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Re: Orbi Country Code

dontcare
Tutor

Orbi Country Code

Apple release an update to MacOS today (v10.14.3)

 

Since updating, my iMac will connect to the WiFi through the Orbi and give me access to my home network so I can access all the NAS's.  However, it will not give me access to the internet, and this is now the only computer that cannot access the internet.  having run the wireless diagnostics utility, it appears that this is because of the country code being broadcast by the Orbi which is DE.  This is a UK bought Orbi that has only been used in the UK.

 

Is it possible to change the country code?  Or do I have to junk the Orbi?

 

Netgear are woeful n their support, so not holding my breath.

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 1 of 13
JoeCymru
Virtuoso

Re: Orbi Country Code

It actually is not the wrong country code. When you select Europe for your area, Orbi country code is DE/GB. Most computers accept this, and DE is used as a default for Europe. The issue lies with Apple and the iMac you just updated. The country code for Orbi is factory set for choice and is not user accesible as is. You may try telenet to get in and change the country to WW. I have not experimented with this so would not want to post any process but there is some indication from other Netgear routers that this is not an uncommon issue with iMac's and Netgear routers in Europe.

Message 2 of 13
dontcare
Tutor

Re: Orbi Country Code

So if it's a known issue, why doesn't someone take ownership of the problem and sort it?  Simply passing the buck or blaming someone else is tantamount to being as negligant as the other party.  If a problem is known, SORT IT OUT.

Message 3 of 13
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Country Code

If your MAC had been working before the OSX update to 10.14.x, then APPLE needs to sort it out. Not NG. You'll need to contact them about OSX 10.14.x problems. 


@dontcare wrote:

So if it's a known issue, why doesn't someone take ownership of the problem and sort it?  Simply passing the buck or blaming someone else is tantamount to being as negligant as the other party.  If a problem is known, SORT IT OUT.


 

Message 4 of 13
dontcare
Tutor

Re: Orbi Country Code

So NetGear doesn’t need to sort out what has been called “A well known problem”. Why am I not surprised. As I said. Someone needs to take ownership of this rather than just passing the buck again. It’s too easy saying that someone else needs to sort this out. If it’s a “Well known problem” then BOTH sides are at fault, and I find the last answer completely typical. It’s “Not my problem”. How about trying to solve it?
Message 5 of 13
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Country Code

Again, if APPLE made the change to THERE OSX software, then they need to take ownership. Stop placing blame where it doesn't belong. Go talk to apple and explain the issue to them. Since it WAS working before the update, now it's not after, then APPLE needs to address and "solve" this. 


Good Luck. 


@dontcare wrote:
So NetGear doesn’t need to sort out what has been called “A well known problem”. Why am I not surprised. As I said. Someone needs to take ownership of this rather than just passing the buck again. It’s too easy saying that someone else needs to sort this out. If it’s a “Well known problem” then BOTH sides are at fault, and I find the last answer completely typical. It’s “Not my problem”. How about trying to solve it?

 

Message 6 of 13
dontcare
Tutor

Re: Orbi Country Code

Thanks. You’ve just proved my point. I have never found the community to be if any help. And I won’t be buying anything NetGear ever again. Shame as they used to be really good, but with terrible support and lack of care, I’ll go somewhere else. You can reply all you want to this. Like my handle, I don’t care, and in that it’s referring to how I feel about NetGear. What a terrible, terrible company.
Message 7 of 13
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Country Code

Why you "don'tcare" can "don't understand". Please talk to Apple about your issues. This is not a community forum issue or NG problem. Talk to Apple. Can't to that hard to understand this. If the problem was introduced by Apple. Talk to them. It's really easy to do. If your that bothered by this then feel free to contact NG support. Maybe they can change something on the Orbi for you. It's nothing we can help out here with in the forums. This needs to be handled by Apple Tech first and foremost. 

 

Good Luck. 

Message 8 of 13
JoeCymru
Virtuoso

Re: Orbi Country Code

This is definitely a known issue, an Apple issue, and specifically an iMac issue. Doing a bit of research will demonstrate that you are not alone, and that something is wrong with iMacs. Netgear has been making routers for the entire world for a very long time, understands the differences in countries use and standards of the wifi LAN spectrum, and the way Orbi and Nighthawk and any of their products set for Europe should work equally as well in Germany as in the UK (perhaps not a couple of countries in Europe that have exceptions). You can similarities and differences in many different places with some internet research.

The iMacs in question, knowing your loction, are not accepting DE, the first location, as a viable location. That is the iMac's fault. It should. It rejects the location, believing that its own performance will be compromised by a router not operating coincident with the country's standards. Your router is. A couple of code lines from Apple would fix this. As I mentioned, if you do not want to deal with Apple, then the only other thing is to employ telnet and try to change your country code to world wide. However, I am unsure if the iMac would still freak out, since it seems to want only one specific country. 

Message 9 of 13
doublebars
Aspirant

Re: Orbi Country Code

I too have an Orbi tha claims to be in Germany whilst actually located in the UK (broadcasts country code DE, should be GB) 

 

The reason this is a problem is clearly explained in this article:  http://www.mikealbano.com/2014/03/80211d-why-you-care.html

 

The reason I discovered this was I found that in one small corner of my property devices tend to disconnect from my wifi, and have problems reconnecting.  It turns out that this area is close to my neighbour's wifi router,  which here at least has a stronger signal than my Orbi.  I as alerted to the nature of the problem by Apple Wireless Diagnostics, and I have confirmed it by running Wifi Explorer.

 

The big problem was how to get Netgear to take any notice of this.  I have finally managed, though not without spending  a total of something over 7 hours on the phone (most of it on hold!)  to Netgear Support, explaining the problem over and over again, and being promised that somebody would call me back.  Despite a dozen or so promises to call me back, nobody ever did:  Netgear's Support department must be the worst, most inefficient, and most calculated-to-annoy-the-customer support department I have ever had the misfortune to encounter - but it has, finally, agreed to replace my unit.  A replacement has been ordered, and an RMA issued!

 

The thing to take away from this is that the problem described is a NETGEAR problem, and NOT, whatever the Apple haters might tell you (as they have done in this thread!) that it is an APPLE problem!

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 10 of 13
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Country Code

I would open up a support ticket here and contact NG support about it:

https://www.netgear.com/mynetgear/registration/login.aspx

 

Good Luck.


@doublebars wrote:

I too have an Orbi tha claims to be in Germany whilst actually located in the UK (broadcasts country code DE, should be GB) 

 

The reason this is a problem is clearly explained in this article:  http://www.mikealbano.com/2014/03/80211d-why-you-care.html

 

The reason I discovered this was I found that in one small corner of my property devices tend to disconnect from my wifi, and have problems reconnecting.  It turns out that this area is close to my neighbour's wifi router,  which here at least has a stronger signal than my Orbi.  I as alerted to the nature of the problem by Apple Wireless Diagnostics, and I have confirmed it by running Wifi Explorer.

 

The big problem was how to get Netgear to take any notice of this.  I have finally managed, though not without spending  a total of something over 7 hours on the phone (most of it on hold!)  to Netgear Support, explaining the problem over and over again, and being promised that somebody would call me back.  Despite a dozen or so promises to call me back, nobody ever did:  Netgear's Support department must be the worst, most inefficient, and most calculated-to-annoy-the-customer support department I have ever had the misfortune to encounter - but it has, finally, agreed to replace my unit.  A replacement has been ordered, and an RMA issued!

 

The thing to take away from this is that the problem described is a NETGEAR problem, and NOT, whatever the Apple haters might tell you (as they have done in this thread!) that it is an APPLE problem!


 

Message 11 of 13
doublebars
Aspirant

Re: Orbi Country Code


@FURRYe38 wrote:

I would open up a support ticket here and contact NG support about it:

https://www.netgear.com/mynetgear/registration/login.aspx

 

Good Luck.

 Had you actually read my posting you would know that Netgear have, in fact, agreed to replace my Orbi, so your advice now  is as unhelpful as your previous advice that this is an Apple problem and not a Netgear one.

Message 12 of 13
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Country Code

Good Luck then. 

Message 13 of 13
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