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Re: Orbi Guest network question

Roamabout
Luminary

Orbi Guest network question

I enabled the guest wifi today in anticipation of having some people over tomorrow. I changed the ssid but left it with no security. My intention was to enable it while people are here then turn it off when they have gone.

 

I noticed that when I enabled the guest network (this was the first time since new) it shut off all wifi for a couple of minutes and disconnected everything including both sats. The satellites and router did not reboot, just the wifi got shut off and restarted. Everything settled down, reconnected and went back to normal with the guest ssid now visible and working.

 

I'm wondering if that is the expected behavior and is it going to do that every time I enable and disable the guest wifi or was that a one-time thing..

 

 

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 1 of 19
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Guest network question

Possible that integration of all the wireless componets that it takes a reboot and disconnect of the wireless radios to set up the Guest Network so it works through out the system. I would post this to one of the forum moderators to see what the behavior should be...DarrenM would be one to contact.

 

Message 2 of 19
Roamabout
Luminary

Re: Orbi Guest network question

I did some tests early this morning before everyone was awake. Enabling and disabling the guest wifi is a slow and disruptive event, not something I want to do when a freind stops by. I opted to leave it enabled but added a password.

Model: RBK50| Orbi AC3000 High-Performance Tri-Band WiFi System
Message 3 of 19
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Guest network question

Ok, Ya, I'll give this a try with mine as well. See what happens. AFter hours LOL. 

 

I would contact DarrenM and give him a link to this and give him all your info. I'll post back here with anything I find. 

Message 4 of 19
t_k
Luminary
Luminary

Re: Orbi Guest network question

@FURRYe38 ... You replied to his question with a conjecture that you didn't test - even though you had the hardware handy to conduct a test - and told him to ask somebody else. That has to be most pointless thing.

 

@Roamabout You already know the answer to this question, but I want to add a touch of context. This isn't a netgear-specific behavior. In general, whenever you change the exposed SSIDs or their settings on a radio, the radio needs to be restarted. Since the Orbi's replicate their configuration from the router this chaining reboot is required.

 

Said differently, Orbi restarts are required for any SSID changes - guest or otherwise. Unfortunately, the Orbi's take a while to reboot :-(.

Message 5 of 19
Roamabout
Luminary

Re: Orbi Guest network question


@t_kwrote:

@FURRYe38 ... You replied to his question with a conjecture that you didn't test - even though you had the hardware handy to conduct a test - and told him to ask somebody else. That has to be most pointless thing.

 

@Roamabout You already know the answer to this question, but I want to add a touch of context. This isn't a netgear-specific behavior. In general, whenever you change the exposed SSIDs or their settings on a radio, the radio needs to be restarted. Since the Orbi's replicate their configuration from the router this chaining reboot is required.

 

Said differently, Orbi restarts are required for any SSID changes - guest or otherwise. Unfortunately, the Orbi's take a while to reboot :-(.


Understood, thanks. I was not expecting it to be quite that disruptive and the combination of the slow start and synch in addition to the somewhat unpredictable behavior after a restart led me to realise that this was not a feature that you just turn on and off when you need it without consequences.

 

I'm fine with enabling it and leaving it on with some security that is not too hard for my visitors to configure.

Message 6 of 19
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Guest network question

I've asked about this in a different forum to see if others have experienced anything simiar. Soon as I get an opportunity, I'll give this a check as well with my system. I don't use Guest network since most anyone I know that visits are close friends and family. No big deal using main wifi network. 


@Roamaboutwrote:

I did some tests early this morning before everyone was awake. Enabling and disabling the guest wifi is a slow and disruptive event, not something I want to do when a freind stops by. I opted to leave it enabled but added a password.


 

Message 7 of 19
Vandergraff
Apprentice

Re: Orbi Guest network question

You may want to check CAUTION: Orbi's Wifi Guest Network does not really isolate guests from main network

 

In my case it seems like devices on the guest network can see devices on the main network. 

 

So yes definitely think about having a password on your guest network (!) - and also think if you want your guests being able to see your network?

Message 8 of 19
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Guest network question

I tested this out, I do see a network drop in connections with wireless devices after I selecte enable Guest Network and Broadcast SSID. 

After disabling Guest Network and broadcast SSID, I didn't see any disconnections. 

 

I presume maybe enabling GN seems to cause the wireless system to reboot to get the GN set up and working. 

Message 9 of 19
Roamabout
Luminary

Re: Orbi Guest network question


@Vandergraffwrote:

You may want to check CAUTION: Orbi's Wifi Guest Network does not really isolate guests from main network

 

In my case it seems like devices on the guest network can see devices on the main network. 

 

So yes definitely think about having a password on your guest network (!) - and also think if you want your guests being able to see your network?


I have read through that thread previously and it is a concern that the guest network is not properly isolated. I'm doing this so my freinds have a network to connect to when they vsit. We live in the middle of nowhere and there is poor cell phone service. Most phones have wifi calling so I can give them a connection  for an hour to two if needed. My freinds are not the hacker types and the file server has access controls. Leaving the guest network open as Netgear does by default strikes me as a very bad idea.

Message 10 of 19
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Guest network question

You can secure the Guest Network when you enabled it for those wishing to keep the system secure. 

I presume the reason for default is OPEN is that in some Guest Networks, most of them are left unsecure for guest accessibility and not have to keep giving out PW words since some guests are only connected for a short period of time. And the Guest network is tied to the WAN side of the router which, unless the allow access to the LAN side is enabled, will not have any access to the LAN side resources in most cases. 

 

 

Message 11 of 19
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Guest network question

I got official information regarding this.

"expected behaviour. when you enable guest SSID, we need to reset the WIFI driver and it will bring down all the SSIDs for a minute or two. This is same behaviour on all the Orbi's and I think all the OEMs as well."

 


@FURRYe38wrote:

I tested this out, I do see a network drop in connections with wireless devices after I selecte enable Guest Network and Broadcast SSID. 

After disabling Guest Network and broadcast SSID, I didn't see any disconnections. 

 

I presume maybe enabling GN seems to cause the wireless system to reboot to get the GN set up and working. 


 

Message 12 of 19
Roamabout
Luminary

Re: Orbi Guest network question

I enabled and disabled the guest wifi a few times to observe what it did. In addition to the client disconnects it also left a satellite in a funny state during one of the restarts requiring me to reboot that sat. The symptoms were that the sat appeared connected as far as the router status was concerned but that sat and anything connected to it were not pingable from anything connected to the router or the other sat. The lesson here is that the Guest network is something that you turn on, deal with the consequences to restabilise the network, and leave on if the guest network is something you will use in the future.

 

Message 13 of 19
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Guest network question

I was told that only the wireless radios will shut down and come back online when GN is enabled. The main LAN network and router of the Orbi still should remain online while the wireless process the GN enable request.

 

There maybe better GN operation in next FW update.


@Roamaboutwrote:

I enabled and disabled the guest wifi a few times to observe what it did. In addition to the client disconnects it also left a satellite in a funny state during one of the restarts requiring me to reboot that sat. The symptoms were that the sat appeared connected as far as the router status was concerned but that sat and anything connected to it were not pingable from anything connected to the router or the other sat. The lesson here is that the Guest network is something that you turn on, deal with the consequences to restabilise the network, and leave on if the guest network is something you will use in the future.

 


 

Message 14 of 19
Roamabout
Luminary

Re: Orbi Guest network question


@FURRYe38wrote:

I was told that only the wireless radios will shut down and come back online when GN is enabled. The main LAN network and router of the Orbi still should remain online while the wireless process the GN enable request.

 

 


 

All of my orbi rebooted, their system uptime counters were reset to zero.

 

Message 15 of 19
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Guest network question

Interesting. From what I was told, that should not happen. I'll test this again as well.

It was said to ping the router while you enabled or disabled GN and see if you get results, I guess not in your case if everything is resetting on your system.

 

I'll relay this info.

 

I would contact DarrenM and let him know what your seeing.

 

 

Message 16 of 19
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Guest network question

Cna you run a ping with a ethernet connected PC while you enable and disable GN and let me know what you see?


@Roamaboutwrote:

@FURRYe38wrote:

I was told that only the wireless radios will shut down and come back online when GN is enabled. The main LAN network and router of the Orbi still should remain online while the wireless process the GN enable request.

 

 


 

All of my orbi rebooted, their system uptime counters were reset to zero.

 


 

Message 17 of 19
Roamabout
Luminary

Re: Orbi Guest network question

I can do further testing the next time SWMBO runs an errand. Even shutting down just the wifi is very distruptive for me. Devices latch on to a more distant Orbi if they happen to come up first and they dont let go depite the weaker signal unless I force them once all Orbi are back in operation. Even if the Guest wifi worked as desiged I would still leave it on if I had plans for it to be used even occasionally.

Message 18 of 19
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi Guest network question

Ok, just ran ping test with router and enabled GN. No loss. I presume current FW for your unit has the problem. 

 

Please run a ping test and let me know what you seen while enabling GN. 

 

Up to users weather GN needs to be enabled or not. 

 

Let us know. 


@Roamaboutwrote:

I can do further testing the next time SWMBO runs an errand. Even shutting down just the wifi is very distruptive for me. Devices latch on to a more distant Orbi if they happen to come up first and they dont let go depite the weaker signal unless I force them once all Orbi are back in operation. Even if the Guest wifi worked as desiged I would still leave it on if I had plans for it to be used even occasionally.


 

Message 19 of 19
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