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Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

PSUHammer
Luminary

Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

Have the RBR50 and two satellites.   Today, just saw the new firmware and decided to allow it to auto update as I have been having issues with attached devices not showing up and the mobile app not being responsive.   Low and behold, satellite one updated but won't sync with the router and satelitte two did NOT update but does sync.  Regardless, did a factory reset, no dice.  WifI network won't come back online.   Ready to throw this piece of trash out and get a Nest setup (on sale now!).

 

Just avoid firmware on these things at all costs!

Message 1 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

You should have manually updated the RBS first then RBR lastly using a web browser and PC.

if the RBS are not on same version of FW as the RBR, downgrade the RBR to what the RBS have loaded. If you can sync them, manually update the RBS first using there web pages, then update the RBR lastly as outlined here:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/New-RBR50-RBS50-Firmware-Version-2-7-4-24-Released/td-p/221345...

Message 2 of 16
PSUHammer
Luminary

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

It auto updated the router and satellites, as it has always done.

 

I'm done yak shaving Netgear firmware.   

Message 3 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

AU has been known to have bad results for Orbi users. 

Why some of us recommend manual updates.


Good luck. 

Message 4 of 16
PSUHammer
Luminary

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

Yeah, i just don't know why this is so hard for them.  The amount of time I spend juggling this is not worth it.  Nest is on sale for $249.  I think that my hours spent on this stuff offset the cost of a hassle-free setup.  I hope Netgear gets their sh*t together.  

Message 5 of 16
PSUHammer
Luminary

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

So, interesting update.  I didn't have to downgrade firmware but after a while, after a number of power cycles and another factory reset (which infuriated me as I have to reconnect all my IOT devices), the satellites finally synced and are showing current firmware.  But Wifi connectivity is now sporadic and not stable.  

Devices are not holding connection, like my new Galaxy Ultra 22, which connected fine at first but then drops.  And none of my other wireless devices are able to connect for very long.  More progress but yet another issue.   Yak shaving until the Nest arrives.  ugh.

Message 6 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

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...

Message 7 of 16
PSUHammer
Luminary

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

3000ish Sq ft. Distances are good as I have router in basement, sat 1 on 1st floor and sat 2 on second floor. Ran this location setup for past three years. It is very specifically the recent firmware update process.

So, now, after a few days, it's as almost as if everything is fully baked. I had to reset and reconnect all my iot devices. But things have stabilized.

I would say, let the Orbi system breath for a day after firmware.


Message 8 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

Basements are not good places for the RBR or any wifi router in fact. All that concrete and steel can cause wifi signal problems. 

Also 3000sq ft maybe too small for having two RBS. You might try either turning OFF one RBS or lowering the transmit power from 100% to 50%. There is a thing about having too much wifi signals: https://youtu.be/UR0viMLISz4

Can try setting CTS from 2347 to 64 as see as well. 

 

Hopefully it will settle in. 

Message 9 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

Any progress on this? 

 

Message 10 of 16
PSUHammer
Luminary

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

No issues with distance and sq.ft.   I have wifi analyzers and have placed everything well.  My house is newer and there is very little metal and cement.  It's all board and drywall.  Aside from the router in the basement, all the satellites are centrally positioned on each floor with strong backhaul connectivity.

It literally was a **bleep**ty firmware upgrade.

Message 11 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

OK. I guess. Hadn't seen this with mine however I don't have my RBR in the basement. 

 

You can try Voxels FW for Orbi as an alternative. 

 

Good Luck. 

 

Message 12 of 16
PSUHammer
Luminary

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

I forgot to add that my 2nd floor satellite is even Ethernet connected to the router, so that's even less of an issue.

Message 13 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

Distance is still a factor, even with ethernet connections. 

Message 14 of 16
PSUHammer
Luminary

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

I get it but we are talking no more than 20 feet in a straight line with nothing but some paneling, drywall and latex paint in the way.  Maybe 30 with Ethernet factoring turns in the walls.   If those distances are really an issue, I definitely need to ditch Orbi as it is way under powered.

 

I think the only time i have ever had an issue with my current placement is outside on my back deck.   I pull over 300mbps from nearest AP to my phone most places in my house.  Out on the deck, it drops to about 175mbps.  I guess if I wanted stream full UHD rips out there, I may want to add another satellite, but I think that is major first world problems.

 

 

Message 15 of 16
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Ready to say goodbye to Orbi and Netgear....nice knowing you!

Distances between the RBR and RBS maybe TOO close as well. There is a sweet spot over lap on wifi signals that is needed and if the over lap exceeds this by being TOO close, this can cause problems as well. Regardless if the RBS are wireless or ethernet connected.

 

Also there is cases where there maybe TOO much wifi signals in the home as well. 

https://youtu.be/UR0viMLISz4

 

Why we ask these questions so we can gain a better understanding of users environments and conditions. Not everyone has the same configuration nor environment nor sees problems with FW updates. It's not always FW that causes problems. 

 

Many factors to consider when working with WifI mesh systems.

 

 

Message 16 of 16
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