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Network Setup with Multiple Routers on LAN as well as Orbi on LAN
Hi Everyone, I've diagramed my network configuration showing multiple routers connected via LAN, and on all routers (other than the main) I have DHCP disabled and static IP addresses. One of these r...
It is probably irrelevant, but the conventional way to manage a situation like this is to put all of the secondary routers into Access Point (AP) mode so that there is one big LAN IP space managed by the primary router. With each of these devices in 'router mode', they will all have internet access, but communication between devices may be blocked.
Page 71 of the User Manual describes how to disable DHCP on the Orbi router:
https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBK50/Orbi_UM_EN.pdf
I believe the issue is not DHCP, but the fact that the Orbi is in router mode.
Orbi routers have a quirk that they automatically create an IP subnet that is different from the IP subnet that their WAN port is part of. So, when the router is assigned 192.168.1.5 by the upstream router, the typical behavior is to create a LAN subnet of 10.0.0.x.
Can you please report two items:
- What does the Advanced Tab,Setup, LAN Setup page report as the IP address and subnet mask of the router?
(on the far right hand side of the page) Here is mine: - When devices are connected to the Orbi system, what IP addresses do they receive?
Are they in the 192.168.1.x subnet or the 10.0.0.x subnet?
When in router mode, the Orbi typically does not respond to connections from the WAN port. Thus the Orbi web interface is not normally available from the WAN side. Only from the LAN side.
Hi thanks so much for the help!
Here's what the advanced LAN settings show (see attached screenshot).
And the answer to this question "When devices are connected to the Orbi system, what IP addresses do they receive?
Are they in the 192.168.1.x subnet or the 10.0.0.x subnet?" They are being given the subnet as 10.0.0.x, yes.Thanks for the confirmation. With the Orbi in router mode and performing DHCP, every device connected to the Orbi system is hidden by Network Address Translation and appears to be 192.168.1.5 to the outside world. NAT maintains internal tables which translate the IP ports used by these devices into artificial IP ports seen by the outside. There is (literally) no way that the Orbi can cause any kind of IP conflict.
When connecting to the Orbi management interface it would be useful to know
- Where is the connection device connected?
To the Orbi system LAN side?
To the primary router? (The Orbi WAN side) - What IP address is used to reach the Orbi?
It would also be fascinating to know what happens when the Orbi DHCP function is disabled.
i.e. what IP addresses do all the devices connected to the Orbi receive?
(I have never attempted this combination myself and wonder if devices connected to the Orbi receive IPs in the 192.168.1.x subnet and what Gateway IP address they are told to use.)
You have been so incredibly helpful, thank you. I don't think I will disable DHCP given your reassurance, but if I do go down that road to experiment more, I will let you know what happens to all of the other connected devices!
I am going to take a look at each of the accessory routers (other than the orbi), and see what I've done wrong there as something is happening somewhere to cause conflict, but only on occasion.
Thank you again!
Heather
- Where is the connection device connected?
