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IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

RDSp
Tutor

IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

Why, after 4 miserable months with the pos RBK750S system, does my wife’s iPhone 7 suddenly show up as a satellite on the Network Map of the Orbi app? I am not aware of any setting changes to the network or phone. The network and phone are working properly. I doubt if it makes any difference, but the phone’s personal hotspot is off. The small button next to the phone on the network map on the app is magenta. The app has had 2 “upgrades” in the past couple of weeks, the last containing “critical fixes”. Netgear had a major outage earlier this week with login issues.

Message 1 of 15

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app


@RDSp wrote:

Why, after 4 miserable months with the pos RBK750S system, does my wife’s iPhone 7 suddenly show up as a satellite on the Network Map of the Orbi app?


Edit the entry.

 

Click the device in the app.

 

Click the EDIT button.Then the edit symbol  by the icon.

 

Change it to whatever you like.

 

 

Message 2 of 15
RDSp
Tutor

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

The issue isn't the name. The iPhone is showing up as a satellite on the Network Map of the app. I have 2 satellites. The network map shows three with one being my wife's iphone (under the name of iPhone-2).

Message 3 of 15

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app


@RDSp wrote:

The issue isn't the name. The iPhone is showing up as a satellite on the Network Map of the app. I have 2 satellites. The network map shows three with one being my wife's iphone (under the name of iPhone-2).


Did you try the move I suggested?

 

That is not just about editing the name. You can pick what the device is and edit it to change the icon and description.

 

Follow the trail:

 

Map > Router > Devices > The iPhone > Edit > Edit Icon > Take your pick

 

If that isn't what you want to do, may you could provide some more details.

 

A screenshot would help.

 

 

Message 4 of 15
RDSp
Tutor

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

A2F5C3D5-B8CE-400B-A6D3-A6ABEF0744BC.jpeg

I appreciate you trying to help me out, and I apologize for my limited knowledge. I triked what you suggested, but all of the editable options (connection type, device type, IP address, MAC address, connected route, link rate) are appropriate.

 

The 2 satellites and the iphone 7 are in a star configuration. The map shows the iphone 7 leading to the router, although it is actually connected to satellite 1. All devices and the network are functioning normally as far as I can tell. Therefore, this may just be a minor annoyance.

I have the Orbi app loaded on an iphone 6 and a newer ipad. They both show the same thing.

The Network Map does not change after turning off and on the iphone 7/"satellite" and both devices which have the orbi app.

 

Message 5 of 15
RDSp
Tutor

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

C424F228-31F9-4161-A820-FD418119E8E3.jpeg

I tried to add an image. It showed up on my screen but did not show on the site after I hit send. Trying again.

Message 6 of 15

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app


@RDSp wrote:

A2F5C3D5-B8CE-400B-A6D3-A6ABEF0744BC.jpeg

I appreciate you trying to help me out, and I apologize for my limited knowledge. I triked what you suggested, but all of the editable options (connection type, device type, IP address, MAC address, connected route, link rate) are appropriate.

 

The 2 satellites and the iphone 7 are in a star configuration. The map shows the iphone 7 leading to the router, although it is actually connected to satellite 1. All devices and the network are functioning normally as far as I can tell. Therefore, this may just be a minor annoyance.

I have the Orbi app loaded on an iphone 6 and a newer ipad. They both show the same thing.

The Network Map does not change after turning off and on the iphone 7/"satellite" and both devices which have the orbi app.

 


That looks like something else. A more serious issue with the setup.

 

Have you been through the "reset" palaver?

 

What does that iPhone look like in "Devices"?

 

You really should try that problem in the right section. Very few people here will know much about Orbi devices. My main router is an R7800. My Orbi is in AP mode.

 

Orbi - NETGEAR Communities

Message 7 of 15
RDSp
Tutor

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

By "reset" palaver, do you mean starting over from the beginning as if it were a new device?

 

I did not mean for this to end up in the Nighthawk section, but I was unfamiliar with the site which is a little obtuse. I tried to transfer it to the Orbi section. The title shows but my entry is hidden under a drop down menu so I'm not sure if anyone will see it. I will try again.

 

By the way, after power cycling the system, the Network Map changed. It still shows three satellites with one being the iPhone, but the phone is now at the bottom center of the map with a short solid line above the icon with the line not extending up to the router. The true satellites have a dotted line extending all the way to the router.

Message 8 of 15
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

What a bizzare situation.  It might be worth a few minutes to look at the Orbi web interface (http://orbilogin.net) to see if it also thinks the iPhone is an Orbi satellite.  I can think of no scenario which would result in this crazy display.

 

The dreaded "Factory Reset" is indeed considered the last resort when solving Orbi problems. In my case, it can take over two hours of drudgery to set up all my IP assignments, devices names & types, DDNS, OpenVPN, etc. etc.  On the other hand, an Orbi that has been customized only to the extent of changing the WiFi name/password and the web password can be "back in business" in under 15 minutes. If the Orbi internal tables are so mangled that it reports an iPhone as a satellite, only a "clean sweep" has a chance of dealing with it.  Only you can decide if the potential benefit of having the Orbi app display be correct is worth the effort.

Message 9 of 15
RDSp
Tutor

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

Thanks. If it's just a minor annoyance, I'd like to avoid a factory reset, especially with a family member working from home. My concern is if it is symptomatic of something more significant. Everything else seems to be working well at this time.

Message 10 of 15

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app


@CrimpOn wrote:

What a bizzare situation.  It might be worth a few minutes to look at the Orbi web interface (http://orbilogin.net) to see if it also thinks the iPhone is an Orbi satellite.  I can think of no scenario which would result in this crazy display.

 

Bizarre sums it up. That became clear when the screen shot landed.

 

Good idea to consult the browser graphical user interface.

 

I still think it worth looking at the "attached devices" page too. That is also there on the GUI. If that shows the device as a satellite, I'd be tempted to look into the iPhone's settings

 


@CrimpOn wrote:

 

The dreaded "Factory Reset" is indeed considered the last resort when solving Orbi problems. In my case, it can take over two hours of drudgery to set up all my IP assignments, devices names & types, DDNS, OpenVPN, etc. etc. 

 


 

There's a safety net there. If you save all the settings in a configuration file – always worth doing from time to time – you can see if the reset mends the broken behaviour. If it does, at least you know where the solution lies.

 

If it doesn't mend things, you can simply restore the configuration. Even if it does fix things, you can restore the settings, in the knowledge that you know how you can mend things, when you have summoned up the stamina to dive on there.

 

 

 

Message 11 of 15

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app


@RDSp wrote:

If it's just a minor annoyance, I'd like to avoid a factory reset, especially with a family member working from home.

 


Makes much sense.

 

If in doubt, hands off.

 

It could be a firmware thing that gets fixed the next time around.

 

Message 12 of 15
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

This has happend to others. A factory reset of the RBR will resolve this. 


@RDSp wrote:

C424F228-31F9-4161-A820-FD418119E8E3.jpeg

I tried to add an image. It showed up on my screen but did not show on the site after I hit send. Trying again.


 

Message 13 of 15
RDSp
Tutor

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

Thanks.

Message 14 of 15
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: IPhone showing as satellite on Orbi app

Netgear has set up a community forum specifically for the Orbi AX product. Most of the people who watch that forum are more likely to have experience with Orbi AX and know how to work it better than those of us who follow this "general Orbi" forum. Might be more likely to find someone who has a solution if the question is posted there:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/bd-p/en-home-orbi-ax

Thank you.

Message 15 of 15
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