Re: Orbi RBR50 Device Limit

builder3303 · ‎2021-12-01

Hi Guys,

In past I opened the Discussin about lossing my IoT devices on my network

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/IoT-connection-issues/m-p/2137256#M125630

Well, on that discussion we don't find any possibile solution, but I'm not the guy who gives up easily!

I've notice when the router gets the 50 connected devices at same time, he "blocks" some devices to give apportonity to new connected device.

If I use fixed IP (on my laptop for example) I can connect and have internet, but I can't comunicate with other devices, por example NAS server! Btw the NAS Server is connected to another satellite!

My question is, there is any limit to the connected devices at same time?

If yes, Is there any way to get around this without turning off equipment?

Thank you

FURRYe38 · ‎2021-12-01

The router maybe maxing out with it's devices and total connections.

What is the default IP address pool size range set on the RBR? .1.2 thru .254?

What happens if you change this pool size to 1.100 to .200?

What kind of devices do you have connected? Any of them like printers, storage,controllers or cameras? Something to help alleviate this issue is to set a static IP address ON these devices out side the smaller IP address pool, that don't need much or any router management.

CrimpOn · ‎2021-12-01

@builder3303 wrote:

My question is, there is any limit to the connected devices at same time?

If yes, Is there any way to get around this without turning off equipment?

Netgear says that Orbi routers can support a maximum of 250 devices, and Orbi AX routers a maximum of 512 devices:

https://kb.netgear.com/31097/How-many-devices-can-my-Orbi-system-support

And, no. There is no way to get around these limits. They are based on the underlying IP subnetmasks.

Customers regularly report having more than 50 devices on one network. A couple of years ago there was a report of something like 130 devices active at one time. I, myself, have only about 45 devices active on the network (need to buy more toys!)

Perhaps it would be a good idea to sort of start over by describing the information on the Orbi web interface, Advanced Tab, LAN Setup page.

Specifically what are the LAN TCP Setup

IP Address
Subnet Mask

and the DHCP

Starting IP Address
Ending IP Address

builder3303 · ‎2021-12-01

I'll try answer both in same topic.

To test propose I don't have the RBR with DHCP Server, I create on VM with OPNSense only to do DHCP Server with router DNS

So my DHCP Range is from 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.254 so I have 154 DHCP lease IP (It's enough because almost my IoT devices have fixed IP)

How I distribued my network?

from 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.9 is dedicated to network devices (IPs reserved on DHCP Server by Mac Addrress)

This range are not full like 5 in use

Example:

DNS / Router RBR: 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server: 192.168.1.2

Satellite 1: 192.168.1.3 (RBS 50)

Satellite 2: 192.168.1.4 (RBS 50)

Satellite 3: 192.168.1.5 (RBS 20)

from 192.168.1.10 to 192.168.1.19 is for Virtual Machines with services, like DataBases, HomeAssistant, etc. This range are not full like 7 in use.

from 192.168.1.20 to 192.168.1.40 is for IoT, Smart Switches. This range are not full like 15 in use.

On DHCP Range I have, printer, laptops, android phones, tablets, boxes, Wifi AC controler, TV Service Provider Box, SmartTV.

Right now I have 50 devices connected (based on Router Stats) and I can't get my laptop working, only with fixed IP, that whapens with or without the DHCP Server on Router, please see the attached image.

==EDIT==

Yesterday 30/11/2021 I performed the factory reset in all 4 devices, Router and the Satelits and the issue presists... I realy don't know what I can do more to solve or to figure out what is happen here.

Thank you

CrimpOn · ‎2021-12-01

Thank you for the detailed information. At first glance, this seems fine.

The Orbi is in router mode, with DHCP server diabled, correct? (not in Access Point mode)

How is the internet modem connected to all this?

builder3303 · ‎2021-12-01

Orbi are in router mode, the modem is only to provide me internet from my ISP is configurated as bridge mode, with Ethernet wired cable in port 4 to port 1 of RBR 50.

Since I have the OPNSense active, yes, the DHCP Server on router are disable.

==EDIT==

I can't upload the images 😄

you can check the screenshots over the links

https://i.postimg.cc/DwzfG6Z/Router-DHCP.png
https://i.postimg.cc/QM9X4tLZ/Router-FW-Version.png
https://i.postimg.cc/FHnrVSBx/Router-Mode.png

Thank you

CrimpOn · ‎2021-12-01

The OPNSense user manual says here https://docs.opnsense.org/manual/dhcp.html that there is a DHCP log file. Does the log show the laptop asking for an IP address?

I often set up Wireshark to capture network traffic so that I can examine DHCP packets (requests, offers, ACK's, etc.) Is Wireshark part of the OPNSense package? (I'm a Mint Ubuntu Linux user and have no recent experience with BSD.)

I am also a bit confused about packet flow. The WAN (Yellow) port on the Orbi is the "Port 1" that is connected to the internet modem?

It seems unusual to set up OPNSense and use only the DHCP service. Is this VM also the internet gateway/firewall/etc.?

builder3303 · ‎2021-12-01

@CrimpOn wrote:
The OPNSense user manual says here https://docs.opnsense.org/manual/dhcp.html that there is a DHCP log file. Does the log show the laptop asking for an IP address?

I often set up Wireshark to capture network traffic so that I can examine DHCP packets (requests, offers, ACK's, etc.) Is Wireshark part of the OPNSense package? (I'm a Mint Ubuntu Linux user and have no recent experience with BSD.)

Please follow the DHCP Log

My latop is 60:f2:62:ec:35:9c (TS-LPT-Ubuntu),

I'm Ubuntu user too 😄 😄 but as know the Wireshark is not part of OPNSense but I'll try do something about that tomorrow.

@CrimpOn wrote:
I am also a bit confused about packet flow. The WAN (Yellow) port on the Orbi is the "Port 1" that is connected to the internet modem?
It seems unusual to set up OPNSense and use only the DHCP service. Is this VM also the internet gateway/firewall/etc.?

Like a I mentioned before, the OPNSense is only for test propose, somehow I suspected the Router had some issues with the number of reserved fixed IPs, for that reason I tried the OPNSense. And yes, OPNSense is configured only to be DHCP Server, I dont have the Firewall/Gateway configured there.

Thank you

CrimpOn · ‎2021-12-01

My LAN Setup has 51 devices configured in it. (I am a bit OCD about wanting to "know where things are.") I just checked, and this instant I have no devices in the DHCP 'pool' at all.

The log file seems to indicate that the DHCP server keeps offering 192.168.1.184 to the ubuntu machine, and it never accepts the offer.

i.e.

Discover->Offer

Back in the first post, I saw "If I use fixed IP (on my laptop for example) I can connect and have internet, but I can't comunicate with other devices, por example NAS server! Btw the NAS Server is connected to another satellite!"

Is this a 'fixed IP' as in a static IP set on the device itself. or is it an IP set up in the reservation table?

builder3303 · ‎2021-12-05

Hello,

Sorry my delay answer you and give more infos to try help me find one solution.

I put the wireshark and one draw of my equipments layout (I'm sorry about my rudimentar draw, if you have any any doubts please be my guest to question.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IOmjFNZrlysAc9xsiP1quwXfb8HPN3HW?usp=sharing

I have done the wireshark capture in one laptop with DCHP and I'm connected to device 1 (check the draw to understand the numbers), I can hadle with all my devices that are in device 1 and device 2, but I can't access to the devices that are in device 4.

I opened a device that I have access to in the browser and pinged and tried to access a device that I do not have access to via RDP.

I think you can check the IPs on capture,
192.168.1.21 with access
192.168.1.186 no access
192.168.1.2 no access

I don't have any equipment connected to satellite 3, this has the objective of intensifying the signal between 1 and 4

I hope it helps.

Thanks

CrimpOn · ‎2021-12-05

The drawing shows two RBR50 routers. Are they connected, or are they separate systems with separate ISP connections?

The Wireshark capture showed only two DHCP packets. (In the upper left, enter dhcp in the display filter.

builder3303 · ‎2021-12-05

The router you're seeing is the same, one is the project floor and the other the building floors, my apartment, my mom apartment and my office and all the VMs, Homoassistant server, etc are in my office.

ok, but you saw any packet errors to the IPs i gave yo you?

Thank you

CrimpOn · ‎2021-12-05

Thanks for the information. Would it be convenient to make a rough pencil drawing of

How all the equipment is connected?
Where the device running Wireshark is connected?

Wireshark has to be in 'promiscuous mode' to capture packets that are intended for other devices. This is often defeated by network switches which 'know' where certain MAC addresses can be found and send packets only to the switch ports that lead to those devices.

Going back to the first post:

"If I use fixed IP (on my laptop for example) I can connect and have internet, but I can't comunicate with other devices, por example NAS server! Btw the NAS Server is connected to another satellite!"

If devices are in the same IP subnet, they should be able to communicate. i.e. 192.168.1.x with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0.