Possible solution for Orbi dropping connection (when connected to satellite)

[kuno2501]

I’ve had Orbi (RBR50 with a couple of Satellites (RBS50)) for a few years and been very happy with it, until I started experiencing intermittent connection issues since upgrading the firmware to the latest version (2.7.3.22). I do not remember from which version I upgraded.

My phone, laptop, and other devices would show that they are connected to the Wi-Fi network, but they lose internet connection. On my iPhone, I’d get a message stating “Cannot Verify Server Identity The identity of “m.hotmail.com” cannot be verified.” and similar error on the laptop web browser. Rebooting Orbi seems to temporally solve the issue but I had to reboot the system daily or whenever the connection issue came back…

I spent hours troubleshooting (changing DNS, advanced setting: enable/disable MU-MIMO, BEAMFORMING, etc.), reading posts on this community, etc. Nothing solved the issue until I noticed that the connection issue did not happen if the Satellites were off. In other words, the issue did not happen if the devices (phone, laptop. Etc.) were connected to the main Router!

So that got me thinking… I turned on the main Router and just one of the Satellites, and made sure a device (such as an iPhone) connected to the Satellite. Then I started truing off different setting one by one: Parental Control, SSID Broadcast, WMM, Daisy-Chain, MU-MIMO, etc. It took a long time, and nothing worked… until I turned off Access Control. The issue seens to be with Satellite not working correctly with Access Control – synchronization issue between the main Router and the Satellites.

I still needed Access Control for security reason - to prevent some devices from having internet connection. And I though, what if I use the mobile App instead of the browser on my PC… I was not sure why that would be any different but I had to try…

Guess what, it worked!!

For some reason, managing Allowed/Blocked devices from the Web Browser causes the issue.

So, for those of you having connection issues, please try the following:

1. Log into Orbi from a Web Browser
2. Turn off Access Control (Advanced -> Security -> Access Control) – make sure to Apply (Save)
3. Reboot Orbi
4. Use the Orbi mobile App (I used the iPhone App) -> Device Manager -> toggle the Pause/Resume switch

Using the App seems to update the Allowed/Blocked ‘list’ correcting…

I have not had any connection issues for a few days now. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I hope Net Gear fixes this issue, because I think many people are having the same issue but not realizing it, and just thinking that Orbi is a bad product... (which seems to be the case reading many posts...)

[StevenOrbi]

Encountering this issue as well with this latest version.

Rebooting the router seems to resolve.

Sometimes it corresponds with a satellite going offline - which makes sense about synchronizing the list between the nodes.  However, my ACL rarely changes.

[FURRYe38]

What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and 📡 satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS📡 to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.

What channels are you using? Auto? Try Auto and 48 on 5Ghz. Or try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and 40 to 48 channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

One User Experience/Configuration:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Most-Stable-Orbi-Configuration/m-p/1941087/highlight/true#M970...

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update?

[FURRYe38]

Any progress on this? 

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@kuno2501 wrote:

I’ve had Orbi (RBR50 with a couple of Satellites (RBS50)) for a few years and been very happy with it, until I started experiencing intermittent connection issues since upgrading the firmware to the latest version (2.7.3.22). I do not remember from which version I upgraded.

My phone, laptop, and other devices would show that they are connected to the Wi-Fi network, but they lose internet connection. On my iPhone, I’d get a message stating “Cannot Verify Server Identity The identity of “m.hotmail.com” cannot be verified.” and similar error on the laptop web browser. Rebooting Orbi seems to temporally solve the issue but I had to reboot the system daily or whenever the connection issue came back…

I spent hours troubleshooting (changing DNS, advanced setting: enable/disable MU-MIMO, BEAMFORMING, etc.), reading posts on this community, etc. Nothing solved the issue until I noticed that the connection issue did not happen if the Satellites were off. In other words, the issue did not happen if the devices (phone, laptop. Etc.) were connected to the main Router!

So that got me thinking… I turned on the main Router and just one of the Satellites, and made sure a device (such as an iPhone) connected to the Satellite. Then I started truing off different setting one by one: Parental Control, SSID Broadcast, WMM, Daisy-Chain, MU-MIMO, etc. It took a long time, and nothing worked… until I turned off Access Control. The issue seens to be with Satellite not working correctly with Access Control – synchronization issue between the main Router and the Satellites.

I still needed Access Control for security reason - to prevent some devices from having internet connection. And I though, what if I use the mobile App instead of the browser on my PC… I was not sure why that would be any different but I had to try…

Guess what, it worked!!

For some reason, managing Allowed/Blocked devices from the Web Browser causes the issue.

So, for those of you having connection issues, please try the following:

1. Log into Orbi from a Web Browser
2. Turn off Access Control (Advanced -> Security -> Access Control) – make sure to Apply (Save)
3. Reboot Orbi
4. Use the Orbi mobile App (I used the iPhone App) -> Device Manager -> toggle the Pause/Resume switch

Using the App seems to update the Allowed/Blocked ‘list’ correcting…

I have not had any connection issues for a few days now. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I hope Net Gear fixes this issue, because I think many people are having the same issue but not realizing it, and just thinking that Orbi is a bad product... (which seems to be the case reading many posts...)

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[JackFandango]

I have exactly these same problems. I am using an Orbi RBR50 and an RSS50.

I have attached a PC running PRTG to my ISP (Sky Broadband in the UK)  provided router and to the Orbi router and have proven to my own satisfaction that the problem is down to a flaky connection between the RBR50 and the RBS50. This is also indicated by the fact that only devices connected to the satellite experience internet down time.

The drop outs have become so frequent that I have resorted to turning off the satellite and using the Orbi router wifi on its own. This has resulted in greatly reduced connection speed on the top floor of the house (reduced from approx 130Mb/s to approx 35Mb/s) but no actual outages in the two days I have tried. The real test will come tomorrow when two people will have to work from home and be online all day.

Needless to say I am not happy about the reduced speed, specially after buying an expensive networking kit from Netgear. It worked well for the first year of use but the drop outs have become increasingly frequent since the last firmware update.

I should say I tried turning off access control from the web portal but it hasn't made any difference.

[kuno2501]

Hello FURRYe38,

The Router Firmware Version V2.7.3.22

And the satellite and the modem are at least 30 feet apart.

There are only a few neighbors and I have tried different channels, and I have also tried factory reset...

The problem is simple: the connection between the satellite and the router is just not reliable...

[FURRYe38]

You might try loading new FW. RBS first then RBR lastly with a wired PC and web browser then factory reset and setup from scratch. 

I would bring the RBS near the RBR while you update everything and factory reset and setup from scratch.

What channels are you using? Auto? Try Auto and 48 on 5Ghz. Or try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and 40 to 48 channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Traffic Meter.

One User Experience/Configuration:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Most-Stable-Orbi-Configuration/m-p/1941087/highlight/true#M970...

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@kuno2501 wrote:

Hello FURRYe38,

The Router Firmware Version V2.7.3.22

And the satellite and the modem are at least 30 feet apart.

There are only a few neighbors and I have tried different channels, and I have also tried factory reset...

The problem is simple: the connection between the satellite and the router is just not reliable...

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