Hardware Version: RBR750, Firmware VersionV4.6.5.14_2.0.54, Router Mode, 3 Satellites. I had a problem where random satellites would go orange, then flash white and connections would drop all over the place. This happened almost continuously for a few days.I switched everything off. EVERYTHING. Powered back up in this order: ISP Router, Orbi Router (updated firmware), Orbi Satellites (updated firmware), and then all consumer devices. Everything connected back. Lovely. All satellites connect, backhaul seems fine and connections not dropped. However, one of the satellites is now continuously flapping between backhaul to the router and another satellite. Light goes blue, flashes white, I check the topology, it changes, then the light goes blue and back to step one. I do not care if it connects "Star", or "Daisychained" - I just want it to pick one and stick to it. Is it possible to log in to a satellite and choose an upstream device to prefer? I can't find an option to turn off daisy-chaining, as explained on a slightly different thread. NB. The status never stops being green in the app. Occasionally it drops to 2.4Ghz, but I don't have time to look at that for long as it flaps again. Thank you.

Might try swapping RBS and see if the problem follows or remains at this one locations. Is there built in wifi and a router at the ISP modem or ONT?

Random thoughts: nicetranslady wrote: I use a /30 subnet to uplink to my router, and quite a lot of reservations-for home automation/ IoT hubs and various other bits of config. Sky Fibre broadband router via ONT, using their router with all IPv6 configuration turned off, all Wi-Fi and any other service turned off with the exception of ALG/SIP, DNS, NTP, routing and a LAN port configured to use the other address in the /30. /30 is an interesting (and unusual) IP subnet for a residential setting. The Orbi in router mode uses only a single IP address from the Sky router, no matter how large the Sky router IP subnet is. Wondering what the reasoning is behind that decision. nicetranslady wrote: Why would I consider resetting to factory, unless the software is shoddy? "Desperate time call for desperate measures". I, also, find a Factory Reset tedious and it is my "last resort" after trying everything else. There are two forms of Factory Reset: Saving a copy of the config file reduces the total time to under 30 minutes. Save the config. Do the 'reset'. When it the router comes up, go into the web config only to the point of being presented with a choice of (a) continue to config, or (b) load a saved configuration. Do not bother to change anything you are not forced to. Do not change the WiFi SSID/password. Make any device reservations, etc. Just get to that point and upload the saved configuration. The router restarts and the entire configuration is restored. Why do this? Sometimes trash has accumulated in memory and this process erases it. (Sometimes not). If the config restore did not resolve the problem, the truly last resort is to Factory Reset and define the whole config from scratch. In my case, this takes over two hours. nicetranslady wrote: I'll try the radio output reduction now and see if that helps. I could also look to move the satellite that is flapping further away and down another floor and see if the backhaul still connects at 5Ghz. That would be about 60ft away then. It is not clear to me that reducing the Transmit Power has any effect on the backhaul radio link. The RBR750 uses two 5G frequency bands in the UK: 5.18-5.24 (A Band: channels 26-48) and 5.5-5.7 (B Band: channels 100-140). The maximum transmit power for unlicensed use in the UK is 0.2W for A Band and 1W for B Band. https://www.4gon.co.uk/solutions/technical_reference_section.php My reasoning is that Netgear would want the highest signal strength possible between Orbi units. One could test this hypothesis by reducing Transmit Power and observing the signal strength of the "hidden SSID" access point. You mention in a previous post that there appears to be no method to enable/disable Daisy Chain for satellite connections. The original (2016) Orbi had this option, but that was dropped when the AX models came out. The default was "on" so that customers could easily add another satellite without regard to placement. Maybe Netgear decided there was no logical reason to keep Daisy Chain an option? I think moving that satellite around is your best option. If moving the satellite doesn't help, might also consider doing something to "block" the backhaul connection to the router. (this is the one that goes across the "L"?) Maybe a pile of bricks or put a baking sheet directly in the path.

Thanks for your help. 👍I'll have a proper mess around soon, maybe at the weekend.We're thinking of re-wiring in the near future. I have no intention to flood UTP (been there, done that), but I may think about planning some wired backhaul routes. If only to take this kind of weird stuff out of the equation.

*shudders*🤣Thanks for your help. 👍

What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too? What is the size of your home? Sq Ft? What is the distance between the router and 📡 satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS📡 to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/31029/Where-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite 📡 Also try turning down the power output of the RBRs wifi radios from 100% to 50% and see if this changes anything. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings What channels are you using? Auto? Try Auto and 48 on 5Ghz. Or try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and 40 to 48 channel on 5Ghz.Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many? Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update?

RBR750 Satellite flapping between router and satellite for backhaul

13 Replies

FURRYe38
Guru - Experienced User
Jan 04, 2022
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and 📡 satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS📡 to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.
https://kb.netgear.com/31029/Where-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite 📡

Also try turning down the power output of the RBRs wifi radios from 100% to 50% and see if this changes anything. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

What channels are you using? Auto? Try Auto and 48 on 5Ghz. Or try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and 40 to 48 channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update?
- nicetranslady
  Guide
  Jan 04, 2022
  I've no idea of the sq.ft. area of the house, but there are brick walls all over the place and it's L-shaped. The signal between satellites goes through two external double-brick walls and two internal walls (one lath and plaster, the other plasterboard), and the same plus a brick stairwell and a ceiling/ floor when it decides the router is a better bet. The straight-line distance is around 30ft and 45 ft respectively. Some home automation, an Echo 5, the boiler control and a SONOS speaker had flaky connections out that way, which is why this satellite has been installed-modifying the thermostat temperatures used to fail all the time. It doesn't now. Calls also dropped as you enter the room below. Very annoying!
  
  I did not reconfigure from a factory reset after the latest updates as frankly, that as a requirement is insane. I use a /30 subnet to uplink to my router, and quite a lot of reservations-for home automation/ IoT hubs and various other bits of config. Why would I consider resetting to factory, unless the software is shoddy?
  
  Sky Fibre broadband router via ONT, using their router with all IPv6 configuration turned off, all Wi-Fi and any other service turned off with the exception of ALG/SIP, DNS, NTP, routing and a LAN port configured to use the other address in the /30.
  
  2.4Ghz: Auto
  5Ghz: 36
  
  I can see only 3 other SSIDs when I scan.
  
  I assume that I'd only lower the 5Ghz radio, we connect from 90ft down the garden to the satellite, which probably uses 2.4Ghz). I need to keep that.
  
  I'll try the radio output reduction now and see if that helps. I could also look to move the satellite that is flapping further away and down another floor and see if the backhaul still connects at 5Ghz. That would be about 60ft away then.
  
  Thank you.
  - FURRYe38
    Guru - Experienced User
    Jan 04, 2022
    Might try swapping RBS and see if the problem follows or remains at this one locations.
    
    Is there built in wifi and a router at the ISP modem or ONT?

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RBR750 Satellite flapping between router and satellite for backhaul