Ethernet device works when plugged in to RBS50 satellite but not RBR50 router

[AdrianM]

This is driving me mad. I have a Ubiquiti Picostation for creating an outdoor AP for my garage door lifter. When I switched away from my old Linksys router to the Orbi system, it no longer worked. I've just gotten around to diagnosing why and what I've found makes no sense.

The picostation managment CP is set to get an IP using DHCP however when I plug its ethernet cable into the RBR50 it does not show in the list of attached devices. The LAN LED on the picostation lights and blinks though. I tried setting the picostation to static IP and reserved an address for its MAC on the RBR50. This didn't work either. After checking the cables and everything else I could think of, on a whim, I plugged it into my RBS50 satellite.

To my utter amazement it instantly got the IP I reserved for it and started working perfectly. Physically carting it all back to the RBR50 router and plugging the same connecting lead that worked on the satellite - once again - no dice. How can this possibly be?

[FURRYe38]

What FW is currently loaded?

Try resetting the device and setup from scratch? 

Swap LAP cables to test? 

Try different ports on the back of the RBR? 

Does the AP work at all when connected to the RBR? 

[AdrianM]

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@FURRYe38 wrote:

What FW is currently loaded?

Try resetting the device and setup from scratch? 

Swap LAP cables to test? 

Try different ports on the back of the RBR? 

Does the AP work at all when connected to the RBR? 

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V2.2.1.210

No change after reverting to factory settings

Same cables used when moving between Orbis

All ports exhibit the same issue, but all work with other Ethernet connected devices

The SSID of the AP comes up but attempting to connect with smartphone loops at "obtaining IP address" - which can only be expected if no router is behind the AP

[FURRYe38]

Interesting. Only other thing to try would be to update to v32 FW and see. 

Doe others wired devices work behing the RBR? 

[CrimpOn]

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@AdrianM wrote:

To my utter amazement it instantly got the IP I reserved for it and started working perfectly. Physically carting it all back to the RBR50 router and plugging the same connecting lead that worked on the satellite - once again - no dice. How can this possibly be?

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From the first description, I would have advised, "look for a bent pin on the ethernet jack on the RBR50", except that you tried all three jacks on the RBR50 and other devices work correctly when plugged into all three jacks.  Trying a different ethernet cable is a simple test.  Maybe bending the original cable a different way to plug into the RBR50 vs. the satellite makes a difference.  (This is, obviously, a very remote possibility, but you've tried everything else.)

[Chuck_M]

I would certainly try and update the firmware on satellites and router first to see if that has an impact of moving to FW .32

[AdrianM]

It's definately not the cable or RJ45 sockets, I can also patch in the picostation with a working cable that otherwise goes to a laptop. It just doesn't play well with the RBR50.

As for firmware upgrade I was hanging back until things had settled down - having seen people having problems. Not sure about going down that route. All I could see in the change list that looked vaugely relevant was:

 Fixes the LAN/WAN bidirectional throughput on the DHCP mode drop issue.

[FURRYe38]

Make sure your device is updated FW/SW as well. AT somepoint, try the FW update with the Orbi. 

Good Luck. 

[Chuck_M]

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@AdrianM wrote:

As for firmware upgrade I was hanging back until things had settled down - having seen people having problems. Not sure about going down that route. All I could see in the change list that looked vaugely relevant was:

 Fixes the LAN/WAN bidirectional throughput on the DHCP mode drop issue.

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Remember, one of the things that was significantly improved with the new firmware is Backhaul.... the connectivty between the router and the satellites..... sounds like a compelling reason to give it a shot.  No guts -- no glory!

[CrimpOn]

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@AdrianM wrote:

It's definately not the cable or RJ45 sockets, I can also patch in the picostation with a working cable that otherwise goes to a laptop. It just doesn't play well with the RBR50.

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Can patch the picostation into which device (router or satellite)?

[FURRYe38]

Also you might install a Non managed, non green ethernet switch between the base and this device to see if it will connect then. 

[CrimpOn]

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@AdrianM wrote:

It's definately not the cable or RJ45 sockets, I can also patch in the picostation with a working cable that otherwise goes to a laptop. It just doesn't play well with the RBR50.

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Solved this yet?  I am still interested in what happens when the picostation is connected to the RBR50 using a different cable.

[AdrianM]

@FURRYe38 I did have an unmanaged switch between the RBR50 and Picostation as per my original setup. I cabled directly to Orbi when the problem emerged just by swapping from Linksys to Netgear. I just tried it again but no change.

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@CrimpOn wrote:

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@AdrianM wrote:

It's definately not the cable or RJ45 sockets, I can also patch in the picostation with a working cable that otherwise goes to a laptop. It just doesn't play well with the RBR50.

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Solved this yet?  I am still interested in what happens when the picostation is connected to the RBR50 using a different cable.

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Oh I've tried plenty of different patch cables. Ultimately the Picostation gets carted between the two rooms with the RBR50 and RBS50 with all the cables still attached so it kind of rules out a bad cable given it always works fine on the satellite.

One thing to note; the picostation is powered by its own POE adapter so there are two CAT5 cables: RBK50<===>POE<===>Picostation. I've always considered the POE adapter to be transparent but I'm now thinking of plugging something other than Picostation into it to see if it still works. I guess its safe to use non POE device on its output?

[CrimpOn]

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@AdrianM wrote:

One thing to note; the picostation is powered by its own POE adapter so there are two CAT5 cables: RBK50<===>POE<===>Picostation. I've always considered the POE adapter to be transparent but I'm now thinking of plugging something other than Picostation into it to see if it still works. I guess its safe to use non POE device on its output?

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My Google search turned up, "Yes, a non-POE device can be plugged into POE and will not be harmed."  Wikipedia's article on POE shows the POE situation is a lot more complicated than I had thought.

I don't suppose the picostation has an option to be powered separate from POE?  (Many devices that work with POE also have a separate power input.)

[CrimpOn]

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@CrimpOn wrote:

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I don't suppose the picostation has an option to be powered separate from POE?  (Many devices that work with POE also have a separate power input.)

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Well, that was a dumb suggestion.  Took 1 min to discover the Picostation has only POE.  Sorry.