Re: LB1120 Bridge Mode - No Connectivity

ErnestTheGreat · ‎2017-10-19

@GaryEinstein I totally agree with you that the best practice is to avoid using it and follow the general rule where the default gateway needs to be on the same subnet as the interface. Hopefully this a lesson learned for Netgear Aircard firmware team.

bordr415 · ‎2017-10-22

We have spoken with support a dozen times now...Engineers are always working on the issue. They already have fix but must be spending 1000's of hours "working" on it. There are several issues at this point with this model that could be fixed in minutes if they actually cared about their customers.

When my GM asked me if we could purchase these units for testing I was extremely hesitant. Knowing how horrible netgear products are and the support that goes with (it's actually worse than the products). I reluctantly allowed him to purchase them in an attempt to replace our existing product (which actually works - who'd think a modem with bridge mode actually bridges the connection!) but is cumbersome to setup. Inital testing everything worked fine and I was shocked to say the least. A Netgear product that worked out of the box and we didn't even have to wait for a firmware update or deal with support. The thought that bridge mode DHCP wouldn't work never even crossed my mind.

We deployed 50 of these to start with on our demo units and order many more. One technician noted a problem by which bridge mode wouldn't work and the subnet was wrong. We blamed the carrier since it worked in house. Waiting for them to fix to the problem we identified the culprit. DHCP just doesn't work on these units if in Bridge Mode. The DHCP from the provider includes the Subnet Mask.

I paid several thousands of dollars on these and the biggest feature they advertise doesn't work. I can't believe they can get away with this without someone filing a law suit for false advertising. We have lost quite a bit of money "waiting on engineers".

There is another flaw in this unit's design which was stumbled upon by this issue. The firmware is remotely managed. Why do we not have the ability to upload the firmware ourselves?

So we basically have 100's of units that do not work and have no forseable way to make them work for our application. If Netgear ever actually pushes out a firmware to the device we will end up paying $1000's of dollars in data alone because we have not way to upload the firmware via our wired connections.

Bucanero: Were you able to find a suitable replacement? It's obvious Netgear has failed again (as usual).

I know it sounds like I'm bashing on Netgear, however, they created the hostility by falsly advertising their products, failing to support their products, ignoring customer requests and complaints, failure to provide any kind of reasonable honesty. If they stood behind their products and their products worked this post wouldn't have been made and I'd be second guessing if we should give them another shot.

racingclub21 · ‎2017-10-23

I've just stumbled on this thread after trying to get a LB working with my ubnt Edgerouter. As you might imagine, it doesnt really work.

Any ideas how I can test the Beta firmware before I send the device back to where it came from?

In the meantime, I've also ordered an old Sierra ES440, see if that works properly.

Retired_Member · ‎2017-10-23

By the time I got on the beta release of the firmware I was long past the return period. And of course, the firmware did nothing to fix the issue. I guess NetGear sees their way of handling subnet masks as a feature and not a bug. BTW: I had been working with support for over two months.

If you can use it outside of bridge mode it works okay.

racingclub21 · ‎2017-10-23

thanks for the reply.

I'll cut my losses and look for alternatives then.

I've got the Sierra on order & also wondering if a Teltonika could do the job too.

Retired_Member · ‎2017-10-23

Bridge mode working in pfSense without beta firmware!

The connectivity problem seems to concentrate on a /32 subnet being assigned from the LB1120, and I forgot pfSense has a way to use a user-supplied value in favor of a value by the DHCP server using the supersede modifier as outlined here : https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=dhclient.conf&sektion=5#LEASE_REQUIREMENTS_AND_REQUESTS

In pfSense, place a check in "Advanced Configuration" and then enter "supersede subnet-mask 255.255.255.0" in the Option modifiers field. This supersedes the LB1120's supplied subnet mask of 255.255.255.255 and uses 255.255.255.0 instead.

This creates a working bridge mode. This should work with anything that uses dhclient as well (Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, etc).

Retired_Member · ‎2017-10-23

Bridge mode working in pfSense without beta firmware!

The connectivity problem seems to concentrate on a /32 subnet being assigned from the LB1120, and I forgot pfSense has a way to use a user-supplied value in favor of a value by the DHCP server using the supersede modifier.

In pfSense, place a check in "Advanced Configuration" and then enter "supersede subnet-mask 255.255.255.0" in the Option modifiers field. This supersedes the LB1120's supplied subnet mask of 255.255.255.255 and uses 255.255.255.0 instead.

This creates a working bridge mode. This should work with anything that uses dhclient as well (Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, etc).

bordr415 · ‎2017-10-23

While I love pfsense that is not what we use in production environments. Also, you state a subnet of /24 which is arbitrary and that value is dependant on the DHCP values and netmask supplied by your provider. You guessed and got lucky. (No offense but that is the exact attitude of Netgear.)

Retired_Member · ‎2017-10-23

I didn't so much guess the subnet mask as much as I resized it so the gateway I was assigned was inside the subnet. Of course it'll vary depending on who your carrier is. But yeah, I don't expect this to be viable for everyone. Maybe it's possible to script it so it calcluates the right subnet mask when the interface comes up.

Still debating returning it because the fact I have to fiddle with it like this at all is silly.

DarrenM · ‎2017-10-24

A new firmware has been posted on the update servers that fixes the LB bridge mode issue. To update LB1120, LB1121 or LB2120 to latest Firmware log into the LB web ui and go to Settings àGeneral à Software and Reset once there select check for update and wait then simply follow onscreen instructions to update the Firmware. See below for example of how the LB2120 Firmware Info screen looks like after update. For other device just need to make sure that you are using App Version: NTG9X07C_12.09.05.27

j4y · ‎2017-10-24

Bridge mode is now working for me on my LB1121 connected to a Ubiquiti USG 3 port. Pretty insane how long it took Netgear to fix this. Better late than never I guess.

racingclub21 · ‎2017-10-25

is this also for the euro models? I am close to returning my new LB1111...

saidjmacias · ‎2017-10-25

What about the LB1111; left behind?

TIA!

ErnestTheGreat · ‎2017-10-25

The LB1111-100EUS model has been EOL'd so there will be no more new firmware updates for this particular model. LB2120-100EUS can be used as replacment but LB2120-100EUS does not support PoE.

vronp · ‎2017-10-25

Hi,

Can you tell me exactly where you make this setting in pfsense? I sent my LB1120 back to Amazon long ago but kept up with this thread. I am a pfsense fan but must admit I was not aware of this feature. I can't even find where it is set.

thanks

@Retired_Member wrote:
Bridge mode working in pfSense without beta firmware!

The connectivity problem seems to concentrate on a /32 subnet being assigned from the LB1120, and I forgot pfSense has a way to use a user-supplied value in favor of a value by the DHCP server using the supersede modifier as outlined here : https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=dhclient.conf&sektion=5#LEASE_REQUIREMENTS_AND_REQUESTS

In pfSense, place a check in "Advanced Configuration" and then enter "supersede subnet-mask 255.255.255.0" in the Option modifiers field. This supersedes the LB1120's supplied subnet mask of 255.255.255.255 and uses 255.255.255.0 instead.

This creates a working bridge mode. This should work with anything that uses dhclient as well (Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, etc).

vronp · ‎2017-10-25

Hi,

Can you tell me exactly where you make this setting in pfsense? I sent my LB1120 back to Amazon long ago but kept up with this thread. I am a pfsense fan but must admit I was not aware of this feature. I can't even find where it is set.

thanks

@Retired_Member wrote:
Bridge mode working in pfSense without beta firmware!

The connectivity problem seems to concentrate on a /32 subnet being assigned from the LB1120, and I forgot pfSense has a way to use a user-supplied value in favor of a value by the DHCP server using the supersede modifier as outlined here : https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=dhclient.conf&sektion=5#LEASE_REQUIREMENTS_AND_REQUESTS

In pfSense, place a check in "Advanced Configuration" and then enter "supersede subnet-mask 255.255.255.0" in the Option modifiers field. This supersedes the LB1120's supplied subnet mask of 255.255.255.255 and uses 255.255.255.0 instead.

This creates a working bridge mode. This should work with anything that uses dhclient as well (Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, etc).

refosk · ‎2017-10-26

What about the LB1110?

Can we use firmware from LB1120?
If yes, where can we get it?

BR,

RM

rini-kl · ‎2017-10-26

Is this new update (see post 10-24) also for the LB2120? I tried to update via the GUI but it reported that there is no update available!!!!

ErnestTheGreat · ‎2017-10-26

@rini-kl Yes this is available for both LB1120, LB1121, LB210. If you are using LB2120 if you are on the latest FW you should see the following info under firmware on the about screen.

If you were part of testing any beta FW for LB2120 it is possible that your device maybe restricted from getting the latest update. If your info does not reflect what was shown in screenshot above my suggestion would be to either contact support about it or reach out to @DarrenM the AirCard mod and provide him with your IMEI and SN so it can be checked against NETGEAR’s update server.

iDragon · ‎2017-10-26

I am rather alarmed at this news that the 11 EUS series seem to be EOL, despite being readily available still alongside the two port 2120?, I did eventually get it working with my router, but initially I had great deal of issues with bridge mode similar to seemingly others.

If I had known it was EOL I would probably not have bought it, especially seeing this is a known issue for a long time now. That does not seem like 'good' support.

rini-kl · ‎2017-10-28

Hi Erenst

I did send your suggestions to Darren en Support. Today I was able to upgrade my LB2120 to the new version. Tested it and it works in birdge mode to a DD-WRT (linksys e1000). Thanks all to make it happen...

Rini

iDragon · ‎2017-10-28

Also how can it be justified to not fix one regions products when another region gets fix?

mgandalf · ‎2017-10-29

This isn't fixed for me, unfortunately. I'm using an LB2120 in bridged mode connected to a Ubiquiti EdgeRouterX running firmware 1.9.7 (latest). The firmware on my LB2120 is:

Firmware Firmware Version: M18Q2_v12.09.163431 App Version: NTG9X07C_12.09.05.27 Web App Version: LBHDATA_03.03.103.165 Bootloader Version: Bootloader Ver: v1.0.0 Hardware Version: 08

I am having the exact same issues as described - router gets IP assigned, add the routes then the LB2120 disconnects the LAN port and the whole thing starts over again.

Please let me know if I need to provide more information.

- Mark.

mgandalf · ‎2017-10-29

After studying this thread, I think my symptoms may be a bif different and so I'll post a new thread.

- Mark.

DarrenM · ‎2017-10-31

The Firmware is coming for Europe in the coming weeks that has a fix for this.

DarrenM