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Forum Discussion
RBR50 in AP mode but DHCP on by itself
Hi All,
I'm using RBR50 in our small company, which sat behind an UTM and running at AP mode. Our purpose is to provide small amount of WIFI connection only and would like our UTM to handle all DHCP process using 192.168.1.X range. It had been working for almost 2 years already.
However this morning some of our staff reported that their PC cannot connect to internet. Upon investigation is that their IP address was not the usual 192.168.1.X but 10.0.0.X, and further check that this IP range is provided by the RBR50! The problem is occasional as only some PC had issues but not all.
Everything will become normal upon completely remove the RBR50 from network and restart all PC's network connection in order to get the correct IP address. I tried to factory reset the RBR50 and reload the backup config file, and double checked it is running at AP mode before I reconnect it to network. Unfortunately once it become online, some user will get the 10.0.0.X IP address again. To me it looks like the DHCP function of RBR50 cannot be turned off.
Will it be a hardware issue or firmware issue? Our setup had been running for 2 years without issues and this problem come up in nowhere so I do not believe it is setup issue. Currently to prevent this problem I need to disconnect the RBR50 so no WIFI service in this moment.
All feedback is welcome as I want to figure how to make the WIFI online again.
7 Replies
Alan_LR wrote:
Upon investigation is that their IP address was not the usual 192.168.1.X but 10.0.0.X, and further check that this IP range is provided by the RBR50! The problem is occasional as only some PC had issues but not all.
The Orbi DHCP function definitely can be enabled or disabled. Access mode should disable Orbi DHCP.
Some questions:
- What firmware release is on this Orbi router? (upper right hand corner of the web interface)
There has been a recent firmware update and the forum is sensitive to "what happens" when it is applied. - How were these 10.0.0.x IP addresses traced to the Orbi? Is there a setting in the Orbi web interface saying that it is providing DHCP in that range? (web interface, Advanced Tab, Setup, LAN Setup)
What this sounds like is that there is a new DHCP server on the network. All sorts of devices can provide DHCP. My Pi-hole servers, for example, can do DHCP in addition to providing DNS resolution.
CrimpOn wrote:
The Orbi DHCP function definitely can be enabled or disabled. Access mode should disable Orbi DHCP.This is what I expected. Upon setup to Access mode, there are no DHCP selection in ALL web manual available.
CrimpOn wrote:- What firmware release is on this Orbi router? (upper right hand corner of the web interface)
There has been a recent firmware update and the forum is sensitive to "what happens" when it is applied. - How were these 10.0.0.x IP addresses traced to the Orbi? Is there a setting in the Orbi web interface saying that it is providing DHCP in that range? (web interface, Advanced Tab, Setup, LAN Setup)
What this sounds like is that there is a new DHCP server on the network. All sorts of devices can provide DHCP. My Pi-hole servers, for example, can do DHCP in addition to providing DNS resolution.
Q1 - V2.7.3.22
Q2 - I tried to login the 10.0.0.x gateway which is 10.0.0.1 by HTTP. It ask for login in and password just as any router's response. At that moment I do not aware the RBR50 is the gateway and I skipped the login, and of course it shown 401 error. However at the browser tab it displayed "Netgear R6150" and I checked this is the original model name of RBR50. Therefore I decided to remove the RBR50 from network. Once it was removed, client PC can obtain the original IP after refreshing the LAN connection. This is a method of deduction of possibility.
New DHCP server -- since I'm the only person actually take care the network equipment, I'm sure there is NO any device with DHCP function added by myself. I used to thought the possibility that somebody plugged a router by themselves without my knowledge, but I had personally went through almost all corners of company but not find anything.
Therefore everything points to the RBR50.
DHCP issues are not easy to resolve. If there are absolutely zero DHCP problems when the Orbi is disconnected, then I tend to agree that something connected to the Orbi is the source of the problem. With the Orbi DHCP function being disabled, I lean toward something connected.
My approach would be to try to find this DHCP server. I would set up Wireshark on a PC to capture all ethernet packets, then drop the IP reservation and request it until the PC gets a 10.0.0.x IP address. The easiest way might be to use the Network Control Panel, "Disable" the ethernet interface, then "Enable" the interface. That will force a new DHCP request.
Such as Open a DOS Wiindow and Network Control Panel
- In the DOS window type ipconfig /all
- See what the IP address is.
- If it begins with 10.0.0 terminate the experiment
- If not, type ipconfig /release
- Go to the Control Panel, Disable the interface then Enable the interface
This forces the interface to do a DHCP request - Go back to step 1 in the DOS window.
In Wireshark, set a display filter of "dhcp" and it will show every DHCP request and response. If there is a DHCP response offering a 10.0.0.x IP address, the MAC address of the DHCP server is the key item that allows you to find it.
I am not confident that only routers can act as DHCP servers. My Pi-holes can (although I have that feature turned off.)
At the very least, it would be helpful to make a list of every device that is connected to the Orbi system (both wired and WiFi). A more primitive experiment would be to disconnect one device at a time and see if the problem disappears when a specific device is disonnected.
(Being a little OCD, I prefer the "collect packets" approach to the "shoe leather" approach.)
- What firmware release is on this Orbi router? (upper right hand corner of the web interface)
- What firmware release is on this Orbi router? (upper right hand corner of the web interface)
