Wired Backhaul Not Reconnecting After Power Outage?

[darrenkdean]

Have been using the Orbi system with three satellites for some time now (successfully).  The Orbi Router & two of the satellites (running in AP Mode) are hard wired to a Cisco Switch & configured to use the wired backhaul.  The Orbi Satellite in the garage is wireless.

After having some HVAC work done yesterday (power cycling circuits in the house) I am unable to get the wired satellite backhaul back up.  No matter what I seem to try, the Orbi GUI reports the satellites are connecting wirelessly.  Any thoughts on how to resolve this?

Firmware V2.1.4.10

[darrenkdean]

Powercycled the Satellites after letting them sit connected wirelessly for awhile.  They are now showing up as wired backhauls.

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@darrenkdean wrote:

Have been using the Orbi system with three satellites for some time now (successfully).  The Orbi Router & two of the satellites (running in AP Mode) are hard wired to a Cisco Switch & configured to use the wired backhaul.  The Orbi Satellite in the garage is wireless.

After having some HVAC work done yesterday (power cycling circuits in the house) I am unable to get the wired satellite backhaul back up.  No matter what I seem to try, the Orbi GUI reports the satellites are connecting wirelessly.  Any thoughts on how to resolve this?

Firmware V2.1.4.10

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[FURRYe38]

What is the model # of this Cisco switch? Is it managed or non managed?

Try disconnecting the satellites from the ethernet back haul and have them connect wireless. Do they show up as wireless connected?

Is Daisy Chain enabled on the router?

[darrenkdean]

We run a Cisco 3750G, managed, with Microsoft Server 2016 running DHCP & DNS.  Network sits behind a pfSense dedicated hardware firewall.

The wired backhauls are certified Cat 6 cables run directly from the Satellites to the Cisco switch.  Daisy Chain is enabled.

Satellites were connecting wirelessly to the Orbi Router in Access Point mode.  To fix, I resynched each of the Orbi Satellites to the Orbi Router (with Ethernet unplugged).  After about 15 minutes, I went back & plugged the ethernet cords (wired backhaul) back in.  After 15 minutes, the backhaul had not changed over to wired so I powercycled the satellites (with the ethernet backhaul plugged in).  Within 15 minutes, the wired backhaul was back up & running.

Not sure why this worked, but it did.

[FURRYe38]

There are some users posting about managed switches. There seems to be some issues with using managed switches vs non managed.

One user mentioned that he found the disabling all IGMP protocols on the switch help him get wired backhaul running well. Another is STP protocols between the switch and Orbi system. You might check with your switch to see if you can disable IGMP and do some testing.

I don't use a managed switch, non manged here and two in between my router and 1 satellite. Zero problems after a power outage.

Have you power cycled the switch? then power ON the Orbi system? I heard that sometimes the switch needs to re-detect mac addresses for devices for it's table.

What mode is the Orbi system running in ? Router or AP mode?

[darrenkdean]

Dear Netgear Support/Developers,

Could you please create an option in the firmware, that allows us to disable the Wireless Backhaul Connection between a particular Satellite & the Orbi Router.  In certain configurations, it appears at though the Orbi & Satellites are still getting confused, after a power outage, as to whether they should be connecting over Ethernet or Wireless Backhaul.  I can usually get the wired backhaul up after an hour of plugging, unplugging, resynching, etc. but this shouldn't be required.  I had an electrician run dedicated ethernet lines for a wired backhaul on 2 of my 3 satellites.  2 of these satellites should never even need to consider whether or not they should be connecting to the Orbi via a wired or wireless backhaul.  Current Firmware v2.1.4.16

[FURRYe38]

Your issue maybe your managed swtich. Others have had problems with managed switches and IGMP protocols. 

Try testing the with non managed switch in place. 

[darrenkdean]

IGMP snooping protocols are not enabled on the switch; never have been.  The managed Cisco switch is not the issue, it's Netgear Orbi Firmware. 

After messing around with it for two hours & failing to bring the wired backhaul back up, I downgraded the firmware back to 2.1.4.10.  The wired backhaul instantly came back up.  Very frustrating.

When the Orbi's are up & running they run beautifully.  Netgear has some work to do when it comes to power outages / reboots / firmware.

Best-

Darren

[FURRYe38]

Something you can contact them and ask about and let them know. 

Good Luck.