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Forum Discussion
RBE971 V12.1.10.12 - satellites do not broadcast the IoT SSID (regression from V9.13.x?)
System: RBE971 router plus 2x RBE970 satellites, both on wired backhaul, both showing Good. Firmware V12.1.10.12_5.3.16. IoT network enabled, 2.4 GHz only, WPA2-PSK. Main SSID is WPA2+WPA3. Probl...
I did the update manually. I can't recall whether I did the satellites first or the router first.
The satellites are not directly behind the router. There is an unmanaged TP-Link TL-SG105S-M2 2.5G switch in the backhaul path. That switch is there because of an earlier problem in this same firmware line. V12.1.10.12 broke wired backhaul through my managed Araknis switch, both satellites fell back to 5GHz, and they would not hold wired no matter how the switch was configured. Adding the unmanaged 2.5G switch fixed it. Both satellites have reported Wired and Good since.
Channels: 2.4GHz is fixed on 6, 5GHz is on 40. 20/40MHz coexistence is enabled.
Guest network: it has not worked from the satellites here either, and that predates this. So it is not only the IoT SSID. Neither secondary SSID has ever reached my satellites.
How I enabled IoT: the router web page, not the app. Custom SSID name, not the default.
How long before I scanned: months. The IoT SSID has been up and in use by about 40 devices for a long time, so this is not a propagation delay.
I have not updated, so here is a fresh scan taken today from the same spot in the outbuilding, about 20 feet from one satellite:
Main SSID from that satellite: -50 dBm.
Main SSID from the router: -80 dBm.
Main SSID from the other satellite: -80 dBm.
Backhaul SSID from all three units.
IoT SSID: still exactly one BSSID, the router's, at -81 dBm. Nothing from either satellite.
On updating to V12.1.11.10: that release is listed as WW Region. I am on V12.1.10.12, which is listed as NA Region Only, and the router's online check reports no new firmware for the router or either satellite. So I don't think I can take that build without cross-flashing a WW image onto NA hardware, which I would rather not do on a house that runs locks and an alarm.
krgoodwin, are you on a WW region unit? If the fix is only in the WW branch, then the question for NETGEAR is when it lands in an NA build.
jsteele82 V12.1.11.10 WW encompasses the NA region.
To get the IoT and GN working correctly on current version of FW, be sure that you change the default SSID name of each network to something different from the default one. After making changes, reboot the system and those two networks should become accessible. I use custom names on mine and networks work seen and accessible.
FYI, there are known issues with using Managed switches with Orbi systems and having the RBS ethernet connected to these switches. You can get them to work however a switch configuration IS needed on the switch to have the RBS work fully:
Be sure you wireless connect the RBS first to the RBR, then ethernet connect them.
I helped NG a couple of years ago to narrow the issue down on these managed switches.