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Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

SCIO
Tutor

AP Mode Vs Router Mode

Hello, 

Please i need help with regards to getting acess to my Synology NAS with my Orbi System.

I have noticed that when I switch my Orbi to AP mode, I cannot acess my Synology NAS even though I am on same network. When I changed or switched to the Router mode, I can sucessfully acess my NAS. Please what is going on? Why cant I acess my NAS when by Orbi is on AP Mode? I really want to be on AP mode and not Router mode for better performance and so what should I do on by Orbi system to get me to connect to my NAS.

NOTE : I have one system and one satalite. My NAS is connected to the Satalite via wired connection

Thanks for your help 

 

Message 1 of 18

Accepted Solutions
SCIO
Tutor

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

Problem Solved.

Thank you guys for your help, I finally found a solution to the problem.

When you switch the Orbi to AP mode, it basically does not offer the routing mechanism to the home network. If you have a router or a Morden from your ISP (which you should, hence your wanting AP mode), that router takes over the routing in your home network. What this means is that the IP address will be coming from your router and not you’re Orbi. My NAT device was using the IP address from the Orbi when the orbi was in Routing Mode but when I switched to AP mode, the NAT device did not change IP address because its DHCP was turned off. Basically, the NAT kept the old or assigned IP address. Since routing is now being taken over by the ISP modem or router, the IP address is now different, meaning the NAT which is connected to the Orbi is now on a different network than the router from ISP. Note that the Orbi is now in AP mode and the ISP modem or router is now doing the routing and giving out a different IP address from the one giving by the Orbi when it was in the Routing mode.

What I did

I Changed the Orbi to AP mode so I can log into my ISP router to determine the following

IPv4 address

Subnet Mask

Default Gateway

DHCP Server

DNS Server.

I also determined the DHCP scope. 

I needed all these information to create a static IP on my NAS.

 

After the determination of these information, I switched my Orbi to router mode so I can get access to my NAS (Remember I can only access my Nas when my Orbi is on Router mode). I noticed that my NAS has a different IPV4 address from the ISP router. All I did was to now change the settings on my NAS, meaning, I changed the IPV4 address to an IP address on same network. Please note that you should chose an IP address that is out of the scope of your DHCP. I also changed the subnet Mask default gateway and DNS server to reflect exactly what I had when my Orbi was in the AP mode. 

When logged back in to my DNS, I got access to by Files. My orbi is now on AP mode (which is more stable for me) and I can now have access to my Synology Nas.

Thanks guys for your contribution 

View solution in original post

Message 17 of 18

All Replies

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

hi

 

so to have the orbi in AP mode you would need to have a router in front of it doing the routing and dhcp server as in AP mode all the orbidoes is wifi and a switch

 

when in router mode the orbi does the routing and dhcp server etc and thats why your nas can be seen , when in router mode your device in front of the orbi should be in bridge mode or be a direct ethernet connection to the internet

 

 

Message 2 of 18
nukie
Guide

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

@SCIO pleas tell us more about your network-setup. Do you have a router handeling DHCP in front of your Orbi, etc.....The info you provided is not enough...

Message 3 of 18
SCIO
Tutor

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

My Network set up is as follows 

  Coax cable form ISP connected to my moderm. My moderm is also my wirless router that serves the house. I satarted using the Orbit becaue I had at the time, a lot of Dead Zone in my house.  ( I disabled the wireless router function on the mordern)- my Orbi device is connected (Wired Connection, ethernet cable) directly to the mordern- My Orbi satellite is Conntected (Wireless to the Orbi Device- my Synology NAS is connected directly (Wired Connection, ethernet cable) to the satellite.

Like i said, when I put my Orbi device on Router mode, I can connect to my NAS but when I put the Orbi divice to AP mode, I do not have connection to my NAS. 

Thanks for your help 

Message 4 of 18
nukie
Guide

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

Hi, do your Orbi get IP-adress dynamicly from the main router in AP-mode? Did you set it up as AP in the web-interface? What firmware are your devices on? If they are not on the latest frimware you should update.

Message 5 of 18
SCIO
Tutor

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

Yes the Orbi get IP address dynamicaly. I did set it up as Ap in the web interface and the firmware is up tp date

Message 6 of 18
nukie
Guide

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

This is odd. I would update all Orbis to the latset firmware and do a factory-reset. And if that dont work reset your main router. 

Message 7 of 18
SCIO
Tutor

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

I have done all these still I cannot acess the NAS with AP turned on. Just getting tired of this. Can someone please help?

Message 8 of 18
st_shaw
Master

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

 

When you switch Orbi from router mode to AP mode the IP addresses of your devices will change. It sounds like maybe your NAS is still using the IP address range from when Orbi was in Router mode. I would try this:

 

1. Switch back to Router mode (or whatever mode allows you to log into your NAS.)

2. Log into the NAS and note the IP address.  Change the IP configuration settings so the NAS get's its IP via DHCP. Save settings.

3. Power off the NAS.

4. Switch the Orbi back to AP mode and wait for it to boot up fully.

5. Power on the NAS.

6. Now try logging into the NAS.

Message 9 of 18
SCIO
Tutor

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

Hello 

I have done all that, still I cannot acess the NAS device. I am just tired

Message 10 of 18
st_shaw
Master

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

Can you access ANY device wired to the satellite in AP mode?

Message 11 of 18
SCIO
Tutor

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

Yes I can. My android box is wired to the satellite and I can still watch movies even in Ap mode
Message 12 of 18
st_shaw
Master

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

Ok. Then maybe it has something to do with how you are trying to access the nas.

 

How exactly are you trying to access the NAS? What is the failure or error message?

Are you accessing the NAS by IP address or by name?

Is the router-mode IP address hardcoded somewhere in the application you are using to access the NAS?

Can you ping the NAS by IP address?

Can you ping the NAS by name?

Message 13 of 18
SCIO
Tutor

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

I try to access the Nas by its ip. 10.0.0.14. When I ping that address, it times out.
Each time the orbi is in Ap mode, and I type in the ip, it's comes with an error saying, the site cannot be reached. But when the orbi is in router mode, I get access easily by also typing the IP address.
Message 14 of 18
nukie
Guide

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

When Orbi is in AP-mode your main router most likely gives your NAS a different IP. Unless you set it at 10.0.0.14 yourself.

Logg in to the router that act as DHCP server and find out what ip your NAS has after you have changed mode on your ORBI to AP-mode.

Message 15 of 18
st_shaw
Master

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode


@SCIO wrote:
I try to access the Nas by its ip. 10.0.0.14. When I ping that address, it times out.
Each time the orbi is in Ap mode, and I type in the ip, it's comes with an error saying, the site cannot be reached. But when the orbi is in router mode, I get access easily by also typing the IP address.

You cannot access the NAS using 10.0.0.14 in both router mode and AP mode.  As I said at first, your NAS IP address must change when you switch Orbi from router mode to AP mode.  In AP mode the NAS IP must be assigned by your router, not by Orbi. If you have manually set 10.0.0.14 on the router yourself, then reconfigure the NAS to use DHCP, as noted in my instructions above.

 

 

Message 16 of 18
SCIO
Tutor

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

Problem Solved.

Thank you guys for your help, I finally found a solution to the problem.

When you switch the Orbi to AP mode, it basically does not offer the routing mechanism to the home network. If you have a router or a Morden from your ISP (which you should, hence your wanting AP mode), that router takes over the routing in your home network. What this means is that the IP address will be coming from your router and not you’re Orbi. My NAT device was using the IP address from the Orbi when the orbi was in Routing Mode but when I switched to AP mode, the NAT device did not change IP address because its DHCP was turned off. Basically, the NAT kept the old or assigned IP address. Since routing is now being taken over by the ISP modem or router, the IP address is now different, meaning the NAT which is connected to the Orbi is now on a different network than the router from ISP. Note that the Orbi is now in AP mode and the ISP modem or router is now doing the routing and giving out a different IP address from the one giving by the Orbi when it was in the Routing mode.

What I did

I Changed the Orbi to AP mode so I can log into my ISP router to determine the following

IPv4 address

Subnet Mask

Default Gateway

DHCP Server

DNS Server.

I also determined the DHCP scope. 

I needed all these information to create a static IP on my NAS.

 

After the determination of these information, I switched my Orbi to router mode so I can get access to my NAS (Remember I can only access my Nas when my Orbi is on Router mode). I noticed that my NAS has a different IPV4 address from the ISP router. All I did was to now change the settings on my NAS, meaning, I changed the IPV4 address to an IP address on same network. Please note that you should chose an IP address that is out of the scope of your DHCP. I also changed the subnet Mask default gateway and DNS server to reflect exactly what I had when my Orbi was in the AP mode. 

When logged back in to my DNS, I got access to by Files. My orbi is now on AP mode (which is more stable for me) and I can now have access to my Synology Nas.

Thanks guys for your contribution 

Message 17 of 18
st_shaw
Master

Re: AP Mode Vs Router Mode

@SCIO I'm glad you figured it out and you understand how things work now.

 

If you had followed the steps I outlined above it would have worked for you. But you might not have understood why if you didn't work through it yourself.

Message 18 of 18
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