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Can a second Orbi Router RBR50 act as a satellite in an existing network of another RBR50?
So, I had bought two boxes of RBK50 (each containing 1x RBR50v2 + 2x RBS50v2), which means I now have 2x RBR50v2 and and 4x RBS50v2. I already am using one RBR50v2 router with three of the RBS50v2 sa...
So, that sort of worked... But I am uneasy...
I first reset the 2nd RBR50v2 to clear up my previous attempt's effects, then connected it to my PC directly through the LAN ports on both, visited orbilogin.com, went through misc screens giving the least possible answers and skipping things, but named/passworded the WIFI network to be different than my existing Orbi network, went to the Router/AP page, gave it a proper device name instead of the default "RBR50", and then switched it to AP mode. At this point, once the 2nd router finished rebooting, the connection between the PC and the new router stops working.
Once the second router booted, the light turned magenta. I connected a cable directly from the existing router's LAN output into the WAN input of the new router. Nothing else is connected to the new router in AP mode. So, it now has internet connectivity, and the AttachedDevices screen of the first router's admin page shows the new router just like any other device. And, the second router is broadcasting the new differently-named WIFI network as I verified by my phone, connecting to it and visiting the internet. I also updated the firmware to the latest just to eliminate any ghost problems. Things continue to work.
At this point, I have my FOOBAR and FOOBAR-Outdoor networks available to me. Of course, I would like to have both named the same. But before I change the SSID of the second router to be the same as the main router, I went to the AttachedDevices of the new router's management page. Remember that there is nothing connected to it except that its WAN port is fed by the LAN port of the original router. What do I see? A random collection of 12 devices in my house (out of the 28 reported on the admin page of the main router) are seen as WIRED connected to the new router, regardless if they are wired or wirelessly connected to the original router. with the same IP addresses as handed out by the DHCP of the original router.
So, this seems like an artifact display of attached devices? Somehow some traffic that comes to the main router is also seen by the 2nd router and it mistakenly thinks those devices are connected to itself via wire, because it itself is connected to the main router via wire?
Somehow this disturbs me. I might actually shell out the money to order a proper outdoor mesh satellite, but still use it with wired backhaul. And, reset and put this 2nd router into a drawer as backup in case my main router fails.
Someone tell me that everything is OK, that I can change the SSID of FOOBAR-Outdoor to FOOBAR, and save me money! :)
Tuna
Oh. I had wired the existing Orbi network into one of the LAN ports of the 2nd Router/AP, thinking that the AP mode would basically make it ignore the WAN input. Bad assumption, I guess. I'll try with this setup and report back.
So, that sort of worked... But I am uneasy...
I first reset the 2nd RBR50v2 to clear up my previous attempt's effects, then connected it to my PC directly through the LAN ports on both, visited orbilogin.com, went through misc screens giving the least possible answers and skipping things, but named/passworded the WIFI network to be different than my existing Orbi network, went to the Router/AP page, gave it a proper device name instead of the default "RBR50", and then switched it to AP mode. At this point, once the 2nd router finished rebooting, the connection between the PC and the new router stops working.
Once the second router booted, the light turned magenta. I connected a cable directly from the existing router's LAN output into the WAN input of the new router. Nothing else is connected to the new router in AP mode. So, it now has internet connectivity, and the AttachedDevices screen of the first router's admin page shows the new router just like any other device. And, the second router is broadcasting the new differently-named WIFI network as I verified by my phone, connecting to it and visiting the internet. I also updated the firmware to the latest just to eliminate any ghost problems. Things continue to work.
At this point, I have my FOOBAR and FOOBAR-Outdoor networks available to me. Of course, I would like to have both named the same. But before I change the SSID of the second router to be the same as the main router, I went to the AttachedDevices of the new router's management page. Remember that there is nothing connected to it except that its WAN port is fed by the LAN port of the original router. What do I see? A random collection of 12 devices in my house (out of the 28 reported on the admin page of the main router) are seen as WIRED connected to the new router, regardless if they are wired or wirelessly connected to the original router. with the same IP addresses as handed out by the DHCP of the original router.
So, this seems like an artifact display of attached devices? Somehow some traffic that comes to the main router is also seen by the 2nd router and it mistakenly thinks those devices are connected to itself via wire, because it itself is connected to the main router via wire?
Somehow this disturbs me. I might actually shell out the money to order a proper outdoor mesh satellite, but still use it with wired backhaul. And, reset and put this 2nd router into a drawer as backup in case my main router fails.
Someone tell me that everything is OK, that I can change the SSID of FOOBAR-Outdoor to FOOBAR, and save me money! :)
Tuna
tuna_ertemalp wrote:So, this seems like an artifact display of attached devices? Somehow some traffic that comes to the main router is also seen by the 2nd router and it mistakenly thinks those devices are connected to itself via wire, because it itself is connected to the main router via wire?
You are correct. This Orbi sees packets from a lot of devices coming "through the wire." They are thus "wired." Not only that, but when something does attach to the AP via WiFi, the main Orbi will see packets coming "through the wire", and thus label them as "wired" also. Only an Orbi satellite can tell the router that something is "WiFi."
tuna_ertemalp wrote:Somehow this disturbs me. I might actually shell out the money to order a proper outdoor mesh satellite, but still use it with wired backhaul. And, reset and put this 2nd router into a drawer as backup in case my main router fails.
You get a more consistent Orbi network with a true Orbi satellite, and only the RBS50Y is actually rated to be placed outdoors.
Thank you! Even though this should work, I will avoid any future headache and get myself an RBS50Y.
But this thread should still be useful to people who want to turn their RBR50 routers into AP, and be aware of the things they might run into. Thank you for your help in ironing out the details.
Tuna
