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Need help isolating packet loss

5_olivers
Guide

Need help isolating packet loss

I have an Orbi RBK50 with 2 satellites connected via ethernet backhaul and 300 mbps internet connection. I have an HDHomerun Connect Quatro attached to the router via ethernet. The HD box is used to stream OTA to my Amazon Gen 2 Firesticks and it also feeds Emby. I am experiencing dropped TV streams from the HD box. I logged the problem with Silicon Dust, they ran diagnotisics on the logs, and the dropped streams are due to packet loss.I am experiencing the loss on both wired and wireless Amazon sticks.

 

I need some help isolating the cause of the packet loss. I am not a network expert. I understand the basics, but my knowledge is not very deep. To isolate and replicate the problem, I have had the diagnostics run on a wired AFTV stick and HD box that are both connected directly to the router via ethernet and I am watching TV via the HD app on AFTV. Just to confirm, no switch between the AFTV and HD box. Packet loss is confirmed and has been replicated with this configuration. Having said that, I cannot "control" when the packet loss occurs. When I experience a dropped signal, I send the log to SD and they review and confirm the problem (always dropped packets).

I have swapped ethernet cables, so that is ruled out. I have run a 200 ping test to the AFTV and HDHomerun. I only experience packet loss against the HDHomerun box. How can I confirm if the packet loss is due to my router or the HD box? My Orbi FW is 2.1.4.10

 

As mentioned, I have logged the issue with SD and have also been on the Emby forum since HD is the primary tuner used by them and Plex. The issues I am experiencing with the HD box are not common, which leads me to believe it is FW related. The version of FW i have does not have the ability to enable QoS. All I have is Speedtest under QoS option. I believe HD uses the UDP protocol.

 

I am only experiencing streaming problems with HD. All of my other streaming services (Sony Vue, Netflix, HBO, etx) operate flawlessly.

 

Overall traffic on my network is relatively light. There are only two people in my household and it is rare to have two TV's streaming concurrently. Usually one TV with a smartphone and / or tablet going at the same time. My internet is fed to a cable modem (it is not a router) and connected to my Orbi via ethernet.

 

Any suggestions to help me isolate the root of the problem would be appreciated.

 

 

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 1 of 11

Accepted Solutions
st_shaw
Master

Re: Need help isolating packet loss

Thanks for the update.

 

You might just have an Orbi with bad hardware.  Swapping it out with another unit at Costco might solve the issue.

 

Let us know if you find a solution that works for you.

View solution in original post

Message 11 of 11

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st_shaw
Master

Re: Need help isolating packet loss

 

To isolate the problem you need to think about how things are physically connected.  If the HDHomerun is streaming over-the-air (OTA) material, then the Internet should not be involved.  This would imply your router is not routing the packets from the WAN to LAN interface, so the router should not be involved. Also, if you are streaming between the HDHomerun box and a wired device, with both devices connected to the LAN ports on Orbi, then the Orbi router is also not involved--the devices would be communicating directly over the switch fabric.  If you see packet loss in that situation, then the problem is with your devices, or you have a defective switch.

 

If you are going from the Orbi router to an Orbi satellite, then it's more complex, so don't start with that.

 

If you can, start your testing with the HDHomerun and the playback device connected using a third-party switch between them.  Then try with two wired devices connected to the LAN ports on the Orbi router.

 

Message 2 of 11
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Need help isolating packet loss

I would turn OFF the HD box and firesticks and test alone the system with out.

Does this HD box have it's own wireless broadcast? if so, this could be a source of interference since the Orbi already has wifi running.

Any external Gb switches in the mix? If so, what is the mfr and model of this switch? Managed or NON managed?

 

 

Message 3 of 11
5_olivers
Guide

Re: Need help isolating packet loss

This is helpful. Let me add a bit more clarity to my current configuration and then explain the test I ran this evening.

 

The Hd Homerun is streaming OTA material from my antenna. (Rg6 cable from antenna feeds into back of HD box). It does not have wifi capabilty. It must be connected to the network via Ethernet and obtain an IP address. You are correct, in theory, it should not require WAN, and only operates over LAN. It is currently connected to a LAN port of the router as is the AFTV stick. HD makes an app for the AFTV that is used to stream channels from the Hd Homerun box. Once connected to my network, I can watch OTA on any number of Tv's. All I need is the HD app on the streaming device. My plans are to eventually use Emby to take advantage of the DVR and electronic TV guide, but that is on hold until I get a stable environment. This current configuration as described is losing packets.

 

Based on your advice, I have an older d-link unmanaged switch. I connected the AFTV to it along with the HD box. In order for the AFTV stick to work in Ethernet mode, I had to connect a WAN feed to the switch to initiate the stream. Once the AFTV initialized and I could start the HD app, I unplugged the WAN. In short, I have the HD box and AFTV connected to a d-link unmanaged switch with no other devices or WAN. It is as though the HD box Ethernet is connected directly to the Aftv. It has been playing for 3 hours without a hiccup. I have never been able to get 3 hours of uninterrupted viewing. I plan to start it again tomorrow morning and let it run all day to confirm there are no issues. Assuming it can go all day, I think it is safe to say my packet losses are not related to the HD box or the AFTV stick. Would you agree?

 

So ruling out those devices, I am back to the Orbi router. How should I test to confirm or deny that it is causing my packet loss? Thanks so much for the help. 

 

 

 

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 4 of 11
st_shaw
Master

Re: Need help isolating packet loss

 

How exactly did you plug a WAN feed into the d-link switch?

 

Now try it again, but leave the WAN plugged into your d-link switch.

Message 5 of 11
5_olivers
Guide

Re: Need help isolating packet loss

I connected one of the LAN ports from Orbi router to the d-link switch to provide WAN access. It was plugged in for less than a minute. 

Just confirm the next step, I think you are suggesting that I reconnect the cable from the router LAN port to the d-link?

Not to jump ahead, but if my interpretation of the next step is correct, and I do not experience streaming issues with this configuration, I am not not sure what the result is telling me. It seems like the answer would be that I need to isolate all traffic requiring the HD box onto a separate switch, which isn't very practical for me. I have three wired AFTV sticks, one is connected to the LAN port of the router, the other two are connected to a netgear prosafe gigaibte swithc. I also have three AFTV sticks using wifi. I have experienced packet loss on all of the wired sticks and a couple of the wifi sticks.  For purposes of troubleshooting, I have been focusing only on the AFTV conntected to the LAN port of the router in order to eliminate any complexity with the netgear switch. Hopefully I didn't make this more confusing, just trying to make sure I get to the root of the problem. For clarity purposes, when I talk about connecting the ethernet to the LAN port of the Orbi router, I am referring to the main unit, not a satellite.

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 6 of 11
st_shaw
Master

Re: Need help isolating packet loss


@5_olivers wrote:

 

Just confirm the next step, I think you are suggesting that I reconnect the cable from the router LAN port to the d-link?

 

Not to jump ahead, but if my interpretation of the next step is correct, and I do not experience streaming issues with this configuration, I am not not sure what the result is telling me. It seems like the answer would be that I need to isolate all traffic requiring the HD box onto a separate switch, which isn't very practical for me.

 

For clarity purposes, when I talk about connecting the ethernet to the LAN port of the Orbi router, I am referring to the main unit, not a satellite.


Yes. Reconnet the d-link to a LAN port on the Orbi router.

 

If you are trying to isolate a problem, try not to jump ahead or worry about the implications of the test configuration for eventual use.  Focus on what you see happening and what it means.

 

It sounds like the problem could be either: 1) related to the switch in the Orbi router, or 2) within the HDHomerun itself. If it's 1) it could be a bad cable, a loose cable, a bad Ethernet port, or a defective Orbi unit.  If it's 2) it could be a performance issue within the HDHomerun.  Perhaps it cannot keep up with the load placed on it by one or more AFTVs.  Or maybe there is a firmware bug, or it's defective in some other way.

 

Repeat the test with the d-link and LAN cable connected, see what happens, and go from there. Plan on repeating the same test again with the HDHomerun and AFTV both wired to the Orbi LAN ports (with nothing else connected) then again with the devices both connected to the LAN ports on a satellite.

 

Message 7 of 11
5_olivers
Guide

Re: Need help isolating packet loss

I ran it with the d-link switch connected to the Orbi LAN port. It was glitch free for over 4 hours. Then I added a second AFTV to the d-link switch. The HDHomerun has four tuners, so I was running two concurrent streams over the d-link for several hours without any issues. 

 

Just for kicks, I also tried using the HD app on the 3rd wired AFTV (so I had 3 concurrent streams), which is connected to the LAN port of the Orbi router, and it crapped out in less than an hour. I quickly checked the other two TV's that I was testing on the d-link and they were fine.

 

It sounds like the next step is to move the HD box back to the LAN port of the Orbi router and test it with the wired AFTV, also conntected to the LAN port. Everything else disconnected and wifi turned off. Correct?

 

I will try that this weekend and then move to the satellite as you suggested. Thanks again for your help.

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 8 of 11
st_shaw
Master

Re: Need help isolating packet loss


@5_olivers wrote:

 

 

It sounds like the next step is to move the HD box back to the LAN port of the Orbi router and test it with the wired AFTV, also conntected to the LAN port. Everything else disconnected and wifi turned off. Correct?

 


 

 

Yes, I would try that.  However, I would first keep everything as it is but run that third wired AFTV off the d-link switch and see if it runs ok with three tuners.  If it dies like it did with the third AFTV on the Orbi, then that would point to a problem with the HD.  If it runs fine, then it would point to an issue with the switch on the Orbi.

 

Message 9 of 11
5_olivers
Guide

Re: Need help isolating packet loss

I ran all three wired AFTV sticks on the d-link switch with WAN connected via LAN port from the Orbi. It ran solid for over 5 hours.

I tried to replicate the set-up as closely as possible on the Orbi, but since it only has 3 LAN ports, I could only run two wired devices and the HD box. All other devices were disconnected, including wifi. 

It ran fine for about an hour, then I tried to add wifi so I could stream another AFTV device, connect the d-link switch so I could connect a computer, then things started to go south. I had to reboot the router, which amazingly takes FOREVER to establish the internet conncection.

After multiple attempts at restarting the cable modem, restarting the router, reconnecting the satellites, I have given up. This is way too frustrating and time consuming. Luckily, I purchased my Orbi at Costco and they have a great return policy. It is going back today.

Thanks very much for your help along the way. I am very confident now that the HD box works and my network was running fine prior to switching to Orbi. While I may not have identified the exact issue with the Orbi system, I am pretty confident it is at the root of my issues.

It may work for others who have the time and patience to work with it, great for them, but I have never owned a system that requires so much care and attention ... don't have the time for it when there are other solutions out there that appear to be more reliable.

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 10 of 11
st_shaw
Master

Re: Need help isolating packet loss

Thanks for the update.

 

You might just have an Orbi with bad hardware.  Swapping it out with another unit at Costco might solve the issue.

 

Let us know if you find a solution that works for you.

Message 11 of 11
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