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Forum Discussion
Guest Network Available both Secured and Unsecured.
Just an FYI for other users.
During set up I found an unsecured Guest Network in addition to the secured Guest Network – same SSID (same MAC and IP as well) but no password needed to log on and...
Sounds strange. I don't quite understand what you were seeing though.
By MAC I assume you mean the hexadecimal BSSID, like a0:04:60:16:5b:a0?
You said you found these networks during setup. How exactly did you find these networks? What were you looking at?
The BSSID and the SSID define the network, so I don't see how it's possible to have two networks with the same SSID and BSSID. How did you determine there were two networks operating?
Are you using Apple devices when you encounter this issue?
The MAC I referred to was the MAC address of the device as listed under the network details on my mobile which I used to observe the available SSID and log on.
Networks found by looking for available wireless networks on my mobile and tablet (both android, no apple devices in use) after enabling Guest Network.
I determined there were two networks operating by looking on my mobile and tablet to see what SSID were available after enabling Guest Network. When I logged on to the Secured Guest Network (which had the expected SSID defined at set up) using the defined password I recorded the network details (MAC address, IP address etc). After logging off I then logged on to the Unsecured Guest Network, which had the same SSID as the Secured Guest Network, no password necessary, and similarly recorded the network details.
See the following as well, other users have seen this:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-RBR50-guest-access-showing-unsecured-network/m-p/1421945
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/New-Unsecured-networks-on-Orbi-RBK50/td-p/1481297
Here is some additional data.
As I mentioned previously, when I said that the MAC address was the same for the Secured Guest Network as the Unsecured Guest Network, that was the MAC address as shown under network details on my mobile when I logged in to either of these. See below for the answer to your question on BSSID.
As an overview, I have attached a screen shot from my tablet of the three available networks, the Secured Main WiFi, the Secured Guest Network and the Unsecured Guest Network. I have blanked out most of the SSID just from a security prespective but rest assured the Secured and Unsecured Guest Networks have exactly the same SSID.
Attached are some screen shots of the Secured and Unsecured Guest Networks as viewed from a WiFi analyzer. I have also blanked out the first three octets, once again from a security perpsective, but these are the same for the Secured and Unsecured Guest Networks.
From your charts, I see you have a router and two satellites. Look at the BSSIDs. Each Orbi device will broadcast two SSIDs, one for 2.4 GHz and one for 5 GHz. The 5 GHz BSSID is the same, except the last octet is higher by two. For example, you have 51/53, 97/99, and 88/8A in your configuration. I'm guessing that 88/8A is your router.
The Orbi router and each satellite broadcast SSIDs independent of one another. Based on the screenshots, one Orbi unit (BSSIDs 88/8A) was broadcasting the secured network. The other two orbi units were broadcasting the unsecured network (51/53 and 97/99).
This has a simple explanation: your satellites' and router's configuration were not synched with each other. This is also supported by your comment that the issue only appeared when either of the satellites was powered on.
The question is why did this happen? Something interfered with the satellites synching. Probably a connectivity issue--too far apart or a problem with the wired backhaul.
Both the threads you linked were marked as solved. One by disabling the guest network and rebooting. The other by resetting the Orbi units.
I know you worked this on the phone with support, but if you didn't do something to address the connectivity issue, the resets would be fruitless.
If the issue persists I would bring the router and two satellites into the same room, leave them on wireless backhaul, and repeat the setup process, or reset if required. Once they are working, you can return them to their installed positions. It might also help to setup the satellites one at a time, with the other satellite off.
On the initial set up, the router and the satellites were in the same room, once they were showing as connected with good backhaul I then moved them to their locations and one is on a CAT6 connection to the router.
Prior to the set up (before contacting Support) both satellites and the router were reset (twice) using the reset button on the rear. When fault finding with Support, the router on wireless backhaul was put back in the room with the router and reset prior to syncing using the sync buttons on the router/satellite. We didn't bring in the satellite on CAT6 and reset that, it didnt seem necessary as it was previosuly sync'd and then connected by CAT6. Maybe that was an oversight but surely a wired connection would rule out sync issues?
I have a couple of days to determine whether or not to send this back to Amazon so if I get time I will reset satellites and resync to router.
Notwithstanding that, the fact that the backhaul showed OK and there were no error messages is a cause for concern. From your feedback I would surmise that a sync issue in future could recreate this problem and the user would be non the wiser (without error messages) unless they happened to check their wireless netywork and see an unsecured network. Do you agree or do you categorically rule that out as a possibility?
I don't think you would see this issue again once the system is configured and stable. I expect the config could only get out of sync when changing settings on the router.
I dont know whether you can rely on wired backhaul to reliably propagate settings. I don't use wired backhaul myself, but from posts on here it sounds like the systems boot and try wireless first before using wired backhaul. Sounds like wired still has a few kinks for some users. Wired backhaul was not present in Orbi at the beginning, and I don't think it was a planned feature. It was only implemented because so many users requested it. Perhaps it hasn't been tested thoroughly enough yet to catch all possible scenarios.