Hi I have an Orbi RBK23 with two ports, one is connected to an umanaged Netgear 12 port switch and one goes to the sky hub router. There are two Orbi satellites. Should I be able to plug into the switch directly from the Orbi and then from the switch to the skyhub to get the internet connection? I've not enabled AP mode on the Orbi but I have switched off the wireless on the Sky Hub and it seems to work fine. Second question, I have two incoming ethernet wires from Powerline sockets for gaming consoles, these go into the switch and then into the skyhub router. However, I cannot manage them in the ORBI app (switch the connection off) like I can with the wireless devices because I guess the ethernet cables are not physically connected to the ethernet ports of the Orbi so cannot be managed by Circle or the Orbi app? What can I do in this situation? I guess I could disconnect the powerline ethernet cables and just run an ethernet cable from the gaming console to the Orbi satellite, this won't be as fast but will allow management? However, I cannot plug the Powerline ethernet cables into the satellites as they are in different rooms,. Thanks in advance!

The configuration should be like this: ISP Modem (router mode wifi disabled)>Orbi Router><12port LAN switch<>Satellites and game consoles connected to the switch. To get management of any satellite or devices behind the Orbi router, you'll need to connect everything behind the Orbi router or the switch thats behind the Orbi router in AP mode. From what others day PLs can be used, however make sure they are behind the Orbi router. Possible that some PLs may not allow for full app access either. You'll have to play with this.

Thank you for the reply. Attached is the configuration. I'm not quite sure what you mean when you mention 'behind' when it's a hub and spoke model?

So, I put the ORBI into AP mode. As you can see in the attached screen shot it is now picking up the wired connections. However I cannot switch them on and off, the slider buttons don't work, nor do they work for all the wireless devices wheras I was able to switch off the wireless networks prior to going to AP mode. Secondly, I use Circle and now Circle cannot find the previous saved profiles as it cannot work in AP mode only in Router mode. Should I go back to Router mode and somehow there is another way for the ORBI to recognise and manage the wired connections?

danesbury wrote: Thank you for the reply. I'm not quite sure what you mean when you mention 'behind' when it's a hub and spoke model? It means that if the Orbi is in router mode you should plug the Hive Hub into the Netgear Switch, not the Skyhub.

danesbury wrote:Should I go back to Router mode and somehow there is another way for the ORBI to recognise and manage the wired connections? The situation you want is to have a single router on your network. Either the Skyhub or the Orbi. Turning off the wifi on the Skyhub does disable the router bit. You'll have to work out how to put the Skyhub into modem only (bridge) mode. Ask Sky, or read the manual. If you put the Orbi into AP mode, you will lose many features, probably including Disney Circle. Disabled Features on the Router when set to AP Mode | Answer | NETGEAR Support

Orbi and managing wired connections

14 Replies

FURRYe38
Guru
Dec 13, 2018
The configuration should be like this:

ISP Modem (router mode wifi disabled)>Orbi Router><12port LAN switch<>Satellites and game consoles connected to the switch.

To get management of any satellite or devices behind the Orbi router, you'll need to connect everything behind the Orbi router or the switch thats behind the Orbi router in AP mode.

From what others day PLs can be used, however make sure they are behind the Orbi router. Possible that some PLs may not allow for full app access either. You'll have to play with this.
- danesbury
  Aspirant
  Dec 14, 2018
  Thank you for the reply.
  
  Attached is the configuration. I'm not quite sure what you mean when you mention 'behind' when it's a hub and spoke model?
  - danesbury
    Aspirant
    Dec 14, 2018
    So, I put the ORBI into AP mode.
    
    As you can see in the attached screen shot it is now picking up the wired connections. However I cannot switch them on and off, the slider buttons don't work, nor do they work for all the wireless devices wheras I was able to switch off the wireless networks prior to going to AP mode.
    
    Secondly, I use Circle and now Circle cannot find the previous saved profiles as it cannot work in AP mode only in Router mode.
    
    Should I go back to Router mode and somehow there is another way for the ORBI to recognise and manage the wired connections?
FURRYe38
Guru
Dec 14, 2018
Regarding Modem Combo Units:
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.
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, configure AP mode on the Orbi router. https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7LOcJ8GdDo&app=desktop

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Orbi and managing wired connections