Orib Satellite Drops Connection

[Euler13]

Greetings! I'm new to the community and I've just splashed out on an Orbi RBK50 AC3000 Router + Satellite to replace homeplugs and wifi-extenders. I setup the system on Friday (three days ago) and since then the satellite has lost connection twice: Saturday and today (Monday). Whilst doing this the top of the satellite is flashing white. I assume that is what happens when it loses connection?

I live in a fairly small three bed house with the router upstairs in my office, connected to a cable modem, and the satellite is downstairs in the diagonally opposite room behind the TV. I have a QNAP and my Xbox connected to the satellite via a switch. The devices were originally connected directly to the satellite, but afrer it lost connection the first time I decided to use a switch to see if it would help, but it lost connection again tonight. I can't really move them any closer together because they are both wired respectively to the modem upstairs and devices downstairs.

I've got the Orbi in AP mode and currently have the latest firmware: 2.1.4.16 installed on both.

At the moment my dream system, which has cost me a small fortune, is become a bit of a nightmare. I'm hoping that there is a simple fix or something I'm overlooking.

Any advice would be most appreciated

[FURRYe38]

Was a full reboot of the system performed after the recent update?

What is the distance between the router and satellite. 30feet is recommended starting distance, depending upong building materials. Anything closer could cause problems.

How big is this building? Sq Ft? Somthing too small and the Satellite maybe too much where the router alone should work well by itself. The router alone can cover around 2100-2200 sq ft.

What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the orbi is connected too?

What is the Mfr and model# of this switch your using?

Any wireless nieghbors near by? if so, how many?

[Euler13]

Wow! Lots of questions.

I haven't done a full reboot. I assumed that updating the firmware would cause this to happen. I've just done a Reboot (from the Administration -> Router Status page?).

I guess the distance is about 20 feet and it would be passing through the floor and at least two walls. The materials are so thick that my modem (Virgin Media Superhub 2) - which is currently wired to the Orbi router - could not connect wirelessly with my Xbox - currently wired to the Orbi Satellite - by itself. Previously I was using a homeplug to make the connection.

Unfortunately I cannot move them any further apart and I can't just use the router because I have devices connected to the satellite in a remote location away from the modem.

The router is connected to the modem upstairs.

The satellite is downstairs has my QNAP and Xbox connected to it via a Netgear GS105 5-port Gigabit Ethernet switch.

[edit]

I'm not sure about the square footage. I'm not aware of this being done in England. But as a guess I'd say that it's about 1000 square feet on each floor?

[/edit]

[FURRYe38]

Is the ISP Modems wifi disabled? 

Modem Combo Units:
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode.
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem and connect the Orbi router to the modem, LAN to LAN and configure AP mode on the Orbi router.

20 feet is kind of close in between the router and satellite, you could try this, set the power levels on the Orbi router from 100% to 75% and see how it goes. 

[Euler13]

Thanks for taking the time to help. Much appreciated. I'm sorry, but I'm fairly clueless on a number of the things you mentioned.

Yes, I've disabled the ISP router's wifi. But I don't know what bridging mode is and I couldn't find any settings in the ISP router that mentioned it. I can turn it from router mode to modem mode and it has some warning: "When in Modem Mode, only one Ethernet port will be active on your Super Hub, so when using your own router make sure it's connected to the active port as shown in the image to the left. Alternatively, connect a computer or games console directly to this port. When you are in Modem Mode, to access the Main Menu type 192.168.100.1 into your internet browser." Not sure what any of that means?

I found a tab for DMZ in the ISP router, but don't quite know what you mean. There is a checkbox to enable demilitarized zone and a box below that has 192.168.0.{box to enter number, currently has zero in it}. I know the ISP router is on 192.168.0.1 and at the moment it seems Orbi is on .22.

Also I found the page in Orbi that has the power settings, but there are a bunch of other settings that I may or may not have already changed. I've attached a screen shot of the current settings.

I wish I was more useful, but this is all new to me.

[edit]As you recommended I've changed the power settings to 75% for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz.[/edit]

[FURRYe38]

Yes, use the modems DMZ and if the IP address the Orbi router is getting 192.168.0.22 then input this IP address into the DMZ ON the modem. Set up a IP address reservation as well for that IP address ON the modem.

[Euler13]

I've reserved .22 for the Orbi router. When I set the DMZ I can only set one IP address and the hover link says, "Enter the last field of your host's IP address. For example, if the host's address is 192.168.0.154, enter 154." I have other devices that are using greater than .22, will this be a problem? I have no idea what I've just done by adjusting that setting. Also, does it matter if the IP address for the satellite is not reserved? Currently that is on .24.

[FURRYe38]

Yes, DMZ only allows for 1 IP address so input the IP address for the Orbi router. .22.

You should not see the IP address of the satellite on the ISPs modem/router. Do you have the Orbi set up for AP mode or Router mode. If your using the router mode, then the satellite should be connected to the LAN port on the Orbi router and the Yellow Port should be connected to the ISP modem/routers LAN port. Don't connect the satellite to the ISP modem/router. 

[Euler13]

I have the Orbi in AP mode. The satellite isn't wired into the ISP router because the router is upstairs in the office and the satellite is downstairs in the living room. I assume it's acting as the remote access point for the devices that are connected to it downstairs. My ISP router shows the IP addresses of everything on the network. I assume that is because it's giving out the IP addresses?

[Euler13]

A follow-up question to my previous post...

Is DMZ safe to use? I've enabled it, as you suggested, but when I did a search to find out what it is - because I had (still have) no clue - most people are strongly advising not to use it. I appreciate the situations they are talking about is quite different, but apparently it means that all ports are open to the device and exposes it to the internet. Is this true? Does the Orbi take care of itself with its own firewall or have I left it (and I guess my network) vulnerable?

[FURRYe38]

If you have the Orbi in AP mode, then you don't need to use DMZ. DMZ would only be needed for the Orbi router if you had it in Router mode.

[Euler13]

Thanks for all the replies.

Okay, I've removed the DMZ. What I'll do now is wait to see if what you've suggested helps and report back. Unfortunately during the week I'm not around much, so I can't say for sure if the problem has gone away. I'll have a much better idea after the weekend.

So in summary, I've:

- done a full re-boot since updating the firmware when setting up the units.

- reserved the IP address for the Obri router

- reduced the power output on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz to 75%

I'm assuming for my purposes it is better to have the Orbi in AP mode?

[FURRYe38]

Yes, hope for better operation.

Let us know how it goes...

[Euler13]

I was really looking forward to getting in from work tonight to report that I seem to have had a solid connection, but when I turned on my Xbox, which is my home media centre (and wired directly to the satellite), it wasn't connected to Xbox Live. I was really hoping it wasn't the Orbi and thought that it might be because XBL was down, but it turned out that the satellite was not connected to the Orbi router. There didn't seem to be any option to reconnect it from the web interface, so I turned the power off on the satellite and turned it back on again. After about 5 minutes everything seemed to connect once again.

I have no idea what is going on, but this is proving to be very, very disappointing. Have I got a broken unit? Do I need to contact support?

[FURRYe38]

Possible that the satellite is faulty. I would make contact with NG support and ask them for help and information, ask for an RMA as well. 

[thesleepdoctor]

I have been having this same problem. Upgraded to 2.1.4.16 last week, and have had to reboot one of my satellites three times since because it lost connection to the main unit. Resyncing doesn't work... you have to unplug and plug back in the satellite for it to reconnect. 

[FURRYe38]

Was a full power OFF for 1 minute then back ON for the entire system performed after the FW update? 

How big is your home? SqFt? 

Distance between the main router base and satellites? 

Wny wireless nieghbors near by? If so, how many? 

What channels are you using? Try a manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4ghz. 

---

@thesleepdoctor wrote:

I have been having this same problem. Upgraded to 2.1.4.16 last week, and have had to reboot one of my satellites three times since because it lost connection to the main unit. Resyncing doesn't work... you have to unplug and plug back in the satellite for it to reconnect. 

---

[thesleepdoctor]

Thanks.. I will try this tonight. Do they all need to be unplugged at the same time?

the closest satellite is 35 feet from the base station. I can only see one other wireless signal from neighbors.  How do I see what channel I am using? And how do I change it? Do I need to change it on only the base or separately on each of the two satellites as well?

[FURRYe38]

unplug them one at a time. Plug in the modem,  base router. I would turn on just one satellite and leave the other off. Test with just the base router and 1 satellite.

You'll need to load a free wifi scanner app on a mobile phone or laptop. Not really needed.

You can change channels under Basic tab/Wireless. Change the base router only.

[thesleepdoctor]

Well I thought I was good after the recommended power cycle, but had a recurrence today. Have moved the satellite five feet further away and changed the channel to 1 instead of auto. Will keep,you apprised.

[FURRYe38]

[thesleepdoctor]

No dice. Problem recurred again today. Again, only the one satellite, to review, have updated firmware, power cycled all units, ensured more than 30 feet between units, and changed channels to no avail. Problem still occurs about once daily. 

Should i I look into returning the one satellite that seems to be the problem?

[Euler13]

I've been following your posts with interest. I have also continued to have disconnects. I haven't been able to contract Netgear support yet. Unfortunately due to my crazy working conditions I leave the house at 6.15am and return about 6pm, and their support seems to be 9-5 weekdays. I could understand that for a small start-up company, but for a company as big as Netgear, it's a disgrace.

Having said that, I am doubtful that both of us have faulty satellites. I'm guessing that something else is going on. Maybe it is to do with the firmware?

[thesleepdoctor]

Perhaps. I have just switched the location of my two satellites to see if the problem persists or moves. That should tell me whether it is a hardware problem or not.

[Stev3D]

I didn’t see if there was a resolution to this. My own experience with reluctant satellites is to do a reset of the satellite (use a paper clip to depress a recessed button — see the manual) and let it start a fresh connection with the base router. Good luck.