Orbi RBR20 Router keeps dropping

[red_cherries]

This Orbi RBR20 was working fine. (I tried to put as much details here)

Setting up the router, either the Wi-Fi name or the internet connection keeps on dropping. It's not the internet (provider) connection issues as I tried several times switching it back to the NetComm NF4V Modem - with the modem it works fine and internet never drops out.

I constantly have to open the Wi-Fi Settings in my iPhone XS or the Orbi App. Often it's connected to wifi but no internet or unable to connect to router at all. 

The setup:

- Router is connected to internet directly from source

- Satellite is setup within the suggested range (though the main issue is the Router)

- Firmware is up-to-date (version 2.7.3.22)

- Orbi app is version 2.11.6.0

- PPPoE details (login and password from internet provider) is entered in the Orbi Settings

- Wi-Fi name (SSID) is unique within my area (either using the default from router or edited)

- Usage is only for phones and laptops - no xbox or apple tv or any other devices

I've tried all troubleshooting in this community page and netgear help page:

- Reset Orbi Router and Satellite to factory defaults several times. (Also uninstall and reinstall Orbi app in the phone several times).

- Reboot both router and satellite several times.

- Tried Power Cycle Router several times.

- Tried with Ethernet cable plugged to my laptop - only worked for about 1-2hrs then issue with no connections from router (but working well with NetComm NF4V modem).

- Anywhere Access is enabled in the Orbi app.

- Advance Setup in orbilogin to the following:

   - Enable: 20/40Mhz Coexistence (no option for 40Mhz only), WMM, Implicit Beamforming, MU-MIMO

   - Disable: Daisy Chain (as I only have 1 Satellite), Fast Roaming, IPv6, Armor, Circle, Guest Network, Bridge Mode

   - Change: Channel 2.4GHz to 1 and 5GHz to 48 (have also tried 2.4GHz to 6 and 5GHz to 36)

   - Leave settings per default as I don't know the inputs are: Static IP Address, MAC address, DNS Server

Router often gives flashing white LED on top - when the connection is dropped off.

Starting yesterday afternoon, the power light suddenly became solid orange/red (not green/yellow - in normal working state)

Today, the wifi connection router is showing solid strength in the laptop (not in phone), and whenever clicked that wifi, it kept on saying "Could not join Orbi. The network could not be found."

Could you please let me know if there is any settings I missed or what else I could do to fix it? I'm frustrated doing the troubleshotting all times.

Thank you

[michaelkenward]

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@red_cherries wrote:

This Orbi RBR20 was working fine. (I tried to put as much details here)

Setting up the router, either the Wi-Fi name or the internet connection keeps on dropping. It's not the internet (provider) connection issues as I tried several times switching it back to the NetComm NF4V Modem - with the modem it works fine and internet never drops out.

Is that the modem that sits in front of your RBR20? Unless you have set it to "bridge" mode,  or the Orbi is an wireless access point mode, this means that you have two routers in your network.

Two routers on your network can cause headaches. For example, you can end up with local address problems. Among other things, the other router can misdirect addresses that the Netgear router usually handles, such as routerlogin.net or the usual IP address for a router, 192.168.1.1.

This explains some of the other drawbacks.

What is Double NAT? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

Unless you have specific reasons for using two routers – to create two separate networks for example – it is often easier to use just one router and then to set up the second router as a wifi access point. Netgear advises this, as does just about every site you will visit.

Sometimes it is easier to put the second router into AP mode. But that has its own drawbacks:

Disabled Features on the Router when set to AP Mode | Answer | NETGEAR Support

A lot of people use an Orbi system in AP mode, especially if they have a decent router in front of it. Only you know which of your two routers provides the best features for your needs.

You might get more help, and find earlier questions and answers specific to your device, in the appropriate section for your hardware. That's probably here:

Orbi - NETGEAR Communities

I will ask the Netgear moderator to move your message.

In the meantime you could visit the support pages:

Support | NETGEAR

Feed in your model number and check the documentation for your hardware. Look at the label on the device for the model number.

You may have done this already. I can't tell from your message.

I mention it because Netgear stopped supplying printed manuals and CD versions some years ago and people sometimes miss the downloads.

[red_cherries]

Thank you michaelkenward

Yes - the Orbi is in front of me.

No - I don't use 2 routers. Either the Orbi or the Modem. I did try to have both on, but it just didn't work. So if in usage, then either one or the other.

No - didn't use Orbi for AP Mode. Just Router.

Thanks for the links too. I did try to exhaust all the possibilities that I could search in the communities and the help page. And still stuck with unstable Orbi Router.

I'll have a read again on the documentation for the hardware whilst waiting for the Netgear moderator to assist.

Thank you so much.

[michaelkenward]

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@red_cherries wrote:

No - I don't use 2 routers. Either the Orbi or the Modem. I did try to have both on, but it just didn't work. So if in usage, then either one or the other.

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I don't understand that. What do you mean by either the Orbi or the Modem?

The Orbi is not a modem. It cannot replace the NetComm as a modem. So there will be something in front of the Orbi. If it isn't the NetComm, what is it?

If you are not using the NetComm NF4V as a modem alongside the Orbi router, you will have a different modem in front of the Orbi.

The NetComm NF4V Modem is not a simple modem. It is a modem/router. (Look at all those LAN ports on the back and the wifi LED.)

If you have this on the network AND the Orbi, then you have two routers.

This can cause the sort of problems that you describe and that are explained in the links I posted earlier.

[FURRYe38]

Netgear has set up a community forum specifically for the Orbi AC (WiFi 5) products. Most of the people who watch that forum are more likely to have experience with Orbi AC and know how to work it better than those of us who follow this forum. Might be more likely to find someone who has a solution if the question is posted there:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/bd-p/Orbi

Thank you.

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@red_cherries wrote:

Thank you michaelkenward

Yes - the Orbi is in front of me.

No - I don't use 2 routers. Either the Orbi or the Modem. I did try to have both on, but it just didn't work. So if in usage, then either one or the other.

No - didn't use Orbi for AP Mode. Just Router.

Thanks for the links too. I did try to exhaust all the possibilities that I could search in the communities and the help page. And still stuck with unstable Orbi Router.

I'll have a read again on the documentation for the hardware whilst waiting for the Netgear moderator to assist.

Thank you so much.

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[red_cherries]

So you mean i use the NetComm modem to connect the internet from source - then the Orbi Router is connected internet through NetComm modem? thanks

I'm not only struggling setting up the Orbi but also posting this post. Keep on giving error message saying invalid HTML but i don't have any links........... just plain text.......

[michaelkenward]

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@red_cherries wrote:

So you mean i use the NetComm modem to connect the internet from source - then the Orbi Router is connected internet through NetComm modem?

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That's the way these things usually work.

In your case, life is made complicated because your "modem" is actually a modem router. (See above.)

[red_cherries]

Hi, I've tried using the Netcomm Modem as Bridge and Orbi Router (connected to Netcomm) in AP Mode, Orbi wifi network still keeps on disappearing. 

[michaelkenward]

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@red_cherries wrote:

Hi, I've tried using the Netcomm Modem as Bridge and Orbi Router (connected to Netcomm) in AP Mode, Orbi wifi network still keeps on disappearing. 

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Is it because the Orbi is dropping the wifi or because your clients can't see it?

[CrimpOn]

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@red_cherries wrote:

Hi, I've tried using the Netcomm Modem as Bridge and Orbi Router (connected to Netcomm) in AP Mode, Orbi wifi network still keeps on disappearing. 

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This is one configuration that is guaranteed to fail.  There must be at least one router.

If the Netcomm is in "Modem only" (sometimes called "passthrough") mode, then it is not a router.

In access point (AP) mode, the Orbi is  not a router.

Thus, there are zero routers.  The network will not function.

As @michaelkenward pointed out, this Netcom NF4V model is a combination ADSL/VDSL modem/router/wifi device.

The installation guide points out that the PPPoE user name and password are entered into the NF4V to set up service.

https://support.netcommwireless.com/api/Media/Document/aa9ce552-d03e-4c99-b877-e5758aebc204?Product=... 

Any time this device is reset, that will have to be done again.

The User Manual (page 51) describes how to enable/disable wireless bridge.  This is not the same thing as putting the device into what this forum calls "bridge" mode.  I did not find a method in the User Manual to set the device into bridge mode.

https://support.netcommwireless.com/api/Media/Document/6f8ef9e1-7a31-439d-9e42-1ab8a9f69da0?Product=... 

I would approach this by:

• Reset both Netcomm (button for 3 seconds) and Orbi (paperclip in the reset hole for 10-15 seconds)
• Connect the laptop to one of the Netcomm LAN ports and follow the Installation Guide to input the user name andpassword.
• Verify that the laptop can access the internet when connected to the Netcomm
• Connect the Orbi WAN port to one of the Netcomm LAN ports.
• Power up the Orbi and wait 3 minutes until the Orbi has finished starting.
• Use a WiFi device to verify that the Orbi is broadcasting WiFi and connect to it using the credentials printed on the label (on the bottom).
• The WiFi device should be able to use the internet.
• At this point, the Orbi can be
  *  used as it is, or
  *  can be configured to have a WiFi name/password that you prefer over the product label

I believe there should be no need to enter that PPPoE user name and password because they have been used to set up the Netcomm.

At this point, there are three potential issues:

1. The Netcomm is broadcasting a WiFi signal that may be competing with the Orbi, but only on 2.4G if I read the specs correctly.
   And, if they are on different 2.4G channels, maybe not interfering at all.
2. There are two routers, which is called a "Double NAT" which will make certain activities difficult (some types of internet gaming, VPN into the Orbi, forwarding ports to servers, etc.) https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT 
   If you do not need any of these activities, then Double NAT will not be an issue.
3. There are two networks (the Netcomm's four ethernet ports and WiFi and the Orbi's network).  If things are connected to both, then there may be networking issues.

I may have completely misunderstood the situation.  If so, please forgive me.  I tried.

[red_cherries]

Thank you. I've done another reset per your instruction above. 

Orbi wifi worked for less than an hour. Wifi dropped off as no internet connection. Sometimes the Wifi signal is showing - but when you chose that, it's saying : Unable to Join Orbi.

Not sure what else I can do. The issue keeps persisting. 

At this point, I thought it might be the first issue you mentioned : Netcomm Wifi competing with Orbi. How can I check if they're in different 2.4GHz?

Thanks

[CrimpOn]

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@red_cherries wrote:

Thank you. I've done another reset per your instruction above. 

Orbi wifi worked for less than an hour. Wifi dropped off as no internet connection. Sometimes the Wifi signal is showing - but when you chose that, it's saying : Unable to Join Orbi.

Not sure what else I can do. The issue keeps persisting. 

At this point, I thought it might be the first issue you mentioned : Netcomm Wifi competing with Orbi. How can I check if they're in different 2.4GHz?

Thanks

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Having two WiFi's on the same 2.4G channel reduces throughput because only one WiFi radio can broadcast at any given time on the same channel.  (either a user device, the Orbi WiFi,or the Netcomm WiFi)  This reduces performance, but should not cause the Orbi to fail.

Can you describe more about when "Orbi wifi worked for less than an hour"?

• WiFi devices could connect to the Orbi?
• They had internet access? (web browsing, email, etc.)

[red_cherries]

Yes - WiFi connected to devices with internet access.

If I knew the troubleshooting is not simple, I shouldnt have gotten it at the first place. Quite frustrating

[CrimpOn]

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@red_cherries wrote:

Yes - WiFi connected to devices with internet access.

If I knew the troubleshooting is not simple, I shouldnt have gotten it at the first place. Quite frustrating

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Is it new enough that you can return it?

[red_cherries]

I'm not able to return it