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Forum Discussion
ISP modem router to RBK50 in AP mode and ISP modem to network switch to satellites?
I have my network setup and many things are working fine. My desired setup is ISP Router to Orbi Router in AP mode with satellites on other floors connected to my network switch.
Here is setup:
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Regarding the missing IP phone. The Orbi will report as "Attached" all of the devices that it has seen on the network recently. I have one WiFi device which almost never shows up in the Attached Devices page: my Nest thermostat. The Nest only sends packets when some action is needed. i.e. if I do not use the Nest app, the thermostat only wakes up and asks to have its IP address renewed twice a day. If I am not looking at the Attached Devices page right then, the thermostat dropps off.
With the IP phone wired directly to the switch and then to the ISP router, what packets from the IP phone can the Orbi see? Only broadcast packets, such as "renew my IP." (If it has a static IP, then not even those.) Or, maybe ARP packets ("who has this IP?") All of the "talk" goes between the IP phone and ISP router, not through the Orbi.
The way I verified my Nest was actually "alive" was I watched the Orbi Attach Devices page, opened the Nest app on my phone, and changed the temperature. "Bingo", there it was "Attached". After I closed the Nest app, in a few minutes the thermostat was gone. You could try a similar experiment with the IP phone. i.e. have the Attached Devices page up and then make a phone call.
Regarding all devices being "wired." Everything? The Attached Devices page shows absolutely no devices connected to the Orbi router over WiFi? The satellites are now using Ethernet backhaul to the Orbi by going through the switch, through the ISP router, and into the Orbi WAN port? The impression I get is that Netgear's intention was for the satellites to connect to through the Orbi LAN port(s), not through the WAN port. There's a diagram that is often used as a reference. Maybe your Orbi is confused because everything is coming through the WAN port? It should be easy to check this out by connecting your new gigabit switch to an Orbi LAN port instead of to the ISP router.
The info coming back that my intended new switch was EEE or green and would cause problems made me realize I would want to experiment with putting the old switch down stream of the Orbi router before playing with a new switch. Making two changes and things not working is way harder for me to diagnose. So I moved the switch from direct connection to the ISP router to a lan port on the Orbi base.
Many, many things changed for the better. The wireless devices like iPad, iPhones and wireless laptops all showed up as wireless and showed which Orbi unit they were connected through. Very nice... and everything that worked before still works. The ooma phone (connected to the switch) though is still not showing on the Orbi device list though it is showing on an app IP Scanner. I have not tried hooking the phone to the Orbi directly... the orbi is in the attic and the phone is on ground level of a 2 story house. Oddly it seems like devices walking in to the home are joining the Orbi farthest away. Need to find out what is with that.
Feel like I am ready to try the legrand green switch when it arrives.
Note that the ISP router connects to the Orbi router WAN.... the switch and my NAS use the LAN ports. I am pretty sure this is as it should be. What I had wrong was connecting the switch directly to the ISP router... in parallel as it were with the Orbi. Now the switch is down stream or connected through the Orbi to the ISP router.
Glad that your system is working better now. Yes, as mentioned, idealy the Orbi base should always be connected to the ISP modem/ONT or Services directly. Switches are meant to be behind the router.
Hope this works well for you now. Enjoy. :smileywink:
