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Forum Discussion
Orbi RBR350 in AP mode - not always getting DHCP IP when roaming
Hi folks, I have a frequent issue with my Orbi setup in AP mode which is quite annoying. When roaming around with my device throughout the house, I often find that I get no connectivity, while th...
I am confused about two aspects of this problem:
- Why does the device make a DHCP request? The major benefit of mesh WiFi is the ability roam seamlessly from one Access Point to another. If the device is switching from one Orbi Access Point to a different Orbi Access Point, this is supposed to be handled IEEE 802.11k/v/r
https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2097/#:~:text=Fast%20Roaming%20is%20a%20feature,of%20clients%20connected%20to%20them.
I would think that the IP address reservation would remain in effect until it expires. This leads to speculation that what has happened is the device has totally lost connection to WiFi and is thus "starting over". - Connecting Access Points through the WAN port. There have been numerous examples demonstrating that Orbi satellites will not function when the router is in "router mode" and the satellite is connected to the WAN port rather than through a LAN port. The router "knows" where satellites are expected to be and will not talk to one through the WAN port. Yes, "access point mode is different", but I am not sophisticated enough to know exactly how "different". Were I in this position, I would get out my 100ft Ethernet patch cable and (temporarily) connect that attic satellite directly to a router LAN port.
If this solution works, it would be a simple matter of creating a VLAN connection between the satellite and the router LAN port using the GS108 VLAN and the router LAN port.
This sounds a lot like the problem that's been reported in a few threads here where iPhones especially are losing connection when roaming between satellites.
I don't think the precise reason has been identified yet and it looks like an Orbi bug for sure but it does seem to occur more in setups that have a mixture of wired and wireless satellites. Since I moved both of my satellites to wireless I haven't seen the issue.
Garwoofoo wrote:This sounds a lot like the problem that's been reported in a few threads here where iPhones especially are losing connection when roaming between satellites.
I don't think the precise reason has been identified yet and it looks like an Orbi bug for sure but it does seem to occur more in setups that have a mixture of wired and wireless satellites. Since I moved both of my satellites to wireless I haven't seen the issue.
It looks like an old issue from 2019 is back now again. I see few people reporting issues with wired backhaul. That issue was caused by loops when a satellite is paired with both wired and wireless backhaul. There was a workaround for that issue at that time:
Garwoofoo wrote:This sounds a lot like the problem that's been reported in a few threads here where iPhones especially are losing connection when roaming between satellites.
I don't think the precise reason has been identified yet and it looks like an Orbi bug for sure but it does seem to occur more in setups that have a mixture of wired and wireless satellites. Since I moved both of my satellites to wireless I haven't seen the issue.
I see it happening the most on my iPhone indeed, however, my MacBook suffers from it too, from time to time. Additionally, my girlfriend's Samsung S22 Ultra also has some issues when at my house. It regularly disconnects, and when I go to the WiFi menu, it even briefly flashes "incorrect password" before reconnecting again, which is very weird. Maybe it just experiences the same missing IP address combined with some UI/translation bug.
When I wrote my opening post a few days ago I noticed that I wasn't actually on the latest Orbi FW. I updated first and let it run a few more days before changing anything else. The issue reproduced, so I can be sure FW changed anything with regards to the issue. I'm now testing with the 2nd floor satellite removed as described in my previous post.
- Can you please try this procedure in the wired satellite:
1. Switch off the Satellite
2. Go to Attached Devices in the web GUI and click on the "Disconnect" button beside the Satellite in questions
3. Turn on the Satellite and use a paper clip to factory reset the Satellite
4. When the Satellite is up after factory reset, press the Sync button on the Satellite (while the Ethernet cable to the Router is connected) and then on the Router
5. When the Satellite is added it should behave correctly.I've encountered the issue several times now without the wireless satellite. This means that either the wireless satellite wasn't the cause, or it wasn't the only one.
ekhalil wrote:
Can you please try this procedure in the wired satellite:
1. Switch off the Satellite
2. Go to Attached Devices in the web GUI and click on the "Disconnect" button beside the Satellite in questions
3. Turn on the Satellite and use a paper clip to factory reset the Satellite
4. When the Satellite is up after factory reset, press the Sync button on the Satellite (while the Ethernet cable to the Router is connected) and then on the Router
5. When the Satellite is added it should behave correctly.I'm currently away from home for a little while but will try this as soon as I get back.
