MacBook Air Self Assigned IP Address

Try creating a new network location and see if the problem persists. System Settings > Network, click the ... button at the bottom right of the preference pane, then Locations > Edit Locations and click the + button.

Have you verified the Mac on a third Wi-Fi network?

That’ll then tend to point to the NETGEAR Orbi, or to the Mac connection into the Orbi, or thr Mac more generally.

What is being reported here so far looks like it’s either an issue with the Mac connecting onto one network — VPN add-on apps or anti-malware add-on apps can sometimes get tangled here, if any of those are present — or it’s potentially an issue with the Orbi network, or interference between the networks.

Check for firmware updates for the Orbi too, and apply the latest available for your particular hardware, and test again if there’s an update:

• https://www.netgear.com/support/product/orbi/

Longer-term, I’d look to consolidate onto one network with multiple access points with wired backhaul, or onto a common mixed or mesh network.

PS: I’d stay out of 192.168.0.0/24 and 192.168.1.0/24, as those tend to get VPNs tangled, as ~everybody uses those subnets.

If you have a Mac or PC (or if NETGEAR Orbi supports it, (scan the Wi-Fi bands for activity, and also check RSSI and noise for your common client locations.

When configuring mid- or higher-end SOHO Wi-Fi networks, I usually use Ubiquiti mesh-capable Wi-Fi 6 or now 6E gear (which has scanning, mapping, and display capabilities) and WiFi Explorer app on macOS for that, and there are other scanning apps for Mac and PC.

I’ve seen all sorts of local stuff using Wi-Fi, including various appliances, vehicles, neighbors, and Mac Jim ID is exceedingly verily and absolutely correct about congestion causing all sorts of Wi-Fi sadness.

Three separate (and apparently uncoordinated?) Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz networks in close proximity is less that a good idea with 2.4 Ghz gear, as you’ve just used all of the available channels in US-region 2.4 GHz for those networks, and if you also use mesh in 2.4 GHz, that will require yet more (now-conflicting) channels.

A network that is coordinated and is offering multiple SSIDs can use those multiple SSIDs without quite as many 2.4 Ghz channels. Mesh in any band is still going to need channels for backhaul, so either get into 5 GHz or 6 GHz, or get wired backhaul

Check the specs for that particular Orbi gear (can it be encouraged to use 5 Ghz, or 6 Ghz if its new enough?), and also see if the NETGEAR forums have any issues or configuration recommendations.

Try resetting the network adapter

sudo ifconfig en0 down

sudo ifconfig en0 up

Is your Orbi operating on the 2.4Ghz band for Wifi? This may be the case since it is an older Orbi and using it with other devices that may operate only on the 2.4Ghz band. This band is very congested and quickly runs out of channels to connect to without interference. With a dual band router, you should be able to force it to use the 5Ghz band, but not sure if that would then be compatible with your other devices. Possibly need to create a seperate SSID for 5Ghz only if your router allows you to do that.

On my router, I have 2 SSID's, one with 2.4Ghz for security cams, printer and older devices, then another SSID on 5Ghz only for TV, computer, and phone WiFi. I was experiencing dropped WiFi connections using just a single SSID on the dual band router.

169.254.x.x usually means a network configuration error.

Please describe your Wi-Fi network configuration in a little more detail.

Same SSID on disparate networks?

Same subnet on disparate networks?

How many DHCP servers do you have?

Pleas describe what was meant by “router thing”.