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Forum Discussion
TP-Link connection showing on RBR760 new out of the box
Hi, I'm experiencing an unusual issue and can't seem to get to the bottom of it. Last week, I purchased a brand-new Netgear Orbi RBR760 mesh system from Costco, still in its original packaging. D...
Thanks for the reply. I looked on the CM1150v modem and can't find any information related to previous devices. I also checked the logs on the Orbi and the two TP-Link devices were never assigned IP addresses (only the mac address shows).
TP-Link | 00:5F:67:0A:F6:E1 | Wired |
TP-Link | 50:3E:AA:08:23:CE | Wired | |
Was this a fresh install of the Orbi 'app'?
i.e. it had never been used to manage an Orbi system before?
I am totally gobsmacked with this. On the one hand, it would be delicious to learn that Netgear connects TP-Link devices to Costco bound systems before they leave the factory.
Since this system is brand new, how much effort will be lost if the router is Factory Reset?
(In my case, a Factory Reset leads to over two hours of tedious data entry to perform all the customization that has gone on over the past years.)
I wanted to wait until I had more information to respond. I tried a couple things. I did the factory reset and upon second setup the tp-link devices did not appear. I also bought a new orbi system from Costco and reset my modem to factory defaults prior to setup. Upon completing installation - same thing - two additional devices showed up with a different name/different mac address. If you trace the mac address, they lead back to TP-Link...I think this has to be from the factory?
I am really confused at this point. I actually don't know if it is a security issue.
My vote is for the factory. I have never seen anything that describes the process Netgear uses to:
- Create credentials for a new package (SSID/password)
- Print out a label with these credentials, the router product number, and serial number
- Write the credentials into read only memory so that they will survive a power cycle and a Factory Reset.
Do they use:
- A WiFi connection?
- An Ethernet connection?
- A connection to the serial pins on the motherboard (before screwing the case together)?
Simply have no idea how they do it.
There could be a brief time during which the router is powered up with some default SSID/password that is used during the process and there happen to be some TP-Link devices which get connected during that interval? Or, maybe it has no WiFi SSID and there are some TP-Link devices connected to whatever LAN is used to configure products?
(For sure, Netgear Orbi's are manufactured and packaged in China, where TP-Link is a major supplier of IT equipment.)
There is zero chance that this issue would make it through the Netgear 90 day support structure to someone who knows things (and cares).
I would delete those devices and move on.
