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Dries2's avatar
Dries2
Guide
Feb 29, 2020
Solved

RBR850 - Access Point + wired backhaul & security issues

 

Hi all,

I've bought the RBK821 (RBR850+RBS850) combo, but it has given me quite some headache...

 

I already have a router installed (Fritz!Boz 7590) which needs to function as a router, because it offers some functionalities not available in the Netgear Orbi system. So my idea was to set up the RBR850 as an Access Point. The satellite (RBS850) should be connected via ethernet, assumming this is a more reliable backhaul (3 concrete walls separate both devices).

 

I did the initial setup using the Orbi app, and then made the more 'advanced' settings (set RBR850 as AP) using the web-interface. When this was set up, I placed my satellite in it's final location, and connected it using ethernet.

 

My cabling setup was the following:

Orbi Router (as AP) -> WAN port -> Switch -> Fritzbox Router
Orbi Satellite -> LAN poort -> Switch -> Fritzbox Router

With this setup, however, I noticed that the satellite was not listed in the "Attached Devices". I also noticed that the handover between both devices (when I was walking around the house) was not going well. I had the feeling they were operating as two separate Access Point. My phone was connected to the AP with bad reception for way too long. I also noticed that configuration updates I made on the router (e.g. change the SSID) did not pass trought to the satellite.

 

I changed the cabling setup to the following:

Orbi Router (as AP) -> LAN port -> Switch -> Fritzbox Router
Orbi Satellite -> LAN poort -> Switch -> Fritzbox Router

I got inspired by this KB article.

 

Good news! Both devices were able to "see" each other. When navigating to "Attached Devices", the satellite was listed, status was good (and ethernet-based). 

 

However, a few hours later, when I checked my phone's wifi settings, I noticed that my Orbi-SSID was listed twice. One without any security type! Anyone could connect to my network!

 

I checked the settings on my router, and security type "WPA2-PSK[AES]" was set up. I navigated to my satellite, and there I saw that the 2.4Ghz band was secured (WPA2), but the 5Ghz band had no security. This is very strange, because there is no way you can define different security types as an end user (afaik).

 

I have found this article, where similar issues are described for another Orbi product of Netgear. I tried resetting the satellite several times, I have even reset my entire Orbi system and started from scratch... I always ended up with an unsecured 5Ghz SSID. The thread also described a Telnet option, but the commands didn't seem to take (nvram show | grep sectype) and also the person opening the thread said that resetting solved it.

 

So I went back to my initial cabling set up (using the WAN port), and reset everything. My security issue is now solved, but now I am back to my original problem: the router and satellite do not 'see' each other.

 

Is this a bug in the firmware? I'm currently using the latest available (V3.2.9.2_1.2.4)? Or am I missing something?

 

Any advice is welcome. I'm currently quite frustrated and considering to return the product.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 Replies

  • johnny5126's avatar
    johnny5126
    Aspirant
    Feb 29, 2020

    You should connect an ethernet cable from the routers LAN port to the LAN port on the satellite directly for a wired backhaul, not indirectly to a switch.

  • Bandito's avatar
    Bandito
    Luminary
    Feb 29, 2020

    Why do you need the Fritzbox router on the switch?  The Fritzbox router should go directly into the WAN port on the Orbi router, then you can hang the switch off of the LAN port on the router and you should be okay, but It would still be better to directly connect the satellite to the Orbi router, just to be safe.

    • Dries2's avatar
      Dries2
      Guide
      Mar 01, 2020

      Hi all,
      Thank you for all your help!

       

      First a practical remark: it is not very easy to do something about my cable-setup. All devices mentioned are in different rooms (often different floors) and e.g. installing an additional network cable that goes directly from my RBR850 to my RBS850 would involve drilling some holes in walls and ceilings. This is a scenario I would like to avoid (then I prefer two cheaper non-mesh access points instead).

       

      Some more input on the devices involved:
      * My switch is an unmanaged switch (Cisco SG102-24 Compact 24-Port Gigabit Switch)
      * My router is a Fritz!Box 7590, which is connected to a cable-modem, a CBN CH6643E (provided by the ISP);

      A direct link between the ISP modem and the RBR, as suggested by FURRYe38 is also not possible. First of all, the router needs to be in between. Secondly, my cable setting does not allow it (all cables from all rooms in the house go to one central location where my switch is. From there, it is connected to the router, which is connected to the modem).

       

      And also the scenario where I would connect the router to the WAN port of the RBR850 and the switch to the LAN port is not possible, because they are not in the same room.

       

      An overview of the scenario's I have tried + outcome.

       

      Scenario 1:
      Setup:
      * Orbi Router (WAN port) -> Switch -> Fritzbox Router
      * Orbi Satellite (LAN port) -> Switch -> Fritzbox Router
      Outcome:
      - Satellite is not listed in "attached devices" => no mesh;
      + All Wifi SSID's are secured;

       

      Scenario 2:
      Setup:
      * Orbi Router (LAN port) -> Switch -> Fritzbox Router
      * Orbi Satellite (LAN port) -> Switch -> Fritzbox Router
      Outcome:
      + Satellite is listed in "attached devices" => mesh;
      - The 5Ghz network broadcasted by the satellite is unsecured;

       

      Scenario 3:
      Setup:
      * Orbi Router (WAN port) -> Switch -> Fritzbox Router
      * Orbi Satellite (LAN port) -> Orbi Router (LAN port);
      (for testing purposes - not able to have this as a final setup due to impractical cabling)
      Outcome:
      + Satellite is listed in "attached devices" => mesh;
      + All Wifi SSID's are secured;

       

      Scenario 4:
      Setup:
      * Orbi Router (LAN port) -> Switch -> Fritzbox Router
      * Orbi Satellite (LAN port) -> Orbi Router (LAN port);
      (for testing purposes - not able to have this as a final setup)
      Outcome:
      + Satellite is listed in "attached devices" => mesh;
      + All Wifi SSID's are secured;


      Scenario 5:
      In this scenario, I introducted an additional switch ("B"), right next to the RBR850. Consider this the "think outside of the box" scenario.
      Setup:
      * Orbi Router (WAN port) -> Switch B -> Switch A -> Fritzbox Router
      * Orbi Router (LAN port) -> Switch B -> Switch A -> Fritzbox Router
      Yes, you saw that correctly, two cables from the RBR850 to the same switch!
      * Orbi Satellite (LAN port) -> Switch A -> Fritzbox Router
      Outcome:
      ° Not sure if it was mesh (see later);
      + All Wifi SSID's are secured;
      So far, so good. However, some downsides:
      * The network became very slow, even the wired parts. I also noticed that the RBR850 got two IP addresses assigned by the router. I'm guessing the router was working overtime trying to figure out what was happening.
      * The GUI of the RBR850 became unreachable (I tried both IP addresses). So I could'n check "attached devices". However, there was a nice handover between both devices when I was walking around the house. So I guess I have mesh.
      * The GUI of the RBS850 was accessible only if I was on the wifi of the RBS850. There I could verify that it could see the RBR850 and the both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz wifi signals were secured.

       

      For now, I'm reverting back to scenario 1.

       

      The way I see it, is that this is something that can be solved in the next Orbi firmware release.

       

       

  • fangruoyuan's avatar
    fangruoyuan
    Guide
    Mar 11, 2020

    Hello, I have the exact issue like you in my rbk 852. And I also have the internet disconnect (magenta light show) issue. Do you see the light show in your system(AP mode)