RBK353 AP mode no internet

RBR350, in AP mode + 2 satellites RBS350 Firmware version: V4.3.4.7_1.9.53 Hardware version RBR350 Hardware Type ORBI This is operating in an environment with 40+ devices and several NETGEAR ...

Bockeman
Mar 25, 2024
Thanks again CrimpOn and FURRYe38 for nudging me in the right direction. I have done multiple factory resets and an enormous number of experiments with different settings.
As it turns out, I have to use AP mode because it is the only way to get DHCP settings served to clients that are wired to one of the satellites. I have not experienced any problems with AP mode, per se, but thanks for the warnings.

The real problem is that the RBR350 does not accept a comma separated list of gateway IP addresses from a separate DHCP server. I think this is a bug in RBR350 because, strangely, other Netgear products that I use (e.g. web managed switches GS108Ev3) do correctly pick the first gateway address from the list of those supplied by my DHCP server(s).

A detail: I am operating a HA service, and all storage devices (NAS) and services (e.g. DHCP server) have live copies which reside on more than physical machine with automatic failover capability dropping to an alternative when the first selected becomes unavailable. When I first experimented with DHCP server settings to see if changing from a list of gateways to a single gateway address made any difference, I missed one of the several locations that I should have changed. Unbeknown to me, a list of gateways was being served by DHCP to the RBR350 by the one instance that I had failed to adjust. My mistake, and I paid sorely in time wasted trying to track down what was actually wrong.

Bockeman

Aspirant

Feb 16, 2024

RBR350, in AP mode + 2 satellites RBS350

Firmware version: V4.3.4.7_1.9.53
Hardware version RBR350
Hardware Type ORBI

This is the same environment as discussed in
AP mode no internet

and

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WIFI-6-AX-AND-Wi-Fi-6E-AXE/Mixed-backhaul-connection-Mixed-Topology/m-p/2238137

but not addressing this specific issue

This is operating in an environment with 40+ devices and several NETGEAR and other switches. Servers (desktops, laptops, etc.) are wired using CAT6A or CAT5E. Mobile phones are connected via 5G and IoT devices via 2.4G with the ISP cable modem WiFi (Virgin Media Hub 5) on a different SSID from Orbi. DHCP and DNS are served from my own servers (with failover provision for when a server is unavailable).

Servers with attached 10-bay HDDs (acting as NAS) are noisy, so have been relegated to the garage, but the CAT6A cable between garage and cable modem is ugly and hard to disguise.

The purpose of the Orbi plus Satellite(s) is purely to replace this CAT6A cable. Line of site distance about 5m through 1 single skin brick wall. In other words: 1 ethernet cable into the Internet port of the RBR350 and one ethernet cable into an ethernet port of the satellite RBS350, WiFi is unused apart from the fronthaul and backhaul. Administrative access to the RBR350 is via the wired ethernet from a desktop web browser.

Although I think I can accept the additional latency of a wireless fronthaul/backhall, the bandwidth is critical. There are regular "rsnapshot" backups during the day, transferring many GB of data, typically taking half-an-hour or so over the present 1Gbps wired configuration. Half the bandwidth would mean this time extends to over an hour with knock on consequences.

I measure bandwidth by transferring a 1.0GiB file (once, each way) using the linux command "dd" which reports perfomance for the wired connection as:

1073741824 bytes (1.1 GB, 1.0 GiB) copied, 9.40128 s, 114 MB/s
1073741824 bytes (1.1 GB, 1.0 GiB) copied, 10.0156 s, 107 MB/s

where MB/s (Mega Bytes per second) is close to the limit of 1,000Mbps (bits per second).

The rated bandwidth of the Orbi RBK353 is 1200Mbps, so I was expecting to at least equal that of the wired configuration. But I am dissappointed because in practice I am only getting less than of half this. The wireless configuration for fronthaul/backhaul is very sensitive to distance, positioning and other factors. A typical "dd" result for the wireless configuration, where the satellite is about 3m from the router, with only wood/air between, is:

1073741824 bytes (1.1 GB, 1.0 GiB) copied, 19.862 s, 54.1 MB/s
1073741824 bytes (1.1 GB, 1.0 GiB) copied, 18.8958 s, 56.8 MB/s

well short (less than half) of the rated bandwidth. If the distance was less than 3m or purely an air gap, then I hardly see the need for a wireless connection, and consider my 3m arrangement to be near ideal. Yet, much less than the rated bandwidth. Am I missing something? (Yes, I've seen the footnote caveats, but 1200Mbps drop to 500Mbps in near ideal conditions is pushing it). Is this consistent with other users' experience?

Circumstances meant that I have exceeded the returns period, for this product which is not fit for the purpose I intended. So be it.

But can I double the bandwidth by using two satellites in parallel? I propose having the RBR350 (router) connected to my ISP modem, but not so close that the WiFi of the ISP modem does not interfere with the Orbi WiFi.

I then propose placing the two satellites close together, but 5m away from the RBR350, with wired connections between them:

My assumptions (hopes) are:

Although there is only one router RBR350 box, it has sufficient capability to talk to each of the two satellites simultaneously.
The firmware supports packet distribution to each satellite and subsequent ordered reassembly at the destination.

Is there anything to gain from this arrangement, or am I just deluding myself?

Forum Discussion

RBK353 AP mode no internet