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kildare's avatar
kildare
Luminary
Mar 27, 2020

RBK853 - wired satellite

Hello, I'm currently running an RBR850 and 2 RBS850s (RBK853) in AP mode, all on firmware version V3.2.9.2_1.2.4.

 

One of the satellites is connected by cat 6 cable to one of the LAN ports of my router/firewall, as is the RBR850.

The router/firewall indicates 1Gb/s connection speed for both those ports.

 

Apparently all is working fairly well, no disconnections, but I find a problem on the web GUI of the RBR850:

the wired satellite is not recognized (marked "Disconnected"), as you can see in the image.

And all devices connected to that satellite are shown as "wired" to the Orbi router.

 

Accessing that satellite's web GUI all the connected devices are correctly recognized as on 2.4 or 5 GHz wireless.

 

If I use the Orbi app on an Android device connected to that satellite, even the app doesn't find any Orbi installation!

 

Moreover, curiously, if I turn off the RBR850 router, this satellite continues to work nicely, as it were a standalone access point (Internet access working, new wireless devices connection request accepted, etc.)!!

 

Till now I have blocked firmware auto updates through the firewall.

Before updating to the latest version V3.2.10.11 I'd like to know from users in a similar situation if at least this problem has been addressed.

 

Thanks in advance.

11 Replies

  • For the RBS status to show correctly, you have to connect any and all RBS when wired directly to the back of the RBR or thru a LAN switch thats connected to the back of the RBR. 

    https://kb.netgear.com/000051205/What-is-Ethernet-backhaul-and-how-do-I-set-it-up-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System

     

    They can't be parallel connected to a router or a firewall device. This is not a bug. Orbi AC systems do the same thing. 

     

    I found one problem with v10.11 FW, when in AP mode, if RBS are ethernet connected to the RBR with a switch in the middle, the status fails to appear for the RBS on the RBR. Only wirelessly do the RBS appear correctly on the RBRs status page. Or if the RBR is in router mode, does the status work correctly with RBS connected with switch in the middle. I reported this to NG already. 


    kildare wrote:

    Hello, I'm currently running an RBR850 and 2 RBS850s (RBK853) in AP mode, all on firmware version V3.2.9.2_1.2.4.

     

    One of the satellites is connected by cat 6 cable to one of the LAN ports of my router/firewall, as is the RBR850.

    The router/firewall indicates 1Gb/s connection speed for both those ports.

     

    Apparently all is working fairly well, no disconnections, but I find a problem on the web GUI of the RBR850:

    the wired satellite is not recognized (marked "Disconnected"), as you can see in the image.

    And all devices connected to that satellite are shown as "wired" to the Orbi router.

     

    Accessing that satellite's web GUI all the connected devices are correctly recognized as on 2.4 or 5 GHz wireless.

     

    If I use the Orbi app on an Android device connected to that satellite, even the app doesn't find any Orbi installation!

     

    Moreover, curiously, if I turn off the RBR850 router, this satellite continues to work nicely, as it were a standalone access point (Internet access working, new wireless devices connection request accepted, etc.)!!

     

    Till now I have blocked firmware auto updates through the firewall.

    Before updating to the latest version V3.2.10.11 I'd like to know from users in a similar situation if at least this problem has been addressed.

     

    Thanks in advance.


     

    • kildare's avatar
      kildare
      Luminary

      Thanks for the info.

      Unfortunately as my network cabling has a star topology with the router/firewall in the center, a direct wired connection between RBR850 and the RBS850 is not possible.

       

      Anyway, IMHO the fact where the RBS850 behaves as an independent access point when the RBR850 is turned off is a bit surprising, looking as the connection with the RBR850 is actually unnecessary...

       

      • FURRYe38's avatar
        FURRYe38
        Guru

        The actual operation probably works as you need it. It's only the status of the RBS with the RBR that seems to require the direct connection. 

         

    • kildare's avatar
      kildare
      Luminary

      BTW, as my router/firewall has an integrated 4-port gigabit switch where both the RBR and RBS are directly connected, I can't understand why mine is a different case than the third Orbi connection example...
      FURRYe38 wrote:

      For the RBS status to show correctly, you have to connect any and all RBS when wired directly to the back of the RBR or thru a LAN switch thats connected to the back of the RBR

      https://kb.netgear.com/000051205/What-is-Ethernet-backhaul-and-how-do-I-set-it-up-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System

       

      They can't be parallel connected to a router or a firewall device. This is not a bug. Orbi AC systems do the same thing.