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Solved
Orbi problem with Shielded CAT6E cable
Hi, we have been using Orbi in AP mode with Verizon FIOS gateway via Coax connection for the past few years and are happy with the performance with the system. But Verizon Gateway is not working well in terms of parental control. We bit the bullet last night and have the FIOS internet switched from Coax to ONT. And we have reset Orbi to the factory setting while making the switch.
I ran a cable from ONT (in our basement) to the family room where ORBI is at along with our other streaming devices. The cable I have is a CAT6E shielded cable which was punched down in keystone jack on both ends. The problem is that Orbi can't get any internet signal from ONT at our family room via the CAT6E shielded cable (Orbi is blinking in purple color).
If I took Orbi to the basement and connect it to ONT via a different cable (CAT5e, shielded or unshileded), it worked there. When I plugged the CAT6E shielded cable into one of the LAN port behind Orbi after the sucess set up and I can use computer/streming device on the other end of the shielded cable. I did search the forum and there seems to be a similar claim made last year but no solution was provided. The problem we have is that we can't leave the main Orbi unit in the basement where the ONT. It made wireless singal pretty bad on the other side of the house.
Here's some additional information - our Orbi is RBR50 with firmware 2.3.5.30. According to the system update, this is the latest firmware. The CAT6E shielded cable is about 100 ft (30 m) from end to end. And I prefer not to rerun a different cable to solve this.
thanks for looking into this.
I went back to my setup last night and was able to get it resolved.
The issue here is the keystone termination - for shielded cables, keystone termination needs to be cut clean. I was using a pretty bad punch and the cable wasn't terminated clean and it interfereced with the shielded keystone housing and gave me all sorts of issues.
I thought about deleting the post but instead decideing to keep it to help folks in the future.
2 Replies
I went back to my setup last night and was able to get it resolved.
The issue here is the keystone termination - for shielded cables, keystone termination needs to be cut clean. I was using a pretty bad punch and the cable wasn't terminated clean and it interfereced with the shielded keystone housing and gave me all sorts of issues.
I thought about deleting the post but instead decideing to keep it to help folks in the future.
Might mark it "Solved"?
Thanks for sharing the experience.
By the way. 2.3.5.30 is the "stable" firmware from summer 2019. There is a more recent version on the Netgear support web site (2.5.1.16) which can be downloaded and installed manually. There have been many discussions regarding the merits (or pitfalls) of updating Orbi firmware. Unless your Orbi has a specifiic problem that the firmware release notes indicate may be addressed, there is no urgency in rushing to update.
