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Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

ATeamAdam
Guide

Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

My kids have been complaining about our wifi for 2 years.  Now that I'm working from home I'm feeling their pain.  I've rebooted my router probably a dozen times in the last week.

 

Purchased October 2017

Firmware:

2.5.1.8

1 base station + 2 satellites

 

This is generally what happens:

Wifi will stop working, the orbi app says the internet is offline.  I call my ISP and they confirm that the internet is infact online and working properly.  When I try the internet speed test in the orbi app it does still return a good result.  I reboot the router and everything starts working again.  I think it's only wireless connections that have the major issues.  The wired connected devices will still connect to the internet, although not well.  I can get to google, I can get search results, but I can't get any of the links in the results to work.

 

Now after reboot, in the orbi app it is showing no devices connected, even though I know there are plenty connected.  The traffic meter is enabled, but is showing no results.

 

I disabled circle yesterday and that seems like it is helping with stability.

 

I'm getting no indicator lights flashing on the orbis for any of these issues.  When I reboot it flashes white while it is booting up, but it eventually goes away.

 

I haven't tried restoring to factory defaults yet.  I'll try that next time it goes down.

 

Is my router dying?

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 1 of 28

Accepted Solutions
ATeamAdam
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Thanks for the quick insight.  Appreciate the guidance.

 

Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?  I do have a few wifi neighbors, depending on where you are in the house you can see about a half dozen signals, most of them are pretty weak.

 

I setup these settings after the factory reset.  Hopefully it goes smooth.

New config:

2.4 Ghz Channel - 6

5 Ghz Channel - 48

Beamforming - enabled

MIMO - enabled

WMM - enabled

Armor - disabled

Circle - disabled

Daisychain - disabled

Fast Roaming - disabled

IPv6 - disabled

20/40 mhz coexistence - disabled

Short preable - enabled

 

View solution in original post

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 6 of 28

All Replies
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues


@ATeamAdam wrote:

Is my router dying?


Probably not, but it might be "sick".  There seem to be two "camps" of Orbi users who have updated firmware to 2.5.1.8

  • For some of us, it "works great".  Same as always.
  • For others, it is a "living nightmare" of issues such as you describe.  There are very long posts about 2.5.1.8 that you can read through.

So, yes, a "Factory Reset" is one possibility.  Save the configuration to your computer. (On the Advanced Tab, Administration, Backup Settings.  Do the Factory Reset: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMw4ePACgc4 When it comes up and is ready to configure, say that you want to "Reload a previous configuration".  This is a relatively painless reset method.

 

If the issue persists, then it may be necessary to reconfigure the Orbi, which for me is over an hour of drudgery because I have made so many setting and assignments.

 

If the issue still persists, some people download firmware 2.3.5.30 from the Netscape support web site and do a Manual Firmware update (actually "down-date").

 

Sorry not to have better news.

Message 2 of 28
tomschmidt
Virtuoso

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Late last year Netgear released v2.5.0.x firmware, which had major issues.  It also appears to have messed up the flash memory for some configuration items such that rolling back to v2.3.x releases or forward to v2.5.1.8 caused random issues.  If your router ever had the v2.5.0.x firmware, then the only way to clear its corruption of the flash memory is to perform a factory reset.

 

I suggest taking screenshots or printouts of each of your configuration pages that you customized, that way you can manually reconfigure the router again to the same configuration after the factory reset.

 

Good Luck.

Model: RBK53|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi System
Message 3 of 28
ATeamAdam
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Appreciate the insights.  I'll try the factroy reset tomorrow.  

 

Is there a place I can look for best practices on manually configuring the Orbi?  I have been running a pretty vanilla configuration and I figure this will be a good time evaluate better options.

 

 

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 4 of 28
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

After doing a reset, and setting up from scratch. Be sure to save off a new backup configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time when a reset is needed. 

 

Some other troubleshooting suggestions to help with instability issues:

What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-router

 

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

 

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

 

Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Set Short preamble instead of Long preamble modes. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).

 

Above suggestions working:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Throttling-Devices-RBK53/m-p/1858561/highlight/true#M81925
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-model-RBR50-keeps-dropping-connection-during-Zoom-calls/m...


@ATeamAdam wrote:

Appreciate the insights.  I'll try the factroy reset tomorrow.  

 

Is there a place I can look for best practices on manually configuring the Orbi?  I have been running a pretty vanilla configuration and I figure this will be a good time evaluate better options.

 

 


 

Message 5 of 28
ATeamAdam
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Thanks for the quick insight.  Appreciate the guidance.

 

Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?  I do have a few wifi neighbors, depending on where you are in the house you can see about a half dozen signals, most of them are pretty weak.

 

I setup these settings after the factory reset.  Hopefully it goes smooth.

New config:

2.4 Ghz Channel - 6

5 Ghz Channel - 48

Beamforming - enabled

MIMO - enabled

WMM - enabled

Armor - disabled

Circle - disabled

Daisychain - disabled

Fast Roaming - disabled

IPv6 - disabled

20/40 mhz coexistence - disabled

Short preable - enabled

 

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 6 of 28
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Ok, let us know how it goes. 

Message 7 of 28
kilroy818
Aspirant

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Over the past month or so, our RBR50 network (running 2.5.1.8) has turned into an unreliable nightmare monster that must be fed constant reboots to keep us online. @ATeamAdam, would you please let us know if the factory reset and the new settings solved your issues?

 

Thanks!

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 8 of 28
Retired_Member
Not applicable

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues


@kilroy818 wrote:

Over the past month or so, our RBR50 network (running 2.5.1.8) has turned into an unreliable nightmare monster that must be fed constant reboots to keep us online. @ATeamAdam, would you please let us know if the factory reset and the new settings solved your issues?

 

Thanks!


Amazing 

Message 9 of 28
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBR50-Internet-outage-DNS-issue/m-p/1881623/highlight/true#M86...


Whats the mfr and model# of your ISP modem the router is connected too? 

 


@kilroy818 wrote:

Over the past month or so, our RBR50 network (running 2.5.1.8) has turned into an unreliable nightmare monster that must be fed constant reboots to keep us online. @ATeamAdam, would you please let us know if the factory reset and the new settings solved your issues?

 

Thanks!


 

Message 10 of 28
Retired_Member
Not applicable

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues


@FURRYe38 wrote:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBR50-Internet-outage-DNS-issue/m-p/1881623/highlight/true#M86...


Whats the mfr and model# of your ISP modem the router is connected too? 

 



Give up?


 

Message 11 of 28
ATeamAdam
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

@kilroy818 

 

Sorry for the slow response.  My stability has been much better since the factory refresh and making the changes.  Honestly I think the biggest change was just turning off Circle.  I could tell stability was better from that even before the factory refresh.

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 12 of 28
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Circle seems to be causing problems for users of it. Keep it disabled. Please post over in the Circle forum thats something you will need. Hopefully NG will get that fixed. https://community.netgear.com/t5/Circle-Smart-Parental-Controls/bd-p/en-home-circle

 

Please mark your post thread as solved so others will know. 

 

Enjoy. Smiley Wink


@ATeamAdam wrote:

Sorry for the slow response.  My stability has been much better since the factory refresh and making the changes.  Honestly I think the biggest change was just turning off Circle.  I could tell stability was better from that even before the factory refresh.


 

Message 13 of 28
ATeamAdam
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Maybe I spoke too soon.  Yesterday things started getting weird again.  We have mostly all Apple products in the house for personal use.  Yesterday we started getting repeated prompts to share the wifi credentials with devices that were already on the network as if they couldn't connect anymore.  My daughter's ipad was having connectivity issues most of the day.

 

I checked the orbi app and it is again showing no devices connected in both the device manager and in the network map.

 

I tried a powercycle, and I'm not getting the prompts to share credentials currently, but still no devices are shown attached.  

 

I am currently sending this from an attached device, so I know there are devices attached, they just don't show up in the app.  They also don't show up when I log in through the browser on my laptop.

 

I haven't changed any settings from my previous post, is there anything else to change?

 

 

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 14 of 28
Retired_Member
Not applicable

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues


@ATeamAdam wrote:

Maybe I spoke too soon.  Yesterday things started getting weird again.  We have mostly all Apple products in the house for personal use.  Yesterday we started getting repeated prompts to share the wifi credentials with devices that were already on the network as if they couldn't connect anymore.  My daughter's ipad was having connectivity issues most of the day.

 

I checked the orbi app and it is again showing no devices connected in both the device manager and in the network map.

 

I tried a powercycle, and I'm not getting the prompts to share credentials currently, but still no devices are shown attached.  

 

I am currently sending this from an attached device, so I know there are devices attached, they just don't show up in the app.  They also don't show up when I log in through the browser on my laptop.

 

I haven't changed any settings from my previous post, is there anything else to change?

 

after your factory reset, what firmware did you end up with?

 

 


 

Message 15 of 28
ATeamAdam
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

I'm still on 2.5.1.8

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 16 of 28
Retired_Member
Not applicable

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues


@ATeamAdam wrote:

I'm still on 2.5.1.8


probably not what i would recommend

Message 17 of 28
ATeamAdam
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Which previous version is the current favorite?  Also, some instructions on how to best roll back would be awesome.

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 18 of 28
Retired_Member
Not applicable

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

look for the download section here.

 

i've been on v2.3.5.30 since October 2019 and for the most part all is well

Message 19 of 28
ATeamAdam
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

I found a note that recommends 2.3.5.30 as the preferred firmware version.  I also found the manual firmware update in the browser login.  Do I need to update the firmware on the satellites as well as the main router?

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 20 of 28
Retired_Member
Not applicable

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues


@ATeamAdam wrote:

I found a note that recommends 2.3.5.30 as the preferred firmware version.  I also found the manual firmware update in the browser login.  Do I need to update the firmware on the satellites as well as the main router?


try this:

 

 

https://kb.netgear.com/31573/How-do-I-manually-upgrade-firmware-on-my-Orbi-router-using-orbilogin-co...

Message 21 of 28
ATeamAdam
Guide

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Firmware downdated to 2.3.5.30.

 

The device list is back.  I'll keep monitoring to see if its working better.

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 22 of 28
Retired_Member
Not applicable

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues


@ATeamAdam wrote:

Firmware downdated to 2.3.5.30.

 

The device list is back.  I'll keep monitoring to see if its working better.


You should be fine.  Stop manual updates 

Message 23 of 28
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

Next time, you can try Voxels FW for Orbi:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Voxels-FW-available-for-50-series-Orbi-only-available/m-p/1883...

You can revert back to stock FW if it doesn't work out for you. 


@ATeamAdam wrote:

Firmware downdated to 2.3.5.30.

 

The device list is back.  I'll keep monitoring to see if its working better.


 

Message 24 of 28
MichaelCaz
Aspirant

Re: Orbi RBR50 - instability issues

How did you get to the Netscape support web and complete the "down-date" of your system?
Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 25 of 28
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