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Re: RBS50 won't con't connect

abil
Aspirant

RBS50 won't con't connect

Orbi router and satellite 1 upgraded firmware when satellite 2 was not installed.  Now satellite 2 won't connect.   White light on constantly and connection to router fails.  Reset Orbi router and both satellites.  Router and satellite 1 still have the latest firmware.  I assume the cause is the different firmware.  Anyway to upgrade the firmware without connecting to the router?

Model: RBS50| Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi (Satellite Only)
Message 1 of 13
randomousity
Luminary

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect

Yes. For one thing, make sure you have no ethernet devices plugged into satellite 2 when you power it on and attempt to sync it to the router. That alone could cause you issues.

 

If that doesn't fix it, you can upgrade the firmware on the satellite by connecting directly to it with ethernet (or wifi, if you're able to). Since the satellite isn't connected to the router, it won't have any DHCP capabilities, so you may need to manually set the IP address on your computer in order to be able to do this. So, first go to the Netgear site and download the appropriate firmware file for your model Orbi, then connect to the satellite, go to the satellite's configuration page, log in, then go to the firmware page and manually update the firmware you just downloaded.

 

You can also go into the router's configuration and have it generate a new backhaul password, then try syncing satellite 2 (with no ethernet devices conected), then satellite 1. I don't think a factory reset with have it generate a new backhaul password.

 

I also don't know that it works, or even is supposed to, but you can also try connecting satellite 2 to the router via ethernet cable and see if they can get connected that way. If so, you might just be able to go to the router's config page and then have it either check for new firmware, or manually update satellite 2's firmware from there. Once you get it updated, then you could try syncing them again.

Message 2 of 13
abil
Aspirant

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect

Thanks for the reply, but I'm still lost.  I have a Surface so I connected an ethernet cable from the docking station to Satellite 2.  How do you set the IP address on the computer to connect and get to the configuration page?  BTW Satellite 2's top light is a solid white light that doesn't go out...Thanks

Message 3 of 13
ekhalil
Master

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect


@abil wrote:

Thanks for the reply, but I'm still lost.  I have a Surface so I connected an ethernet cable from the docking station to Satellite 2.  How do you set the IP address on the computer to connect and get to the configuration page?  BTW Satellite 2's top light is a solid white light that doesn't go out...Thanks


I never tried to connect to satellite without the router, but please try to set the IP address manually on your Ethernet port settings in computer to say 192.168.1.20, then use a browser on your computer to browse to the default IP address in the Satellite which is 192.168.1.250.

Message 4 of 13
abil
Aspirant

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect

Still unable to connect.  Also tried connecting to the network with ethernet cable and looking for the MAC address which I did not find.  Does anyone know the significance of the white light on top staying on constantly?

Message 5 of 13
ekhalil
Master

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect


@abil wrote:

......  Does anyone know the significance of the white light on top staying on constantly?


Please check here: https://kb.netgear.com/31030/What-do-the-LEDs-on-my-Orbi-mean

Solid white. Your Orbi satellite is powering up.

Message 6 of 13
abil
Aspirant

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect

Yes, I know.  The question is what is the significance of the light staying on constantly. It never starts blinking or never goes out.  Therefore it never gets powered up?  Does that mean the satellite is defective?

Message 7 of 13
ekhalil
Master

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect


@abil wrote:

...Does that mean the satellite is defective?


Not necessarily, it can be that it's just not able to find the router.

  • Please get the units close to each other
  • Have you tried to connect the satellite to the router with a LAN cable as was suggested by @randomousity
  • Can you please toggle the "Daisy Chain" setting in the router and see if that will have any effect.
Message 8 of 13
abil
Aspirant

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect

Thanks for your help.

Yes, I tried all.  

Tried to sync with satellite next to router.  Tried to sync with satellite plugged directly into router. I also toggle the Daisy Chain setting causing the router to reboot twice.  The white light on top of the satellite is still solid.

Message 9 of 13
ekhalil
Master

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect

Do you know which firmware is in that satellite? If it's very old you might need to downgrade the router to an older software so that they can understand each other.

Message 10 of 13
abil
Aspirant

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect

It is old.  I din't use the satellite for a year because we lived in an apartment for that time and didn't need it.  Before I started playing with it the Firmware update page showed Satellite 2 as V1.xxxxxx eventhough it wasn't connected.  It now doesn't show satellite 2 and the router and satellite 2 are on V2.2.2.210.  After reading what I could on the intenet my original plan was to revert the software by resetting the devices to factory, however resetting didn't downgrade the software.  How do you downgrade the software?  I'm still concerned about the solid white light not changing and the unit being defective.

Message 11 of 13
ekhalil
Master

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect


@abil wrote:

It is old.  I din't use the satellite for a year because we lived in an apartment for that time and didn't need it.  Before I started playing with it the Firmware update page showed Satellite 2 as V1.xxxxxx eventhough it wasn't connected.  It now doesn't show satellite 2 and the router and satellite 2 are on V2.2.2.210.  After reading what I could on the intenet my original plan was to revert the software by resetting the devices to factory, however resetting didn't downgrade the software.  How do you downgrade the software?  I'm still concerned about the solid white light not changing and the unit being defective.


You can download an earlier software from the download page here: https://www.netgear.com/support/product/RBR50.aspx#download

You can probably take the latest 1.x release say 1.12.0.18 to downgrade the router to then try to sync the "old" router then upgrade both to latest software.

Message 12 of 13
abil
Aspirant

Re: RBS50 won't con't connect

Thanks for all your help.  I tried the firmware approach but still can't see the satellite.  I'm going to return the Orbi.

 

Thanks.

 

Message 13 of 13
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