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Forum Discussion
Orbi with Engenius Outdoor AP should I adjust settings/mode?
I recently switched from an Apple Airport home network to the Orbi RBR50 with 2 satellites. So far so good. I already had an Engenius ENS1750 outdoor access point installed outside my house so my large yard gets coverage. The Engenius AP is hardwired by ethernet to the same Fios Actiontec modem/router that feeds the Orbi. I have configured the SSID and password the same on the Orbi and Engenius.
So far, I think they are playing together nicely.
Will there by any issue caused by the fact that the Orbi is giving out IP address in the 10.1.1.X range, while the Engenius gives addresses in the 192.168.1.X range? Should the Engenius be in Access Point mode or something else (the only options are WDS Access Point and WDS Bridge).
Or just leave it since it seems to work?
My setup: Orbi RBR50 with 2 satellites
MacOS 10.13.16
9 Replies
I think there's some confusion here and needs a little clarification.
1. Engenius ENS1750 is an access point itself. It doesn't have routing capabilities that I could find.
2. So your Fios Actiontc modem/router is acting as router.
3. So it sounds like you have your Orbi in router mode?
Your Engenius should already be in AP mode. You're currently in a double nat if your orbi is in router mode as well as your fios actiontec device.
https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT
Easiest route/fix to make sure everthing stays working right? Put your orbi in AP mode. You'll lose the routing functions but you won't have to worry about network instabilities or double nat.
You're other option would be to configure the Actiontec to work in passthrough mode/modem only mode. I'd recommend contacting your provider of that device to help you set that up if you go that route.
Thank you for the succinct and helpful explantion. I suspected somthing could be amiss, even through right now things are working, and I hadn't thought about double NAT.
If I switch the Orbi to AP mode, would that affect my ability to use the ethernet ports (for things like printers) on the Orbi or its satellites? Or do they become something like the ports on an ethernet switch?
ipswichclam wrote:If I switch the Orbi to AP mode, would that affect my ability to use the ethernet ports (for things like printers) on the Orbi or its satellites? Or do they become something like the ports on an ethernet switch?
All the ethernet ports (router and satellite) remain active when the Orbi is in Access Point (AP) mode. You can even attach simple (unmanaged) ethernet switches to the ports if you need more connections. The primary router assigns IP addresses to every device that makes a DHCP request.
Some things to consider: (1) Do you need to "assign" specific IP addresses to some devices (such as NAS or printers)? Are you able to do that with the primary router? (2) How do the "router functions" compare between the primary router and the Orbi? For example, I have no use for Disney Circle or the "Armor" capability. If you need to forward ports, can that be done with the primary router?
ipswichclam wrote:So far, I think they are playing together nicely.
It may seem that they are playing together nicely, but that could be an illusion. For one, there will be no automatic "hand-off" between the Orbi and the Engenius. Second, there could be issues when devices on one network need to communicate with devices on the other network. (For example, I regularly print from my smartphone and tablet to a printer on my Orbi network. People seem to have a devil of a time with network media servers with complicated networks. And, the "double NAT" definitely causes issues with specific applications.)
There seems to be no urgency. When there is, getting to a single router may be the solution.
Thank you, that makes sense. I think I may put the Orbi in AP mode to avoid the double NAT.
