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RBR50 to RBS50 connectivity issue
I have an RBR50 connected directly to a BT Openreach ONT and running in router mode. The internet connection is up and running and stable. There are two RBS50 satellites spread through the ground floor of my property connected via Devolo Magic 2 powerline adaptors. This setup worked perfectly with the satellites showing as "wired" in the attached devices page of the Orbi web page.
Over the past week, the satellites have been showing as not connecting properly, as in not showing as "wired", on the Orbi web page, and one satellite wasn't even being recognised as a satellite. It was showing in the list of attached devices below the satellite section. I have reset every component in the network back to factory defaults, including all the powerline adaptors, and reconnected the satellites using the Orbi setup wizard.
The current status is that the satellites are now showing correctly on the attached devices page, but with a 5G connection and not wired as they should be. The Orbi app indicates that the satellites are offline. Please see attached screenshot from the Orbi web page. I am out of ideas of what I now need to do to get the network back to full functionality.
I think I have accepted that getting the satellites hard-wired using powerline adaptors is pretty much dead in the water and there doesn't seem to be that great an advantage speed-wise over the MESH network anyway!
With that in mind, can I get an opinion on the optimum settings for the Orbi router? Attached is a screenshot of the wireless settings.
15 Replies
a couple things.
1. running 2 routers in router mode can cause issues. its called a double nat. https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT
2. Is there a powerline adapter connected back to the bt openreach router or just to the orbi router?
3. powerline is sensitive to interference and a lot of things can interfere with powerline. these include: electronics going bad, cheap cell phone chargers, high draw appliances, old/bad/cheap/sketchy wiring, arc fault circuits, gfci outlets, surge protectors, and poorly made electronics. If the powerline backhaul isn't staying stable/connected, I'd be looking at the powerline system and not the orbi system.
Thanks for your comments. plemans.
plemans wrote:
a couple things.
1. running 2 routers in router mode can cause issues. its called a double nat. https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT
I have FTTP connected directly to the BT Openreach ONT box, which I believe is a modem not a router. I'm not aware of any settings for this box that I can access to check for a double NAT issue. I have checked the connected devices and they are all using the Orbi provided IP address.
I used to have a Fritzbox modem (my ISP, ZEN Internet, provided this) between the ONT and the Orbi with the Orbi being set to AP mode. I read that the Orbi could be connected directly to the ONT, be set to Router mode, and get an internet connection via PPPOE, and this is what I have done.
2. Is there a powerline adapter connected back to the bt openreach router or just to the orbi router?
The connectivity route is:
ONT -> Orbi (Router mode) -> Powerline --> Powerline -> Satellites (x2)
Each satellite has its own powerline adaptor.
3. powerline is sensitive to interference and a lot of things can interfere with powerline. these include: electronics going bad, cheap cell phone chargers, high draw appliances, old/bad/cheap/sketchy wiring, arc fault circuits, gfci outlets, surge protectors, and poorly made electronics. If the powerline backhaul isn't staying stable/connected, I'd be looking at the powerline system and not the orbi system.
The satellites aren't connecting using the ethernet (powerline) backhaul, only via 5G, and this isn't even getting correctly represented in the Orbi app. According to the app, the satellites aren't connected at all. The network was working fine up to around a week ago and I can't think of any additions, electronically, that have been added to cause this. I can't even blame a firmware update as there hasn't been one for a while!
@NorthI have FTTP connected directly to the BT Openreach ONT box,----sorry, your comments made it seem like this was a router which openreach does have. tough to know 100% without a model number. which I believe is a modem not a router. I'm not aware of any settings for this box that I can access to check for a double NAT issue. I have checked the connected devices and they are all using the Orbi provided IP address.
I used to have a Fritzbox modem (my ISP, ZEN Internet, provided this) between the ONT and the Orbi with the Orbi being set to AP mode. I read that the Orbi could be connected directly to the ONT, be set to Router mode, and get an internet connection via PPPOE, and this is what I have done.----good to hear. No instabilies from the router? It functions properly? its just the satellites with issues?
2. Is there a powerline adapter connected back to the bt openreach router or just to the orbi router?
The connectivity route is:
ONT -> Orbi (Router mode) -> Powerline --> Powerline -> Satellites (x2)
Each satellite has its own powerline adaptor.
3.
The satellites aren't connecting using the ethernet (powerline) backhaul, only via 5G, and this isn't even getting correctly represented in the Orbi app. According to the app, the satellites aren't connected at all. ----so you disconnected the powerline? Again, if somethings causing interference on the powerline, it can be switching back and forth from powerline (which is sees as ethernet) and the 5ghz backhaul. This can cause instabliities and the app can be showing the wrong connection. The network was working fine up to around a week ago and I can't think of any additions, electronically, that have been added to cause this.----it doesn't have to be an addition. It can be something as simple as a cell phones power supply going bad that can cause interference. Or a piece of electronics. And that electronics might not go bad for a long time as some electronics don't care about a clean power going to them. but when your using powerline, you need devices that aren't causing feedback into the power system. Its tough to troubleshoot when it does happ. I can't even blame a firmware update as there hasn't been one for a while!
why are you using powerline backhaul? home to large? walls to thick or made of a material that blocks wifi? Again, if the powerline isn't stable and the home isn't condusive to wifi, you've got an instable mesh system.
I, also, suspect there may be an issue with the Develo Magic 2. I have been using PowerLine adapters from TP-Link for several years. I started with four and am now down to three because the fourth one would work fine for a while and then drop the connection. I would notice, "hmmm. no security cameras today...." and there's that damn red light.
Devolo has software to manage the Magic 2 network. Does it show everything fine?
https://www.devolo.com/home-network/app-software
I find similar software from TP-Link surprisingly informative... and not in a good way.
Right now, it is reporting a Link Speed of 1200+mb to the closest adapter and 400+mb to the family room where my Tivo is located. 400mb is more than my Internet download speed, so I guess it is "good enough."
Link Speed on PowerLine networks is about as bogus as Link Speeds in WiFi networks.
- Whereas ethernet is full duplex, and packets can travel in both directions at the same time, PowerLine and WiFi are "less than half duplex". Only one adapter can put traffic on the wire at any one time. The others must back off and wait.
- PowerLine and WiFi are sensitive to distance and interference.
- Overhead in WiFi and PowerLine is enormous compared to etherent. A gigabit ethernet link can achieve over 900mb of actual data transfer (in both directions). PowerLine and WiFi cannot come close in real world conditions.
These differences mean that actual ethernet cables connecting router and satellites will produce the highest throughput.
A way to confirm that the develo is (or is not) the issue is to temporarily connect the satellites with actual ethernet cables. 30 meter long Cat 6 ethernet cables are available on Amazon for under £10UK. (Shorter cables even less.) If the satellites do not sync over actual ethernet cables, something may be seriously wrong.
