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Cannot connect Orbi satellite

rkr3orbi
Aspirant

Cannot connect Orbi satellite

I recently purchased a refurbished Netgear Orbi RBR50 System with on RBS50 satellite off Ebay. (I actually purchased two systems, one of which is working perfectly, and which I've gifted to someone).

 

I'm having a problem with the second system (which I want to install for my own use). According to the records from the Netgear website, it's a year old (purchased by the original buyer in November 2017).

 

Basically, the satellite does not connect with the main unit at all -- the two units are just not communicating, even if they're right next to each other. The ring LED on the main unit pulses for a while on initial switch on, and then shuts off (I've set up, and am able to connect to the internet perfectly with the main unit as a single router).

 

The ring LED on the satellite however, just keeps flashing continuously (not pulsing, but flashing). I've tried to  make it connect through the Orbilogin website; with the Orbi app on my Android; and with the sync buttons on both devices -- no luck whatsoever.

 

Some relevant points which may help diagnosis by any helpful soul:

 

1. On opening the Orbilog webpage, the first message I got was:

 

"NETGEAR Important Update
To avoid a conflict with your Internet service provider, your Orbi router's IP address was updated to 10.0.0.1" 

 

- Which is fine, as my modem is set to 192.168.1.1, and it's not something I can fiddle with.

 

2. On first switching the router on, the firmware was massively out of date (V1 point something), I updated it through the Orbilogin webpage.

 

It would seem to me that (possibly) the satellite iisn't connecting because it needs to update; AND/OR the IP address issue is preventing it from connecting (the satellite may be looking for something with a 192.x.x.x IP. However, this is just my view, and what do I  know (!) 

 

Possibly, I could start with getting the satellite updated. How do I do this manually? I've seem some instructions on the Netgear support website (and have downloaded the update firmware zip package), but, there's another download which Netgear calls for -- possibly the updater software itself -- the problem is, the link provided by Netgear leads to a non-functional page, so I'm unable to proceed.

 

Would appreciate any help in getting the satellite updated, AND getting it to connect with the main router.

 

Thanks

 

PS. I realize I may not have been able to provide all the necessary information in this post, but can clarify further as required 

Model: RBS50| Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi (Satellite Only)
Message 1 of 27
ekhalil
Master

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

- It looks like both Orbi and your ISP modem are in Router Mode. Please make sure that the ISP modem is bridged if you want the Orbi to provide router functionality. If you can't bridge the ISP modem then you need to set Orbi in AP Mode.

- It also looks like the Satellite has a pre-set IP address. I would start by resetting the Satellite to factory settings by inserting a paperclip in the reset hole and keep it presse for around 10 seconds, then (when the Satellite's ring starts pulsating) press the Sync button in the Router to make them sync.

Message 2 of 27

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@rkr3orbi wrote:

To avoid a conflict with your Internet service provider, your Orbi router's IP address was updated to 10.0.0.1" 

 

- Which is fine, as my modem is set to 192.168.1.1, and it's not something I can fiddle with.

 

This suggests that you are trying to add an Orbi in router mode to an existing router. If that is the case then you might do better to put the Orbi into access point mode before you add it to your network.

Message 3 of 27
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

Modem Combo Units:
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode.
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the Orbi router to the modem, configure AP mode on the Orbi router.


@rkr3orbi wrote:

I recently purchased a refurbished Netgear Orbi RBR50 System with on RBS50 satellite off Ebay. (I actually purchased two systems, one of which is working perfectly, and which I've gifted to someone).

 

I'm having a problem with the second system (which I want to install for my own use). According to the records from the Netgear website, it's a year old (purchased by the original buyer in November 2017).

 

Basically, the satellite does not connect with the main unit at all -- the two units are just not communicating, even if they're right next to each other. The ring LED on the main unit pulses for a while on initial switch on, and then shuts off (I've set up, and am able to connect to the internet perfectly with the main unit as a single router).

 

The ring LED on the satellite however, just keeps flashing continuously (not pulsing, but flashing). I've tried to  make it connect through the Orbilogin website; with the Orbi app on my Android; and with the sync buttons on both devices -- no luck whatsoever.

 

Some relevant points which may help diagnosis by any helpful soul:

 

1. On opening the Orbilog webpage, the first message I got was:

 

"NETGEAR Important Update
To avoid a conflict with your Internet service provider, your Orbi router's IP address was updated to 10.0.0.1" 

 

- Which is fine, as my modem is set to 192.168.1.1, and it's not something I can fiddle with.

 

2. On first switching the router on, the firmware was massively out of date (V1 point something), I updated it through the Orbilogin webpage.

 

It would seem to me that (possibly) the satellite iisn't connecting because it needs to update; AND/OR the IP address issue is preventing it from connecting (the satellite may be looking for something with a 192.x.x.x IP. However, this is just my view, and what do I  know (!) 

 

Possibly, I could start with getting the satellite updated. How do I do this manually? I've seem some instructions on the Netgear support website (and have downloaded the update firmware zip package), but, there's another download which Netgear calls for -- possibly the updater software itself -- the problem is, the link provided by Netgear leads to a non-functional page, so I'm unable to proceed.

 

Would appreciate any help in getting the satellite updated, AND getting it to connect with the main router.

 

Thanks

 

PS. I realize I may not have been able to provide all the necessary information in this post, but can clarify further as required 


 

Message 4 of 27
rkr3orbi
Aspirant

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

Hello, and thanks for the quick responses. Much obliged!

 

So, I've figured out the IP issue and resolved it -- I set my modem to 10.0.0.1, turned off the wifi radios in the modem, then reset the Orbi Router, and did a fresh install. I also set the Orbi to AP mode. This time it didn't give me the message that it was changing the IP, and it looks like everything on the main router is set up fine (it's at 192.168.1.1). 

 

However, I still cannot get the satellite to communicate with the main router; Immediately on switching the satellite on, the ring LED starts blinking (not pulsing) white, and  no amount of syncing (either through the hardware sync switches, or through any of the apps) will get the main router or the orbilogin interface to see the satellite. (This of course would mean that the satelllite is still on the older firmware.)

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks.

Model: RBS50| Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi (Satellite Only)
Message 5 of 27
ekhalil
Master

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@rkr3orbi wrote:

...... 

However, I still cannot get the satellite to communicate with the main router; Immediately on switching the satellite on, the ring LED starts blinking (not pulsing) white, and  no amount of syncing (either through the hardware sync switches, or through any of the apps) will get the main router or the orbilogin interface to see the satellite. (This of course would mean that the satelllite is still on the older firmware.)

Any suggestions?

 


Only for testing, can you please test to connect a cable between the LAN ports of the Router and Satellite and see if the will find each other this way.

If they will find each other then you can also update the Satellite's FW, before trying again wirelessly.

Message 6 of 27
rkr3orbi
Aspirant

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

So that would be any LAN port on the router to any LAN pert on the satellite?
Model: RBS50| Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi (Satellite Only)
Message 7 of 27
ekhalil
Master

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@rkr3orbi wrote:
So that would be any LAN port on the router to any LAN pert on the satellite?

Correct.

Message 8 of 27

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@rkr3orbi wrote:

So, I've figured out the IP issue and resolved it -- 

 


Not really. You have just worked around it.

 

As I understand it, and as @ekhalil and @FURRYe38 suggest, you still have two routers. But you have given the first an IP address that the second one does not try to avoid. You can still run up against IP addressing issues.

 

Any chance that you can let us into the secret about the modem in front of this device?

 

 

Message 9 of 27
rkr3orbi
Aspirant

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

 


@michaelkenward wrote:

@rkr3orbi wrote:

So, I've figured out the IP issue and resolved it -- 

 


Not really. You have just worked around it.

 

As I understand it, and as @ekhalil and @FURRYe38 suggest, you still have two routers. But you have given the first an IP address that the second one does not try to avoid. You can still run up against IP addressing issues.

 

Any chance that you can let us into the secret about the modem in front of this device?

 

 


And I though I had solved that problem...Well, like I said, what do I know!

 

The modem is a Huawei HG630 V2 Home Gateway.  I thought that by setting the wifi radio on the modem to OFF (and changing its IP address), I was good -- apparently not.

 

 Would really appreciate if anyone can give me some idea what else is required to set the modem exactly the way it should be...there's a lot of gobbledegook on the modem setup screens which I'm really not able to understand.  (And I do realize this may be asking too much, since it's probably not a very popular modem.)

 

In the meantime, I will try the other suggestion of connecting the router and satellite through the ethernet ports.

 

Thanks for all the help

 

Model: RBS50| Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi (Satellite Only)
Message 10 of 27

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@rkr3orbi wrote:

 

And I though I had solved that problem...

 


The fact that your Orbi satellite will not connect suggests otherwise.

 


The modem is a Huawei HG630 V2 Home Gateway. I thought that by setting the wifi radio on the modem to OFF (and changing its IP address), I was good -- apparently not.

 

 

The Home Gateway smells like a router, which means that you are trying to connect two routers, which means you have two DHCP servers on the network, which means that you can end up with IP addressing issues that may be preventing your Orbi from talking to the satellite.

 

My solution to that has been to put the Orbi into access point mode. The satellite then happily talks to the Orbi.

 

The alternative is to turn off the router function on the Huawei HG630 V2 Home Gateway. But you will have to work out how to do that yourself. Some of those gateways will not allow you to get into modem only mode. If the Gateway also connects other devices, then that complicates the issue.

 

Is there any reason why you don't want to try the Orbi as an access point?

 

Message 11 of 27
rkr3orbi
Aspirant

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

Oh, sorry, I thought I'd already mentioned this -- I *have* put the Orbi into Access Point mode; did that during the set-up process.

 

And the wifi radio on the modem is off, so it should functionally just be a modem. The Gateway's DHCP function should be switched off if the wifi radio is off (right?)

 

The satellite and the router absolutely still don't see each other.

 

The other issue is that the satellite's ring LED does not 'pulse'. It just flashes (blinks?) white as soon as the satellite is powered up.

Message 12 of 27

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@rkr3orbi wrote:

Oh, sorry, I thought I'd already mentioned this -- I *have* put the Orbi into Access Point mode; did that during the set-up process.

In that case, what's with messing around with its IP address? In AP mode it picks up an IP address from the router.

 

And the wifi radio on the modem is off, so it should functionally just be a modem. The Gateway's DHCP function should be switched off if the wifi radio is off (right?)

 

No. The DHCP is also there for LAN network addressing.

 

I don't bother to turn off the wifi on my router. It has a different SSID from the Orbi. So wifi clients don't get confused.

 

I assume that you have started this new network in the right order:

 

Be sure to restart your network in this sequence:

  • Turn off and unplug the modem.
  • Turn off the modem router and computers.
  • Plug in the modem and turn it on. Wait 2 minutes.
  • Turn on the modem router and wait 2 minutes.
  • Turn on the computers.

This is important to get them to pick up the right IP addresses.

 

 

 

Message 13 of 27
rkr3orbi
Aspirant

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@michaelkenward wrote:

@rkr3orbi wrote:

Oh, sorry, I thought I'd already mentioned this -- I *have* put the Orbi into Access Point mode; did that during the set-up process.

In that case, what's with messing around with its IP address? In AP mode it picks up an IP address from the router.

 

Well, the reason for this was that I read on one of the forum threads that maybe the satellite's looking for a 192.168 IP to connect to the router. The AP mode can only be set up after the initial setup; and as I've mentioned above, the initial setup was changing the IP of the Orbi to 10.0.0.1. So I figured let's give the satellite the 192.168.x.x. IP it (may) wants as soon as it looks at the main router, and perhaps then it'll connect. No luck.

 

 

 

And the wifi radio on the modem is off, so it should functionally just be a modem. The Gateway's DHCP function should be switched off if the wifi radio is off (right?)

 

No. The DHCP is also there for LAN network addressing.

 

Umm, so maybe I should look into whether I can turn the DCHP on the modem off.

 

I don't bother to turn off the wifi on my router. It has a different SSID from the Orbi. So wifi clients don't get confused.

 

I assume that you have started this new network in the right order:

 

Be sure to restart your network in this sequence:

  • Turn off and unplug the modem.
  • Turn off the modem router and computers.
  • Plug in the modem and turn it on. Wait 2 minutes.
  • Turn on the modem router and wait 2 minutes.
  • Turn on the computers.

This is important to get them to pick up the right IP addresses.

 

I'm pretty sure I did, as that's what's mentioned in the Quick Start guide...when you say 'modem router', I'm assuming you mean 'existing modem' and 'Orbi router'

 

 

 


 

Message 14 of 27

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

By "modem router" I mean the modem that is also the router, what you call the gateway.

 

The Orbi is no longer an router, is it an access point.

 

I try to be careful about using the right terminology.

 

These links might be useful:

 

Setup Bridge Mode - Huawei HG630b | Spark NZ

 

Setup Bridge Mode - Huawei HG659/HG659b | Spark NZ

 

Message 15 of 27
rkr3orbi
Aspirant

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@michaelkenward wrote:

By "modem router" I mean the modem that is also the router, what you call the gateway.

 

The Orbi is no longer an router, is it an access point.

 

I try to be careful about using the right terminology.

 

These links might be useful:

 

Setup Bridge Mode - Huawei HG630b | Spark NZ

 

Setup Bridge Mode - Huawei HG659/HG659b | Spark NZ

 


Thanks -- those links were very helpful to me in setting up the modem in bridge mode. So now the Orbi is the router; the modem is now just that, a 'dumb' modem only.

 

I've set up the Orbi so that the login to the ISP is now done through the Orbi, which then turns it over to its router function (I've changed it from AP mode to Router mode). Took some hours of twiddling to understand all that and get it working.

 

However, the satellite still doesn't connect (so Orbilogin.com doesn't see the satellite either).

 

Also, the satellite is just blinking white, not pulsing -- that is somehow relevant, right?

Message 16 of 27
DickDuke
Apprentice

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

Have you tried connecting the satellite to the router using Ethernet?

If that works, it might be easier to update the satellite firmware to match the router. And maybe at least get an idea of what’s going on.

 

Allan

Orbi RBK23 + RBW30

Message 17 of 27
ekhalil
Master

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@DickDuke wrote:

Have you tried connecting the satellite to the router using Ethernet?

If that works, it might be easier to update the satellite firmware to match the router. And maybe at least get an idea of what’s going on.

 ......


Yes, I also think that this is a good thing to try and recommended this earlier. If this works then you will get the Satellite connected and you will be able to upgrade it to latest FW.

Now that you sorted out the double-router issue, things should get working!

Message 18 of 27

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite



Now that you sorted out the double-router issue, things should get working!

 


Unless the second-hand satellite is bust.

 

 

Message 19 of 27
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

Swap around satellites to see if there is a problem with a particular satellite. 

Message 20 of 27
rkr3orbi
Aspirant

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

Well, I connected the main router and satellite with an Ethernet cable, then switched the satellite on. No change whatsoever. The ring LED on the satellite just keeps flashing as soon as power is switched on. Any effort to sync the two manually also has no effect at all.

 

I also tried resetting the satellite with a clip while turning the power on -- all that happens is that its power LED glows  a steady red (doesn't change).

 

Is there some specific procedure to be followed while making the connection? 

 

Or else the next step, I suppose, is to try to physically upload the latest firmware to the satellite through my computer. If that doesn't work, then I'm resigned to using the satellite unit as a paperweight. Which is a pity, since the other unit which I purchased and gave away (also second-hand) worked perfectly.

 

On a somewhat related unit, after switching the modem to bridge mode, I find I'm unable to connect to it with the IP I'd set it to earlier, 10.0.0.1 (I can't seem to access it through the Orbi). Any idea of how to fix this?

 

Thanks for all the responses. Still open to any thoughts!

Message 21 of 27
rkr3orbi
Aspirant

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

BTW, I just have the main router and one satellite (so the option of any switching of satellites

isn't available).

 

Message 22 of 27

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@rkr3orbi wrote:

On a somewhat related unit, after switching the modem to bridge mode, I find I'm unable to connect to it with the IP I'd set it to earlier, 10.0.0.1 (I can't seem to access it through the Orbi). Any idea of how to fix this?

 


When the modem/router is in modem-only mode, you may have to jump through various hoops to get at its control interface. I know how to do it with my DM200, there are instructions in the manual, but you will have to your own research for your modem.

 

On the satellite, I assume that you "factory reset" the thing before you try anything new. That will wipe out any bad habits that it may have picked up during your experiments.

 

If I remember right, this was a second hand device. Maybe you have discovered why the previous own sold it.

 

Message 23 of 27
rkr3orbi
Aspirant

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite


@michaelkenward wrote:

@rkr3orbi wrote:

On a somewhat related unit, after switching the modem to bridge mode, I find I'm unable to connect to it with the IP I'd set it to earlier, 10.0.0.1 (I can't seem to access it through the Orbi). Any idea of how to fix this?

 


When the modem/router is in modem-only mode, you may have to jump through various hoops to get at its control interface. I know how to do it with my DM200, there are instructions in the manual, but you will have to your own research for your modem.

 

Got it. Will figure it out.

 

On the satellite, I assume that you "factory reset" the thing before you try anything new. That will wipe out any bad habits that it may have picked up during your experiments.

 

I did. The LED (the one next to the power switch) just glows red on reset. Not really sure what that means

 

If I remember right, this was a second hand device. Maybe you have discovered why the previous own sold it.

 

Actually, I bought two RBK50 + RBS50 systems. The other one was properly 'second hand', as it was sold by a previous owner who didn't know how to set it up. I gifted that to my sister while visiting her, set it up for her, and it worked perfectly.

 

This system was a 'refurbished' unit off Ebay from a bulk seller (YardSaleUSA), which was actually more expensive (!) and which I elected to keep for myself.


Thanks for all the help, anyways.

Message 24 of 27
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Cannot connect Orbi satellite

Are you looking at the top of the satellite after you set it and seeing the top led flash WHITE, then pulsate WHITE Slowly? If not, then it's possible the satellite is bad and needs to be replaced.

 

Message 25 of 27
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