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Forum Discussion
JimME
Jun 12, 2020Tutor
Connecting RBS20 via ethernet backhaul
I have an "oddball" configuration that I am trying to see if I can improve by adding an addtional RBS20 satellite. There are two buildings - Building A and Building B whcih are about 50-75 feet a...
- Jul 08, 2020
Just wanted to followup that I followed your steps and was able to get this configuration working. I initially had problems getting the new (actually refurbished) RBS satellite to sync via Wifi. Once I turned off the existing RBS20 that was closest to where I was working, the new one was able to sync. Somehow that existing satellite must have been interfering with the new satellite I was trying to sync.
The next problem I had was getting the ethernet backhaul to work correctly. I finally figured out that I was having difficulties because of the way everything was originally configured. We have one non-orbi WiFi router (NetGear N600) in Building A where our external internet connection comes in and is what has been providing WiFi in building A. This router uses a 10.x.x.x IP setup for wired and WiFi connections from that router (different WiFi network credentials than the Orbi network). The wired connections in Building B were also getting their 10.x.x.x IP addresses from the Non-Orbi router through the ethernet cable between the two buildings. The Orbi Router in Building B was getting a 10.x.x.x IP address as its internet side address from the Building A router. Anything that connected to the Orbi Router via WiFI was getting a 192.168.x.x IPaddress assigned by the Orbi Router including the two orginal RBS20s we had. When I tried to connect the new satellite with wired ethernet, it appears that the Orbi Router was getting confused between the two satellites with 192.168.x.x IP addresses and the new one with a 10.x.x.x IP address. It would try to connect, but it wouldn't stay connected or work correctly.
I changed the Orbi Router to work as an AP rather than as a router so that everything (WiFi and wired) in both buildings is on one IP address scheme including all three of the satellites. Once I did this, the ethernet backhaul worked when I had the new satellite in either Building B or Building A. (I also discovered it can take several minutes for the orbilogin app to recognize and display when a satellite has switched over from being WiFi backhaul to ethernet backhaul - wasted some time and unnecessarily retrying things before I figured this out). I decided to configure the Orbi as AP and keep the main router in Building A because Building A has a couple of "reserved" IP addresses for special equipment that are in the 10.x.x.x IP address scheme which are already setup on that router and I didn't want to mess around with that.
Again, thanks for your assistance. Your steps helped me figure out what problems to attack first. I am glad I didn't just hook it up via ethernet in Building A first and try to figure things out. I never would have been able to sort out what was going on if I had.
JimME
Jun 26, 2020Tutor
Thanks for the info. I have now picked up another RBS20 and going to start doing some testing. One correction to my initial description. Our router is an RBR40, not a RBR20. I don't expect that to make any difference given my understanding of the RBR40 versus the RBR20.
Would you suggest first syncing the new RBS20 via WiFi in the building where the router is and then moving to ethernet backhaul in the other building or just going directly to the ethernet backhaul?
FURRYe38
Jun 26, 2020Guru
Do both while in the same building or room as the RBR. Once fully connected using wireless then wired, then move to remote location.
- JimMEJul 08, 2020Tutor
Just wanted to followup that I followed your steps and was able to get this configuration working. I initially had problems getting the new (actually refurbished) RBS satellite to sync via Wifi. Once I turned off the existing RBS20 that was closest to where I was working, the new one was able to sync. Somehow that existing satellite must have been interfering with the new satellite I was trying to sync.
The next problem I had was getting the ethernet backhaul to work correctly. I finally figured out that I was having difficulties because of the way everything was originally configured. We have one non-orbi WiFi router (NetGear N600) in Building A where our external internet connection comes in and is what has been providing WiFi in building A. This router uses a 10.x.x.x IP setup for wired and WiFi connections from that router (different WiFi network credentials than the Orbi network). The wired connections in Building B were also getting their 10.x.x.x IP addresses from the Non-Orbi router through the ethernet cable between the two buildings. The Orbi Router in Building B was getting a 10.x.x.x IP address as its internet side address from the Building A router. Anything that connected to the Orbi Router via WiFI was getting a 192.168.x.x IPaddress assigned by the Orbi Router including the two orginal RBS20s we had. When I tried to connect the new satellite with wired ethernet, it appears that the Orbi Router was getting confused between the two satellites with 192.168.x.x IP addresses and the new one with a 10.x.x.x IP address. It would try to connect, but it wouldn't stay connected or work correctly.
I changed the Orbi Router to work as an AP rather than as a router so that everything (WiFi and wired) in both buildings is on one IP address scheme including all three of the satellites. Once I did this, the ethernet backhaul worked when I had the new satellite in either Building B or Building A. (I also discovered it can take several minutes for the orbilogin app to recognize and display when a satellite has switched over from being WiFi backhaul to ethernet backhaul - wasted some time and unnecessarily retrying things before I figured this out). I decided to configure the Orbi as AP and keep the main router in Building A because Building A has a couple of "reserved" IP addresses for special equipment that are in the 10.x.x.x IP address scheme which are already setup on that router and I didn't want to mess around with that.
Again, thanks for your assistance. Your steps helped me figure out what problems to attack first. I am glad I didn't just hook it up via ethernet in Building A first and try to figure things out. I never would have been able to sort out what was going on if I had.
- FURRYe38Jul 09, 2020Guru
Glad you got it working. Enjoy. :smileywink: