Orbi Satellite Drop Connection time to time

[ileodo]

Hi, 

For some reason, my RBS50 Orbi Satellite dropped connection couple times a day. The synptoms are:
1. all the devices conntected to RBS50 Satellite dropped the connection (both Wireless and Wired).

2. The connection will be back for a while and dropped again. (after several round, the connection will be fully back)

3. however everything connected to RBR50 Router are good.

4. I tried to keep ping the satellite from one of my 24/7 host, by checking the log, I can see the satellite is not pingable during the connection issue period.

And here is my setup:

+-----------+
|   ISP     |
+-----+-----+
      |
  WAN v
+-----+-----+LAN     +------------+
|  Router   +------->+   Switch   |
+-----------+        +--+-----+---+
                        |     |
                 +------+     +-------+
                 |                    |
             WAN v                    v LAN
          +------+------+      +------+------+
          |  RBR50      |      |   RBS50     |
          |  AP mode    |      |   AP mode   |
          +-------------+      +-------------+

1. Orbi is in AP mode
2. Satellite is shown as Wired backhaul in the Router's setting page.
3. both router and satellite has V2.5.1.8 firmware
4. Daisy-chain is disabled

Any idea what's wrong with my setting?

Thanks

[FURRYe38]

What happens if you configure this with the RBS?

+-----------+
|   ISP     |
+-----+-----+
      |
  WAN v
+-----+-----+LAN     +------------+
|  Router   +------->+   Switch   |
+-----------+        +--+-----+---+
                        |     
                 +------+     
                 |                    
             WAN v                    
          +------+------+      +------+------+
          |  RBR50      | LAN  |   RBS50     |
          |  AP mode    |+----+|   AP mode   |
          +-------------+      +-------------+

 What is the Mfr and model# of the ethernet switch in the configuration?
https://kb.netgear.com/000051205/What-is-Ethernet-backhaul-and-how-do-I-set-it-up-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-Sy...

What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-router

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Set Short preamble instead of Long preamble modes. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update? 
https://kb.netgear.com/31486/How-do-I-reset-my-Orbi-system-to-factory-default-settings

[ileodo]

Hey, many thanks for the reply:

I coudn't have the config you were proposing because there is no chance to have the cable to connect the router and satelitte.

My switch is Netgear GS108Ev3.

Beamforming, MIMO and WMM are all enabled.

Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 are disabled  and it's 40Mhz only mode.

I have tried the factory reset. it doesn't help.

[FURRYe38]

Temporarily take the RBS to the same room as the RBR and connect the RBS to the RBR directly with a LAN cable. Does the RBS connect and sync correctly? 

Your swtich your using is a managed switch. Be sure to disable ALL IGMP protocols and Green ethernet features. Energy Efficient Ethernet (IEEE 802.3az) compliant.

The RBS needs a more directly connection to the RBR. Parallel isn't recommended. The RBS needs to have a directly connection from behind the RBR. WIth or with out a switch. 

[ileodo]

My RBS and RBR can always been connected and synced successfully.

and the IGMP snooping on the switch is off. anything else i missed? is there a way to check the log of the router to drill in to the details?

[FURRYe38]

Ensure Green Ethernet features are disabled on the switch.

Try the direct connection to see if RBS still drops connection. 

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Set Short preamble instead of Long preamble modes. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).

Factory reset the RBS and re-sync it. 

[ileodo]

does loop-detection matter?

[FURRYe38]

Try it disabled and see. I think I have it disabled on one of my managed switches. 

I would try the RBS directly connected to the RBR to see if the problems continue or not. 

[Retired_Member]

bingo...........V2.5.1.8 firmware

[SW_]

This culprit here is Router WAN and Satellite LAN are on the same switch.  Router WAN port and Satellite LAN port has to be on different network/switch. Take a look at this on How do I set Ethernet backhaul up on my Orbi WiFi System.

Connect Orbi yellow WAN port directly to ISP/Router LAN port, then get a 2nd cable and connect Orbi LAN port to the switch. 

[ileodo]

you think it's the firmware issue? which version you would suggest?

[ileodo]

More observation here.

By monitoring the `ps -l` on both router and satellite, I found couple of process on satellite got restarted during the dropping.

hostapd_cli kworker iface-mgr wsplcd

at the same time, i didn't find any key process on router got restarted.

And the symptoms are:

Wireless devices connected to router:

- show as connected

- but no Internet, can't access router/satellite gui.

Wired devices connected to satellite:

- show as disconnected

Wireless devices connected to satellite:

- show as disconnected

Any idea on this? Thanks

[ileodo]

My router and satellite are under AP mode, so i don't think there is any difference between WAN and LAN. 

And actually i tried to connect the Router's LAN to the switch as well. doesn't work.

[FURRYe38]

So if you have the RBR connected to the up stream router using the WAN port, connect the RBS directly to the back of the RBRs LAN port. Do you still see this problem?

[ileodo]

seem like no, I'll give it a try now, and see if any process restared on satellite.

however, as per netgear official website, it's a valid setup to have both router and satellite connected to a swtich to have ethernet backhaul.. why it doesn't work well in my case?

[FURRYe38]

Maybe the switch is the cause. 

Seen issues with switches with IGMP protocols and green ethernet features cause problems between the RBR and RBS if one is in between them. Non managed and non green ethernet switches are prefer in between the RBR and RBS. I use HP Procurve 1400 series switches between mine.  

[Retired_Member]

---

@ileodo wrote:

you think it's the firmware issue? which version you would suggest?

---

Yes.  Go to download area enter your model number

look for version you had before that was stable for you 

all this other questions posted here are wasting your time 

[FURRYe38]

Let us know the results of removing the switch between the RBR and RBS. The RBS will connect correctly and will be seen in the UI. This points to a switch problem and rules out a FW issue. FW doesn't matter in this case. 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Orbi-MR-2-1-Update-3-23-18/m-p/1553749/highlight/true#M30673

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/switching-requirements-for-ethernet-backhaul/m-p/1653718/highl...
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Ready-to-chuck-this-system-through-the-window/m-p/1658470/high...

Your switch is a managed switch:

https://www.netgear.com/support/product/GS108Ev3.aspx#docs

Need to disable all IGMP protocols and green ethernet features on this switch, then see connect it between the RBR and RBS. If the problem continues, find you a non managed switch with out these features. I think NGs GS105 will work. I use D-Link DGS105-108s and HP Procurve 1400 series switches that do work with Orbi. 

---

@ileodo wrote:

seem like no, I'll give it a try now, and see if any process restared on satellite.

however, as per netgear official website, it's a valid setup to have both router and satellite connected to a swtich to have ethernet backhaul.. why it doesn't work well in my case?

---

[Retired_Member]

---

@FURRYe38 wrote:

 FW doesn't matter in this case. 

V2.5.1.8 firmware does matter

[theoak]

---

@ileodo wrote:

And here is my setup:

+-----------+
|   ISP     |
+-----+-----+
      |
  WAN v
+-----+-----+LAN     +------------+
|  Router   +------->+   Switch   |
+-----------+        +--+*----*---+
                        ||    |
                 +------+|    +------+
                 |  +----+           |
             WAN v  v Port1          v Port1
          +------+--+--+      +------+------+
          |  RBR50     |      |   RBS50     |
          |  AP mode   |      |   AP mode   |
          +------------+      +-------------+

Another option if you cannot directly connect your router to your satellite ...

If your switch is managed can you:

1. Add a line from port 1 of your Router back to your switch?

2. Via your managed switch separate the Orbi to Orbi traffic - signified by the * on the Switch.

[ileodo]

There is only one pre-run cable between my switch to the RBR, so I can't really test this.