Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
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Orbi and connected Ubuntu devices

gradybooch
Aspirant

Orbi and connected Ubuntu devices

I have an RBR850 mesh network: one base station and two satellites. There are some ~30 devices attached to the network, and all is working well.

 

However...

 

I'm standing up a cluster of NVIDIA Jetson Nanos (long story...email me for details, but it's associated with a work related AI project). In my old network - pre Orbi - I had no difficulties, but now, it works, but therein lives Signifant Strangeness.

 

I have four Nanos in all, each running the latest Ubuntu, and each with local DHCP IP addresses. I can ping each of them; they themselves can merrily connect to other local devices as well as reach out beyond the local network.

 

But when I go to my Orbi app or to my base Orbi via the gateway as seen via my browser, then don't show up. The Device Manager tab doesn't seem them in their count, they don't show up in the 2.4gHz list or the 5gHz list of the not-yet-connected list. They seem invisible to the Orbi, UI, but they are most definitely there.

 

This is not right. It would seem the Orbi is not playing well with Ubuntu.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Oh, it it gets stranger. If I change out the IP of my Nanos from DHCP assigned addresses to static ones a) they still work fine, functionally speaking but b) Orbi STILL doesn't seem them and c) ping times are erratic: sometimes they are good and sometimes they are almost 1/3 to 1/2 a second.

 

This also is Not Right.

 

Any suggestions?

 

(FYI, my Orbi mesh is quite new, in stalled just 6 months ago.)

Message 1 of 5
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi and connected Ubuntu devices

Possivle that your Ubuntu devices are not broadcasting ARP infornation or correctly broadcasting ARP device information that Orbi can understand. 

 

What FW version are you currently using? 

Message 2 of 5
gradybooch
Aspirant

Re: Orbi and connected Ubuntu devices

My Orbi is running firmware version V3.2.16.22_1.4.9.

 

Yes, it's possible my Ubantu box is not sending ARP information correctly...I'll check into that.

 

However, my other network scanning tools (one example IP Scanner Pro) DOES see my Ubantu device, while the Orbi still does not.

 

This is rather concerning, for it tells me that it's possible to hide devices on the network, and Orbi won't report to me that they exist.

 

But, we know that Orbi knows it exists: it offered up the local IP address (given that it's the DHCP server); it will have set aside that address so that no one else uses it...yet it's not reporting that it is in use.

 

Thus, one can reasonably infer that Orbi knows the device is there, but it's just not telling me.

 

That is indeed problematic, don't you think?

Message 3 of 5
gradybooch
Aspirant

Re: Orbi and connected Ubuntu devices

Just checked: indeed, ARP replies are being sent (Ubuntu enables them by default, as it turns out).

 

Curiouser and curiouser....

Message 4 of 5
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi and connected Ubuntu devices

You can try updaing to v12 and see if this helps:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/New-RBR850-RBS850-Series-Firmware-Version-v3-2-17-12-Releas...

 

If other devices are being seen by Orbi and only thr Ubuntu devices are not, would point to a problem either on these devices or in FW. Something go contact NG support about.

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