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vakr78's avatar
vakr78
Aspirant
Feb 22, 2022
Solved

Re: RBK853, wired backhaul: one satellite loses connection to router and daisychains to other satell

I have an RBK853 mesh system (one RBR850 router and two RBS850 satellites).  The satellites are connected via separate ethernet cables to the router (star topology, wired backhaul).  I want the satellites to use the wired backhaul, obviously.

 

The satellite on the second floor has nothing hard-wired to it except ethernet in from the router.  The satellite in the basement has ethernet in from the router, and three ethernet out connections, one of which goes to my workstation for work.

 

I have noticed that the basement satellite will periodically fail to sense the connection to the router, and then becomes daisy-chained to the second floor satellite (almost directly above it, two stories) via a wireless connection.  I "notice" this when the routerlogin.net interface fails to display any item in the "connected orbi" column for the satellite (normal state: would say it is connected to the Orbi Router and give MAC address of router), and the app's network map goes from star topology to daisy chain, router - wired - second fl satellite - wired - basement satellite.  The basement satellite appears to know it is hard wired but it doesn't know it is hard-wired to the router.  I want to prevent any kind of daisy-chaining; there used to be a setting in routerlogin.net where one could disable daisy chaining, but that appears to have disappeared in the latest firmware.

 

I got smart and switched the satellites.  Interestingly, the satellite I brought to the basement from the second floor, which previously never had a problem, began to display this behavior.

 

I have a working theory, and I would like any opinion about whether it makes sense and/or what I can do about it.  When I use my workstation for work, which is hard-wired into the back of my basement satellite, I have to establish a connection to my work's VPN via the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client.  My suspicion is that there is something about connecting to the work VPN in this manner, on a workstation hard-wired into my satellite, that causes the satellite not to recognize that it has a wired backhaul to my router....

 

Any help appreciated.

 

Firmware: V4.6.3.16_2.0.51

Modem/ISP: Arris TM1602 / Optimum

  • I have an update on this matter for anyone who is interested.

    I did a factory reset of both satellites.

    Then I started them up and synced them to the router, one at a time, using the wired connection in their final/intended resting places 50 ft away from router in other rooms/other floors. 

    (When I initially bought the pack, not knowing any better and following the instructions or so I thought, I synced them wirelessly and at the same time, sitting next to the router on the same table.)

    I have had stable wired backhaul star topology for five days now.  No spontaneous daisy-chaining has occurred.

    The Cisco VPN thing appears to have been a red herring.

    Thank you for taking the time to give me your input, FURRYe38 Mikey94025 

     

     

12 Replies

  • 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 📡

     

    Are the RBS connected behind the RBR? 

    Are there any inwall LAN jacks or patch panels being used? 

    What is the Mfr and model# of the ethernet switch in the configuration?
    https://kb.netgear.com/000051205/What-is-Ethernet-backhaul-and-how-do-I-set-it-up-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System 📡

     

    What CAT# lan cables are you using? CAT6 is recommended. 

    • vakr78's avatar
      vakr78
      Aspirant

      What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?  6K
      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. 50 ft router to both satellites; satellites 22 vertical feet and two floors apart
      https://kb.netgear.com/31029/Where-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite 📡

       

      Are the RBS connected behind the RBR? yes

      Are there any inwall LAN jacks or patch panels being used? yes, house is hard-wired with cat 5e and i'm using the wall jacks

      What is the Mfr and model# of the ethernet switch in the configuration? no switch
      https://kb.netgear.com/000051205/What-is-Ethernet-backhaul-and-how-do-I-set-it-up-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-Sy... 📡

       

      What CAT# lan cables are you using? CAT6 is recommended. as above

      • FURRYe38's avatar
        FURRYe38
        Guru

        Only reason RBS would be connecting wirelessly and daisy chaining would be that the cable inbetween the RBR and RBS is not good, connections are bad on the cables or there maybe a bad patch panel in the mix. 

         

         

  • I have an update on this matter for anyone who is interested.

    I did a factory reset of both satellites.

    Then I started them up and synced them to the router, one at a time, using the wired connection in their final/intended resting places 50 ft away from router in other rooms/other floors. 

    (When I initially bought the pack, not knowing any better and following the instructions or so I thought, I synced them wirelessly and at the same time, sitting next to the router on the same table.)

    I have had stable wired backhaul star topology for five days now.  No spontaneous daisy-chaining has occurred.

    The Cisco VPN thing appears to have been a red herring.

    Thank you for taking the time to give me your input, FURRYe38 Mikey94025