The RBK40 Orbi mesh model of Netgear brand consist of two extraordinary networking devices: one is router RBR40 and another is satellites RBS40. Both connects with each other and build a strong and reliable WIFi network.
Here, on this guide you will get to learn about how to complete the Orbi RBK40 setup by linking the router with modem and syncing the satellite with router.
Orbi RBK40 Mesh Setup
Orbi RBR40 Modem Connection
Disconnect power to both the modem and Orbi. Unplug everything. Wait a minute or two. Plug in the modem first. Wait until every light it normally has when connected is solid or blinking the way it should. Could take 2–3 minutes.
Connect the LAN cable between the modem and Orbi router, then turn on the devices.
Orbilogin.net Setup: Computer
Connect the Ethernet cable from the Orbi into your PC or you can use the default WiFi SSID of the Orbi network.
- After the computer connection, open your browser. Type orbilogin.net in the address bar. If you get a “site can’t be reached” error, you either typed it wrong or your computer is still trying to use your old network. Restart the browser or just reboot the computer.
- You should get the Orbi RBK40 mesh setup page. It’ll ask for a username and password. Default is usually admin for user and password for, well, password — unless you’ve set something custom before.
- Follow the prompts. It’ll detect your internet, maybe reboot the router once. Just let it do its thing.
- Once it says setup is done, you can connect to the new Wi-Fi it creates. The name and password are on the sticker under the router. Change them later in settings if you want something memorable.
Then just end the Orbi setup by the updating the firmware and connecting the satellite.
Orbi App Setup: Phone
Download the Orbi app. You can set it up in a browser, but the app is less of a headache for the first-time setup. iOS or Android, whatever you’ve got.
- Open it. It’s going to shove you into logging in with a Netgear account. If you don’t have one, make it now.
- Next, it’ll ask for camera access. That’s for scanning the QR code on your Orbi router. The QR is usually on the bottom of the main unit. Flip it over, scan it, and it’ll auto-fill all the serial number junk so you don’t have to type it.
- From here, the app will basically walk you through:
- Plug in your Orbi router to power.
- Connect it to your modem with the ethernet cable.
- Wait for the white light to go solid. Don’t panic if it blinks for a while. Mine took like 3 minutes.
- Once it sees the router, it’ll have you plug in the satellites. Same deal — plug in, wait for the light pattern to do its thing. The app will yell at you if one doesn’t connect.
- When all the hardware is happy, it’ll ask you to pick your WiFi network name and password. This is where you can ditch the default “NETGEAR-xyz” name and use something you actually remember.
- It’ll save the settings, reboot the system (yep, you’ll lose WiFi for a minute), and then… you’re basically done. You’ll probably get hit with a firmware update right after. Let it run — mine took about 5–10 minutes and the app looked frozen, but it wasn’t.
After that, the app will get you into the dashboard where you can see connected devices, mess with parental controls, or more realistically never open it again unless something breaks.
How to Sync Orbi RBS40 Satellites with Router?
- On the router, press the Sync button.
- Within 2 minutes, press the Sync button on the satellite.
The satellite’s ring light will start doing its lights routine:
- Blinking white = syncing in progress
- Solid blue = good connection
- Solid amber = weak connection
- Magenta = no connection
The sync process can take a couple of minutes. If it works, the ring will go off after a while. Once it’s synced, unplug it and move it to its permanent spot. If it comes back up with amber, that spot’s too far.
Troubleshooting Tips for Orbi RBK40 Setup
- Power cycle: If anything acts weird, unplug everything. Router, satellites, modem. Wait like 2 minutes. Plug the modem in first, then the Orbi router, then satellites. The order matters more than you think.
- Use Ethernet if you can for setup: The app is fine… until it’s not. If the app keeps timing out or your phone decides to hop to your LTE, plug a laptop into the Orbi with Ethernet and run Orbi router setup from orbilogin.com.
- Watch the LED colors: They actually mean something. Flashing white = starting up, solid blue = good link, amber = meh connection, magenta = no connection. If you get magenta on the satellite after Orbi RBK40 setup, move it closer to the router and try again.
- Factory reset isn’t just a button press: Hold the little reset button with a paperclip for at least 10 seconds until the LED goes amber. Let it fully reboot before trying again. If you release too soon, you just soft-reboot it, and that won’t fix squat.
- Don’t skip firmware updates: Mine shipped with ancient firmware that basically hated modern devices. After you get any kind of working connection, jump into the admin panel and update. Both the router and satellites need it — they don’t always auto-update.
- ISP weirdness: Some ISPs (looking at you, Comcast) need you to reboot the modem so it “forgets” the old router before Orbi will grab an IP. If you just swap routers without rebooting the modem, the Orbi will sit there blinking like an idiot.
- Satellites not syncing? Try this: Reset only the satellite, power it down, place it near the router, turn it back on, and press Sync on both within 2 minutes. Don’t try to sync satellites from the other side of the house. Get it working close up, then move it.
