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Forum Discussion
Orbi salellite not passing Mac screen sharing
System: Orbi RBR50 router V2.7.4.24 running in router mode with 2 x Orbi RBS50 satellites also running V2.7.4.24
Mac Laptop: Ventura 13.2.1 (5G wireless)
Mac Remote(s): Catalina 10.15.7 (5G wireless to RBR), Monterey 12.0.1 (hard wired to RBR)
My mesh works great but one of my satellites won't pass my Mac laptop remote desktop connections (Mac screen sharing, which I believe is just VNC) to the main router where the Mac I'm trying to connect to is attached. Remote desktop connections work fine when my Mac laptop is connected to the main router and the other RBS50. The one RBS50 won't allow the connection to complete. So I've narrowed it down to the one RBS.
I have recently done a hard reset on the RBS in question and the re-sync'd to the RBR, but the problem persists. Everything else works just fine, seems to be isolated to VNC??
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Happy to provide more configuration details as needed.
14 Replies
"Mac Remote" is not a term I am familiar with. Are these two additional Mac laptops?
Is it the VNC host that is changing connection locations, or one of the other laptops?
How are the satellites connected to the router? (WiFi or 'wired')
Remote Desktop = screen sharing = VNC (port 5900 to answer the next question)
The two macs I connect to are both Mac Minis although likely irrelevant.
Mac laptop moves around the house running VNC, conneting to the two Macs listed above, so can change where it is connected to
Satellites connected wireless
- Hardware Version: RBS50
- Firmware Version: V2.7.4.24
Orbi Satellite WiFi Status (2.4GHz)
- Name (SSID): xxx
- Channel: 6(P)+10(S)
- Region: North America
- Mode: Up to 400 Mbps
- Wireless AP: On
- Broadcast Name: On
- Security Type: WPA2-PSK[AES]
Orbi Satellite WiFi Status (5GHz)
- Name (SSID): xxx
- Channel: 36+40+44+48(P)
- Region: North America
- Mode: Up to 866.7 Mbps
- Wireless AP: On
- Broadcast Name: On
- Security Type: WPA2-PSK[AES]
Thanks. Think I get it now:
Two Mac Mini's connected to the Orbi network, each hosting macOS Remote Desktop.
When connected to the router and to one of the satellites, the laptop can remote to both Mac Mini's.
When connected to the other satellite, the laptop cannot remote to either of the Mac Mini's. (or to one but not the other?)
When I use VNC, I always identify the VNC hosts by their IP address. How does Remote Desktop indicate which of the two Mini's is the target for a specific connection session?
- How about swapping the two satellites to see if the problem follows the satellite?
worth a shot, will try to get that done later tonight...
I tend to get a bit frantic when something is happening that cannot happen.
It is fortunate that relocating Orbi satellites is a simple matter of unplugging, moving, and plugging in again.
There is new firmware for the RBR50/RBS50 product, v2.7.5.4.*
It defies logic that the specific firmware release could have any bearing on this situation. It is, however, one of the first things people seize on: "Is the firmware current?"
* Netgear has a "pattern" when releasing new firmware. When it first appears on the support download site, some users rush to download and install it manually. (satellites first, then router) I am reminded of a proverb about "fools" and "angels". After a period of time, Netgear does something that causes routers to detect that there is new firmware and causes the Orbi 'app' and the web interface to alert the user. A huge percentage of customers never touch the Orbi app or open the web interface, so they remain blissfully unaware. Sometime after that, Netgear tells routers to install the new firmware in the middle of the night. Those customers who never open the app or web site, still have no idea. With v2.4.4.24 it was about six weeks from first release until my RBR50 updated in the night. I'm waiting to "see what happens" this time around.
