Wired backhaul issue with MR60/MS60 System

[msekar]

I have a WiFi Mesh setup at home with 1 MR60 and 4 MS60s connected to it as shown in the attached picture. I have Wired Connections from Home Office where MR60 is located on South East corner to Family Room and Living Room on other corners of my home.

Ideally, I would like MS60s in Living Room and Family room to be connected through the wire for backhaul. Unfortunately, as soon as I connect both MS60s on wired backhaul, the WiFi system becomes unstable; randomly various MS60 satellites will show disconnected. I tried multiple trial and errors with network ports at Family & Living rooms or directly inserting the MS60s at ports in Home Office. The conclusion is that 2 MS60s on wired backhaul causes problems. So, I am operating right now with only Living Room unit on Wired backhaul and rest are wireless.

Is anyone else having similar problems? 
Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot and fix the issue?

The issue is reproducible. 

[msekar · Accepted solution]

@FURRYe38 Thank you so much. You nailed it.

The culprit was Netgear ProSafe GS110TP. I swapped it out with Netgear ProSafe GS108 and reconnected MS60s in Family Room and Living Room through wire. They started working and the other 2 MS60s are connected Wirelessly as there is no drop there. I have the home network the way I want configured.

[FURRYe38]

What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended.

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 MR and MS🛰️ to begin with depending upon building materials when wire or wirelessly connected.
https://kb.netgear.com/000061709/Where-should-I-place-the-Mesh-WiFi-satellite-of-my-Nighthawk-Mesh-W... 📡

What CAT# lan cable are you using? CAT6 is recommended. 
What is the Mfr and model# of the ethernet switch in the configuration?

[msekar]

Hi @FURRYe38 , here are answers to your questions.

What Firmware version is currently loaded?
V1.1.7.134_2.0.65

What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
Netgear CM1100

Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended.

I believe it is CAT6 as I used the cable that came with the Router.

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
2400 SFT.

What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)?
I would say it is easily 25 - 30 feet as these are at diagonally opposite corners of my home.

I don't think the distance is the issue as these are working fine at the exact same spots when connected wirelessly. Moreover, when I connect only one of them from either of the locations through, wire and leave the other Wireless, it works fine. That means, the wiring and the switch it is connecting through should be fine. It gets into problem when I connect 2 of them through wire. I am trying to figure out why.

What CAT# lan cable are you using? CAT6 is recommended. 
Yes, it is RoHS compliant Cat6 cable connecting these rooms.

What is the Mfr and model# of the ethernet switch in the configuration?
Netgear ProSafe GS110TP

[FURRYe38]

Does the MS show as wired connected status on the MRs web page or the NH mobile app under Network Map? 

Have you tried swapping MS locations with each other to see if the same thing happens or follows the MS? 

Possible your Switch could be a factory. Thats a semi managed switch. Might try a non managed switch, like NGs GS10x series. 

I use GS105s and GS108 and a GS308. Both of my MS60s work fine when ethernet connected. Though I wirelessly connected them first and let them come to ready, then plug in the ethernet cable. I had my MK63 online weekend before last. 

Also consider for that size of home, you only need the MR and one MS. Maybe having too much wifi for such a smaller home size. Too Much Wifi: https://youtu.be/UR0viMLISz4

[msekar]

I will try both of your suggestions upcoming weekend. I will report back after trials.
1. Moving the MS60's around to see if the problem follows.
2. Swapping out the switch to something simpler.

I have a suspicion the 2nd one might be the culprit; keeping my fingers crossed.

[msekar · Accepted solution]

@FURRYe38 Thank you so much. You nailed it.

The culprit was Netgear ProSafe GS110TP. I swapped it out with Netgear ProSafe GS108 and reconnected MS60s in Family Room and Living Room through wire. They started working and the other 2 MS60s are connected Wirelessly as there is no drop there. I have the home network the way I want configured.

[FURRYe38]

Great to hear.

Possible that couple of items on the GS110 could be effecting the MS, IGMP Protocols and GreenEthernet features. Can check the switches web page for these and disable them and see if the MS will connect properly. Or leave the GS108 on. 

Glad you got it working. Please mark your thread as solved so others will know. Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/24231/How-do-I-back-up-the-router-configuration-settings-on-my-Nighthawk-rout...
Enjoy. 📡

[msekar]

I will leave GS108 in place as I don't need GS110 anymore; I had GS110 to deliver PoE to my desk phone which is going away. I spent way too much time on this issue to continue to troubleshoot GS110. Thanks for your help. I will mark the issue as resolved.

[FURRYe38]

😉

[msekar]

Here is the Network Map after the issue is resolved by replacing the intermediate switch. As you can see 2 MS60s are connected through wire and other 2 are connected Wirelessly. This is exactly how I wanted my home network to function. Thanks @FURRYe38.

[FURRYe38]

Enjoy. 👍