbi wifi, but somehow, had no access to the Internet). The Orbi was purchased in Canada, but the Raspberry Pi came from Europe. I repeatedly tried adjusting the Localisation settings on the Pi - but to no avail.

Then I came across this post. Although it specifies the RBK53, I decided to try it on my RBK50.

It's now 48 hours since I changed my Orbi to Europe and I'm delighted to see that I'm still attached to the Internet. Many thanks.
...

Glad to hear that this trick works out for you. Thanks for your feedback!

BillTh · ‎2019-10-21

Please excuse a couple of basic questions regarding how to telnet into Orbi. I've enabled telnet access and tried to access the router via ssh on my Mac. Mac no longer has telnet included with its OS.

Do I need to use telnet, or should ssh work?
If ssh works, would the commands be the same?
In either case, what do I need to enter on the command line in Mac terminal to proceed? WhenI enter ssh admin@[ip address] access is denied.

Thank you.

Bill

FURRYe38 · ‎2019-10-21

192.168.1.1/debug.htm then select the check box next to Enable Telnet to enable it. You have to enable it first to access telnet.

@BillTh wrote:
Please excuse a couple of basic questions regarding how to telnet into Orbi. I've enabled telnet access and tried to access the router via ssh on my Mac. Mac no longer has telnet included with its OS.

Do I need to use telnet, or should ssh work?
If ssh works, would the commands be the same?
In either case, what do I need to enter on the command line in Mac terminal to proceed? WhenI enter ssh admin@[ip address] access is denied.
Thank you.

Bill

CrimpOn · ‎2019-10-21

As far as I can tell, Orbi does not support ssh.

SW_ · ‎2019-10-21

@BillTh wrote:
Please excuse a couple of basic questions regarding how to telnet into Orbi. I've enabled telnet access and tried to access the router via ssh on my Mac. Mac no longer has telnet included with its OS.

Do I need to use telnet, or should ssh work?
If ssh works, would the commands be the same?
In either case, what do I need to enter on the command line in Mac terminal to proceed? WhenI enter ssh admin@[ip address] access is denied.
Thank you.

Bill

Apple removed telnet cmd from macOS. If you want to get telnet cmd back, check out this how to enable telnet cmd on macOS.

Good Luck!

BillTh · ‎2019-10-21

Thanks for the help! I installed telnet on my Mac and it worked fine.

Mike_D_il · ‎2019-10-22

Hi Bill,

From my recollection it was pretty simple and I didn't need to add anything to my MAC. You should use Telnet, not SSH. Take a look at this:

https://www.siteground.com/kb/mac_terminal_telnet/

Mike

BillTh · ‎2019-10-22

Thanks Mike. Unfortunately, Apple has removed Telnet from its OS in recent releases. Here's a link that talks to that and provides options to install Telnet. I went with the first option.

Regards,

Bill

simzhewei · ‎2019-11-15

HI, this no longer seems to work. I tried with my router firmware is V2.3.5.30.

I telnet succesfully and change the file but when I login it doesn't give the option to change region under advanced wireless.

michaelkenward · ‎2019-11-15

@simzhewei wrote:

I telnet succesfully and change the file but when I login it doesn't give the option to change region under advanced wireless.

Can you explain exactly what you did?

What do you mean by "change the file"?

My memory is that this is what I did:

Re: Orbi RKB53 global differences - NETGEAR Communities

simzhewei · ‎2019-11-15

I enabled telnet and telnetted in,

I used both:

root@RBR50:~# rm /tmp/firmware_region
root@RBR50:~# echo WW > /tmp/firmware_region

and check the result, it should return WW

root@RBR50:~# cat /tmp/firmware_region

also

artmtd -r region

The region number is: 0x0002

REGION: WW

I logged back into the router and went to the advanced wireless and refreshed. This is what I see:

CrimpOn · ‎2019-11-15

Region is on the Advanced Tab->Advanced Setup->Wireless Settings

SW_ · ‎2019-11-15

@simzhewei wrote:
I enabled telnet and telnetted in,
I used both:
root@RBR50:~# rm /tmp/firmware_region
root@RBR50:~# echo WW > /tmp/firmware_region
and check the result, it should return WW
root@RBR50:~# cat /tmp/firmware_region
also

artmtd -r region
The region number is: 0x0002
REGION: WW

I logged back into the router and went to the advanced wireless and refreshed. This is what I see:

Just tried this on the latest FW version (v2.5.0.40) and it's still working for me. Check out the attached picture.

simzhewei · ‎2019-11-15

Thank you for the screenshot. I realised my firmware wasn't up to date. Though I had used the app to update it, it was still only on version 2.3.5.30. Having said that even after manually updating to the latest firmware (2.5.0.40) I still don't see region setting changes. In fact my advanced wireless settings menu looks much more basic than the screenshot you have provided.

Please see mine attached. If any ideas how to fix this, please let me know! BTW just checking but I am using RBK53, I'm assuming that this is exactly the same model for everyone?

Cheers,

michaelkenward · ‎2019-11-15

@simzhewei wrote:
BTW just checking but I am using RBK53, I'm assuming that this is exactly the same model for everyone?

Cheers,

No, but the instructions are generic, for all models. Just change the instructions.

CrimpOn · ‎2019-11-15

You are still on the wrong screen. On the Advanced Tab, go down to the bottom, to Advanced Setup, then Wireless Settings.

simzhewei · ‎2019-11-15

I am an idiot. Thank you!

CrimpOn · ‎2019-11-15

We idiots have to stick together. Technology has made our lives plenty complicated. Good Luck with your Orbi.

Mike_D_il · ‎2019-11-16

I successully did it on my 2.3.5.30 this morning.

Mike_D_il · ‎2019-11-16

On my setup, it seems to revert back to "US only" now and again. (I DO click Apply). I can't find anywhere that the Orbi automatically updates. What am I missing?

@SW_ wrote:
@Mike_D_il wrote:
For months I couldn't find a solution to my Raspberry Pi (Model 4) disconnecting reguarly from the AC3000. (To be more accurate - it was staying connected to the Orbi wifi, but somehow, had no access to the Internet). The Orbi was purchased in Canada, but the Raspberry Pi came from Europe. I repeatedly tried adjusting the Localisation settings on the Pi - but to no avail.

Then I came across this post. Although it specifies the RBK53, I decided to try it on my RBK50.

It's now 48 hours since I changed my Orbi to Europe and I'm delighted to see that I'm still attached to the Internet. Many thanks.
...
Glad to hear that this trick works out for you. Thanks for your feedback!

Thanks,

Mike