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Forum Discussion
roborbi
May 12, 2021Tutor
Orbi RBR50 No connection to ethernet wired devices
Firmware 2.7.2.104 MacOS computers. 3 or 4 days ago, my orbi lost connection with all of my ethernet hard wire devices. Has there been a recent firmware upgrade? I've noted that any hard wired de...
- May 17, 2021
All,
I have a final update on this issue.
Unfortunately I experienced the same weird IP address issues, even after switching out the RBR50 for the RBK852 router.
Going back to square one, I eventually tracked the issue down to a faulty ethernet connection on an old Blue-ray player in my entertainment system.
Hard to believe that one bad ethernet port could cause such havoc. While it didn't bring down the whole network, it did bring down any ethernet hard wired device on the network. Turns out that neither the Orbi nor an Orbi update was to blame.
So . . . after switching over to the RBK852, as I said, I was still having issues getting any internet connection on any device using ethernet.
The issue was hard to track down.
At first I thought I had lost the entire ethernet switch that was feeding my entertainment system. What I learned from CrimpOn earlier in the thread was that one bad ethernet connection was all it might take the throw things off. So . . . by slowly connecting and disconnecting one device at a time on the switch, I was able to narrow the issue down to the ethernet port on the Blu-ray player being the culprit. Hook the BR player up via ethernet and strange 168.254 IP addresses started appearing. Take the Blu-ray out of the loop and bingo, ethernet was working properly again.
Kudos to CrimpOn. This nugget of information from him also helped solve the problem:
>> 168.254 is a valid IP address, although not one that an Orbi would assign.
169.254 is an IP address that a device self-assigns to itself when it cannot reach a DHCP server.
It did not come from the Orbi. <<
Thanks CrimpOn for sticking with it, offering advice, and continuing to ask the right questions.
Also thanks to Furrye38 for his helpful suggestions and support. We are lucky to have this community of experts that is willing to offer their
time and support and show an interest in helping solve our problems. You have made me feel validated by not treating me like the novice I know I am.
Roborbi
CrimpOn
May 13, 2021Guru - Experienced User
Wilkins200 wrote:Interesting, is this ORBI at the latest firmware? If not I would try that. As well, what about a factory reset and then test again? Maybe?
2.7.2.104 is the latest official firmware for this model of Orbi router.
roborbi
May 13, 2021Tutor
Hi CrimpOn,
Thanks for your response.
Very valuable and interesting information about static IP addresses. Especially the part about the Orbi using the hardware MAC address in the LAN setup table. I had forgotten this tidbit. I also agree that a recent firmware update is probably not the culprit. Now knowing that the last Orbi firmware update was three months ago and 2.7.2.104 is the latest update.
Up until a week ago all was operating as it should on my home network. This has been the case for a couple of years now.
Recently however, any device connected via a hard wired Ethernet connection to the network via the orbi is having an issue. (This includes all computers that are hard wired to the network – 2 iMacs).
I do have two new recently acquired pieces of equipment in my entertainment system.
A new Denon receiver and a new Sony TV.
Both have an Ethernet port and Wi-Fi capability.
I have chosen not to use Wi-Fi as a connection for an entertainment streaming device however. I am experiencing dropped frames.
Both of these devices, as well as any Ethernet wired device in the house, is having the same issue in regards to an assigned static IP address.
Upon attempting to set these two new devices up to have Static IP addresses:
I turn off the device Wi-Fi function.
I manually set them up to have a static 192.168.xxx.xxx address.
Unfortunately after setting these to static addresses and checking the connection, I get a warning that the device (Sony TV or Denon receiver) is not connected to the internet.
Upon troubleshooting this problem. I get a warning from the device (Sony TV) that “the router function of the Orbi router may be turned off.”
Which turns out to be, I think, untrue because upon checking the Orbi settings, the Orbi is set to act as a router (NOT AP).
When I turn off the static IP address settings and turn on DHCP, allowing the Orbi to assign the IP address. Again: no internet access is the result. I believe because a 168.254.xxx.xxx address has been assigned??
I have done a complete reset to factory settings. Nothing is shaking loose or changing. Any new thoughts?
Looks like Wi-Fi 6 may be in my future.
Thanks again for your help.
Roborbi
- FURRYe38May 13, 2021Guru - Experienced User
Ensure the LAN cables between the RBR and these two devices are of good quality. CAT6 is recommended.
Power OFF the RBR for 30 seconds while leaving these two devices ON. Ensure the devices are set to auto obtain IP addressesing. Then turn the RBR back ON. After the RBR is ready, do these two devices pick up a IP address from the RBR?
- roborbiMay 13, 2021Tutor
Hi Furrye38,
Thanks for the suggestion.
I followed your directions and unfortuntely they didn't work.
Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
robert
- CrimpOnMay 13, 2021Guru - Experienced User
roborbi wrote:Upon attempting to set these two new devices up to have Static IP addresses:
I turn off the device Wi-Fi function.
I manually set them up to have a static 192.168.xxx.xxx address.
Unfortunately after setting these to static addresses and checking the connection, I get a warning that the device (Sony TV or Denon receiver) is not connected to the internet.
Upon troubleshooting this problem. I get a warning from the device (Sony TV) that “the router function of the Orbi router may be turned off.”
I might be worth checking on the Orbi LAN Setup page to ensure that the Orbi IP subnet begins with 192.168.
(I've attached a screen shot of mine) Notice I have set aside IP's 2-70 for "assignment" and have the DHCP pool running from 71-99.
When a device requests an IP address, the DHCP server (Orbi) provides these items:
IP address: 192.168.1.?? (assuming it is using the 192.168.1.x subnet)
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Gateway Address 192.168.1.1 (the Orbi)
DNS Server 192.168.1.1 (the Orbi)
When a device is set up with a static IP, all four of these items have to be set. If the subnet is wrong, the device will not be able to find the gateway. If the gateway is wrong, the device will not be able to find the internet. What some people like to do is set the device to use a different DNS server than the Orbi (for example 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8. That's OK, as long as there IS a DNS server.
- roborbiMay 13, 2021Tutor
CrimpOn,
Thanks for the suggestion and your continued attention to this.
Unfortunately those settings for the LAN setup match the settings I have been using.
Any further thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated.
robert
- CrimpOnMay 13, 2021Guru - Experienced User
roborbi wrote:Unfortunately those settings for the LAN setup match the settings I have been using.
Sorry to continue beating a dead horse.
Suppose one of the iMac's is configured with a static IP (in the iMac network setup) of
IP address 192.168.1.201 (I am guessing that IP has not already been used for some device so it is 'available')
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Gateway 192.168.1.1
DNS server 192.168.1.1
Where does the mysterious 168.254.xxx.xxx IP address appear?
- In the iMac?
- In the Orbi web interface Attached Devices screen?
Does the iMac continue to insist that it has no internet?