× Attn: Nighthawk Pro Gaming members, we have recently released firmware to address a critical security vulnerability. For more information click here. .
× NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
Reply

Orbi RBK50 v1 - Cannot continuously establish Wired Backhaul from Satellite

mattman555
Aspirant

Orbi RBK50 v1 - Cannot continuously establish Wired Backhaul from Satellite

Hey folks, Good day to you!

 

I cannot get my Orbi RBK50 to continuously stay connected to the RBS50 (Satellite) via any distance with a shor or long run of CAT6 or 6A RJ45 cable.  The RBK50 and RBS50 have been established wirelessly for years but I need to move the RSS and want to use a wired backhaul.

 

Enviroment:

I have 1 RBK50 and 1 RBS50

RBK50 is in Router Mode and is connected to a Cable Modem

Firmware on both Orbis is V2.7.3.22
Approx. 35 Connected devices (70% Wireless / 30% Wired)

GSS116E Switch (Partially Managed)

Everything has been rebooted

All RJ45 is CAT6 or 6A but never mixed (All Cables and connectors have been checked)

 

I've tried different topologies:

- RBK50  >> (Connected to) GSS116E >> RBS50

- RBK50 >> RBS50

- The Yellow Inet port on the RBK50 is always connected to the Cable Modem

 

Outcome -

BackHaul Status when wired connected in any of the different topologies will eventually fail.  

Errors include - Disconnected and Config Sync

The RBS50 eventually will loop the network causing all IP communication to fail

 

Things I've tired -

Different Switches

Removing all wired devices from the network and trying a very direct interconnect

Shorter and single RJ45 Cables to interconnect

Removing the RBS50 from the RBK50 and resync its connection

Rebooting and Rebooting again 🙂

 

Other observations:

- If I power on the RBK50 first and allow it to fully boot, then I power on the RBS50 it immediately will go to Config Sycn and eventually disconnected.  Then it will loop the network and cause all IP communication to fail.

- However, if I power on the RBS50 first, allow it to boot, then power on the RBK50 the status goes to GOOD for wired but eventually (~15 mins later) goes disconnected but will shift over to WiFi.

 

Next Steps:

At this point I think I've tried just about everything I can.  I think I'm going to factory reset both devices back to defaults and try again.

 

Any Suggestions?

Message 1 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi RBK50 v1 - Cannot continuously establish Wired Backhaul from Satellite

Have you tried a full on factory reset on the RBR and RBS. Setup from scratch. Add the RBS near or in same room as the RBR wirelesslly first. Ensure the connection status gets 5G and GOOD. Check the RBS web page as well for status. Does the RBS work well when wireless connected? 

 

Once the RBS is connected wirelessly, ethernet connect the RBS to the back of the RBR using a good working LAN cable. 


How long does it take for the RBS to fail? 

Message 2 of 8
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Orbi RBK50 v1 - Cannot continuously establish Wired Backhaul from Satellite


@mattman555 wrote:

Outcome -

BackHaul Status when wired connected in any of the different topologies will eventually fail.  

Errors include - Disconnected and Config Sync

The RBS50 eventually will loop the network causing all IP communication to fail


I agree with @FURRYe38 in terms of a "step wise" approach.  i.e. If the satellite will not function when wired directly to the router, there is no point in experimenting with a switch.  If it works fine when connected directly but fails when connected through a switch, that is a different scenario. 

 

Can you please describe more about "loop the network"?  That would seem to be inconsistent with "disconnected".

Message 3 of 8
mattman555
Aspirant

Re: Orbi RBK50 v1 - Cannot continuously establish Wired Backhaul from Satellite

Thanks for the the quick replies!  

 

@FURRYe38 

RE: Have you tried a full on factory reset on the RBR and RBS. Setup from scratch. Add the RBS near or in same room as the RBR wirelesslly first. Ensure the connection status gets 5G and GOOD. Check the RBS web page as well for status.

MM -- As stated above, it is the next step I plan to try out, unless another good suggestion comes up. I’ll follow the steps you listed here.

 

RE: Does the RBS work well when wireless connected?

MM - As stated above, the wireless connection has no issues for years now

 

RE: Once the RBS is connected wirelessly, ethernet connect the RBS to the back of the RBR using a good working LAN cable.

MM - I may give this a try

 

RE: How long does it take for the RBS to fail?

MM - following the patterns listed above it will either never establish a connection then loop the network OR it work for 10-15 mins then fail.

 

@CrimpOn 

RE: I agree with @FURRYe38 in terms of a "step wise" approach. i.e. If the satellite will not function when wired directly to the router, there is no point in experimenting with a switch. If it works fine when connected directly but fails when connected through a switch, that is a different scenario.

MM - Getting the same results with or without the switch and on any length of cable. For now I’m using a known good 35’ STP RJ45 CAT6A in a controlled environment and its still failing.

 

RE: Can you please describe more about "loop the network"? That would seem to be inconsistent with "disconnected".

MM - What will happen is - I’m HTTPs connected to the RBK50, I connect the RGJ45 between the RBK50 and RBS50. The web interface backhaul status will go to ‘Config Sync’ and a few mins later the web interface locks up and disconnects. From that point I cannot ping or communicate with any device on the network. When I look at the GS116E switch and all the link activity lights are blinking in unison. I get this same effect when connecting the RBS50 directly to the RBK50 and not using the GSS116e.

 

NEXT Steps for me -

I am going to do a factory reset and follow the power on guidance stated above. I’ll report back with my findings.

Thank you!

Message 4 of 8
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Orbi RBK50 v1 - Cannot continuously establish Wired Backhaul from Satellite


@mattman555 wrote:

 

RE: Does the RBS work well when wireless connected?

MM - As stated above, the wireless connection has no issues for years now

 

RE: Once the RBS is connected wirelessly, ethernet connect the RBS to the back of the RBR using a good working LAN cable.

MM - I may give this a try


This probably should be obvious, but I am wondering how this network is all connected and "what changes" when the ethernet backhaul is attempted.

 

By "step wise" I meant physically move the satellite to the same room as the router, unplug everything else from the router except the satellite and the PC being used to monitor the Attached Devices display.  If the satellite will not switch to wired backhaul and remain stable in this condition, then it cannot work in any other configuration.  I know this is impractical when the family is counting on a stable network, which is why I do things like this very late at night or when The Boss has gone shopping.

Message 5 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi RBK50 v1 - Cannot continuously establish Wired Backhaul from Satellite


@mattman555 wrote:

Thanks for the the quick replies!  

 

RE: Can you please describe more about "loop the network"? That would seem to be inconsistent with "disconnected".

MM - What will happen is - I’m HTTPs connected to the RBK50, I connect the RGJ45 between the RBK50 and RBS50. The web interface backhaul status will go to ‘Config Sync’ and a few mins later the web interface locks up and disconnects. From that point I cannot ping or communicate with any device on the network. When I look at the GS116E switch and all the link activity lights are blinking in unison. I get this same effect when connecting the RBS50 directly to the RBK50 and not using the GSS116e.

This is an ARP storm thats happening when connected with a switch in between the RBR and RBS. I found this a while back on a different version of FW. Though the storm stops or did stop after about 2-3 minutes, then the RBS and system settled in and worked correctly for me. Though I don't have the GS116, I believe its the same platform as the GS10x series, I think. I have used GS 108 and two GS 105s in a daisy chain on one segment with my RBS50 at one point. 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-RBR50-Router-Firmware-Version-V2-7-2-102/m-p/2028357/high...

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/New-RBK50-53-Series-Firmware-Version-2-7-3-22/m-p/2116953/high...

 

NEXT Steps for me -

I am going to do a factory reset and follow the power on guidance stated above. I’ll report back with my findings.

Be sure to reset and setup wirelessly first with the RBS near the RBR. Once the top ring BLUE turns OFF, connect up a short 6-20 ft LAN cable in between the RBR and RBS. Top ring LED should turn ON and pulsate WHITE or turn ON BLUE then turn OFF after 3 minutes. Check the status on the RBR and RBS. Leave it for about 10-15 minutes to check stability of the RBS...


 

Message 6 of 8
mattman555
Aspirant

Re: Orbi RBK50 v1 - Cannot continuously establish Wired Backhaul from Satellite

Thanks for all the tips.

 

 After letting the RBS50 wireless backhaul communicate with the RBK50 for about 24 hours, I simply plugged in the wired backhaul to the RBK50 <> GSS116E and then into the RBS50.  The  wired backhaul is a CAT6A STP ~235 feet. The network dropped for less then a minute and the wired backhaul status went to good.

 

Next I used my cell phone and a laptop which were connected to the RBS50 to network performance test to a 1Gbe Connected PC on the RBK50 side.   I used iperf3 to accomplish these tests. The RBK50, GSS116e, 1Gbe PC and Cable Modem are located in the external building (2 Story Barn/Office/Garage) and the RBS50 is in the main house (2300sq feet, ranch style, shape of a letter T)

 

In the house, I went from room to room and I noticed that some of the rooms which were in the direction of the RBK50 were having highs and lows in their performance.  Sometimes the connection would even drop.   At this point it seemed like there might be some wifi overlap. So I lowered my RBK50 to 25% signal strength, let everything adjust in the house, and everything  is working great in the main house now.  In every room I'm able to get between 100Mb/s - 200Mb/s.  I checked the performance in the external building and got the same results.

 Here are the iperf3 results.

C:\iperf>iperf3 -s
-----------------------------------------------------------
Server listening on 5201
-----------------------------------------------------------
Accepted connection from 172.16.80.36, port 39068
[ 5] local 172.16.80.99 port 5201 connected to 172.16.80.36 port 39070
[ ID] Interval Transfer Bandwidth
[ 5] 0.00-1.00 sec 20.3 MBytes 170 Mbits/sec
[ 5] 1.00-2.00 sec 22.6 MBytes 190 Mbits/sec
[ 5] 2.00-3.00 sec 22.4 MBytes 188 Mbits/sec
[ 5] 3.00-4.00 sec 22.5 MBytes 189 Mbits/sec
[ 5] 4.00-5.00 sec 21.4 MBytes 179 Mbits/sec
[ 5] 5.00-6.00 sec 18.8 MBytes 157 Mbits/sec
[ 5] 6.00-7.00 sec 19.2 MBytes 162 Mbits/sec
[ 5] 7.00-8.00 sec 19.3 MBytes 162 Mbits/sec
[ 5] 8.00-9.00 sec 19.1 MBytes 160 Mbits/sec
[ 5] 9.00-10.00 sec 19.1 MBytes 160 Mbits/sec
[ 5] 10.00-10.00 sec 164 KBytes 366 Mbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[ ID] Interval Transfer Bandwidth
[ 5] 0.00-10.00 sec 0.00 Bytes 0.00 bits/sec sender
[ 5] 0.00-10.00 sec 205 MBytes 172 Mbits/sec receiver

 

Thanks for all the help, it was as simple as plugging it into a live system vs. powering down + plug in + and power up. Now, my only concern now is -- how is the system going to handle a power reset or reboot of any type as it has these odd behaviours.

 

Message 7 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi RBK50 v1 - Cannot continuously establish Wired Backhaul from Satellite

Glad you got it working. Please mark your thread as solved so others will know. Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/000062080/How-do-I-back-up-the-configuration-settings-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System
Enjoy. 📡

Message 8 of 8
Top Contributors
Discussion stats
  • 7 replies
  • 1356 views
  • 0 kudos
  • 3 in conversation
Announcements

Orbi 770 Series