Re: Orbi RBR50 router and RBS20 satellites acting like different LANs, but fine as WAN?

BZLuck · ‎2025-04-14

I have an Orbi RBR50 router and three RBS20 satellites in our home. All of them have the latest firmware.

Overall, they seem to be providing my house and front and back yard with a good solid wifi connection to the internet.

My issue is that in some cases, when a wifi device is connected to a satellite and another device is connected to the base station, (or a different satellite) they often act like they are on different networks and can't see each other.

2 specific examples:

• We have an Apple TV 4K that is connected to the RBR50 base station/router. If my iPhone is also connected to the router, the "remote control" function works fine. However if I move into a different room, and my phone jumps to a RBS20 satellite, it won't see the Apple TV on the network. If I move back closer to the router, it jumps to use that access point and now I can control the Apple TV.

• Another example. We have about 6 Echo dots around our home. I created a "downstairs" group so I can say, "Alexa, play [blah blah music] downstairs" and it will play to those 3 specific devices.

However if one those 3 Echo Dots is connected to a different Orbi satellite than the other 2, the group won't work correctly. To fix this, I have to reboot the router, and unplug the satellites. I get all of the Echo Dots to connect to the router first, then I power up and synch the satellites. Then the group will work fine, so long as the whole group is on the same "node".

When I log into the admin panel on the router, I can see all of the devices and I can also see which device (router or satellite) each device is connected to. It also appears each satellite has its own IP address.

Is there some advanced setting I'm missing in the router admin page to prevent this 'network within a network' phenomenon? Even though there is just the one broadcast SSID and password that keeps everything connected to the internet, why do the satellites not find other devices connected to the other satellites or the main router?

FURRYe38 · ‎2025-04-14

https://www.reddit.com/r/orbi/comments/1jyqecz/orbi_router_and_satellites_acting_like_different/

BZLuck · ‎2025-04-14

Yes, this is me too. Just posting in several places in hopes of finding an answer.

FURRYe38 · ‎2025-04-14

So if all RBS are turned OFF and everything connected to the RBR, do the devices work and all interact with each other?

What Firmware version is currently loaded on the RBR and RBS?

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router 📡 and satellite(s)🛰️? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR 📡 and RBS 🛰️ to begin with depending upon building materials when wired or wirelessly connected.

BZLuck · ‎2025-04-14

If I turn off all of the satellites, and all devices only connect to the RBR50, there are no issues with what I described. The issue that happens without the RBS20 satellites is that there are some "weak spots" in the house where the signal is low maybe 2 out of 4 bars and just1 bar in the backyard.

The house is around 2,000 square feet, 2 story front yard and swimming pool in the back. The router is more or less in the middle of the house to one side where the cable modem is, then there is a 2nd satellite in the garage/gym which is near the front of the house/front yard to the other side, another is in the sunroom which is at the rear of the house backyard, and there is a 3rd satellite upstairs in the master bedroom. I really planned out well where they should go, and get the best coverage and have a strong connection to each other.

The garage satellite is probably 40 feet away from the router, the sunroom satellite is probably 40 feet away, and the upstairs one is... 20-25 feet if I drew a straight diagonal line through the floor.

I'm at my office right now so I don't know the FW versions off the top of my head, but I do know that I checked them very recently (last 30 days) and they were all up to date. I can check again when I get home.

The system works great for internet access. Every device has a strong connection signal, and the router connects as "GOOD" to all 3 of the satellites with little to no fussing. Just touch the sync buttons and they go blue, and then white. Boom. Happy.

It's the "network within a network" I'm trying to figure out. It's 100% reproducible by walking around the house. If I'm near the router, the Apple TV app connects right up from my phone. If I go into the back room (and presumably my phone then connects to the sunroom satellite) it can't find the Apple TV at all. If I get up and walk towards the router, the app then "finds" the Apple TV.

CrimpOn · ‎2025-04-14

@BZLuck wrote:

When I log into the admin panel on the router, I can see all of the devices and I can also see which device (router or satellite) each device is connected to. It also appears each satellite has its own IP address.

Attached Devices should show that every device connected to the Orbi system has an IP address in the same subnet (usually 192.168.1.x).

Yes. Orbi satellites are assigned individual IP addresses. Each satellite has a web interface (with the same admin login credentials as the router). Many people use the satellite web interface to perform manual firmware updates.

Your expectation is correct. Every device on the primary network (both wired and WiFi) should be able to communicate with every other device on the primary network. (On the RBR50 product, there is a setting to control whether devices on the Guest WiFi network can communicate with the primary network.)

This is very strange.

BZLuck · ‎2025-04-14

Heck I would be happy with telling certain devices that they are not "allowed" to connect to anything other than the router. My phone for instance which is the most "mobile" (i.e. I often carry it around with me) within the house.

If I could prevent my phone from 'jumping' from the router to a satellite, that would work as a possible solution. The same with the Echo devices. If I could prevent them from accessing a different connection point so I can 'force' them to all use the same node, everything *should* work as intended. The Echo devices aren't as critical, but just a part of my observation.

For instance there is an Echo Dot in the back sunroom. If I need to reboot it for any reason, as it comes back on-line it wants to connect to the satellite in that room (of course) instead of the router. This messes up the Alexa "group". So if I need to reboot that Echo, I have to also unplug that satellite, until it completes booting up. Once it is connected to the router, (Which I can see through the admin control panel.) I can then power back up and synch that back room satellite and it maintains the "group" integrity and the Echos work as desired. The Echos don't move around the house so they don't tend to jump from node to node on their own.

CrimpOn · ‎2025-04-14

Alas, the feature is part of the definition of the Guest WiFi network (only on the original RBR50/RBR20 systems):

Orbi systems have no setting to specify which of the Orbi access points can be used. Any device can connect to any access point (router or satellite) on any of the supported networks (wired, primary WiFi, Guest WiFi - IoT WiFi on some of the AX models).

There appear to be two distinct reasons to have a Guest WiFi network:

To provide a method for transient users (i.e. "Guests") to access the network without sharing the primary network password. Once they leave, the Guest WiFi password can be changed without affecting any permanent devices.
To provide a network for transient users that keeps them separate from the primary network. i.e. they can access the internet but not communicate with devices on the primary network.

I, personally, like the flexibility. When Uncle Ben comes to visit, I can tell him how to access the printer or how to 'cast' a program to the TV if I want to. Or, I can set the network where he cannot. It's all my choice. With the new 'separate and unequal' definition, I have to share the primary network password to let Guests do anything useful. (Boo. Hiss.)

FURRYe38 · ‎2025-04-14

Do you have Guest Network enabled on the RBR or disabled?

What Firmware version is currently loaded on the RBR and RBS?

@BZLuck wrote:

Heck I would be happy with telling certain devices that they are not "allowed" to connect to anything other than the router. My phone for instance which is the most "mobile" (i.e. I often carry it around with me) within the house.

If I could prevent my phone from 'jumping' from the router to a satellite, that would work as a possible solution. The same with the Echo devices. If I could prevent them from accessing a different connection point so I can 'force' them to all use the same node, everything *should* work as intended. The Echo devices aren't as critical, but just a part of my observation.

For instance there is an Echo Dot in the back sunroom. If I need to reboot it for any reason, as it comes back on-line it wants to connect to the satellite in that room (of course) instead of the router. This messes up the Alexa "group". So if I need to reboot that Echo, I have to also unplug that satellite, until it completes booting up. Once it is connected to the router, (Which I can see through the admin control panel.) I can then power back up and synch that back room satellite and it maintains the "group" integrity and the Echos work as desired. The Echos don't move around the house so they don't tend to jump from node to node on their own.

plemans · ‎2025-04-14

What modem/gateway are you using?
Are the satellites hardwired in or using the wireless backhaul?

Any switches/AP's mixed in there?

BZLuck · ‎2025-04-14

Modem: Motorola MB8600 DOCSIS 3.1 Gig-Speed Cable Modem Plus 32x8, on Cox Cable 500 Mbps plan, getting about 350-375 regularly.

The modem is Cat 6 cabled to the RBR50, everything else, including the 3 satellites are pretty much connected wirelessly. (There is a Mac Mini connected by ethernet to the RBR50, but it is powered off 99% of the time. It hasn't been booted up in months.)

No switches or access points. Just the RBR50, 3x RBS20s making one SSID that covers all of my property. We have like 40 devices connected to the system at peak times. Phones, smart TVs, tablets, smart switches, cameras, etc.

Like I said, the system works great for internet access, other than this odd issue.

Note: We have an RV that we "prep" for camping and park it in front of our house for a few days while we get it ready to take out. Its onboard tech devices happily connect to the front yard/garage satellite WIFI signal when it is parked out there on the street.

BZLuck · ‎2025-04-14

Guest network is disabled.

I will check the FW when I get home tonight, but I did just check it within the last 60 days.

BZLuck · ‎2025-04-14

RBR50 Router Firmware Version
V2.7.5.6

RBS20 Satellite Firmware Version (all 3)
V2.7.5.6

"No new firmware version available."