RBKE963 As Access Point

[DodgeDeBoulet]

The on-line help via the Web UI in the 960 series router is not very helpful on this subject.

Can I assume that the RBRE963 in AP mode will still support the satellites? I'd like to replace the routing functionality with a less opaque (from a monitoring standpoint) firewall and am hoping that AP mode will bridge the ethernet connection from the firewall to the satellites' wi-fi and ethernet ports.

[FURRYe38]

Yes.

https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7LOcJ8GdDo&app=desktop
https://kb.netgear.com/000061277/Which-features-are-disabled-on-my-Orbi-router-when-it-is-set-to-AP-...

[DodgeDeBoulet]

Just a nitpick here: Neither of the KBs you link to specifically state that the satellites will continue to work with the router in AP mode. The router's "Learn more" link says nothing on the subject either and could easily be interpreted that the router itself is the only device you can connect to when in AP mode:

Fortunately, the Youtube video (sort of) gives a graphical reassurance that they do.

I also understand that the Guest network is still available on the Orbis in AP mode, as posted by others on this forum and contradicting the KB article. But there's no documentation describing what happens to the (non-isolated, grrrr) IoT network.

Thank you, though, for finding something that confirms the satellites remain functional 😁

[FURRYe38]

Yes it's presumed that the RBS with the RBR in AP mode, will work. Have seen some odd issues for some users. Sometimes the host router doesn't hand out IP addresses correctly or there is some odd sync problem. 

[DodgeDeBoulet]

The new, soon-to-be-installed firewall/router is a SFF PC with dual ethernet adapters running OPNSense, and DHCP is currently being handled by  PiHole on an RPi3. I may migrate DHCP to the new router, but DNS resolution will remain on the PiHole.

Everything is currently working well, with the exception of the Orbi's penchant for dropping a handful of IoT device connections every 5 to 10 days. That requires a reboot to resolve, and my intent in implementing the new router is to reduce the impact of an Orbi reboot on other parts of my home network. I already have a ticket open with NG regarding the dropping connection issue and found a couple of fellow sufferers of the same issue on Reddit. Hopefully one of us will be able to provide whatever troubleshooting data NG requires to resolve it.