Orbi Access Control Not Working Properly (since FW update?)

[Stev3D]

Since I got my Orbi RBK50 (RBR50 router with RBS50 satellite) well over a year ago, I've been using Access Control set to "Block all new devices from connecting" until I specifically approve.  Last week (after applying the 2.3.1.60 firmnware update) I added a new device, and today another new device.  I have explicitely approved them using the iOS app, and the browser-based interface.  For some reason, their approval is spontantaneously changing from "Allowed" to "Blocked."  Router reboot makes no difference.  

The only way I can ensure stable operation for these two newcomers is to chnange the Access Control setting to "Allow all new devices to connect" -- which is the opposite of the setting I want (I should be able to leave it as "Block all new devices from connecting").

Is anyone else seeing this?  Anyone have any suggestions?  I think it may be a bug in the Orbi firmware, but I have no means of communicating directly with Netgear (since my Orbi is well past the warranty period). 

[FURRYe38]

Did you update FW and then continue? You may need to factory reset and setup from scratch as we've seen some updates cuase problems on exhisting systems then a reset is performed and setup from scratch and seem to correct the bad behavior. 

[Stev3D]

@FURRYe38 , manually restoring this configution from scratch would be a terrible mess. From rebuidling acccess lists, properly naming devices, restoring address reservations -- it would take a long time to get things back to where they were -- all to test a hypothesis.  If I could save, and subsequenly restore, settings, to the same end, that would be acceptible.  Requiring me to start again from scratch would be the last straw between me and Netgear (they have failed me several other times, including on other devices, lately -- causing me to question their commitment to quality).

Do you know if it is possible to reload the same version of the OS/firmware (perhaps that would clean out some cobwebs)?  Would factory reset followed by restoration from a recent (known to be working) configuration backup be the equivalnet?  

Thank you.

[CrimpOn]

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@Stev3D wrote:

Since I got my Orbi RBK50 (RBR50 router with RBS50 satellite) well over a year ago, I've been using Access Control set to "Block all new devices from connecting" until I specifically approve.  Last week (after applying the 2.3.1.60 firmnware update) I added a new device, and today another new device.  I have explicitely approved them using the iOS app, and the browser-based interface.  For some reason, their approval is spontantaneously changing from "Allowed" to "Blocked."  Router reboot makes no difference.  

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Could you please describe how the devices were added using the browser-based interface?  My assumption is that the process is to open the Advanced Tab->Security->Access Control page, scroll down to the area "List of allowed devices not currently connected to the network", click on the "Add" button, and enter the device MAC address and some "name."  Then click "Apply" to have the changes made permanent.  Correct?

I confess to not having extensive experience with Access Control.  My pattern has been to turn off Access Control, let things get connected (I often assign IP addresses to them), and then after they have appeared in the table as "Allowed", I turn on Access Control.  (and click that damn Apply button!)

[michaelkenward]

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@Stev3D wrote:

Would factory reset followed by restoration from a recent (known to be working) configuration backup be the equivalnet?  

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This is what people warn against. If you reload saved settings it can resurrect bugs.

Try it and see.

If bugs return you have answered your own question.

It should not be necessary to reset a device. Do it only if you see problems.

[Stev3D]

Hi, @CrimpOn , yes that is one way to do it.  Another is to first attach the device (in the case of the first one having problems it was by plugging a computer in via Cat-5e Ethernet, and in the second it was a computer accessing it via Wi-Fi) and then using either the Web-based settings (Advanced / Access Control) allow it by checking the box next to its entry and clicking “Allow” (or you can click the “Edit” button, select “Allow” from the drop-down, and while there edit the device name as it will appear on the list).  Alternatively, you can use the mobile app, and toggle on the corresponding entry on the device list — which is what I think I did in both cases.

Describing this got me thinking: Maybe there is a defect in the way the mobile app (iOS in my case) creates access control entries?  Before I do anything drastic (and a factory reset is pretty drastic to me), I will disconnect those computers, delete their entries using the Web-based interface, recreate them manually, and THEN bring up the devices.  This way I take the iOS app out of the picture (which is how I started out — before the Orbi iOS app even existed.

Glad you asked since this just might work.

[Stev3D]

@michaelkenward ,  you wrote:

> This is what people warn against. If you reload saved settings it can resurrect bugs.

This is a recent issue, and I have configuration files going back to my beginning with the Orbi (June 2017), and the second most recent one is form March 29 — before this problem began.  So, assuming my other, less-nuclear fix doesn’t work, I have a backup from when things were known to be working well.

I’ll post the outcome to this thread as soon as implement something (won’t be today).

[FURRYe38]

If you've been using the same config since 2017, thre maybe lingering code or configurations that may not work well with newer FW. Thus a factory reset maybe needed. Yes we know a reset shouldn't be needed however well documented posts show that resets have fixed issues after FW updates. Factory reset, setup from scratch and test. If it's good, save off a NEW backup config to file. 

[Stev3D]

@FURRYe38 @michaelkenward and @CrimpOn , I have an update.  Recall that I wanted to avoid starting from scratch, and the common element in this problem was that I had approved the two newly-added devices from Orbi iOS (iPhone) app.  So, disconnected the two newly-added computers (the Windows machine was hibernated, the Mac was shut down).  Then, from the Web interface, I deleted the two access control entries corresponding to the downed machines, I then manually created "Allowed" entries for those two machines (by MAC address), and then broght them back up.  And all is well.

This suggests (does not prove) that the culpret was the iOS app -- that by allowing them via that app, I created corrupted entries in the Access Control table.  Clearly more research is needed, but thus far, 100% of the cases (all two of them) where I used the iOS app to approve them created this problem.

I would hope someone from Netgear might look into this -- especially since I see other threads 

[FURRYe38]

Thanks for letting us know about this. Please post about this here in the Orbi app forum as well. https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-App/bd-p/en-home-orbi-app

We'll have NG review this.

@Blanca_O 

[Blanca_O]

Hi @Stev3D

Please check your inbox. 

Regards, 
Blanca 
Community Team

[ar9]

I've had the same problems and worse with access control.

The orbi has been a nightmare ever since FW update.

No response. No updates. No fixes.

No Confidence.

[Stev3D]

Based on my prior experience with this problem (which has not reoccurred in quite some time) that you delete all permissions (except the one for the device you are using to make the changes — delete that one later) and rebuild the access list. A firmware update will not be able to recover database entries that were previously corrupted, only prevent new ones from going that way.