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Connecting RBS20 via ethernet backhaul

JimME
Tutor

Connecting RBS20 via ethernet backhaul

I have an "oddball" configuration that I am trying to see if I can improve by adding an addtional RBS20 satellite.

 

There are two buildings - Building A and Building B whcih are about 50-75 feet apart.  We have an older Netgear N600 in Building A with one WiFi network and we have an Orbi setup (1RBR20 and two RBS20)  in Building B with a different WiFi network.  I am trying to understand whether we could use another Satelite to extend the Orbi Network to Building A so we are only dealing with 1 wifi network.

 

Current Building A configuration:

  • This is where our External Internet Feed comes in. 
  • The ethernet feed goes to an older Netgear N600 router with wifi network "x" (this is what is used in Building A)
  • The router feeds an older 100mbs switch (whcih I will probably replace with a gigabit switch but haven't yet)
  • One of the feeds from the switch in building A goes to an underground hardwired ethernet connection to Building B

Current Building B configuration

  • Hardwired ethernet comes in from Building A and is how internet access is provided in Building B
  • Orbi RBR20 is connected to the hardwared Ethernet feed from Building A
  • There is an Orbi based WiFi Netwrok "y" in Building B which is separate from the N600 based network in Building A
  • Two Orbi RBS20 are in building B with WiFi backhaul between them
  • One of the RBS20 satelites is close to a wall facing building A
  • The Building B Orbi network is detectable in Building A, but is really not sufficient for general use

What am I trying to accomplish

  • Upgrade the WiFi speed in Building A by leverage what we have in Building B
  • Have one single WiFi network rather than two networks.

Alternatives I have considered and looking for feedback on

  • Should I be able to just put another RBS20 in Building A and connect it via the WiFi backaul?  How good of a WiFi connection would be necessary for the backhaul to work adequately?
  • Alternatively, could I use the same buried ethernet hardwired cable to backhaul to that new Satellite in Building A from the existing RBR20 router in Building B.  This would be the same ethernet cable that is bringing the internet from Building A to Building B.  I would need to connect the new satellite through the ethernet switch in Building A if I were to try and use hardwired backhaul.

I hope my description makes sense.  I welcome any feedback on the feasibility of either of these approaches.

 

Jim

 

Model: RBR20|Orbi AC2200 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 1 of 6

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JimME
Tutor

Re: Connecting RBS20 via ethernet backhaul

Just wanted to followup that I followed your steps and was able to get this configuration working.  I initially had problems getting the new (actually refurbished) RBS satellite to sync via Wifi.  Once I turned off the existing RBS20 that was closest to where I was working, the new one was able to sync.  Somehow that existing satellite must have been interfering with the new satellite I was trying to sync.

 

The next problem I had was getting the ethernet backhaul to work correctly.  I finally figured out that I was having difficulties because of the way everything was originally configured.  We have one non-orbi WiFi router (NetGear N600) in Building A where our external internet connection comes in and is what has been providing WiFi in building A.  This router uses a 10.x.x.x IP setup for wired and WiFi connections from that router (different WiFi network credentials than the Orbi network).  The wired connections in Building B were also getting their 10.x.x.x IP addresses from the Non-Orbi router through the ethernet cable between the two buildings.  The Orbi Router in Building B was getting a 10.x.x.x IP address as its internet side address from the Building A router.  Anything that connected to the Orbi Router via WiFI was getting a 192.168.x.x IPaddress assigned by the Orbi Router including the two orginal RBS20s we had.  When I tried to connect the new satellite with wired ethernet, it appears that the Orbi Router was getting confused between the two satellites with 192.168.x.x IP addresses and the new one with a 10.x.x.x  IP address.  It would try to connect, but it wouldn't stay connected or work correctly.

 

I changed the Orbi Router to work as an AP rather than as a router so that everything (WiFi and wired) in both buildings is on one IP address scheme including all three of the satellites.  Once I did this, the ethernet backhaul worked when I had the new satellite in either  Building B or Building A.  (I also discovered it can take several minutes for the orbilogin app to recognize and display when a satellite has switched over from being WiFi backhaul to ethernet backhaul - wasted some time and unnecessarily retrying things before I figured this out).  I decided to configure the Orbi as AP and keep the main router in Building A because Building A has a couple of "reserved" IP addresses for special equipment that are in the 10.x.x.x IP address scheme which are already setup on that router and I didn't want to mess around with that.

 

Again, thanks for your assistance.  Your steps helped me figure out what problems to attack first.  I am glad I didn't just hook it up via ethernet in Building A first and try to figure things out.  I never would have been able to sort out what was going on if I had.

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Message 5 of 6

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FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Connecting RBS20 via ethernet backhaul

Yes you could place a RBS in building A and connect it via ethernet from building B:

https://kb.netgear.com/000051205/What-is-Ethernet-backhaul-and-how-do-I-set-it-up-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-Sy...

Message 2 of 6
JimME
Tutor

Re: Connecting RBS20 via ethernet backhaul

Thanks for the info.  I have now picked up another RBS20 and going to start doing some testing.  One correction to my initial description.  Our router is an RBR40, not a RBR20.  I don't expect that to make any difference given my understanding of the RBR40 versus the RBR20.

 

Would you suggest first syncing the new RBS20 via WiFi in the building where the router is and then moving to ethernet backhaul in the other building or just going directly to the ethernet backhaul? 

Message 3 of 6
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Connecting RBS20 via ethernet backhaul

Do both while in the same building or room as the RBR. Once fully connected using wireless then wired, then move to remote location. 

Message 4 of 6
JimME
Tutor

Re: Connecting RBS20 via ethernet backhaul

Just wanted to followup that I followed your steps and was able to get this configuration working.  I initially had problems getting the new (actually refurbished) RBS satellite to sync via Wifi.  Once I turned off the existing RBS20 that was closest to where I was working, the new one was able to sync.  Somehow that existing satellite must have been interfering with the new satellite I was trying to sync.

 

The next problem I had was getting the ethernet backhaul to work correctly.  I finally figured out that I was having difficulties because of the way everything was originally configured.  We have one non-orbi WiFi router (NetGear N600) in Building A where our external internet connection comes in and is what has been providing WiFi in building A.  This router uses a 10.x.x.x IP setup for wired and WiFi connections from that router (different WiFi network credentials than the Orbi network).  The wired connections in Building B were also getting their 10.x.x.x IP addresses from the Non-Orbi router through the ethernet cable between the two buildings.  The Orbi Router in Building B was getting a 10.x.x.x IP address as its internet side address from the Building A router.  Anything that connected to the Orbi Router via WiFI was getting a 192.168.x.x IPaddress assigned by the Orbi Router including the two orginal RBS20s we had.  When I tried to connect the new satellite with wired ethernet, it appears that the Orbi Router was getting confused between the two satellites with 192.168.x.x IP addresses and the new one with a 10.x.x.x  IP address.  It would try to connect, but it wouldn't stay connected or work correctly.

 

I changed the Orbi Router to work as an AP rather than as a router so that everything (WiFi and wired) in both buildings is on one IP address scheme including all three of the satellites.  Once I did this, the ethernet backhaul worked when I had the new satellite in either  Building B or Building A.  (I also discovered it can take several minutes for the orbilogin app to recognize and display when a satellite has switched over from being WiFi backhaul to ethernet backhaul - wasted some time and unnecessarily retrying things before I figured this out).  I decided to configure the Orbi as AP and keep the main router in Building A because Building A has a couple of "reserved" IP addresses for special equipment that are in the 10.x.x.x IP address scheme which are already setup on that router and I didn't want to mess around with that.

 

Again, thanks for your assistance.  Your steps helped me figure out what problems to attack first.  I am glad I didn't just hook it up via ethernet in Building A first and try to figure things out.  I never would have been able to sort out what was going on if I had.

Message 5 of 6
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Connecting RBS20 via ethernet backhaul

Glad you got it working. Enjoy. Smiley Wink

Message 6 of 6
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