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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...
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.
I ran some further tests.
I turned Guest Network off on the Router, reset both Satellites and then associated them with the Router ensuing that the Ring LED was Blue before it turned off. One of the Satellites was a bit more troublesome than the other, taking several attempts. Interestingly this was the Satellite purchased as a Satellite to add to the RBK50 Router/Satellite combo. Anyway, so having done that I moved both Satellites to their respective locations around the house, powered up and left them both connected to the Router wirelessly, once again ensuring that the Ring LED on each Satellite was Blue before it turned off.
I logged in to the Router direcly from my PC and confirmed that the Router saw a Good connection to each Satellite and then left it for 5 mins to ensure everything was stabilised. I turned on the Guest Network, let everything stabilise again for 5 mins and then checked on my mobile and the errant Unsecured Guest Network was not showing available.
Next step was to connect one of the Satellites to the Router via CAT6. I turned off power to the Satellite, made the necessary connections, powered back up again and left it to stabilise, once again again ensuring that the Ring LED on the Satellite was Blue before it turned off. I then checked on my mobile and the errant Unsecured Guest Network was showing available.
Incidentally, the Satellite connected via CAT6 was not the same as I used for the same test over the weekend so the problem is not associated with a specific Satellite. In addition there was nothing else connected to that Satellite.
So despite ensuring a solid link from the Router to each Satellite before moving the Satellites to their respective locations, and ensuring a solid link from the Router to those Satellites in those locations, the problem is still there when one Satellite is wired to the Router.
Note that I did not reset the Router, that was reset before the tests over the weekend and it was able to verify the links to the Satellites and sync today without flagging any issues. There shouldn't be a need to keep resetting everything to get a good installation.
As you pointed out in your last post, perhaps the Satellite-Router wired configuration hasn't been tested thoroughly enough yet to catch all possible scenarios.
In the meantime I would suggest that any users reading this and using wired connections from a Satellite to the Router check their wireless networks just to see if they have any Unsecured Guest Networks (assuming it has been enabled). I can't believe I am the only person to see this.
I regard this defect is unacceptable and I don't feel comfortable having an open connection, even if "Allow guests to see each other and access my local network" is disabled. There is clearly no timeline for Netgear to resolve this so unless Netgear have any immediate suggestions I will be returning to Amazon for a refund.
Notwithstanding that, many thanks for your feedback and suggestions.
