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ATT BGW320 and Orbi750 Negotiating 100Mbps
Hi Guys, I connected BGW320 that is in my garage to a Orbi750 using a 100m long ethernet cable and I see that they are negotiating to 100mbps. If I connect the same cable to my laptop I see t...
Another crazy thought: If that laptop will maintain a 1000Mbps link for a substantial amount of time**, what about connecting to an Ethernet switch in front of the RBR750? The electronics built into Ethernet interface modules may be slightly different from one device to another.
i.e. where the Ethernet cable arrives at the RBR750, connect it to an Ethernet switch on one port and connect another port to the RBR750. With nothing else on the switch***. The RBR750 will negotiate 1000M/Full with the switch. If the BGW320 also negotiates 1000M/Full with the switch, then "problem solved". Total investment: under $30 and an hour of time.
** If the laptop also drops the link speed to 100M/Full after some period of time, the issue is moot.
*** This depends on the "mode" of the BGW320 and the Orbi. If the BGW is in the default "router mode", then it has created one IP subnet LAN, and the issue becomes what mode the Orbi is in. If the BGW320 is in "pass through" mode, then for certain nothing else can be connected to this switch.
capjacksparo wrote:
Hi Guys,
I connected BGW320 that is in my garage to a Orbi750 using a 100m long ethernet cable and I see that they are negotiating to 100mbps.
If I connect the same cable to my laptop I see them negotiating to 1000mbps.Intersting part is that I see that Orbi is negotiating to 1000mbps initially for few minutes but is then downgrading to 100mbps.
I did not see mention of which specific Ethernet cable used in this 100m link. As others have pointed out, the IEEE specifications for Ethernet cable are rated for 100m (328 ft.) or 90m with connecting cables at each end.
The Ethernet auto negotiation feature is built into the network adapter hardware in each device. (BGW320 and RBR750). Thus, there is nothing the user can do to affect it. This is the first instance I have seen of devices negotiating one speed and then later dropping to a different speed. The description does appear to indicate that the mechanism is on-going:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonegotiation
If the existing cable is Cat5e, my first thought is to replace with Cat6A cable (or even Cat7).
(I have a feeling that this would not be a trivial undertaking.)
If the cable is accessible along the pathway, an Ethernet switch could be placed about the mid point, breaking it into two lengths which would both negotiate 1000Mbps/Full. (Again that feeling of doom.)
Another option would be to contact AT&T and have them move the service entrance from the garage to the location of the Orbi router. (Again, an uneasy feeling. If it was trivial to put the entrance "in the house", then AT&T might have done that to start with.)
This is such an unusual situation. I'm certain there is an interesting story here.
Another crazy thought: If that laptop will maintain a 1000Mbps link for a substantial amount of time**, what about connecting to an Ethernet switch in front of the RBR750? The electronics built into Ethernet interface modules may be slightly different from one device to another.
i.e. where the Ethernet cable arrives at the RBR750, connect it to an Ethernet switch on one port and connect another port to the RBR750. With nothing else on the switch***. The RBR750 will negotiate 1000M/Full with the switch. If the BGW320 also negotiates 1000M/Full with the switch, then "problem solved". Total investment: under $30 and an hour of time.
** If the laptop also drops the link speed to 100M/Full after some period of time, the issue is moot.
*** This depends on the "mode" of the BGW320 and the Orbi. If the BGW is in the default "router mode", then it has created one IP subnet LAN, and the issue becomes what mode the Orbi is in. If the BGW320 is in "pass through" mode, then for certain nothing else can be connected to this switch.
Thank you Guys, esp CrimpOn. I placed a Netgear switch close to the ATT BGW320 and connected it back to Orbi750. This seems to have solved the issue.
I agree with Schumaku. It looks like this could be a speed negotiation issue between vendors, and also, maybe the cable length is coming into play.