RBSE960 Satellite disappears after connecting to wired backhaul

[ArunGupta]

I have the RBKE 960 with two satellites. The satellites were working fine with wireless backhaul. Today, I tried to connect one of the satellites to wired ethernet cable (connected to the 2.5 Gbps port of the satellite) and now the satellite has completely disappeared from the web interface and the Orbi app. Only one satellite connected via the wireless backhaul is being shown. Is this expected behavior?

I have even factory reset the satellite connected to wired backhaul but it is not showing up. After power off/on, the lights on the front of the of the satellite unit first flash white for a while and then go blue and then go off which means that it is connected. But then why is it not showing up anywhere?

Thanks

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

Is not Orbi configuration or backhaul that's the problem, is the switch your using. This is a managed or semi managed switch, Also there maybe some other items on this switch that's probably blocking the sync data between the RBR and RBS. Managed switches have been known to cause problems historically with Orbi systems. 

The remove switch statement was to help you test to make sure the RBS are connecting and being reported correctly with out the switch in the mix. 

What Rev is the switch? A, B or C? 

And since the switch is only a 1Gb switch, I would connect the RBS to the switch using the RBS 1Gb connection ports and connect the switch to the RBRs 1GB connection port as well. Try testing this configuration. 

[iyang]

Hi @ArunGupta ,

Does satellite connect to satellite or Base via ethernet ?

Thanks. 

[jeburnett2022]

The issue is the satellite is not dropping the wireless backhaul and the wired connection is causing a loop condition that forces the satellite off the network.  After you plug in the wired backhaul cable, you must resync or power cycle the satellite.  Its initialization logic checks for the wired backhaul connection as it boots and when detected, will not setup the wireless backhaul.

I ran into this very problem myself when first setting these up.

Jonathan

[ArunGupta]

The base (2.5 Gbps port) is connected via ethernet cable to a Dlink Web managed smart switch. The satellite (2.5 Gbps port)  is connected to the same switch.

[FURRYe38]

What is the model# of this switch?

Remove this switch. 

Try each RBS connection directly to the RBR. You should see both listed one at a time. 

NG's XS505M and GS110MX work great with the 9 series.

[ArunGupta]

The Netgear documentation of the router says that I can connect router and satellite to the same switch for wired backhaul. This is what I am trying to do.

The switch is Dlink 1210-28. I will try direct connection just for testing, but there should be no need to remove the switch.

[ArunGupta]

I have done power cycling and sync at least 10 times if not more. I have even factory reset the satellite 3-4 times. But, after I press the sync button on the GUI based Add Satellite, it waits for some time and then I get a message "Satellite Setup Failed". 

If I do exactly the same steps with wireless backhaul, the satellite gets added almost immediately. 

I have also noticed that with wired backhaul, the satellite creates the default SSID ORBI04. If I connect to this SSID, I have access to entire network. So, for some reason, with wired backhaul, the satellite is unable to sync SSID name and WiFi password with the main router.

I am operating in AP mode which should not make a difference as far as backhaul is concerned. The wireless backhaul works just fine in AP mode.

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

Is not Orbi configuration or backhaul that's the problem, is the switch your using. This is a managed or semi managed switch, Also there maybe some other items on this switch that's probably blocking the sync data between the RBR and RBS. Managed switches have been known to cause problems historically with Orbi systems. 

The remove switch statement was to help you test to make sure the RBS are connecting and being reported correctly with out the switch in the mix. 

What Rev is the switch? A, B or C? 

And since the switch is only a 1Gb switch, I would connect the RBS to the switch using the RBS 1Gb connection ports and connect the switch to the RBRs 1GB connection port as well. Try testing this configuration. 

[ArunGupta]

Thank you. I did not have to remove the switch. Just connected the ethernet cable from satellite to the main router port and it immediately started showing up in the GUI.

You saved me a lot of trouble. I was thinking that all the effort I put into getting the wired connection from basement to second floor were wasted.

[FURRYe38]

What Rev is that switch? 

Might check that switch and see if there is any IGMP protocol and Green Ethernet options available in it's web UI. Disable these two if there is. This can help some managed switch issues with Orbi. 

Glad you got it working. Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/000062080/How-do-I-back-up-the-configuration-settings-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System
Enjoy. 📡

[ArunGupta]

Actually it was not the switch or RBR/RBS. It was MY STUPIDITY. I did not check connections carefully. So, here is what I had initially when RBS was not working:

Internet -> Firewall -> Switch-> Internet Port of RBR -> All WiFi devices, all 4 ethernet ports of RBR unconnected

                                              -> Other wired devices

                                              -> RBS

As you can see, there is no route from RBR to RBS over wired network. But wireless is fine. On your cue, I did this:

Internet -> Firewall -> Switch-> Internet Port of RBR -> All WiFi devices, one ethernet port connected to RBS

                                              -> Other wired devices

Now that there is a connection between RBR/RBS, it syncs up immediately. So again, I am grateful and thankful that you saved me a lot of hassle.

[FURRYe38]

There ya go. Ya, gotta have a path between the RBR and RBS. Any ethernet connected RBS, even with a switch needs to be behind the RBR. 

Glad you got it working. 

Enjoy.

[Mikey94025]

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@ArunGupta wrote:

Internet -> Firewall -> Switch-> Internet Port of RBR -> All WiFi devices, one ethernet port connected to RBS

                                              -> Other wired devices

Now that there is a connection between RBR/RBS, it syncs up immediately. So again, I am grateful and thankful that you saved me a lot of hassle.

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People normally attach everything to your Orbi network.  You had issues when your RBR wasn't included.  You may still have issues with the other devices that are not behind your Orbi.

Have you considered changing to the following, i.e., move your switch behind the Orbi?  I believe all your wired devices connected to the Switch will still work but now they will also have access to wireless devices and other devices on your Orbi network.

Internet -> Firewall -> Internet Port of RBR -> All WiFi devices

                                                                     -> ethernet port connected to RBR

                                                                     -> ethernet port connected to Switch

                                                                                                                                       -> Other wired devices

[ArunGupta]

Actually, I have had this setup of wifi router connected to switch for several years and all the devices connected to wifi can access all wired devices connected to the switch without any issues since I always operate the wifi router in AP mode and not in router mode.

Now I can't seem to remember why I chose this particular topology. 

[Mikey94025]

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@ArunGupta wrote:

Actually, I have had this setup of wifi router connected to switch for several years and all the devices connected to wifi can access all wired devices connected to the switch without any issues since I always operate the wifi router in AP mode and not in router mode.

Now I can't seem to remember why I chose this particular topology. 

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OK, if AP mode then there is no network separation and it doesn't matter.