Voxel Custom firmware build for Orbi RBK50/RBK53 (RBR50, RBS50) v. 9.2.5.1.33SF-HW & v. 9.2.5.1.34SF-HW

[superczar]

I have a RBR50 with a RBS50 and a RBS20 as satellites.
Would the setup still work with Voxel on the Orbi RBR 50 and RBS 50 while leaving the RBS20 on stock ?(Given that Voxel is not available for the Orbi 20 series)

 

[Voxel]

I have a RBR50 with a RBS50 and a RBS20 as satellites.
Would the setup still work with Voxel on the Orbi RBR 50 and RBS 50 while leaving the RBS20 on stock ?(Given that Voxel is not available for the Orbi 20 series)

Such scheme should work (my build for RBR50 and RBS20 as a satellite with stock fw).

Voxel.

 

[superczar]

Such scheme should work (my build for RBR50 and RBS20 as a satellite with stock fw).

Voxel.

Thank you so much for confirming - I will go ahead and do this today evening..

On a side note, if you have some spare time, can you please take a look at this thread
Orbi system - Faulty LAN / switching design

This issue has had me stumped for many years now

 

[superczar]

Just an update that the firmware update for RBS50 and RBR50 went fine - RBS20 on stock connects fine to Voxel RBR50

1 question and a PSA:
My iPerf3 speeds on the 5ghz front haul seem to have dropped somewhat.
An iPerf3 server on the LAN that used to hit 900+ on wired and 400+ mbps on wireless is now yielding 300-350 on wireless
I tried the latest as well as 9.2.5.1.19 FW but getting the same results.
Am I missing something here or this is to be expected?

Here is a PSA as well:
I did run into a failure initially with the first couple of tries on the router which required me to use TFTP server mode to upload stock 2.5.1.16
After a couple of failed attempts, I guessed that it would have something to do the Orbi being in AP mode.

After TFTPing stock 2.5.1.16 for the 3rd time, I reset the Orbi to factory settings
After this, the switch to Voxel went fine.
Once on Voxel, I flipped the router back to AP mode

Would suggest starting with a freshly reset RBR50 before trying to load Voxel

 

[Skippy Bosco]

Am I missing something here or this is to be expected?

I've not heard of this happening before.

I did run into a failure initially with the first couple of tries on the router which required me to use TFTP

Did you try and factory reset while on Voxel or manually reboot the router before the upgrade was complete? Those are the only situations I've heard that have required a TFTP.

I guessed that it would have something to do the Orbi being in AP mode.

Not at all, my router runs in AP mode and never an issue with upgrades to stock or Voxel.

 

[superczar]

I've not heard of this happening before.




Did you try and factory reset while on Voxel or manually reboot the router before the upgrade was complete? Those are the only situations I've heard that have required a TFTP.




Not at all, my router runs in AP mode and never an issue with upgrades to stock or Voxel.

No, the router was updated to 2.5.1.16 with existing settings.
The first attempt to install voxel resulted in a soft brick with pulsing white LED and no response on ports / no SSID broadcast.
The next attempt was made after a TFTP recovery to 2.5.1.16 which yielded same result

What finally worked the third time is a TFTP recovery to stock (.16 ) followed by a factory RESET (while on stock) and then uploading voxel.
Once on voxel, i flipped the router back to AP mode


Hard to say why it didn’t work for me but worked for you

On a side note , iperf performance seems to be back to normal now -

 

[Skippy Bosco]

The next attempt was made after a TFTP recovery to 2.5.1.16 which yielded same result

While I can't say why your first attempt did not work, TFTP of Voxel will probably never work since that is essentially a factory reset as part of that process.

That said, glad to hear you're back up and running.

 

[superczar]

While I can't say why your first attempt did not work, TFTP of Voxel will probably never work since that is essentially a factory reset as part of that process.

That said, glad to hear you're back up and running.

There was no attempt to TFTP Voxel.
All three TFTP uploads were the stock 2.5.1.16 fw.
It’s probably worth pointing out that the router continued to be in AP mode after each TFTP (surprising) - so that would make me guess that the orbi stores its config on a partition that is unaffected during a tftp upload.

In any case, i think there is no harm in performing a factory reset PRIOR to the first time voxel upload from the stock UI. I didn’t do so out of laziness as it would have required some physical labor and other config changes. I guess all the extra work that it caused was well deserved

Subsequent Voxel updates (or downgrades) can be via Voxel UI

 

[theoak]

No problems to integrate the changes from 2.5.2.4. What is bothering me:

https://kb.netgear.com/2649/NETGEAR-Open-Source-Code-for-Programmers-GPL

2.7.0.70 GPL source codes. I.e. upcoming 2.7.0.70. A lot of changes (vs 2.5.2.4). Compare: 2.5.2.4 vs 2.7.0.70... And I had to check the diffs....

Voxel.

Well, you called it. Those images are out now:

https://http.fw.updates1.netgear.com/rbr50/V2.7.0/ww/RBR50-V2.7.0.70.img
https://http.fw.updates1.netgear.com/rbs50/V2.7.0/ww/RBS50-V2.7.0.70.img

 

[kalpik]

Well, you called it. Those images are out now:

https://http.fw.updates1.netgear.com/rbr50/V2.7.0/ww/RBR50-V2.7.0.70.img
https://http.fw.updates1.netgear.com/rbs50/V2.7.0/ww/RBS50-V2.7.0.70.img

Does anyone know the changelog for these?

 

[theoak]

Does anyone know the changelog for these?

2.5.2.4 and 2.7.0.70 do not have release notes that I have seen. Netgear claims they don't know about them; however, folks are getting them pushed to them and/or showing up as upgrade options via the iOS app.

2.7.0.70 appears to release new parental controls; hence why there are so many changes.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

Seen a few NG forum posters posting they have been seeing v2.7x coming thru Orbi app. Seems to be causing some problems so having them revert back to v16. NG hasn't pushed v2.5.2.4 has of yet officially from there download site. Not sure if there waiting or what.

Those links to the update server are not meant for user manual downloads. Only by the orbi autoupdate system.

No problems to integrate the changes from 2.5.2.4. What is bothering me:

https://kb.netgear.com/2649/NETGEAR-Open-Source-Code-for-Programmers-GPL

2.7.0.70 GPL source codes. I.e. upcoming 2.7.0.70. A lot of changes (vs 2.5.2.4). Compare: 2.5.2.4 vs 2.7.0.70... And I had to check the diffs....

Voxel.

 

[Skippy Bosco]

Seen a few NG forum posters posting they have been seeing v2.7x coming thru Orbi app. Seems to be causing some problems so having them revert back to v16. NG hasn't pushed v2.5.2.4 has of yet officially from there download site. Not sure if there waiting or what.

Those links to the update server are not meant for user manual downloads. Only by the orbi autoupdate system.

To be fair, some small vocal % of the community has a problem with firmware upgrades. I downloaded and flashed and am running it right now without issue. But then I don't have a complicated environment, run wired backhaul, keep all defaults, have Parental Control, Disney Circle and Netgear Armor disabled. I've never had an issue with any stock or Voxel firm.

 

[digital10]

ah, yes... forced malfunctioning updates. Another reason I enjoy Voxel. I choose the firmware version.

 

[superczar]

A quick question for other voxel users
Is there any difference in performance in router mode vs AP mode?
Currently i have an ER-X working as a router and the Orbi in AP mode.
I can of course eliminate the ER-X from the chain but have set it up this way with the assumption that the reduced CPU load on Orbi in AP mode could possibly help with performance.

I could be completely wrong with that assumption though!

 

[Skippy Bosco]

A quick question for other voxel users
Is there any difference in performance in router mode vs AP mode?
Currently i have an ER-X working as a router and the Orbi in AP mode.
I can of course eliminate the ER-X from the chain but have set it up this way with the assumption that the reduced CPU load on Orbi in AP mode could possibly help with performance.

I could be completely wrong with that assumption though!

The short answer is that it depends. AP mode restricts a ton of functionality like Armor, Parental Controls, Disney Circle, Device Management, etc. Having those not active certainly helps for performance of your Orbi.

Now whether or not having those disabled with router mode on makes a significant difference, I can't say for sure.

For me personally, I prefer to keep my internet modem in play so that it can take as much of the performance burden as it can from Orbi so Orbi can focus on device connections and mesh syncronization.

 

[superczar]

The short answer is that it depends. AP mode restricts a ton of functionality like Armor, Parental Controls, Disney Circle, Device Management, etc. Having those not active certainly helps for performance of your Orbi.

Now whether or not having those disabled with router mode on makes a significant difference, I can't say for sure.

For me personally, I prefer to keep my internet modem in play so that it can take as much of the performance burden as it can from Orbi so Orbi can focus on device connections and mesh syncronization.

That was my thought process as well.
However the Orbi original firmware is a bit wonky - and I used to get recurrent LAN issues with the original FW
It makes me wonder if the Orbi will do a better job at managing everything if it’s also responsible for maintaining the routing tables and connection states

 

[digital10]

A quick question for other voxel users
Is there any difference in performance in router mode vs AP mode?
Currently i have an ER-X working as a router and the Orbi in AP mode.
I can of course eliminate the ER-X from the chain but have set it up this way with the assumption that the reduced CPU load on Orbi in AP mode could possibly help with performance.

I could be completely wrong with that assumption though!

i dont know, i never heard this personally

i can tell you i am using it as a router and its doing a supreme job. If I use it just as AP will it perform better?
We need someone to test that
i am using voxel

 

[e38BimmerFN]

AP Mode typically works better since the RBR has less operations to perform with not having router and DHCP services and other items it doesn't have to perform while in AP mode. You can most certainly connect the Orbi in AP mode to the ERX router.

Wireless speeds should still be good and wired should be better.

Also might be good to run the RBS if you have any ethernet connected to the RBR in AP mode as well for best performance.

A quick question for other voxel users
Is there any difference in performance in router mode vs AP mode?
Currently i have an ER-X working as a router and the Orbi in AP mode.
I can of course eliminate the ER-X from the chain but have set it up this way with the assumption that the reduced CPU load on Orbi in AP mode could possibly help with performance.

I could be completely wrong with that assumption though!

 

[mith_y2k]

i dont know, i never heard this personally

i can tell you i am using it as a router and its doing a supreme job. If I use it just as AP will it perform better?
We need someone to test that
i am using voxel

I have not verified this myself, what I have heard is that if you have a gigabit internet you’re hitting the upper limits of the Orbi so using it in AP likely frees up some resources and gives people better performance. I have gigabit and I hit upper 800Mbit on the Orbi and low 800 from a wired device so I never bothered