Administering Orbi router in AP with wired satellite backhaul

[jasperx]

I used my laptop browser to reach the admin tools on orbilogin.net.  The thought was to update to the latest firmware.  My enthusiasm for the update was low because things have been working fine.  Right off the bat I have problems reaching the login.  Stumbling around, I happened to switch on the wireless on the laptop... I frequently use only an ethernet connection when at my docking station.  Viola... instant success. Going back to try to get things working with wireless turned off,  I have now verified a couple of times that I can not browse to  the admin using the following setup:

Laptop:ethernet to a network switch

switch to Pace 5268AC Modem/Router

Orbi base in AP mode ethernet to the Pace Router

Orbi satellites ethernet to switch

When I turn on the network card in the laptop I am able to login to the admin pages. Advanced>Administration>Attached devices shows me the two satelliites with their "good" wired backhaul... see screen shot. I also see a couple dozen devices connected to the base and the satellites.  All is well.

When I look at the  Firmware Update the Orbi base is listed but the satellites show up as "waiting for connection". Screen shot attached.

Since the update should be done on the satellites first and some of the other advice is to do firmware updates using wired connections it seems like a good time to figure out how to get logged in and seeing the RBS while using only a wired connection. 

I do appreciate the advice to not worry about updating if things are working.  I can take or leave this update.  The real concern is that I am not able to access or use the admin using a wired connection and some day an update might be desired.

Is the way to do this is walk around with a cable and the laptop and connect directly to the RBS?

[jasperx · Accepted solution]

CrimpOn's simple explanation for not reaching admin from wired is probably correct.  I input the IP for the RBR and neatly reached the admin.  

Half way there.... the firmware update page under advanced>administration is still showing waiting for connection for both RBS.

A closer look at the connected devices list is showing that all the devices in the house are connected to the RBR... nothing is connected to the RBSs.  My recollection is that back when I was setting up the network the first few times that devices would show connection to an RBS or the RBR depending on what was closest.

It looks like perhaps the RBS may have gone offlne at some point and every thing jumped on the RBR.  Then when the RBS came back on things stuck?  But this does not explain why the RBS are not showing up on the Firmware update page.  It is like they have been forgotton everywhere but the connected devices list.

[CrimpOn]

There may be a simple explanation.  When the laptop connected through the switch to the Pace router asks to resolve the name "orbilogin.net", the Pace router has no idea where that is.  When you connect to the Orbi WiFi, even though it is in AP mode, the WiFi part of Orbi knows that "orbilogin.net" refers to the Orbi router.

My bet is that you can connect to the Orbi using the actual IP address of the Orbi router, not the name.  It should be 192.168.1.<something>.

As far as updating, once you are connected by ethernet, there is no need to walk around updating.  You certainly can connect directly to satellites and the Orbi router using their LAN ports if you want to.  You will still have to connect to their individual IP addresses with a web browser to do the update. 

[jasperx · Accepted solution]

CrimpOn's simple explanation for not reaching admin from wired is probably correct.  I input the IP for the RBR and neatly reached the admin.  

Half way there.... the firmware update page under advanced>administration is still showing waiting for connection for both RBS.

A closer look at the connected devices list is showing that all the devices in the house are connected to the RBR... nothing is connected to the RBSs.  My recollection is that back when I was setting up the network the first few times that devices would show connection to an RBS or the RBR depending on what was closest.

It looks like perhaps the RBS may have gone offlne at some point and every thing jumped on the RBR.  Then when the RBS came back on things stuck?  But this does not explain why the RBS are not showing up on the Firmware update page.  It is like they have been forgotton everywhere but the connected devices list.

[CrimpOn]

I wonder what "Waiting for connection" means.  On the software update web page, it clearly shows the firmware release of each satellite.  The Attached Devices says the satellites are "wired" and "good".

I have a suspicion is the "waiting" message refers to the Netgear firmware site.  Sometimes this takes a bit.  Strange that it clearly shows the new router firware release but seems to hang up looking for the satellites.

As for devices switching to the router and sticking, that could well be true.  An easy test is to power cycle one of the devices that used to connect to a satellite and see what it picks when it comes back on.  Some people go so far as to "forget" the Orbi WiFi and then do a new scan (under the assumption that the device has learned the MAC address it prefers and will go back to it if it is still there).

[jasperx]

Somewhere along the line the Orbi Router and the network switch both got directly connected to the Pace Modem Router.  I put the switch (with its connected Orbi satellites) back downstream of the Orbi Router and everything started working as expected.  The firmware updated without a hitch and a power cycle of most of the devices has them connecting to the nearest satellite.

Connecting directly to the Orbi Router using the IP address was the key I needed to start getting things sorted out.  Thanks a bunch.