Advice please: Unavailable RBR50 RMA to be replaced with an RBR40

[bbb555]

My RBR50v2 has issues with constant rebooting.
After following related posts here and raising a support ticket (still under warranty), Netgear support stated it needed to be replaced and an RMA setup (ticket raised in January 2024).
For the past two months, they have had no replacement stock for the RBR50v2 and waiting to see if they will get any.

Today, I have been advised they won't have in the foreseeable future and offered a bundle kit Orbi router(RBR40) and satellite as a replacement.

Just after some advice if this would be a suitable replacement, that is going back a model ?

What features do I miss out on going back a model.

Kind of stuck as I'd prefer to have what I've paid for but Netgear can't supply a replacement.

[CrimpOn]

Both are Tri-band mesh systems.  The only significant difference is the 5G WiFi backhaul connection:

• RBR50 has four backhaul radios/antennas which produce a maximum theoretical link speed of 1,733Mbps.
• RBR40 has two backhaul radios/antennas which produce a maximum theoretical link speed of 866Mbps.

Depending on the Internet Service Provider connection and your usage, you might not notice any difference in performance at all.

It is disappointing that Netgear has no replacement to fulfill the warranty. Amazon has both used and refurbished RBR50's ready to ship, as does eBay.

[FURRYe38]

Or shopgoodwill. 

[plemans]

what speeds do you pay for? 

Are you using a wired backhaul? 
If you're ISP speeds are low enough or you have a hardwired backhaul, you won't notice much difference. 

Its once you're getting past that 400-500mbps speeds through the wireless backhaul that the wider backhaul makes a difference. 

[bbb555]

Currently on a 100/20 plan (Australia NBN) and not using wired backhaul. Don't have the option to run a wired backhaul unfortunately.

Internally, there a number of devices that connect to the wireless network, including backups to my NAS. I guess this is where I might see a difference then.

As it seems I have no other option, I'll have to accept what I can get.

If the speed limits get frustrating, then I'll need to upgrade sooner than I was anticipating.

Is the RBR40 more stable than the RBR50v2 ?

Or I just had some bad luck with the one I purchased?

[plemans]

You might have just had bad luck with the one you had. I've got 2x RBK50 series sets and 1 RBK40 series that are farmed out to family members that are all orginals and still running. 

If it was me? I'd go 2x routes. 

1. Accept the RBR40 kit. But see if they can send you an extra satellite or refund you some $ since it's a downgrade and they know it. Its not your fault they don't have any in stock. Its on them to honor their warranty. 

2. Source a RBR50 router from ebay or some other third part reseller if you want to keep the wider backhaul. 

Keep in mind, if you've only got 100mpbs, the 40 series should do fine with your service as a 867 Mbps link backhaul (actual throughput is probably only 400-600mbps). The wider backhaul of the 50 series is nice if you're getting over those speeds but isn't needed for what you have. 

[bbb555]

thanks for the replies, just thought I'd give an update.

I ended up going back to the retailer I bought it from and told them what I've gone through with support and the RMA.

The retailer has offered a RBK352 as a replacement instead.  It is dual band (but I use a wired backhaul) and has WiFi 6, so I've gone with that option instead. 

Hopefully this lasts longer than my RBR50v2.