New - RBR750 / RBS750 Firmware Version 7.2.6.21 Released

[FURRYe38]

The RBS needs to be connected behind the RBR, not in parallel. https://kb.netgear.com/000051205/What-is-Ethernet-backhaul-and-how-do-I-set-it-up-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-Sy... 📡 ‌‌🛰️
Orbi systems have always used the WAN port for AP mode. Always. Since the beginning. I've never had a problem here. And I do test this out. 

[ducs4rs]

The bottom wired backhaul diagram in the KB you linked to is how I have mine setup. 

[FURRYe38]

Now just connect the RBRs Yellow WAN port to the host routers LAN port. Then it will work. 

https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point

Just curious, brand and model# switch your using? 

[ducs4rs]

The RBR and RBS's are run through a ZyXel GS1900-24E and that is connected to a TP-Link TL-SG1024DE which the router is connected to. This has been running flawlessly for 2 years or so.  

[FURRYe38]

And that's when using the RBR LAN port for connection to the host router right? 

Let us know how the WAN port works.

There maybe some factors with your switches that needs to be reviewed. 

[ducs4rs]

Yes, the RBR is connected to the switch through the Wan port right now. The switch setup is fine since the RBS' were connected and worked fine before the upgrade. 

[FURRYe38]

And are RBS getting synced thru this switch? 

Are both switches in the mix between the RBR and RBS or are the RBS just connected to one switch? 

[ducs4rs]

The RBS' are on the same switch as the RBR and I am trying to sync via an Ethernet backhaul. 

[FURRYe38]

Its recommended first to sync all RBS wirelessly. Once there synced there, then connect the RBS, one at a time to the ethernet connection. Wait for the RBS front LED to turn Blue before connecting the next RBS via ethernet. 

[ducs4rs]

OK I will try that. 

[FURRYe38]

Regarding your switches, One is managed and Orbi systems have had a long historical problems with these switches. Some have said to disable IGMP and Green Ethernet Protocols on these switches that may help. The other switch seems to be non manages however had Green Ethernet. Not sure if this can be disabled on this switch. These two items need to take a look at to see if now using the WAN port as expected could be the root cause of what your seeing. Thought you had it working in the LAN port, this only probably masked the true bad behavior rather than trying to find out the real reason of this bad behavior now seen on the system after the FW update. 

Hoping that current setup path will get the RBS to connect to the RBR in AP mode fully. 
And something else to test if the RBS don't, take one RBS to the room with the RBR and directly connect the RBS to the RBR with out the switch in the mix to see the result. I would bet it would connect correctly here. 

[ducs4rs]

I had some time yesterday to play with this. If I connect each satellite to the router via the wired backhaul works. If I run them through my Ethernet switch they are not recognized. The strange thing is the satellite's ring lights turn blue but the router doesn't show them. If I connect via the WiFi backhaul they work. IMO this is a regression from 4.6. The wired backhaul through my switch has worked since 3.x code.   

[Phyber]

Interesting. I have two, hard wired (solid copper core CAT-6 cabling) RBS750 satellites, about 75'-100' apart from the router and they work just fine. Both were immediately recognized by the RBR750 after the update and have worked just fine. One runs thru an 8-port, powered, unmanaged gigabit switch, the other one doesn't.

[FURRYe38]

Try checking your two switches for IGMP protocol and Green ethernet and DISABLE these. These have been known to cause problems with Orbi systems. v7 FW may not be compatible with these switches as well. 

I would recommend changing out your switch BH path thru these switches and try a different switch. Your testing points to your switches causing the problem. NG GS-105/108v4 and GS308v3, D-Link DGS-105/108 and HP ProCurve 1400 series non-managed switches work for Orbi systems. Have tested and work well accross FW versions including v7. 

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@ducs4rs wrote:

I had some time yesterday to play with this. If I connect each satellite to the router via the wired backhaul works. If I run them through my Ethernet switch they are not recognized. The strange thing is the satellite's ring lights turn blue but the router doesn't show them. If I connect via the WiFi backhaul they work. IMO this is a regression from 4.6. The wired backhaul through my switch has worked since 3.x code.   

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[ducs4rs]

I tested this with an unmanaged Netgear GS116 switch. I had the two Satellites and the Router connected to the switch. The backhaul failed just like going through the managed switch. The Satellites show connected but the Router doesn't recognize them. 

[FURRYe38]

So the RBS does not appear as connected to the RBR on the RBRs web page at all when ethernet connected? 

[ducs4rs]

Correct. Another observation, when booting the RBR with the RBS' connected directly to the RBR or using the wireless backhaul the RBR's ring LEDs will go flashing white as expected. When connected through the switch the RBRs ring lights never turn on, validating they are not recognized by the RBR. I wish there was a log I could see that shows the connections.  

[FURRYe38]

Ok,

Lets try this, when you get time.

Factory reset the RBS by pressing the reset button for 15 seconds then release. After you release, look at the back LED and it should be AMBER, when it turns GREEN power the RBS OFF. Do this for both. Disconnect them from the ethernet cable for now. 

On the RBRs web page, under Basic tab/Connected devices, select the REMOVE or Disconnect button for each of the RBS. Refresh the page so that they should be removed from the page. 

Navigate to Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings. 

Here there is a GENERATE backhaul button. Select it. This would generate a new back haul password used between the RBR and RBS when syncing them. After this completes, soft REBOOT the RBR.

Power on ONE RBS.

After the RBR comes back to ready, use the Add Satellite method on the RBRs web page to add the one RBS wirelessly to the RBR. After the RBS turns BLUE in front, check the RBRs web page to make sure it's seen on the Connected Devices section of the RBRs web page. If there, turn ON 2nd RBS so follow same process. Leave the 1st RBS ON. 

After 2nd RBS is synced and BLUE in front, Set up IP address reservations for these two RBS on the RBRs web page:

https://kb.netgear.com/25722/How-do-I-reserve-an-IP-address-on-my-NETGEAR-router

After entering in the reservations, select APPLY. This will reboot the RBR. RBS may start to blink WHITE as well. Let the RBR come back to ready. RBS should come back to ready and turn BLUE in front. Re-confirm on the RBRs web page that both RBS are still seen wirelessly by the RBR. 

If all good here. Plug in ONE RBS to the back of the RBR. RBS may begin to blink or remain BLUE. Just check the RBRs web page, the status should eventually change from the wireless to "Wired". Give a minute or so. If the status changes to wired, and if you already have the GS series non managed switch connected to the back of the RBR, disconnect the ONE RBS from the back of the RBR and connect it to the GS series switch. Monitor the RBRs web page. The status should remain as "Wired". Observe any changes to wireless here or disconnections. Give about 2-3 minutes. 

If the ONE wired RBS connected to the GS switch remains, do same thing as above for 2nd RBS. Monitor and observe RBRs web page. End results is that both RBS should keep connected and status should remain "Wired" when connected to the GS switch.

Are you using default DHCP IP address pool range on the RBR? i.e. 192.168.1.2 to .254? 

Something you might also try as well that I use with my systems, Recommend setting the default DHCP IP address pool range to the following after applying and a factory reset: 192.168.#.100 to 192.168.#.200.
https://kb.netgear.com/24089/How-do-I-specify-the-pool-of-IP-addresses-assigned-by-my-Nighthawk-rout...

Then I've always set two RBS IP address reservations for .199 and .200. Wireless or Wired, the RBS are always at these IP addresses that don't change and have ease of accessing there web pages when needed. 

Let us know the results of this...

[ducs4rs]

I use Opnsense as my router and have a DHCP reservation set for the RBS' The RBR is set in AP mode. Please confirm I should do this with the RBR and RBS' connected to the GS116 unmanaged switch. 

[FURRYe38]

Yes. Lets try setting a reservation on your Host router. Sorry I forgot that your in AP Mode. 

I'll bring my 750 series out later today and run same test to check. I know we've tested this out before while in AP mode on v7 FW. Wondering if your Host router could be doing something. 

Be sure the switch is still connected behind the RBR and the RBS to that switch. 

Let us know how it goes. 

[CrimpOn]

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@ducs4rs wrote:

I tested this with an unmanaged Netgear GS116 switch. I had the two Satellites and the Router connected to the switch. The backhaul failed just like going through the managed switch. The Satellites show connected but the Router doesn't recognize them. 

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This picture appears to show the router being connected to the switch using the WAN port.  Orbi routers will not detect a wired connection to satellites through the WAN port.  The firmware "knows" that satellites only appear on the router LAN ports.  It's how the firmware works.

[FURRYe38]

When in AP mode, the RBR should be using its WAN port connection to the host router. The LAN ports need to be connected to the switch and then the RBS connected to the switch. 

[ducs4rs]

I have the RBR WAN port connected to the routers LAN VLAN via a switch. The RBS' are on the same VLAN. Why do you need a dedicated connection from the RBR to the Opnsense router? Not sure how I would set this up. 

[FURRYe38]

RBS will connect and be seen by the RBR if you have the following connection path configuration with out any VLAN. 

Host Router<>to WAN port on RBR<>GS series non managed switch connected to LAN port on RBR<RBS ethernet connected to the GS switch. 

I've never configured any VLAN configurations so no sure how this could impact your system and how Orbi and the RBS ethernet connect to the RBR while in AP mode. I do know that the above configuration path does work and works well, even in AP Mode.  

[ducs4rs]

Hmm, I understand this now. It is poor that you need two network drops at the RBR to get a wired backhaul to work. Using 4.6 I was able to use the RBR LAN ports, in 7 this doesn't work. Maybe the code became more strict but its a change. Let me wire this up and see how it works.