Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
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RBS750 no longer connects

GFT
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RBS750 no longer connects

I have an RBR750 and a pair of RBS750s that have been working flawlessly for a year and a half. The RBS750s are running firmware version V4.6.5.14. One of the RBS750s (MAC *A1) now reports as disconnected (I checked it's firmware version using a wired connection and it allowed me to log in and check.). Rebooting everything didn't reconnect it. My next reconnection try was to connect it to the wired network that just happens to be right next to that particular satellite. Once I did this the satellite that had been connected (MAC *19) started reporting that it had a wired connection in the Orbi app (version 2.17.0.171 under iOS), while MAC *A1 still reported as unconnected. I powered down MAC *19 and ended up with no connected satellites (showing that the app reporting this satellite as having a wired connection was wrong). I powered MAC *19 back up and now everything reports correctly (MAC *19 is connected wireless now), but MAC *A1 is still offline.

 

I've tried Syncing them using the buttons on the router and the satellites. I've tried "Add a new satellite". I can't get MAC *A1 to connect. Both satellites respond to pings from computers on the network (the wired connection has much lower round trip delay), but MAC *A1 still won't connect to the RBR750. Any other ideas?

 

Is the app getting confused about wired/wireless connections old news? How did it know about the change to a wired connection on a satellite it claims isn't connected?

 

Message 1 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBS750 no longer connects

What FW version is on the RBS? 

 

Do the RBS appear as connected in the RBRs web page using Safari? 

 

Please post a screen capture of what your seeing. 

Message 2 of 14
GFT
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Aspirant

Re: RBS750 no longer connects

They all show the same firmware version number.

 

The RBS750 shows up in the connected devices list with no IP address and a "backhaul status" of Disconnected.

Message 3 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBS750 no longer connects

What happens if you turn OFF the RBS that shows connected and take the other RBS and place it in same location as the working RBS? 

 

 

Message 4 of 14
GFT
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Re: RBS750 no longer connects

I didn't try moving the non-functional RBS to the same location as the functional unit, but I did move it to the same room as the RBR, just a few feet away. No change. I also tried connecting it directly to the RBR with a 2 meter Ethernet cable. In all cases I can ping the "disconnected" RBS750 (using the IP address for the satellite that my Fing box reports as a new device each time I plug in the wired connection, or the (wireless) IP address that my RBR reported months ago when the satellite was working). And in all cases the RBR reports that it is still disconnected.

Message 5 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBS750 no longer connects

Can you access the one RBS web page at the IP address it's assigned when its ethernet connected to the back of the RBR?

 

Message 6 of 14
GFT
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Aspirant

Re: RBS750 no longer connects

Yes, I can access the RBS webpage for the "disconnected" satellite when it is wired to the RBR. It reports that it's running firmware 4.6.8.2. The RBR is running 4.6.5.14_2.0.54 while the other RBS is running 4.6.5.14.

 

At the start of this process I checked (what I thought was) the satellite and it was running 4.6.5.14, but I logged in using a computer (with WiFi shut off) using a cabled connection to the RBS and the url http://orbilogin.com. Could the RBS have forwarded that to the RBR, even though the RBR was reporting the satellite as "disconnected"?

 

Searching for "firmware 4.6.8.2" I see this thread that provides a possibility: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WiFi-6-AX-and-WiFi-6E-AXE/Firmware-Version-4-6-8-2-bricked-my-.... I'm going to think about that for a few hours before I try reflashing with the older firmware to see if it brings the satellite back to life. I'm not certain I have much to lose since the satellite isn't working in spite of showing many signs of life.

Message 7 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBS750 no longer connects


@GFT wrote:

Yes, I can access the RBS webpage for the "disconnected" satellite when it is wired to the RBR. It reports that it's running firmware 4.6.8.2. The RBR is running 4.6.5.14_2.0.54 while the other RBS is running 4.6.5.14.

 

At the start of this process I checked (what I thought was) the satellite and it was running 4.6.5.14, but I logged in using a computer (with WiFi shut off) using a cabled connection to the RBS and the url http://orbilogin.com. Could the RBS have forwarded that to the RBR, even though the RBR was reporting the satellite as "disconnected"?

Use the IP address that the RBS gets from the RBR. to log into the RBS wtih v.14 loaded on it. Don't use orbilogin.com.

 

Searching for "firmware 4.6.8.2" I see this thread that provides a possibility: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WiFi-6-AX-and-WiFi-6E-AXE/Firmware-Version-4-6-8-2-bricked-my-.... I'm going to think about that for a few hours before I try reflashing with the older firmware to see if it brings the satellite back to life. I'm not certain I have much to lose since the satellite isn't working in spite of showing many signs of life.

 

I recommend that if you can access the RBS web page with v.14 loaded, update FW to v.2 on it since your other RBS already has v.2 on it. Then update the RBR lastly to v.2. 

There's nothing bad with v.2. It was the Auto Update processes that cause problems. Manually loading FW is recommended here:

Info all included here:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WiFi-6-AX-and-WiFi-6E-AXE/RBK750-and-850-Series-Firmware-Versi...


 

Message 8 of 14
GFT
Aspirant
Aspirant

Re: RBS750 no longer connects

I downloaded the RBS and RBR version 4.6.8.2 firmware. I used a wired connection and manually updated the functioning RBS to 4.6.8.2. After that completed I now had two disconnected RBS and a working RBR.

 

I then did a manual update of the RBR firmware to 4.6.8.2_2.1.9. Now I'm in some sort of limbo.

 

I'm currently connected to the RBR by a wire posting this. Wireless devices also appear able to connect to the RBR. But the RBR no longer responds to attempts to log in. According to ipconfig the gateway IP address has not changed, but multiple web browsers and multiple computers all report that they are unable to connect to that IP address. Attempting to login using orbilogin.com fails the same way. The Orbi app now also reports that it is unable to connect.

 

I am able to login to both of the satellites using their IP addresses. The satellite that was previously working claims to have a 5G connection to the RBR and reports that three devices are currently connected to it. Plugging a laptop without WiFi directly into that satellite allowed me to bring up non-cached pages in a web browser. The satellite that was previously not working has a wired connection to the network and for ten minutes or so reported that it had no connection to the RBR and as a result it had disabled both 2.4G and 5G connectivity. But it was happy to let me connect through the same network switch that leads to the RBR to view that status. After going and connecting to it directly with a wire (or possibly just because I let it sit there longer) it now reports that it doesn't have a wireless connection to the RBR, but is otherwise connected and is up and running with three connected devices. And again using a laptop without WiFi I can bring up un-cached web pages. Everything in this paragraph is reported in the order that it was done.

 

Any idea where the RBR went? I attempted logins to it both before and after my work with the satellites, so it's not simply a matter of not waiting for a few minutes.

Message 9 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBS750 no longer connects

Now Factory reset the RBR by pressing the reset button for 20 seconds then release. Walk thru the Setup wizard with a browser at http and 192.68.1.1. Try adding the RBS here or turn them off and see if they reconnect after you set up the RBR from scratch using same SSID name and PW and turn them back on after the RBR is setup. 

Message 10 of 14
GFT
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Aspirant

Re: RBS750 no longer connects

The factory reset and a lot of work got me back to where I was before my one satellite became disconnected. I got blocked at the password change page a half a dozen times. I think I hit a tab key after entering the password the second time the last time around. That unlocked it. I should have tried that sooner.

 

The configuration that I had last saved (a few months ago) wasn't portable to the new firmware, so I had to enter all of the settings again. I saved the new configuration, but I'm now concerned that the saved settings won't be usable when I need them.

 

The Orbi app on my iPhone no longer connects to my Orbi. It keeps telling me "In your device settings, connect to the main Orbi network to proceed." Since I'm already connected to that network that advice is not particularly useful. I deleted the app and reinstalled it to flush out any saved settings. I am now able to log into my Netgear account, but I still can't connect to my router. I have managed to find lots of screens within the app that don't provide a way back to the previous screen short of killing the app.

Message 11 of 14
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: RBS750 no longer connects

Try this on the iPhone:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-App/Orbi-Web-Page-and-Orbi-app-Access-Status/td-p/2223085/jump...

 

I have Orbi app connecting to my 8 series RBR since I found that Local Network on the iPhone was disabled. 

Message 12 of 14
GFT
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Re: RBS750 no longer connects

Good suggestions, but that is the process that I ended up using to reconfigure my RBR. I had already disabled "Private Wi-Fi Address" on my local network before this went down. I tried disabling "Limit IP Address Tracking", but that made no difference. I'm also not sure how complete the description of "Limit IP Address Tracking" is - the obvious artifact to me is that when it is turned on images embedded in email are not downloaded unless I specifically request them.

 

Sounds like it's time to contact Netgear Support.

Message 13 of 14
GFT
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Aspirant

Re: RBS750 no longer connects

Netgear Support told me to get lost, I've owned my system too long for them to care. So even though they started the whole cascade with a failed update I just have to hope that when they figure out the current access problems that I will somehow regain access.

 

Worst case I can no longer manage my Orbi through my phone. That's a much better outcome than having a bricked satellite.

Message 14 of 14
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