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Forum Discussion
jaybytez
Jul 25, 2022Aspirant
RBK50 dropping connection with new modem Motorolla mb8611
I have been running the RBK50 with two Satellites (spoke mode) and the Motorolla MB8611 for a few years without problem. My kids have been complaining about slowness and so I looked into changing my...
jaybytez
Jul 26, 2022Aspirant
Thanks a ton. Sorry, the previous modem was the Motorola MB8600. The complaint is probably related to how I have the wireless setup and the speeds I am getting upstairs that probably degrades gaming. So I went the route of upgrading to the MB8611, which appears to be causing connection issues with my Orbi setup.
On the plan side, I may just downgrade my plan because I was already getting great speed, I was just trying to increase my upload speed and it doesn't get better than 24 until I go to their 1200 down plan.
If the 8611/Orbi combo continues having issues, I may just downgrade the modem and try again. I do have the very latest firmware on the Orbi.
I could try running them in a daisy chain again. I have one downstairs (the router) by a side of my house because that is where the Xfinity cable comes in. Then I have a satellite on the other part of my downstairs and one a satellite upstairs directly above the main router. So one router and two satellites with a sq ft of 2800.
CrimpOn
Jul 26, 2022Guru - Experienced User
I struggle to see how a standard DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem could cause WiFi interruptions. It is probably worth a few minutes double checking the Comcast/Xfinity list of approved modems: https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/list-of-approved-cable-modems
Motorola's web site seems to think that it is compatible.
https://www.motorola.com/us/mb8611/p
Directly above is a bit ambiguous. Generally speaking, there should be some horizontal offset between router and satellite. There is so much hidden inside walls and ceilings that can degrade WiFi signals that it is often useful to experiment with moving satellites around a bit. Unless there is a need to access WiFi from outside, little is gained by locating the satellite across the house against an outside wall. Half of the WiFi signal it going "out there" where it may not do anything for you.
I would probably want to look at the Link Rates of those gaming devices and the Link Rate between router and satellites:
- The Orbi app will display the Link Rate of each device. Often the device itself will report the LInk Rate.
- The maximum user data rates on 2.4G and 5G are shown on the "hidden_info" web page:
http://orbilogin.net/hidden_info.htm
I would expect it to report 400MB/s on the 2.4G connection and 866.7MB/s on the 5G connection. - For the router-satellite connection, I have to use telnet to access the router. The RBR50 is compatible with this Python script for enabling telnet: https://github.com/bkerler/netgear_telnet
I use a telnet program, such as PuTTY (Windows) to access the router by IP address.
Enter the regular credentials ("admin" and password).
Then type satelliteinfo wifi - The RBR50 product data sheet says the maximum communication rate between router and satellite is 1,733MB/s.
That might be possible if they were sitting two feet apart. Once there is some distance and a few walls/floors between them, it is typical to see a much lower value. This is what mine show:
root@RBR50:/# satelliteinfo wifi
[
{
"mac address" : "A0:04:60:xx:xx:xx",
"hop" : "1",
"bridge mac" : "A0:04:xx:xx:xx:xx",
"backhaul conntype" : "5GHz",
"backhaul rssi" : "-68",
"backhaul macaddress" : "A0:04:60:xx:xx:xx",
"backhaul phytxrate" : "780",
"backhaul phyrxrate" : "780",
"backhaul parentmac" : "A0:04:60:xx:xx:xx"
},
{
"mac address" : "14:59:C0:xx:xx:xx",
"hop" : "1",
"bridge mac" : "14:59:C0:xx:xx:xx",
"backhaul conntype" : "5GHz",
"backhaul rssi" : "-59",
"backhaul macaddress" : "",
"backhaul phytxrate" : "866",
"backhaul phyrxrate" : "650",
"backhaul parentmac" : "A0:04:60:xx:xx:xx"
}
- jaybytezAug 03, 2022Aspirant
Thank you, I will run through these debugging settings.
It's weird because I had this issue when I initially went to the MB8600 and the Orbi together. But then I ran those for about 2 years with no connection drops, just speed that is probably more the house and distance. Since I upgraded the MB8600 to the MB8611, the connection drops about 10 times a day for the last 2.5 weeks. There have been no other changes. The modem sits right next to the Orbi router and the router is about 15-20 ft from me when I test wirelessly. I also have a roku lan'd into the Orbi router and it constantly drops as well. In fact, while writing this email, it has dropped the connection 3 times.
Just trying to figure if I need to downgrade the modem. Just frustrating, does an Orbi really requirement this level of network expertise to get it properly run with a modem?
- FURRYe38Aug 03, 2022Guru - Experienced User
What is the distance between the modem and RBR? Too close and this could cause problems. 6ft is recommended in between the modem and RBR.
What CAT# lan cable do you have connected between the modem and router? CAT6 is recommended.Does the top ring LED turn on when internet is lost? If so, this means the router lost connection with the modem. I would check the modem and have the ISP check the signal up to the modem as well.
Have the ISP check the signal and line quality UP to the modem. Be sure the ISP provisions the modem correctly.
Be sure there are no coax cable line splitters in the between the modem and ISP service box.
Be sure your using good quality RG6 coax cable up to the modem.
Be sure to power OFF the modem for 1 minute then back ON.
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Cable-Modems-Routers/General-info-and-Troubleshooting-for-Cable-Modems/m-p/1530376#M12853https://www.duckware.com/tech/solving-intermittent-cable-modem-issues.html
jaybytez wrote:
Thank you, I will run through these debugging settings.
It's weird because I had this issue when I initially went to the MB8600 and the Orbi together. But then I ran those for about 2 years with no connection drops, just speed that is probably more the house and distance. Since I upgraded the MB8600 to the MB8611, the connection drops about 10 times a day for the last 2.5 weeks. There have been no other changes. The modem sits right next to the Orbi router and the router is about 15-20 ft from me when I test wirelessly. I also have a roku lan'd into the Orbi router and it constantly drops as well. In fact, while writing this email, it has dropped the connection 3 times.
Just trying to figure if I need to downgrade the modem. Just frustrating, does an Orbi really requirement this level of network expertise to get it properly run with a modem?
- jaybytezAug 05, 2022Aspirant
Thank you for the suggestions.
I am running CAT6. I measured and ensured the modem and router were 6 ft apart. Honestly, I had this same issue when I purchased the MB8600, then it somehow resolved and for 2 years no connectivity issues and the machines sat on each other. The only thing I did was upgrade to the newer modem and now constant drops. The modem is dropping, so its definitely the ORBI having issues.
I will read through the other articles and see if there is anything additional I can do before I just dump the ORBI and move to something else. Appreciate the help.