Mac OS and iOS Connectivity is Atrocious, HELP!

[lw187]

Hello all, long time lurker. Finally throwing in the towel on resolving this myself and looking for advice on my issues. ios and OS devices lose connectivity. ALL. THE. TIME. The device in question will show full connectivity, but will not have internet access of any kind. The situation is usually resolved on its own in time, but the reliability of the network is atrocious. 

Family uses: iphone X (2), ipad pro (2), imac (late 2009), and macbook pro (early 2017). All on newest OS. 

RBR50 set to AP mode. Hard wired to Verizon Fios router (which is not broadcasting its own SSIDs). The three satellites are all placed throughtout home and all have GOOD back haul status. They are not daisy chained. All devices on 2.1.2.18. 

My setings are as follows:

2.4GHz Channel set to AUTO

5.0 set to 48. 

WPA2-PSK [AES]

Guest Network Disabled

NPT Set to "Use defualt NETGEAR NTP"

2.4 GHz: Enable SSID, Enable 20/40, Enable WMM, Preamble Automatic, Transmit Power 100%

5.0 GHz: Enable SSID, Enable WMM, Preamble Automatic, Transmit Power 100%

Daisy Chain OFF

Implicit Beamforming OFF

MU-MIMO OFF

Fast Roaming OFF

Use a Dynamic DNS Service NO

Static Routes NONE

[Steven_Belfast]

Greetings

When the problem happens are you able to access the Orbi web page or the Verizon router ?

[st_shaw]

There is no Orbi systemic problem I know of.  I have no issues with Apple devices on iPhone 5 and 7+, iPad air, and two MacBook Pros.

The only issue with your settings is you should change 2.4 GHz channels to use either 1, 6, or 11.  Don't use auto.

I have beamforming and MU-MIMO both set to On.

I have daisy-chain ON, but only one satellite.

Other than that, I would also go into your Apple devices and tell them to forget the Orbi WiFi network, then add the Orbi network back in.

[FURRYe38]

Whats the Mfr and model of the ISP modem? Built in router by chance? 

My setings are as follows:

2.4GHz Channel set to Auto

5.0 set to 48.

WPA2-PSK [AES]

Guest Network Disabled

NPT Set to "Use defualt NETGEAR NTP"

2.4 GHz: Enable SSID, Enable 20/40, Enable WMM, Preamble Automatic, Transmit Power 100%

5.0 GHz: Enable SSID, Enable WMM, Preamble Automatic, Transmit Power 100%

Implicit Beamforming ON

MU-MIMO OFF

Iphones, ipad, Mac Book Pro 2008, Imac 2009, Mac Mini 2012 and all other items working well for me. 

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@lw187wrote:

Hello all, long time lurker. Finally throwing in the towel on resolving this myself and looking for advice on my issues. ios and OS devices lose connectivity. ALL. THE. TIME. The device in question will show full connectivity, but will not have internet access of any kind. The situation is usually resolved on its own in time, but the reliability of the network is atrocious. 

Family uses: iphone X (2), ipad pro (2), imac (late 2009), and macbook pro (early 2017). All on newest OS. 

RBR50 set to AP mode. Hard wired to Verizon Fios router (which is not broadcasting its own SSIDs). The three satellites are all placed throughtout home and all have GOOD back haul status. They are not daisy chained. All devices on 2.1.2.18. 

My setings are as follows:

2.4GHz Channel set to AUTO

5.0 set to 48. 

WPA2-PSK [AES]

Guest Network Disabled

NPT Set to "Use defualt NETGEAR NTP"

2.4 GHz: Enable SSID, Enable 20/40, Enable WMM, Preamble Automatic, Transmit Power 100%

5.0 GHz: Enable SSID, Enable WMM, Preamble Automatic, Transmit Power 100%

Daisy Chain OFF

Implicit Beamforming OFF

MU-MIMO OFF

Fast Roaming OFF

Use a Dynamic DNS Service NO

Static Routes NONE

---

[lw187]

thanks for the feedback all. 

i'll try beamforming again. 

and fyi, i used wiring in my home to set up an ethernet backhaul. 

so verizon router to orbi router (AP mode) then direct connection to each satellite using cat5e wired through home. 

[st_shaw]

I'm not using Ethernet backhaul on my system.

NETGEAR acknowledged issues with v2.1.2.18 and is wokring on a fix.  If none of the suggestions help, you might need to downgrade to v2.0 and revert to wireless backhaul until a fix is released.

[Brain29]

...

[Brain29]

I think all orbi's are slowly crapping out due to bad frimware your not alone. I switch to back to the 1.4 it worked great for a week. Now its dropping every other day to a few hours ..  I have noticed that after you reflash it will work great for a few days but then everything goes bad.

[FURRYe38]

Let us know how it goes. I'm using Beamforming now and Wired back haul. All is working for me with my Apple devices. 

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@lw187wrote:

thanks for the feedback all. 

i'll try beamforming again. 

and fyi, i used wiring in my home to set up an ethernet backhaul. 

so verizon router to orbi router (AP mode) then direct connection to each satellite using cat5e wired through home. 

---

[lw187]

appreciate the input all. 

i'm using a verizon g1100, for those that asked. 

i don't know, could be my imagination but the wired backhaul (direct connection from each orbi satellite to orbi router) seems to have improved matters significantly

[FURRYe38]

verizon g1100 is a gateway router with wifi. Be sure to disable any wifi on this modem/router combo unit if your using the Orbi as the main host router in router mode. IF the modem doesn't support bridging, then use the modems DMZ for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. This will help with double NAT condition. Or use the Orbi in AP mode if you want to use the Modem as the main host router.

[lw187]

thanks for the tips. 

verizon unit set to bridge mode, wifi disabled on both bands on the unit.

orbi unit set to ap

[lw187]

Yes, ty for the note re Verizon device speed. Just not feasible to rely on it in my application, however. Trying to achieve coverage across 4 floors (basement, ,main, second, attic) and also outdoor patio. That's where Orbi came in.

I would also caution others: If you try to enable Homekit generated geofencing commands for your ecobee thermostats, a wireless connection from satellites to routers seems to create havoc. Just not possible for automations to reliably work, in my situation. Worked with ecobee and Apple on this for hours and hours and months and months. 

Ultimately the hard wired backhaul seems to have resolved all my issues. Or so it appears!

[lw187]

thank you for that question. I believe I am in bridge mode (g1100) --> ap mode (orbi) ---> wifi/ethernet. 

should i switch to router mode for orbi? i'm scared to at this point, things finally seem to be working!

[lw187]

i should switch orbi back to router mode and see if that goes ok. 

[FURRYe38]

If you swtich the Orbi router back to router mode, use the Modems DMZ for the IP address it gets from the modem/router. 

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@lw187wrote:

i should switch orbi back to router mode and see if that goes ok. 

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[lw187]

So generally speaking the connectivity of devices is significantly improved by my having switched to a wired backhaul.

One thing I noticed however is that sometimes a device may retain connection to a satellite or the router even as I move around the home and there is another satellite that is closer to the device I’m using.

Guess my question boils down to if fast roaming resolves the issue by switching a device to the closest/strongest orbi signal (whether it’s my router or one of my 3 satellites).

[lw187]

Furry thanks for your help but I have no idea what dmz settings I should be on!!

[FURRYe38]

DMZ is the feature in the modems UI. If you set the Orbi router back to router mode and the Modem isn't bridged, you can use the DMZ on the modem for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Input this IP address into the modems DMZ. THis will help with a double NAT condition when using a modem/router combo unit in line with the Orbi router. 

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/networking/fixing_double_nat.htm][color=limegreen and http://computer.howstuffworks.com/nat.htm http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Networking-101-The-DMZ-137550

[lw187]

TY for clarification. the verizon modem appears to be bridged. 

[FURRYe38]

Then if it's bridged, you can use the Orbi router in router mode. 

[lw187]

Do i want to check "use router as dhcp server" in my setup?

[FURRYe38]

What IP address is the Orbi router getting on it's WAN port? ##.##.###.### or a 192. or 10 IP address? 

[lw187]

on the advanced LAN setup page i see an IP address starting with 10