I set up a mesh wi-fi with RBR840 with router and 2 satellites. I have a LBL20 modem and one satellite that I am no longer using. I tried to use one of the RBR840 satellites to provide internet to the LBL20 using a wired ethernet connection to set up a second wi-fi network. It works, the LBL20 and satellite connect to the internet via the RBR840 satellite, except the RBR840 satellite lost it's wi-fi capability. Is there a way to connect another wi-fi modem to the RBR840 satellite and preserve it's own wi-fi capability?
Just to clarify, I'm not trying to connect the LBR20 to the wi-fi network of the RBR840, I'm trying to set up a separate wi-fi network using internet from the port on one of the satellites. That works, but when I have the LBR20 plugged into the RBR840 satellite, the RBR840 satellite goes offline.
Is there a way to connect another wi-fi modem to the RBR840 satellite and preserve it's own wi-fi capability?
Although a bit unusual*, I see nothing inherently wrong** with this proposal. When any device is connected to one of the LAN Ethernet ports, the satellite should continue to broadcast and support the primary and guest WiFi networks. How was it determined that connecting the LBR20 WAN port to the RBS840 LAN port caused WiFi to be disrupted?
*The LBR20 includes an LTE modem and is one of the few Orbi devices to include a failover capability.
i.e., the LBR20 WAN connection (to the 840 satellite) is the primary WAN connection, which will fail-over to to the LTE connection if the WAN connection is disrupted. This proposal is unusual because most users would want the primary WiFi router to be the unit which has failover capability, not a subsidiary that is connected to one of the satellites.
** There is nothing to prevent users from connected Ethernet device to a satellite LAN port, including:
Ordinary devices: computers, printers, speakers, televisions, NAS units, cameras, etc. etc.
Switches which allow multiple Ethernet devices to connect through the switch to the single Ethernet port.
WiFi Access Points (APs) or Routers, which provide connections for multiple WiFi and Ethernet devices.
However, there are things to be taken into consideration when Access Points or Routers are connected:
Will this remain one IP subnet, or multiple subnets? Ordinary WiFi Access Points (APs) support no 'router functions'. They do not assign IP addresses to devices connected to them, support DNS resolution, or any "router functions". Routers, by default, do actually create a different IP subnet for anything connected to them which complicates communication between devices connected to the primary router and this secondary router. In the case of the LBR20, the default mode is 'router'. Page 20 of the user manual explains that AP mode is available only when the LBR20 is not connected via LTE. (i.e. the LTE modem is not active because there is no SIM card in it.)
Multiple WiFi 'systems'. When APs or WiFi routers (in either AP or router mode) create their own WiFi networks. Even if they are given a WiFi SSID/password identical to the primary WiFi router, they remain separate. Devices will not roam seamlessly between the primary WiFi system to one of the APs or secondary routers. This can be a source of confusion and unhappiness for users who are not constantly alert to this phenomenon. (Devices that are not mobile cannot roam, and are thus not affected)
A last point: The LBR20 is a WiFi5 system (802.11ac). The primary RBK842 system supports WiFi6 devices (802.11ax). If they switch to the LNR20 system, they will reconnect at 802.11ac.
