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Forum Discussion
Adding 2nd satellite brings down network intermittently
I've had my Orbi and 2 satellites for years with no problems when they operated in Access Point mode. Last September, Google Fiber replaced their modem/router with a modem and I changed the Orbit to router mode. Worked fine for months with the satellites wired to the Orbi router. However a month or so ago I started having problems. The network would go down. So after 6 hours of screwing around I decided to replace the switch because unplugging the switch and restarting it brought the network back up. The good times lasted about a week. Network goes down again. Another 6 hours of screwing around and it mysteriously goes back up for days. Repeat. Repeat. With some experimentation I decided one of the satellites was bad and bringing down the network so I took it out and because I happen to have another Orbi router I put that router in access point mode and I used that instead. Everything was perfect for weeks. I also made some other wiring improvements... I realized that there was no reason that the wired backhauls should go thru the switch so I fixed that. The satellites connect directly to the router. Everything was good. I have one Orbi acting as a router, one wired satellite, and one wired Orbi access point. I should have left it alone. But Woot had a deal on refurbished Orbi's .. you got the Orbi and 2 satellites for $200 so I decided to go with it and replaced the access point with one of satellites. Guess what... network goes down. So I replaced it with the other satellite. Again, after a while, network goes down. So thinking that the wire might be bad in the wall, I put one of the new satellites right next to the Orbi router and connect it by wire and after a while the network goes down. So at that point I was going to give up and sell all of this Orbi garbage on Ebay because I am running out of 6 hour units of time to waste. But I forgot to unplug the Orbi satellite and it connected to the Orbi router by wifi and guess what... after a while the network goes down. Now in case you are thinking that the problem must be the Orbi router, I can tell you I've tried multiple Orbi routers with the same results. I am running the latest firmware 2.7.4.24 on the Orbi router and satellites. If anyone has an idea, thanks in advance.
22 Replies
A lot of information here but it is difficult understanding your current layout/configuration. Switches can be problematic if you are hardwiring Orbi satellites. Can you summarize how things are connected to your ISP/modem, along with any switches? And are you now running your Orbi in Router mode or Access Point mode?
It might be best to factory reset and start again, starting from everything wireless connected, then make incremental changes.
Each satellite is connected by wire to the Orbi router directly and not thru a switch. One satellite (which has been stable by itself) has some stuff connected to it by wire (an LG TV, a Denon Receiver, and a Chromecast with Google TV) directly by wire thru its ports, no switch. The satellite I try to add has nothing connected to it by wire except the Orbi router. And the network goes down intermittently whether that satellite is connected to the Orbi by wire or by wifi. Everything else wired to the Orbi router goes thru a TP Link TL-SG1024S switch. But I repeat.... the satellites are wired directly to the Orbi router and not thru the switch. And I had the same problems with a Netgear Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS324). The Orbi router is connected directly to Google Fiber's modem. The satellites are connected to the Orbi router by star. Same results with unstable network when I turn off Daisy Chain option. Same results with multiple satellites (I have extras) and multiple Orbit routers (I have extras).
So what happens if you turn OFF the 1st RBS and then leave the newer added RBS ON and running?
What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and 📡 satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS📡 to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.
https://kb.netgear.com/31029/Where-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite 📡Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update?
What is the model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
What is the Mfr and model# of the ethernet switch in the configuration?
Have you found a resolution to the problem? I have the same setup. One RBR50 router and two RBS50 satellites hard-wired for backhaul to the router. I had one router and one satellite working fine for years. I added the second and not I have issues. The WiFi will work fine for hours, but all of a sudden the wifi will stop working. Technically the wifi still works, but there is no route to the internet. The router and the other satellite and associated devices via wifi work fine. Devices connected to the satellite's ethernet ports also continue to work fine.
All firmware is up-to-date and on the same version
I have tried to re-sync the satellites and the router
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Ethan
- I gave up and replaced all with Google Wifi because I have Google fiber and that way Google could not blame someone else for issues. Solved most problems but eventually the fiber modem had to be replaced so that might have been an issue. I also replaced my Ethernet switch at one point. If you haven't, I would restart the switch if you are using one.
Also have you tried both daisy chain and star settings?
Only one may work properly.
What Firmware version is currently loaded? Be sure RBS have same FW version as RBR.
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended.Are the RBS ethernet connected directly behind the RBR or is there a LAN switch or LAN Patch panel in between them?
What CAT# lan cables are you using? Good quality CAT6 LAN cable is recommended.
What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and 📡 satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS📡 to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.
https://kb.netgear.com/31029/Where-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite 📡Try swapping RBS locations with each other to see if problem continues.
Try bringing both RBS to same room as RBR and ethernet connect them directly behind the RBR to see if the problem continues.
FreedomII wrote:
Have you found a resolution to the problem? I have the same setup. One RBR50 router and two RBS50 satellites hard-wired for backhaul to the router. I had one router and one satellite working fine for years. I added the second and not I have issues. The WiFi will work fine for hours, but all of a sudden the wifi will stop working. Technically the wifi still works, but there is no route to the internet. The router and the other satellite and associated devices via wifi work fine. Devices connected to the satellite's ethernet ports also continue to work fine.
All firmware is up-to-date and on the same version
I have tried to re-sync the satellites and the router
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Ethan
Firmware is the same on all three devices - V2.7.4.24
Using Verizon FiOS not sure of the ONT manufacture
All cabling is CAT 5e or better
Both satellites are hard-wired directly back to the router
Wood frame house, about 2300sq/ft
There is more than 30ft between each of the Orbi devices.
I have swapped the location of the RBS(s)
