Hayward OmniLogic HLWLAN not connecting to Orbi RBR50 Network

[jzsgold]

Have Orbi RBR50 with 2 Satellites. Installed Hayward OmniLogic with HLWLAN bridge. Unable to establish connection the bridge with Orbi network. HLWLAN sees network and able to enter pw but OmniLogic does not complete connection. Have tried different configurations mentioned in earlier posts from 2016 (Setting 2.4mhz to 1,6 or 11; changed CTR/RTS to different numbers; set preamble to long). Still the config on OmniLogic hangs up for 4 minutes and comes back and says ext antenna not connected, ver.3.0.6 with 96% strength. And never connects with Orbi. Last post I saw on this issue was back from 2016. Surely by now others have run into this conflict between Orbis mesh network and Hayward's HLWLAN (actually a EnGenius ENS202EXT bridge) and solved this issue. Anyone hear of a solution they'd like to share. 

[jzsgold · Accepted solution]

SOLVED. So I set up the network to connect to an AirPort Extreme as an AP on the Orbi network and set it for 2.4 MHz only. But I think the main part of the solution was that Hayward sent me a new HLWLAN unit and it connected. The error message about the antenna not connecting was the bridge itself. So if your getting a connection error message about the antenna your HLWLAN is bad. But during this process I heard that the HLWLAN doesn't like the Orbi network. Hope this helps you. 

[FURRYe38]

Does this device use a mobile device to get it connected to a wifi router? 

2.4Ghz only devices? 

Try this:

Log into the Orbi web interface (http://orbilogin.net)
Navigate to the Advanced Tab, Advanced Settings, Wireless Settings
Uncheck the box, "Broadcast SSID on 5G"
Click "Apply"
All devices that are currently connected to the Orbi will remain connected.
On the smartphone, go to wireless settings and "forget" the Orbi SSID
Search for available WiFi networks. Select the Orbi WiFi. Enter the password. and connect.
If you are curious about whether the smartphone is actually connected at 2.4G, you have to wait a few minutes, because the "Attached Devices" display takes a while to update.
Open the app and set up the 2.4G device.
Once the device is connected and working as it should, reverse the steps.
Check the "Broadcast" box and click "Apply"
"Forget" the Orbi WiFi. Search. Enter password. Connect.

Be aware that there seems to be a time limit with some iOS or Android devices that will connect to the 2.4Ghz radio for a short period of time before changing automatically to the 5Ghz SSID, even though it's been hidden. The SSID is hidden only, thus the signal is still present. So you might want to also change the power output of the 5Ghz radio to 25%. Then connect your mobile device at a distance from the RBR to ensure the mobile phone keeps connected to the 2.4Ghz radio. After you get the IoT device connected, re-configure the system back to where it was. 

I would contact the Mfr of this device and see there help and information on there product as well. 

[CrimpOn]

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@jzsgold wrote:

Still the config on OmniLogic hangs up for 4 minutes and comes back and says ext antenna not connected, ver.3.0.6 with 96% strength. And never connects with Orbi.

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Are these the instrucgtions you are following:

https://hayward-pool-assets.com/assets/documents/pools/pdf/manuals/omnilogic-hlwlan.pdf ?

And it fails on page 7, after the password is entered?

It correctly displays the Orbi WiFi SSID and shows the signal strength as "Excellent"?

[jzsgold]

No it uses the HLWLAN bridge no a mobile device. I did try your idea, but still no connection. Thanks for your input though. I'm thinking it has something to do with the bridge itself. It has two external antennas. Although new it could have a defect internally.  The error message which comes up after the 4 minutes of trying to connect is "Ext antenna not connected". Although it searches for a network and finds one, it doesn't want to configure the connection on the Omnilogic. Going to call InGenius (the manfg of the bridge) and see if they have input on this error message. I'm sure I'm not the first to experience this issue.  

[jzsgold]

Yes I followed those instructions. 

[jzsgold]

Maybe it's not the connection to the Orbi because when the Omnilogic searches for a SSID it finds it, when I enter the password and hit enter door the Omnilogic to configure the WiFi connection it runs for about 4 minutes and comes back with the error message "Ext antenna not connected" even though it is. If it wasn't connected how could the bridge see the network initially before the Omnilogic tried to configure the network?

[CrimpOn]

There is a troubleshooting guide at www.hayward.com that shows a different picture of the components than that first installation guide:

https://hayward-pool-assets.com/assets/documents/pools/pdf/troubleshooting-guides/omnilogic-consumer... 

I notice that this one does not show the 12v power supply.  It also indicates that some ports are "unused" on the bridge.

And, of course, no mention of "No Ext Antenna" that I could find.

[Jonflash1701]

I am having the exact same issue unfortunately. Literally the same. I had the Omnilogic installed on Friday and they left telling me that I need to work out the connectivity issues with my ISP (Spectrum cable here in SoCal) or with NetGear. There is nothing I would try that you haven’t tried. I wonder if the ultimate solution is going to be swapping out the Orbi system for something else. Which would be a shame because it works flawlessly and wasn’t cheap. And what is the guarantee that it would work with another system?

[CrimpOn]

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@Jonflash1701 wrote:
I am having the exact same issue unfortunately. Literally the same.

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The same exact error message? ("No Ext Antenna")

Page 16 of the instructions suggests connecting the controller to a "Hot Spot" for testing:

https://hayward-pool-assets.com/assets/documents/pools/pdf/troubleshooting-guides/omnilogic-consumer... 

Do you have a smartphone that can create a WiFi Hot Spot?  If the controller cannot connect to a Hot Spot, that would indicate the problem is not with the Orbi WiFi system.

[CrimpOn]

EnGenius ENS200EXT user manual is on line:

https://www.engeniustech.com/resources/ENS200EXT_Manual.pdf 

Just as an aside, one would think that the installer would demonstrate that the product is working correctly by creating a Hot Spot to show the customer, "See.  It's working."

This EnGenius product appears to be one of those "Does EVERYTHING devices" with a bewildering number of operational modes. (Access point, bridge, etc.)  I notice that the ENS200EXT model (with one antenna) does not appear for sale on Amazon.  only the ENS202EXT (2 antennas).  Can you confirm which model you have?

[Jonflash1701]

It appears this unit doesn’t look for WiFi connections. It is trying to set up a LAN connection. I am not technical at all. There is no point at which it identifies all of the various WiFi signals and asks you to select one (like you would on a smart phone).

[Mstrbig]

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@Jonflash1701 wrote:
It appears this unit doesn’t look for WiFi connections. It is trying to set up a LAN connection. I am not technical at all. There is no point at which it identifies all of the various WiFi signals and asks you to select one (like you would on a smart phone).

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According to the manual it supports WIFI.

Using a Wifi capable phone, tablet or laptop, verify that
other mobile devices can connect from that same location as the HLWLAN. • If other devices can connect, the most likely cause is an error in the configuration settings.
Reconnect the HLWLAN to the home’s access point by following the procedure on page 7. • If other devices cannot connect to the wireless network, consider relocating your router/access
point or moving the HLWLAN closer using a longer outdoor rated ethernet cable.

Connecting to a WIFI network should be as easy as seeing the WIFI network on the device and typing in the correct password to access. I find it very hard to believe that the Orbi system has anything to do with no being able to connect to the Orbi WIFI, unless the device is not seeing it or is too far away. It is more likely a malfunction in the device or human error. If I paid sopmeone to install a device like this, I would have made them demonstrate it off their phone hotspot.  

[jzsgold]

It's not he Omni. I hooked up my AirPort Extreme, same results. I'm contacting some of the manufacturers this week. Will let you know what I find out. It's gotta be something simply, just haven't found it yet 

[jzsgold]

Orbi. 

[Jonflash1701]

Okay. I also have a Hayward rep coming to my home on Tuesday. We'll see what he says/does and I will let you know.

[jzsgold]

Nothing worked so far. However spoke to my supplier (pool supplies 4 less - btw...great customer service👍), they spoke to their Hayward rep and explained all I did and that the 'No antenna connected' error message still was coming up. The Hayward rep. is sending me a replacement HLWLAN, as it sounds like it might be a defective antenna on the bridge. The rep did say the HLWLAN bridge doesn't work with the Orbi, but when I explained I connected an AirPort Extreme and made it a 2.4mhz network and it still didn't configure he said it might be the bridge itself. Will let you know if this fixes issue when I get it replaced. 

[jzsgold · Accepted solution]

SOLVED. So I set up the network to connect to an AirPort Extreme as an AP on the Orbi network and set it for 2.4 MHz only. But I think the main part of the solution was that Hayward sent me a new HLWLAN unit and it connected. The error message about the antenna not connecting was the bridge itself. So if your getting a connection error message about the antenna your HLWLAN is bad. But during this process I heard that the HLWLAN doesn't like the Orbi network. Hope this helps you.