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RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
I've got an RBK854 (1 RBR850 + 3 RDS850's). Setup seemed to work just fine, can put all 4 devices in a room and can get them all to sync up just fine wireless.
I then move the satellites to various rooms and connect the 4 devices together through Ethernet to a GS748Tv5 switch, however, none of the satellites sync with the router.
Eventhough the satellites don't sync they "work", they are pingable, I can web into them, and Wi-Fi enabled devices are connecting to them. The only way I can get them to sync is my physically bringing them back to close proximity of the router.
This is my third mesh network, I used the exact same switch, and wires for Google Wi-Fi, as well as a Linksys Velop, Ethernet backhaul for those two worked just fine.
The one change I did make on the GS748Tv5 to get the Ethernet backhaul working on Google Wi-Fi was to turn on spanning tree as well as enable BDU even thought spanning tree was off, etc.
Is there something else I can do to make them sync? I've tried pushing the sync buttons, and no use, when you do this sync process, does it work through Ethernet, or it must be done through wireless?
The other change I've made is that I'm using this in AP mode, as my firewall is doing DHCP, etc.
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
I would presume that you may have had a faulty unit rather than a bug. I know mines working in AP mode and both RBS ARE ethernet connected and is working fine.
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
Yes this is what I did. I just tested it again and I took the 3 satellites and put them next to the router, they all synced automatically, I didn't have to do anything. I then tried to reset the authentication for the sync, and it worked perfectly. I then took each satellite and one at a time put them in the remote rooms connected through Ethernet and the one I moved would no longer say it's connected to the router, etc. I confirmed the satellite is working by pinging it and webbing into it, I can also see it hosting many Wi-Fi devices. It's just a puzzle to me why Ethernet backhaul is not working from a sync point of view, but everything else I can check seems to be working.
From what I can tell, as long as I don't change the configuration, then I don't actually need to sync, but obviously the mobile app is even more useless as only when I'm connected to the router specifically does it show up, etc, if I'm not connected to the router through Wi-Fi, it says nothing is there, etc.
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
Does the RBS sync near the RBR with a LAN cable connected directly to the RBR and RBS with out the switch in between?
Your Switch is a managed switch, there are known problems with these swtitches. Disable ALL IGMP protocols on this switch and if you can disable any Green Ethernet features.
NG GS-105/108v4, D-Link DGS-105/108 and HP ProCurve 1400/1800 series switches work for Orbi systems.
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
I confirmed that the my managed switch had IGMP disabled, had green disabled, etc. To prove the point, I went out and purchased a 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS105NA) - Desktop, and ProSAFE Limited Lifetime Protection and connect the 4 devices for my Ethernet backhaul and it's still not working. So this is not related to using my managed switch. The only other thing I can think of is that I'm using it in AP mode. Is there some bug because it's in AP mode and not router mode?
So is your only suggestion is that I have to put all the 4 devices together in the same room and connected my Ethernet and see if it syncs?
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
I would try that to be sure, I would try 1 RBS at a time to see if they sync directly to the RBR, then try them all behind the RBR. Then maybe install the switch in between.
I know of my two RBS they all work with my non managed switches. I have one segment that has 3 switches daisy chained and 1 RBS behind the last switch, router or AP mode.
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
They said because I use my Orbi in AP mode, Ethernet backhaul is not supported and that's why it's not working.
I can only get the Wi-Fi mesh working when my 4 devices are in the same room, once I move my satellites into other rooms connected through Ethernet, the sync stops (the satellites work and pass traffic, pingable, etc.), but they cannot sync with the router, the fix to get updates from the router is to physically move it back next to the router and voila they are in sync, etc. I even purchased an unmanaged switch to connected the 4 devices to make sure my smart switch wasn't the problem.
It's very frustrating not being able to use the Orbi app on my phone unless my phone is directly connected to the router through Wi-Fi, if I'm connect to one of the satellites through Wi-Fi it says I don't have an Orbi setup, etc. The biggest pain is constantly physically unhooking everything and putting it into the same room to sync them up, etc.
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
Do they work in the same room with each RBS ethernet connectedf? I'm planning on setting mine up again since i've been using something different for past few weeks. I can 99.9% tell you that AP DOES worth with ethernet back haul. Only few reasons why it may not be is that cabling is bad, switches you maybe using are not working well or interferring or possible that your system is just faulty. Testing the RBS out in the same room with ethernet cables connected directly to the back of the RBR will let you know if it's HW or not and if your patch cables are good. CAT6 is recommended.
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
I can confirm that if I put all 4 Orbi's in the same room (RBR850 + 3 RBS850's) all connected through one Ethernet switch, syncing works just fine and it says it's connected through Ethernet.. However, as soon as I take one of the satellites into another room where it doesn't have "line of sight" to the router, the sync never occurs and it never show up that Ethernet backhaul is working. I used the exact same switch, network cables, etc. the only difference is line of sight between the RBR850 and the RBS850. When I web into the RBS850's, everyone says "Your WiFi Orbi Satellite connection is up and running", but the mobile app as well as webbing into the RBR850 doesn't have the satellites listed. As I mentioned earlier, it's very frustrating that I must move my mobile device to be in close proximity of the RBR850 so the mobile app can detect it. If I'm getting my signal from one of the RBS850's it gives me an error syaing WiFi Not Detected.
When you did your testing, you can confirm your satellites had no line of site to the router? This seems to be the limitation I found.
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
The other key piece is that my router is setup for AP mode. According to support, my configuration of using Ethernet backhaul is not supported because my router is not in router mode, etc. quite shocked at the support response.
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
I'm going to make the assumption I found some sort of software bug with the latest firmware for the RBR850/RBS850.
I was able to return it to the vendor and instead I purchased the Orbi Pro SXR80/SXS80's, etc
Exact same setup 1 router and 3 satellites and it looks like the Ethernet backhaul is working right.
I was able to configure it by finding the IP address and going to it from my PC. After it was all setup, I can see the router reporting under Attached Devices that 3 Satellites are connected, and when I go to Attached Devices I can see the 3 satellites are listed as wired.
This is a sigh of relief as I never saw any of this in the web pages of the Orbi RBR850/RBS850's, so I'm definitely much happier, just have to figure out why my iPhone and Android versions of the Orbi app won't connect to it.
Re: RBK854, Satellites don't sync through Ethernet backhaul
I would presume that you may have had a faulty unit rather than a bug. I know mines working in AP mode and both RBS ARE ethernet connected and is working fine.
