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Forum Discussion
Orbi firmware update v2.1.4.16 availability
We’ve been monitoring issues that some customers have experienced in OrbiOS 2.1.4. In response, we’re releasing firmware that provides a permanent fix for the homekit issue along with various other fixes. Please use the manual firmware upgrade process to apply to your Orbi.
Release note:
- Fixes issues with the Apple HomeKit connectivity
- Fixes the wireless crash and reboot issue when the router is under stress
- Fixes WiFi disconnection and IOT issues
- Fixes an issue where devices on the Guest Network are able to see (but not connect to) some devices on the main network
- Fixes an issue where device boot order caused devices connected over Ethernet Backhaul to connect wireless backhaul
- Updates the OpenVPN certificate from MD5 to SHA-256
Note:
CBR40 will be available later this month.
We look forward to hearing your feedback.
-NETGEAR Team
808 Replies
This is confusing - my Orbi is on firmware 2.3.1.60, and this firmware seems to be older than that. There are some hints here and there that this is for the Orbi Pro, but it's not clear. I suggest that whoever is posting these messages make it more clear if this is NOT for the regular Orbi and is for the Orbi Pro.
- Perhaps your confusion is because you are in a thread started a year ago when the software was on an earlier version?
- Can I safely skip updates or are they patches?
- Some can, some cant, some need a factory reset after upgrading to new firmware, try upgrading it will tell you if you cant and if you need to apply another firmware 1st. If you have issues after upgrading do a factory reset and manually reconfigure dont use a saved config. Ive been lucky had no issues doing any firmware upgrades, system has been stable since day 1 with all firmwares.
Exactly where is this option to stop FW udpates?
I am on the latest 2.3.1.60 and can't find anything in basic or advanced settings.Was this just an empty promis on netgear's behalf?
FW updates are no longer auto upated after v32. The updates when available and will notify users of the update and it's up to the users to make the update.
globespy wrote:Exactly where is this option to stop FW udpates?
I am on the latest 2.3.1.60 and can't find anything in basic or advanced settings.Was this just an empty promis on netgear's behalf?
- Has anyone heard about manuals rolling back the firmware to 2.0.1.4 and letting the Orbi update itself back to the latest firmware? I saw a YouTube video where a guy had contacted Netgear because he was having issues with the latest firmware at the time. He said NG support explained that manually rolling back the firmware would put the Orbi back on track to stable firmware upgrades. This is the link to what he explains. https://youtu.be/ONY9BVxhHHI hope this helps someone. Anyone!!
- That youtube video is close to a year old.
- With all the problems with the firmware issues any suggestions should be welcome regardless of the age of the suggestion. I tried rolling mine back to 2.0.1.4 and it has been somewhat more stable. Not sure if it will remain that way but better than sitting on my hands doing nothing.
- That’s really old firmware. I manually upgraded my router and satellites to v2.2.1.210.
I have one router and 2 satellites. I am having problems between my Homekit devices (iDevices switch and Liftmaster garage door opener). Also, while myiPhone sees Homekit devices thru the iDevices and Liftmaster apps, my iPad cannot see the devices thru the respective device apps. Lastly, I am having probems reintalling my Liftmaster garage door opners.
- I don’t know if this will help. I had trouble with my Phillips Hue hub working with the Orbi system. I finally discovered that it required my Apple TV to communicate with HomeKit. I had the Apple TV set to go to sleep after a specified amount of time. It’s now on constantly and no connectivity issues.
. actually.. problem is still there.. my Homekit devices keep getting blown away.. .
Please add USB network drive capability!!!! Its rediculous that your lower models have this feature and the Orbi does not. :smileysad:
- I think there’s a bug in the firmware if you have sonos devices connected Ethernet to the satellite.
If you reboot the system, the satellite will not connect to the router properly unless you disconnect the sonos devices I.e. playbar and sub and the satellite will connect and then you can reconnect the sonos devices. Been annoying me for ages but as soon as I did that. Works perfect.
While it maybe recommended for some to use other Mfr routers, for others the Orbi router does work for them. I even set on up for my friend , Months ago, Router mode and it's been working just fine and he's happy, using current version of FW:
However I do agree, there are odd ball issues which I hope NG will improve upon and I beleive in the new beta, this maybe seen. I believe there are DHCP server issues along with wired managed switch compatibility issues that NG has been made aware of in there beta forums. So NG is aware and with the new beta thats available, hopefully NG has taken the problems to heart and fixed them. Hopefully users will post about it and let us all know how the new beta works. Yes, I agree, the Orbi should work well out of the box with out having to do alot of adjusting to make things work.
Folks. Today I returned my Orbi RBK50 for a refund, and replaced it with Ubiquiti. I already had an Edgerouter X, and today I added a single Unifi ceiling mounted access point.
After championing Orbi for around 4 monthsbecause my system was stable, why am I pulling the plug? One of the reasons I had stability was the hours I put into keeping it on track. Lifx and HomeKit needed the most support. Mostly the issues involved attached devices migrating randomly between the router and the satellite, but two issues raised my ire the most. The new beta firmware gave what appeared to be more accurate signal strength and link rates, or it could have been a bug weakening the sat, so I asked through the forum as a beta tester about the lack of release notes about this and other issues. But Netgear did not respond, so that’s a black mark. The other issue is the 90 day support, then you pay. In Australia, our consumer laws give us 12 months warranty, so we don’t have to pay after 90 days. I was advised that poor support is grounds for seeking a refund, too, so I did.
Bye. It’s been fun
User can get the new beta FW here and see if it helps them for those in these "Certain Environments":
I was pointed at this thread from another about an issue where my device list is not rendering any devices. Does this solution fix my issue? I don't see it on the list.
- Unfortunately since installing this version my WiFi goes out every hour or so and takes 15-30 seconds to recover each time. I also still saw the router turn magenta and had to power cycle it. Overall the quality of the router got worse with this update and I’ve reverted to .14 with much better reliability.
After loading v.16, did you do a factory reset and set up from scratch after loading that version of FW?
Others have mentioned that this needs to be done for using v.16 FW.
Also how is the placement of the satellites and how is it configured.
eepgmik wrote:
Unfortunately since installing this version my WiFi goes out every hour or so and takes 15-30 seconds to recover each time. I also still saw the router turn magenta and had to power cycle it. Overall the quality of the router got worse with this update and I’ve reverted to .14 with much better reliability.End for me.
Orbi has really a problem, i think with DHCP, even in AP mode.
I resetted my ORBI, no satellite, switch in AP mode, connected to my internet box (Orange LiveBox 4 from France) and nothing else.
One day later, all my DHCP setting of my main router (Livebox) is gone.
It's not the first time, when i connect the orbi on my router, some time later some devices had bad IP (All the IP are static in the DHCP of my router).
Why orbi do something in AP mode !!! should just act like a switch !
There something wrong with orbi, it's a fact, it's a bad product, i can't use it again any more.
No need to hear "it works for other people bla bla bla", it should works with every body, without doing anything, plug and play, like all the device i use, orbi is really the worst device i had.
chsalmon, I think your problem arises because of conflicts caused by the Livebox
I suspect that the Livebox is an all-you-can-eat solution, intended to distributie your Orange fibre service throughout your home via its own WFi and I think television. Am I right?
So now you want to use the Orbis in AP mode for better WiFi which means you have to disable WiFi on the Livebox.
I’m inclined to think that the Livebox is quite sophisticated in its design, and is presenting your Orbis with conflicts it can’t handle.
Can you plug your internet cable from it’s entry point, directly into the Orbi’s WAN port, bypassing the Livebox, then set the Orbis up in router mode?
I made the mistake of trusting your software over a wireless connection. The software reported that my Orbi router and satellite firmware (2.1.4.12) was out of date, and said 2.1.4.16 was available. I clicked Update All. I waited a couple of hours and the Orbi was still blinking white. Eventually I gave up, hoping that power-cycling would make something happen. Long story short, I'm able to connect to both satellites over Ethernet, and both were updated. The router is totally bricked. It won't boot, and won't be reset. I can't get an IP address for it, can't reach it at all. Sometimes, when I power-cycle it, the power LED is green. Sometimes it turns to flashing red. The top light continues to flash white, ad nauseum. What do????
You can give this a try:
https://kb.netgear.com/22688/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-TFTP
Use the TFTP program thats built into windows, do NOT use the on stated in the link. It doesn't work. The one built in with windows does.
You'll need a LAN wired PC connected with the router.
IF this fails, you'll need to contact NG support and ask for an RMA.
I recommend doing any FW updates with a LAN wired PC connected to the router.
bmelvin wrote:
I made the mistake of trusting your software over a wireless connection. The software reported that my Orbi router and satellite firmware (2.1.4.12) was out of date, and said 2.1.4.16 was available. I clicked Update All. I waited a couple of hours and the Orbi was still blinking white. Eventually I gave up, hoping that power-cycling would make something happen. Long story short, I'm able to connect to both satellites over Ethernet, and both were updated. The router is totally bricked. It won't boot, and won't be reset. I can't get an IP address for it, can't reach it at all. Sometimes, when I power-cycle it, the power LED is green. Sometimes it turns to flashing red. The top light continues to flash white, ad nauseum. What do????
