NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Orbi in AP mode with wired backhaul showing weird behavior
I recently set up an Orbi RBK53 system in AP mode (I don't need the orbi's router capabilities, as I'm using pfsense). The main orbi router is connected into a gigabit switch and one of the satellit...
Please check the discussion in this post:
So if you have an Android device then please first check that your SSID name has no spaces. Another thing (not confirmed) your Router and Satellite names should also not have spaces.
My SSID does not have spaces in it. I just left the orbi device names as the default (Orbi Router, Orbi Satellite-1, Orib Satellite-2). So having spaces in the device names is a problem? If so that seems like an issue if those are the default names :)
But that doesn't explain why it only doesn't work if I'm wirelessly connected to an ethernet backhaul satellite. In all other cases it works.
I also don't have the problem from the other thread. All of my connected devices show just fine.
dopey1620 wrote:
My SSID does not have spaces in it. I just left the orbi device names as the default (Orbi Router, Orbi Satellite-1, Orib Satellite-2). So having spaces in the device names is a problem? If so that seems like an issue if those are the default names :)
But that doesn't explain why it only doesn't work if I'm wirelessly connected to an ethernet backhaul satellite. In all other cases it works.
I also don't have the problem from the other thread. All of my connected devices show just fine.
As mentioned in that post this seems to be a bug in the android software, but it seems it's not the problem causing your issue.
One other thing to check is to make sure that Daisy Chain is disabled as you are using one satellite with wired backhaul. This is another bug in the software that might cause some inconsistency. Please check this.
I would file a support ticket here and let NG know about what your seeing:
https://www.netgear.com/mynetgear/registration/login.aspx
dopey1620 wrote:
My SSID does not have spaces in it. I just left the orbi device names as the default (Orbi Router, Orbi Satellite-1, Orib Satellite-2). So having spaces in the device names is a problem? If so that seems like an issue if those are the default names :)
But that doesn't explain why it only doesn't work if I'm wirelessly connected to an ethernet backhaul satellite. In all other cases it works.
I also don't have the problem from the other thread. All of my connected devices show just fine.
I filed a support ticket with netgear and while I got prompt responses I didn't get alot of useful assistance. The last suggestion was, the orbi hardware is flawed and I need to exchange it (that sounded really suspect to me since everything is functional). So I did more tinkering.
I'm in AP mode and I'm using an ethernet backhaul configuration where the orbi router and satellite are connected into a common gigabit switch. In this scenario, the orbi router doesn't appear to properly detect the satellite is connected (i wonder what mechanism it uses to detect it. If it's literally just doing packet analysis that wouldn't properly through a standard unmanaged switch).
If I connect the satellite directly into one of the orbi router's everything appears fine and functional.
Fortunately, my wiring allows me to do that - if a bit klunkily. I've asked support to report this to engineering and see if they can do something about it with a firmware update. Not holding my breath but I guess this makes sense.
I did notice something else. Occasionally when I power on/off the satellite in the connected to a switch configuration, the entire switch goes completely nuts (basically all the lights go crazy as if someone is broadcasting like mad). Local traffic is completely hosed. Massive packet drops just on my LAN. Turn off the satellite, everything is fine. It seems like there's some other problems with the whole ethernet backhaul if you're not connected somehow directly into the router.
I need to get a managed switch so I can actually analyze the traffic and see what's going on :)
