SXK80 Satellite issues with managed switch/VLANs

[vinions]

Stumped here. Here's my setup:

Currently running pfSense firewall router (via a mini PC) connected to a TL-SG1016DE managed switch with a SXK80 router and satellite system in AP mode. I have 4 VLANs (5 if you include VLAN1). set up. On the SXR80, I have 2 VLANs on 2 separate SSIDs while keeping the main SSID on VLAN1. WAN port is the trunk port connected to the switch (assigned with VLAN1 profile). I don't use the ethernet ports on the SXR80 for anything except to access the management UI.

Right now, everything works. I can surf and when I put up the appropriate block firewall rule in pfSense, it'll kill the internet as expected. Connecting to the SSID will yield the correct IP range based on the assigned VLAN profile. 

I've come to a few problems though:

1. UI says no internet even though there clearly is. 

2. Router lights up magenta.

3. Satellites light up magenta even though it's right next to the router.

4. Netgear insight app cannot find the SXR80, presumably because it "doesn't have internet" 

5. Satellites are listed under Attached Devices. Appears to be linked to the router. But they do not show up under VLAN/Bridging so I cannot adjust the VLAN profile on the ethernet ports of each satellite.

6. Not sure if I'm reading this correctly but under Attached Devices, it appears that the satellites are connected directly to the router even though I have 1 router and 2 satellites in a straight line from the front of the house (router) to the detached garage (last satellite). Hence the last satellite has a "fair" connection and sometimes lose connection even though there is a satellite in between (shows good connection). The satellites are around 40 feet apart.

[Animal7857 · Accepted solution]

Does it work better if you make port 1 an untagged member of vlan 1 ?

My SXK50 does not create a bridge for vlan 1.  It has a bridge for untagged traffic and separate bridges for each vlan profile connected to a wireless SSID so I don't think DHCP reply traffic would ever reach the satellites if I hooked up like you show.

[BasuKhodanapur]

Hi @vinions 

Thanks for reaching Netgear community forum.

We need couple details.

1. Please share your network topology with vlan and pfsense configuration details should be visible.

2.  And also, please share Pfsense firewall configurations.

I will try to help you with solution.

Thanks,

Basavaraj

[vinions]

Quick update. I decided to do something different. I factory reset the router and setup the satellites in router mode, updated the firmware, and changed the VLAN profiles on the satellite ports. Everything looked fine (except internet which I didn't try). But the moment I switch to AP mode, everything broke. 

• Only two of the satellites showed under wireless devices but both had "config sync" under status.
• The third satellite for some reason showed under wired devices connected to one of the other satellites which is not true
• The satellites did not pull new IPs from the DHCP.. they were still showing the default 192.168.1.x
• This time, however, I was able to see the satellite ethernet ports under VLAN/Bridging. The VLAN profiles had reset but was able to change two sets back. The third (the "wired" one) was not connected.

I'm starting to think this is firmware related. It's basically a useless product if they're not going to fix this. 

@BasuKhodanapur See attached for topology. Thanks

[Animal7857 · Accepted solution]

Does it work better if you make port 1 an untagged member of vlan 1 ?

My SXK50 does not create a bridge for vlan 1.  It has a bridge for untagged traffic and separate bridges for each vlan profile connected to a wireless SSID so I don't think DHCP reply traffic would ever reach the satellites if I hooked up like you show.

[BasuKhodanapur]

Hi@vinions 

Thanks for providing enough data.

As @Animal7857  mentioned Please try this option => Does it work better if you make port 1 an untagged member of vlan 1?

I tried locally similar to your configurations except some firewall rules my network works fine in AP and Router mode.

Could you please try modifying firewall rule, just to isolate the issue.

Meanwhile I try some other configurations.

Thanks, 

Basavaraj

[BasuKhodanapur]

Hi @vinions 

Can you please share the packet capture when issue occurs .

Orbi has option to run packet capture.

1. Open Orbi ip address/debug.htm and enable Lan/wan packet capture. It will prompt for username and password. Please enter your login credentials  

2. Start capture then start to recreate the issue and then click on Save Debug Log debug logs will be shared to your system. 

3. Please share the logs

Refer attached screenshot.

Thanks,

Basavaraj

[vinions]

Thanks @BasuKhodanapur and @Animal7857 for your help.  Turns out it was exactly the VLAN1 untagged issue. Once I untagged VLAN1, everything was reading correctly.  

The other issues outstanding are probably related to firmware which I can live with for now.  The satellites keep losing connection until I downgraded the firmware and seemed to stabilize though time will tell. Also, When I switched from router to AP mode with a fixed IP, it will not detect internet, but if I stayed with DHCP (and then do static IP mapping), it detects internet fine.