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Forum Discussion
Orbi 970 wired backhaul/switch setup
Hi After years of flaky connections, I’ve just swapped out a full home Ubiquiti PoE switch/AP system for a Orbi 970 3-Pack. So far so good, but having a few issues setting up wired backhaul...
No - they are all on the same floor (basement) but ONT/UCG/Switch are in a closet at one end (also where house's ethernet cabling terminates into patch panel), then the RBE971 is connected to an ethernet port ~30ft away (more central and more exposed).
I could easily put the RBE971 in the closet too but exposure for Wi-Fi would not be ideal, OR I am thinking I may be able to sneakily chase a couple slim cables out of the closet to a nearby, more exposed ledge - one from ONT to RBE971, then one back from RBE971 to switch. Just really want to avoid any conspicuous cables...
FYI, having a managed switch with VLAN support in between the RBR and RBS doesn't work if the system is in AP mode. I've tried this. A managed switch only works with ethernet connected RBS in router mode. For unknown reasons, the Orbi FW fails to fully pass all RBS commuications thru the switch from the RBR, thus Guest Network and connections at the RBS fail when in AP mode. I've tried this with a few managed switches and have asked NG about this. This isn't a switch/VLAN issue, it's a Orbi FW issue only seen in AP mode with a managed switch in between the RBR and RBS when they are ethernet connected. So to ensure the RBS are working as intended, a non managed switch should be used in between the RBR and RBS for best operation. I currently use NG XS505M and GS110MX switches in between my RBR and RBS when ethernet connected, router or AP Mode.
- Yes I gathered from a few similar threads that a managed switch would complicate things - hence I also replaced the prior UniFi PoE managed switch with a much more basic unmanaged switch (TP-Link TL-SG1024S)
Ya, managed switches have been problematic at best. I happened to be on a beta for one model switch and someone there told me about VLAN configuration that works for Orbi systems. But this was for Router mode. Later on another beta came up and was testing AP mode and found no VLAN configurations we tried would work and in a bug report, they came to the conclusion that the issue is with Orbi FW. There seems to be specific data between the RBR and RBS that need to be unhindered that managed switches seem to block. Regardless of VLAN config.
You might find you a multi gig non managed switch and install it at some point so you can take advantage of the higher wired backhaul speed support between the RBR and RBS.
thomasdiak wrote:
Yes I gathered from a few similar threads that a managed switch would complicate things - hence I also replaced the prior UniFi PoE managed switch with a much more basic unmanaged switch (TP-Link TL-SG1024S)Yeah I'm REALLY not interested in doing anything in a more complicated way than neccesary - the relative simplicity of the Orbi system is what attracted me after years of pulling config teeth with the UniFi stuff. When it worked it was superb, but there always seemed to be some glitch needing a settings tune-up waiting in the shadows...
I'll be very happy to commit to a "dumb" switch and hopefully just figure out the best cabling layout and physical placement.
Will be testing on the weekend...
Good tip re: multi-gig switch for internal data and backhaul etc. though!