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Solved
Issue with FritzBox Mesh passing through two Netgear GS110TP switches connected via fiber
Hi everyone, I’m experiencing an issue with my network setup involving two Netgear GS110TP switches (Boot Version B5.1.0.2, Software Version 5.4.2.36) connected via fiber. Here’s the setup: 1.On...
Hi everyone,
I’d like to share a solution I found after struggling with compatibility issues between my Netgear GS110TP switches and the FRITZ!Box/FRITZ!Repeater Mesh system.
Initial Problem
The FRITZ! Mesh system wasn’t properly detecting devices connected through the Netgear switches. Despite disabling STP, tweaking QoS, and making other adjustments on the switches, the connectivity issues persisted.
Solution
Thanks to the AVM support team (FRITZ!Box manufacturer), I discovered that the issue was related to the EEE (Energy Efficient Ethernet) feature. While designed to reduce power consumption, EEE can cause compatibility issues with certain network adapters and setups.
Steps to Disable EEE on the FRITZ!Repeater:
1.Access the FRITZ!Repeater interface by entering its address in your browser.
2.Navigate to Hilfe und Info (Help and Info) in the left menu.
3.Click on FRITZ!Repeater Support at the bottom of the page.
4.In the Ethernet Compatibility section, enable the option Disable EEE (Energy Efficient Ethernet).
5.Save the changes by clicking Apply Settings.
Results
After disabling EEE, the Mesh system started working perfectly, and all devices were recognized without any issues.
Conclusion
If you’re using Netgear switches with FRITZ! devices and experiencing connectivity problems, I highly recommend trying this solution. While EEE is a useful feature for saving energy, disabling it can resolve certain compatibility problems in managed networks.
I hope this information is helpful for anyone facing similar challenges. Feel free to ask questions or request additional details if needed!
Best regards,vanhoteen
Complete Response:
Thank you, FURRYe38, for your response and for taking the time to help! I really appreciate your suggestions.
I’ve been working on this issue for a week now and contacted FritzBox support for guidance. They confirmed that the problem is not with the FritzBox or the repeater, as everything works perfectly when connected directly. According to them, the issue lies with the Netgear switches, which are likely blocking or filtering essential traffic needed for Mesh synchronization. However, they couldn’t specify which type of traffic (multicast, broadcast, or other) is critical for this process.
Here’s a summary of what I’ve tried so far without success:
1.Configured Trust DSCP:
I enabled Trust DSCP globally and on ports 1 (FritzBox and repeater) and 9 (fiber) on both switches to ensure that DSCP packets remain unaltered.
2.Adjusted QoS (DSCP to Queue Mapping):
I mapped DSCP values such as AF41 and EF to high-priority queues (queues 3 and 4) to prioritize critical traffic for Mesh synchronization.
3.Modified STP (Spanning Tree Protocol):
While RSTP is globally enabled, I disabled STP on ports 1 and 9 or configured them as Edge ports to avoid temporary blocking during the Mesh discovery process.
4.Disabled IGMP Snooping:
I disabled IGMP Snooping on the VLANs associated with the FritzBox and repeater to allow multicast traffic to pass through unrestricted.
5.Captured and analyzed traffic:
I used Wireshark to analyze multicast traffic and the ip.dsfield field but couldn’t find any clear evidence of what might be blocked.
Despite these configurations, the Mesh symbol still doesn’t appear when the connection passes through the Netgear switches. However, when the repeater is connected directly to the FritzBox, the Mesh works perfectly, confirming that the issue is with the switches.
As an alternative solution, I’m planning to add another Mesh repeater connected solely via Wi-Fi between the FritzBox and the current repeater to avoid passing through the Netgear switches. I hope this resolves the issue while I continue looking for a definitive solution to use the switches.
Once again, thank you so much for your help. If I make any progress or find a solution, I’ll share it here to help others facing similar issues. Best regards! 😊
Hi everyone,
I’d like to share a solution I found after struggling with compatibility issues between my Netgear GS110TP switches and the FRITZ!Box/FRITZ!Repeater Mesh system.
Initial Problem
The FRITZ! Mesh system wasn’t properly detecting devices connected through the Netgear switches. Despite disabling STP, tweaking QoS, and making other adjustments on the switches, the connectivity issues persisted.
Solution
Thanks to the AVM support team (FRITZ!Box manufacturer), I discovered that the issue was related to the EEE (Energy Efficient Ethernet) feature. While designed to reduce power consumption, EEE can cause compatibility issues with certain network adapters and setups.
Steps to Disable EEE on the FRITZ!Repeater:
1.Access the FRITZ!Repeater interface by entering its address in your browser.
2.Navigate to Hilfe und Info (Help and Info) in the left menu.
3.Click on FRITZ!Repeater Support at the bottom of the page.
4.In the Ethernet Compatibility section, enable the option Disable EEE (Energy Efficient Ethernet).
5.Save the changes by clicking Apply Settings.
Results
After disabling EEE, the Mesh system started working perfectly, and all devices were recognized without any issues.
Conclusion
If you’re using Netgear switches with FRITZ! devices and experiencing connectivity problems, I highly recommend trying this solution. While EEE is a useful feature for saving energy, disabling it can resolve certain compatibility problems in managed networks.
I hope this information is helpful for anyone facing similar challenges. Feel free to ask questions or request additional details if needed!
Best regards,vanhoteen
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