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Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

MJMackowski
Guide

Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

I have a base and satellite on one floor in suburban home. I use Cox cable modem for internet. I got this system July 2019 and has worked great until maybe two weeks ago. We are getting random intermittent drop outs in the wifi signal. The only cabled connection to the base station was a garage door opener remote. When we started having issues I connected my desktop (late model iMac) with a cable which had been on wifi. 

 

When drop out occurs (wife's laptop), I ran Speedtest on my phone (wifi) and desktop (wired) at the same time. Wired connection is great, >150 Mbps. (So it is not a Cox problem.) Wifi is sometimes <20. Wired connection is solid. Wifi can come and go. I did a reset (using tiny button) and that restored wifi to nornmal speed. Sometimes a power cycle will restore it.

 

Suggestions? Thanks,

 

Mike M,

Message 1 of 39

Accepted Solutions
Storm180
Star

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out


@michaelkenward wrote:

The .img thing has baffled many people. There are only so many three character extensions available. Another one that Netgear likes is .chk. 


The orbi router itself uses .img files and the satellites use the .chk file.  In the orbi dashboard there are two separate spots.  The top spot is to upgrade the router which will always be a .img file and then below that you check which satellites you want to update and use the bottom update button under the satellite listing and you select the .chk file for those and click update.

 

Sean

View solution in original post

Message 26 of 39

All Replies

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out


@MJMackowski wrote:

I got this system July 2019 and has worked great until maybe two weeks ago.

 


Anything changed? Have you checked the wifi channels you are using? Maybe the neighbours have moved in with something that clashes with your wifi.

 


@MJMackowski wrote:

I use Cox cable modem for internet.

 


Make and model?

 


@MJMackowski wrote:

When we started having issues I connected my desktop (late model iMac) with a cable which had been on wifi. 

 

Always the best idea. Wired beats wifi hands down.

 


@MJMackowski wrote:

Wifi is sometimes <20.

 


Not very good for an Internet link at that speed.

 

Have you tried playing with the wifi clients? The source can be the fastest on the planet but if the users don't play ball you cant blame the router.

 

You have posted your message in the section of this community given over to Nighthawk WiFi Routers. (This is easily done, given Netgear's complicated community structure.)

Many questions apply to different types of device, so you might get responses here, but you might get more help, and find earlier questions and answers specific to your hardware, in the appropriate section for your device. That's probably here:

Orbi - NETGEAR Communities

Message 2 of 39
MJMackowski
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

I have changed nothing on my end. I don't know how to check or change wifi channels. What do you mean by a wifi client?

 

I would not know if my neighbord changed something since I don't keep track of other wifi signals. I know there are many I can see.

 

Cox modem is Cisco DPQ3212.

 

Wife takes laptop all over the house. Can't always rely on cables.

 

Happened again this morning. Was listening to streaming radio on an iPad and it shuttered and went dead. Speedtest could not even connect. Then the signal strength icon disappeared. By the time I went to Settings to look for my wifi connection it was back, and a minute later Speedtest was normal (>150) and everything worked. Something intermittent is happening. Like the radio part of the base station is starting to fail. Has anyone seen this behavior?

Message 3 of 39

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out


@MJMackowski wrote:

I have changed nothing on my end. I don't know how to check or change wifi channels. What do you mean by a wifi client?

 

Visit the support pages:

Support | NETGEAR

Feed in your model number and check the documentation for your hardware.

Check the section in the manual Specify Basic WiFi Settings.

 

Then read the bit To change the WiFi channel, select a number in the Channel list.

 

Wifi clients are things like your wife's laptop, mobile phones, tablets and anything else that connects to your wifi.

 


@MJMackowski wrote:

 

I would not know if my neighbord changed something since I don't keep track of other wifi signals. I know there are many I can see.

 

 

When you connect a wifi client (see above) to the network, it will see a list of SSIDs. Your network will be in there, but so may be those from the neighbours. If you see a lot of those networks, that is where the interference can come from.

 

 

Message 4 of 39
MJMackowski
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

I have multiple error modes.

 

1. No wifi signal, and no internet via wired connection (to desktop, for example).

2. Internet works fine w wired connection, wifi signal is good, but no internet via wifi.

3. Internet works fine w wired connection, wifi signal is good, but no internet via wifi. Then suddenly wifi signal dies and wired connection dies.

 

#3 just happened today (3/13), so I punched reset button on base station and all works fine now (wired and wifi).

 

Have not confirmed if I can get good wired connection if wifi signal is dead. These disconnecrt randomly and then randomly recover. 

 

Suggestions?

Message 5 of 39
dchbbc
Apprentice

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

I have the same issue with my RBR40 and it only started a few weeks ago. I think after the power blinked on and off. I've done factory reset after reset and nothing fixes it. I have 3 RBS20 satellites and my wifi drops over and over. Wired works great. Some times on my ipad it will show full bars but I can't connect to the internet. Other times it drops all together. I'm getting rid of the system. I've tried to get help from Netgear online but they don't reply back and I'm not about to pay them $50 for a phone call.

Message 6 of 39

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out


@dchbbc wrote:

I've tried to get help from Netgear online but they don't reply back and I'm not about to pay them $50 for a phone call.


 

If this  was  telephone number that you found with a web search IT WASN'T NETGEAR. There are too many scam sites out there that try to look like Netgear but in reality are dodgy operations that can damage your network and your bank balance.

 

There is no phone support for Netgear. You do it via the support portal:

 

Contact Us | Support | NETGEAR

 

First you have to register your device to confirm that it is eligible for the 90-days free support. Start here:

 

MyNETGEAR | Product Registration

 

Start a case and, with luck, they will contact you.

 

After 90 days, Netgear does not provide paid support. It farms that out to GearHead.

 

GearHead Support

 

Or you can try to sort it out here. That costs you nothing.

 

 

 

Message 7 of 39
dchbbc
Apprentice

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

@michaelkenward It can be called Gearheads or Netgear, whatever make ya happy but it's offered by Netgear. The end result is the same. As far as getting answers here, I get more of what you did, making a comment instead of giving answers.524A089C-2B1B-45C8-8ED7-820FE8649621.jpeg162AB9A4-C3BF-48E9-8F33-C033017B2F45.jpeg52A741BC-13E3-4617-986E-779BC7649AB2.jpeg37A05625-2D5B-420D-94E5-B63D7D5C44B0.jpeg6146B2BD-44B0-4A47-939E-FCB08084FCF2.jpeg

Message 8 of 39
dchbbc
Apprentice

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

839F5FA8-0F29-4CE0-92FE-63606F5E3395.jpeg

Message 9 of 39
Storm180
Star

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

I can confirm this just started happening to me.  This was right after I did the latest firmware update about a week ago.  Wifi goes out.  So far it has happened twice.  My devices connect but say there is no internet access.

 

I thought a DNS issue as I use google dns.  So I switched to my ISP dns and saved the configuration and it came back online.  Thinking that was the problem.  Then I woke up this morning to the same issue.  Went in to the admin panel and resaved the configuration and it started working again.  

 

I am probably going to see if I can roll back to the previous firmware as I have never seen this behavior before.  Currently on V2.6.2.104.  I think there is an issue with the firmware since that is the only thing I updated in quite some time.

 

Sean

Message 10 of 39
Iniquitas
Initiate

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

I'm adding my name to the list as I also have the RBR40 and started to experience random drops in the wifi connection after upgrading to the V2.6.2.104 firmware a while ago. I have tried a factory reset of the router and satellite, but I still get maybe one or two drops a day on devices connected to my network. 

 

/Robin

Message 11 of 39
MJMackowski
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

I now have a third scenario. This morning I had wifi signal but no internet. I also had no internet on my wired connection. Previously the wifi had to disappear before the cabled connection died.

 

I started having these issues before I updated the firmware to V2.6.2.104 so I doubt that is the problem.

 

I'm thinking the hardware has an issue of some sort. But it's less than two years old. Is that typical for Netgear designs to have early hardware failures?

Message 12 of 39
Storm180
Star

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

It just happened to me again this morning after already having the same issue earlier today.  I was connected to wifi but it had no internet access.  

 

So I did some testing.  So I know my phone was not connected but my VPN on my work computer which connects through an IP address and not a resolved name was still connected and I was able to do things on it and it was connected through wifi.  My alexa and google minis were still responding to "are you connected to the internet"  and they said they were.

 

My nest cameras were still actively recording too as when I reconnected I went through the footage and there should be a blank spot when the wifi goes out as they are connected to wifi and need wifi/internet to keep recording.

 

Very strange.  I'm going to roll my firmware back and see what happens.  I didn't start seeing this until I switched firmware.  My orbi is several years old. 

 

Sean 

Message 13 of 39
vajim
Master

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out


@Storm180 wrote:

.  I'm going to roll my firmware back and see what happens.  I didn't start seeing this until I switched firmware.  My orbi is several years old. 

 

Sean 


wise decision 

Message 14 of 39
dchbbc
Apprentice

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

I just rolled my back to 2.3.5.32 from March 2020. I know it worked then. We'll see how it goes today

Message 15 of 39
vajim
Master

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out


@dchbbc wrote:

I just rolled my back to 2.3.5.32 from March 2020. I know it worked then. We'll see how it goes today


I'm seeing a trend here...thanks

Message 16 of 39
Storm180
Star

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

I decided to roll back to 2.3.5.32 also and I also downgraded my satellites to 2.3.5.6. 

 

I left it on the newest most of the day and had the problem happen several times today. 

 

Sean

Message 17 of 39
MJMackowski
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

More observations.

This afternoon, I was able to get streaming music and a couple websites and certain email accounts. But gmail lost connection, and I could not load Google calendar or Twitter on my browser.

Do some internet feeds use differnet ports or channels on the router than other services? I know little of how that works, but maybe that will give someone a clue as to what is going on.

Resetting the RBR40 fixed this problem.

Message 18 of 39
Storm180
Star

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

It has been over 24 hours since I downgraded to the March version of the firmware.  There has been no issues with the wifi connectivity. 

 

Sean

Message 19 of 39
vajim
Master

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out


@Storm180 wrote:

It has been over 24 hours since I downgraded to the March version of the firmware.  There has been no issues with the wifi connectivity. 

 

Sean


Thanks Sean

 

Anoither one for rollback/downgrade

Message 20 of 39
MJMackowski
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

Where do I find the old firmware?

Message 21 of 39

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out


@MJMackowski wrote:

Where do I find the old firmware?


As for all Nertgear stuff. Visit the support pages:

Support | NETGEAR

Feed in your model number and check the documentation for your hardware.

That page will also have any software, firmware and drivers for your device, if they exist.

Orbi RBR40 | WiFi System | NETGEAR Support

Message 22 of 39
MJMackowski
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

I found the files and downloaded the linked firmware, but it downloads a disk image that my MacOS cannot open. Suggestions?

Message 23 of 39
MJMackowski
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

Never mind, the file format was fine. I loaded v2.3.5.32 and we;ll see what happens

Message 24 of 39

Re: Orbi RBR40 WiFi drops out

The .img thing has baffled many people. There are only so many three character extensions available. Another one that Netgear likes is .chk. 

Message 25 of 39
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