Orbi network -- IP address conflicts (AC2200/RBK33)

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JVK1 wrote:

Hello,
I have several devices in my home using the Orbi router in both wired and wireless connections. For most of the wired devices – Tivo, AppleTV, Mac desktop – I've switched them to static IP addresses because they kept having IP address conflicts; they work great now. However, sometimes with my wireless devices — iPhones, laptops, iPads — I get an IP address conflict. Usually after a device has left the Wifi network or had wifi switched off; I'll see an error message that says "Another device is using this IP address." I'll then have to wait until the router refreshes the DHCP lease and assigns a new IP address.

 

Is there something in the settings, possibly under 'Advanced', to force the router to expand the IP address range or else automatically apply a new IP address in case of a conflict? I have 16 devices in the house and only 6-7 are wireless -- there should be plenty of room in the IP allocation to handle everything, so how can I preemptively avoid these conflicts? I'm upgrading from my previous router (Spectrum Arri unit) which is now just the modem, but I never had this many IP address conflicts on the old equipment. 

 

TIA,

 

JVK

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That might be your issue right there. The old device not running properly in modem only/bridge mode. 

What device specifically is it? 

How have you setup the modem only mode? 

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JVK1 wrote:

Is there something in the settings, possibly under 'Advanced', to force the router to expand the IP address range or else automatically apply a new IP address in case of a conflict? I have 16 devices in the house and only 6-7 are wireless -- there should be plenty of room in the IP allocation to handle everything, so how can I preemptively avoid these conflicts?

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Yes, indeed.  On the Orbi web interface, Advanced Tab, Setup, LAN Setup there are two features that might help:

• The Orbi's DHCP server can be configured to assign IP addresses from only a portion of the IP subnet.
  For example, the Orbi could be set up to assign addresses from 2-99.  Then you can use "static IP's" on devices from 100-250 (or the reverse).
• Device "assignment" is what I use instead of static IP's. I put each device MAC address into the table along with the IP address I want it to have.  That way, when I  want to "move them around" I just change the table rather than logging into each device.

Orbi's IP assignment appears to have definite flaws.  It seems to react to DHCP requests in a strange sequence.  Devices contact the DHCP server and say, "can I have IP address 192.168.1.x?" and the Orbi says, "Sure, you had it before, go ahead."  When what it SHOULD be doing is saying, "sorry, but no.  the Boss says you have to use a different IP address from now on."  My technique for forcing a device to change IP addresses when Orbi doesn't force it to is to (a) turn off the device, (b) haul out my old smartphone, (c) set it to a static address that I want the device to quit using, and then power on the device.  It will ask for its old IP and the Orbi will say, "Sorry, that IP is in use right now.  Here, take the IP that I find in this table."

Sorry to rave on.

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JVK1 wrote:

Hello,
I have several devices in my home using the Orbi router in both wired and wireless connections. For most of the wired devices – Tivo, AppleTV, Mac desktop – I've switched them to static IP addresses because they kept having IP address conflicts; they work great now. However, sometimes with my wireless devices — iPhones, laptops, iPads — I get an IP address conflict.

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Another suggestion is to stop using static IP addresses and use dynamic IP address assignment for all your devices.  If you let the Orbi assign addresses to everything via DHCP then you shouldn't get any IP address conflicts.  It's only when you mix-and-match when you have to be careful that you don't overlap and assign a static IP address in the range that Orbi will dynamically assign.

Is there a reason that you are assigning static IP addresses?  Sometimes people want a fixed IP that they can type into a browser.  You can still get this by using dynamic assignment and then later, go into Orbi's Advanced...Setup...LAN Setup, press Add, find the device in the list of dynamically assigned IP addresses, select it and press Add.  This will reserve that device to that IP address so even though it is still dynamically assigned Orbi will always give it that same IP address.  Since Orbi is assigning it that IP it will make sure no other device is dynamically assigned the same IP and therefore avoid any IP address conflicts.