Orbi struggling to get IP address/DNS from fixed wireless ISP

[bheld]

I'm replacing my Asus router (RT-N66YU) with this RBR50 unit. I live in a rural area and use fixed wireless service from my ISP (a 2.4 GHz line of sight system). This means there is a radio (powered with power over ethernet) on my roof that communicates with my ISP.

I have been working with my ISP for a few days as ORBI is having difficulties properly connecting to my ISP system - meaning that it doesn't get a IP Address (via DHCP) or an DNS server address. My old router continues to work just fine and if my ISP reboots my radio (which they can do remotely) ORBI gets this information just fine and all is well.

However, if I ORBIT is then power cycled (or the network cable is unplugged from ORBI), ORBI will no longer get this information from my ISP unless my ISP remotely reboots my radio. Simply power cycling the radio myself doesn't help.

I realize this is a complicated scenario, but I don't know what to do. My ISP has other customers using ORBI (that they know of) and are not aware of this issue. How do I proceed? Any settings on the ORBI that you can suggest changing? My firmware is already up to date.

[ekhalil · Accepted solution]

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@bheld wrote:

Unforutnately neither of these helped.  Log:

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When you tried the router's MAC address cloning or "use this MAC", have you rebooted Orbi and the radio eqipment then?

Some ISP's remember the MAC address of the first router and does not accept any other request from other MAC addresses (for security reasons). Since you had the ASUS working earlier, so this is a good troubleshooting step to make sure is tested.

[FURRYe38]

What FW is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too? If you can get this information. Does there radio on top of the roof have any router built in or is it just a modem or device that has a LAN interface for a external router?

Try disabling the following and see:
IPv6

You can set manual DNS ON the Orbi router, try 1.1.1.1 and 9.9.9.9

[bheld]

V2.2.1.210

This type of setup doesn't have a modem - the radio simply connects right to the Internet port on the Orbi.  Orbi acts as a router.

We've tried the IPv6 thing and the fixed DNS - no help.

[FURRYe38]

Can you reinstall the prior router, turn OFF it's wifi radios, connect the Orbi router to the other router and configure Orbi for AP mode? 

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@bheld wrote:

V2.2.1.210

This type of setup doesn't have a modem - the radio simply connects right to the Internet port on the Orbi.  Orbi acts as a router.

We've tried the IPv6 thing and the fixed DNS - no help.

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[bheld]

Yes, that is the fallback plan, but it seems silly given how much this orbi cost.

[FURRYe38]

I can only presume there maybe some bad handshaking going on between the Orbi and this ISP wifi interface device that the Orbi may not like or is having a problem with. This would be something NG would need to look at and collect logs from to see what the problem may be. 

You could file a support ticket here and contact NG support to see if they can help you on this:

https://www.netgear.com/mynetgear/registration/login.aspx

[bheld]

I filed one about 5 days ago - so far only 1 response of no real value.  Not impressed by support so far.

[FURRYe38]

What was the response? 

Lets see if a moderator can get this to someone who can review this and maybe capture logs.

@Blanca_O 

[ekhalil]

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@bheld wrote:

......... This means there is a radio (powered with power over ethernet) on my roof that communicates with my ISP.

.........

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Which Ethernet is power feeding the radio?

[bheld]

The only response so far has included basic questions about firmware and where I bought the orbi.  That's it in 5 days.

[bheld]

The POE unit is new (ISP replaced just in case) - this did not help.

[ekhalil]

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@bheld wrote:

The POE unit is new (ISP replaced just in case) - this did not help.

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Ok, but where is the Ethernet cable that is feeding the POE unit coming from?  

Do you have any link to the radio unit product description?

[bheld]

It's quite simple - the radio is on a mast on my roof.  An ethernet cable feeds that from the POE.  The other jack on the POE runs directly to the Orbi.

I have no details on the radio.  ISP claims that they have other customers on Orbi, but I don't necessarily believe them (long history).  They are my only option.

[ekhalil]

Looks to me that the DHCPDISCOVER -for some reason- does not reach to -or is ignored by- the ISP.

This is just a guess without traces that shows what Orbi gets after sending DHCPDISCOVER after Orbi recovers after restart or after the LAN port is pulled out, but let's try few things:

I would try the following:

• Change the MAC settings for the WAN port to "Use Computer MAC Address", as follows:

• Change the MTU size to lower values, by default it's 1500, try 1492 to start with:

[bheld]

Thanks - I will try this in the next day or so and report back.

[randomousity]

How do you have the Asus configured? I mean, do you have a username and password configured for it to connect ot the ISP? PPPoE? PPTP? L2TP? If one of those, what connection mode do you have it set to? (always on? dial on demand? manually connect?) And you had both the Asus and the Orbi set to use DHCP for IP address assignment? Have you tried telling the Orbi to release and renew your DHCP lease? (available under Advanced > Administration > Router Status > and then hit the "Connection Status" button)

Maybe you should try cloning the Asus router's WAN MAC address on the Orbi and see if that helps?

[bheld]

Unforutnately neither of these helped.  Log:

[admin login] from source 192.168.1.4
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.240] to MAC address ac:3a:7a:a8:ad:6d
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.240] to MAC address ac:3a:7a:a8:ad:6d
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.9] to MAC address 10:ae:60:e8:a2:73
[admin login] from source 192.168.1.4
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.8] to MAC address 84:ba:3b:04:7c:f8
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.7] to MAC address 84:ba:3b:04:7c:f8
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.3] to MAC address 28:80:88:d7:20:d2
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.2] to MAC address 28:80:88:d7:20:19
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.240] to MAC address ac:3a:7a:a8:ad:6d
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.5] to MAC address ac:3a:7a:a8:97:11
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.3] to MAC address 28:80:88:d7:20:d2
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.2] to MAC address 28:80:88:d7:20:19
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.4] to MAC address 38:d5:47:28:9a:6b
[DHCP IP: 192.168.1.229] to MAC address 00:11:32:9f:a4:03
[Initialized, firmware version: V2.2.1.210]

[bheld]

I tried cloning the MAC Address too - no help.

Regarding how the Asus is configured:

>> I mean, do you have a username and password configured for it to connect ot the ISP? PPPoE? PPTP? L2TP? If one of those, what connection mode do you have it set to? (always on? dial on demand? manually connect?)

No to the username/password question.  

>> And you had both the Asus and the Orbi set to use DHCP for IP address assignment?

Yes

>> Have you tried telling the Orbi to release and renew your DHCP lease? (available under Advanced > Administration > Router Status > and then hit the "Connection Status" button)

Yes, too many times to count

[ekhalil]

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@bheld wrote:

....................

>> Have you tried telling the Orbi to release and renew your DHCP lease? (available under Advanced > Administration > Router Status > and then hit the "Connection Status" button)

Yes, too many times to count

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When you check the INTERNET PORT STATUS in the web GUI (where you renew the DHCP lease), what is the status of the internet port as seen by Orbi? Can you take a snapshot of the port status when the problem happens.

[ekhalil · Accepted solution]

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@bheld wrote:

Unforutnately neither of these helped.  Log:

......

---

When you tried the router's MAC address cloning or "use this MAC", have you rebooted Orbi and the radio eqipment then?

Some ISP's remember the MAC address of the first router and does not accept any other request from other MAC addresses (for security reasons). Since you had the ASUS working earlier, so this is a good troubleshooting step to make sure is tested.

[bheld]

ekhalil,

Thanks - that fixed it!  Despite the fact that my ISP specifically told me that they use NAT and that their systems don't care about the MAC address.

[ekhalil]

Great, glad that you got this working after all. 🙂