Custom firmware build for Orbi RBK50/RBK53 (RBR50, RBS50) v. 9.2.5.1.11SF-HW

[ChristianEhrlicher]

Do you face the same when using stock 2.5.1.8?

Voxel.

Yes, just thought to ask you since you've more insights on why this happens
I don't see a real need for this behavior.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

What happens if you directly connect the RBS to any of the LAN ports on the back on the RBR with out the switch? Should report wired connection.

What is the Mfr and model# of this switch? Managed by chance or have any Green Ethernet features? If managed, be sure to disable ALL IGMP Protocols on the switch. Green Ethernet featured switches have proven to be problematic with Orbi and thus not recommended.

I have a RBK50 system, RBS is Ethernet connected behind 4 non managed switches. Ethernet status is reported each time for Stock FW and Voxels FW.

I've a question to the ethernet backhaul - is there a reason why it only works when the first (white) network port is used at the RBR to connect to the satellites? My RBR is connected to a switch which on the one side is connected to the internet router and on the other to my internal network (where also the satellite is connected). Therefore in theory there is no need to connect the first white ethernet port to the switch - but as soon as it's not connected the website says that the connect is wireless. When I plug in the second network cable which is also connected to the switch, the website correctly tells that the connection to the satellite is wired.

 

[CrimpOn]

[QUOTE="Difference tun vs tap: when using tap your device is in the same subnet of your LAN. So it can easily access other devices in your LAN. For tun: it is other subnet. 192.168.2.x. So it is why firewall of your devices from 192.168.1.x "think" that it is alien device. There is possibility to allow such alien access, described e.g. for R9000:
Voxel.

Yes, individual device firewalls are the key. Orbi handles IP routing between subnets just fine, it is "layer two" that fails (broadcasts, etc.) and firewalls that refuse connections. Once I had Windows allow ping from outside the subnet, it responds fine. I also ran nmap from the VPN and almost everything on my 1.x subnet shows up.

 

[ChristianEhrlicher]

What happens if you directly connect the RBS to any of the LAN ports on the back on the RBR with out the switch? Should report wired connection.

All ports work fine, except the yellow one. There I can't directly connect the RBS since otherwise the RBR does not get any internet connection.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

You should not be connecting an RBS to the Yellow port. That port is only for Internet connection from a ISP modem when in router mode, or from a host router if the RBR is in AP mode. ALL other 4 ports on the back of the RBR are open to any LAN devices including RBS.

All ports work fine, except the yellow one. There I can't directly connect the RBS since otherwise the RBR does not get any internet connection.

 

[ChristianEhrlicher]

You should not be connecting an RBS to the Yellow port. That port is only for Internet connection from a ISP modem when in router mode, or from a host router if the RBR is in AP mode. ALL other 4 ports on the back of the RBR are open to any LAN devices including RBS.

I noticed this but - why? Currently I need two ethernet ports from my switch to the RBR for no good reason

 

[e38BimmerFN]

It's always been this way with Orbi. One is that prior history users mentioned that one could connect the RBR to a host router using one of the other 4 LAN ports. That worked I believe up to a point. I don't know if thats still true or not. Many changes in FW. However the status top ring LED operation is set to detect connections on the yellow WAN port. So back then if users didn't connect the yellow WAN port to a host router, used one of the other 4 ports, the RBR working in AP mode however the top ring LED would turn ON PINK and remain on. Giving a false positive. Normal operation is that top ring LED is OFF when Orbi is working in good normal operation. Just how NG programmed this. So regardless of router or AP mode, only on Orbi, does the Yellow WAN port need to be connected to the ISP modem or main host router. ALL other 4 ports are open to devices.

Why do you need two ports for a switch? Only one LAN cable is needed between a router and switch unless your wanting to do LAG which Orbi doesn't support.

 

[ChristianEhrlicher]

Why do you need two ports for a switch? Only one LAN cable is needed between a router and switch unless your wanting to do LAG which Orbi doesn't support.

I don't want to use two ports - that why I'm asking. But it's needed - as you say I need to connect the yellow one to not get the pink ring and I need to use a white one to properly connect the satellite...
My main switch is nearby my DSL modem, my RBR is in the living room. Therefore I need one connection from the my DSL modem to the RBR and then one back from the RBR to the main switch to the RBS. It works fine (I don't know why but it seems the netgear switch has some loop detection stuff inside). What I can do is to directly connect the RBR to the DSL router but this still does not help that I need two ethernet cables to my RBR.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

That is how it should be configured. Your just trying to get from the switch back to the RBS. Thats normal. You don't need two cables running from the DSL to the RBR or from the switch to the RBR. Don't over think this.

What is the MFr and model of this switch. Some managed switches or switches with Green Ethernet features are problematic for Orbi. I'ts recommended to use a non managed non green Ethernet switch.

I have my 1 RBS connected to a switch with 3 other switches all daisy chained. 4 in the mix.Works just fine.

RBS need to be connected directly to the RBS or thru switches that are in between the RBR and RBS. Connecting the RBS to the Modem then the RBR to the modem, may not work. The modems router will probably interfere with it's sync status. I've tried this with one of my routers, it doesn't work. The RBR and RBS need to be on same segment and one same network line with out a router.
https://kb.netgear.com/000051205/Wh...and-how-do-I-set-it-up-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System

Why not move the RBR and RBS around?
30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-router

 

[ChristianEhrlicher]

Looks like we misunderstand us somehow. Here my config:

My DSL modem is in my utility room, there is also a switch. My RBR is in the living room, my RBS in the second floor. All wired network stuff is going through the switch in my utility room since there all cables are going to the different locations.

First I've to connect my DSL modem to the RBR (yellow network port) - one network cable from the utility room to the living room.
Then I need a cable back from the RBR (white network port) to the switch to get to the RBS - another network cable from the living room to the utility room - and this is what I wanted to avoid but it looks like this is not possible from what you're saying.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

Lets first identify the switch in this utility room. What is the Mfr and model# of this switch.

Is there a LAN patch panel that feeds to remote room locations in this utility room or just a switch and all LAN wires going out from here to there remote locations. I see now, you have the RBR out in a central location away from the main modem and switch. Yes, you'll need to use 1 White LAN port from the RBR and wire back to the switch if this is your only switch. Then from this switch or if you can, run a LAN wire directly from the RBS to the RBR. By pass the switch as an alternative. Yes you can run a LAN wired from the RBS back to the 1 switch in the utility room.

Are you using all the ports on the back of the RBR? You can out a non managed switch behind the RBR as well. Something like a 5 or 8 port, if needed.

This is just a LAN cable configuration issue, nothing to do with FW.

Looks like we misunderstand us somehow. Here my config:

My DSL modem is in my utility room, there is also a switch. My RBR is in the living room, my RBS in the second floor. All wired network stuff is going through the switch in my utility room since there all cables are going to the different locations.

First I've to connect my DSL modem to the RBR (yellow network port) - one network cable from the utility room to the living room.
Then I need a cable back from the RBR (white network port) to the switch to get to the RBS - another network cable from the living room to the utility room - and this is what I wanted to avoid but it looks like this is not possible from what you're saying.

 

[ChristianEhrlicher]

I think we still misunderstand us.
All is working as expected - I only wanted to get rid of the second lan cable since as soon as I don't connect the white ethernet port from the RBR to my switch but do the connection in the form
DSL modem -> switch <-> RBR (yellow) and switch -> RBS the RBS doesn't seem to be connected via ethernet to the RBR - at least according the RBR website. As soon as I do DSL modem -> switch (not needed but works with or without this hop) -> RBR (yellow) -> RBR(white) -> switch -> RBS the ethernet backhaul works but then I need two network cables to/from the RBR

/edit: my switch is a simple NetGear GS108Ev3, V2.06.10EN

 

[e38BimmerFN]

What is the Mfr and model# of this switch.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

You can't get rid of the 2nd LAN cable that goes back to the switch from the RBR. Since your RBR is the main host router, it gets internet fed from the modem, then the RBR is passing that on to the switch back in the utility room. So you'll have one coming from the modem to the RBR, then 1 LAN cable from the RBR going back to the switch in the utility room. Then your RBS gets fed from this switch.

 

[sphanley]

Hello all - first off, Voxel, thanks so much for your work in creating these custom firmwares! I'm so excited to have discovered that someone's bringing this level of enhancement to the Orbi products.

Now, I've got a question: I'm trying to find a way to use wpa_supplicant on my Orbi RBR50 to authenticate my wired connection and bypass AT&T's residential gateway, similar to what's being done here: https://github.com/bypassrg/att. However, the stock version of wpa_supplicant on the Orbi seems to have been compiled without support for the "wired" driver, so I need to be able to use an updated version of wpa_supplicant that supports that functionality. Is this something that your firmware can help me accomplish? Is it something you'd need to patch into an update, or could I accomplish it via Entware? I'm a software engineer and pretty technically savvy, but I'm totally new to Entware and any of this sort of linux router hacking stuff - I'd really appreciate any advice that you or anyone else here can provide.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

Just to let you know that the bypass is for Asus routers using RMerlins code. We haven't seen anything like that here for NG. Most WPA code only deals with wifi I believe and wired would not be supportive...since wired isn't required to use any like WPA on a wired connection. So if this isn't supported in stock FW, then it won't be seen else where. Some of most security features maybe closed to open FW, so this limits what Voxel can do. If these features are not in the open FW domain, then theirs not much Voxel can do to make changes to the FW that's closed to him.

I presume Voxel will let you know what he can and can't do.

Hello all - first off, Voxel, thanks so much for your work in creating these custom firmwares! I'm so excited to have discovered that someone's bringing this level of enhancement to the Orbi products.

Now, I've got a question: I'm trying to find a way to use wpa_supplicant on my Orbi RBR50 to authenticate my wired connection and bypass AT&T's residential gateway, similar to what's being done here: https://github.com/bypassrg/att. However, the stock version of wpa_supplicant on the Orbi seems to have been compiled without support for the "wired" driver, so I need to be able to use an updated version of wpa_supplicant that supports that functionality. Is this something that your firmware can help me accomplish? Is it something you'd need to patch into an update, or could I accomplish it via Entware? I'm a software engineer and pretty technically savvy, but I'm totally new to Entware and any of this sort of linux router hacking stuff - I'd really appreciate any advice that you or anyone else here can provide.

 

[ChristianEhrlicher]

You can't get rid of the 2nd LAN cable that goes back to the switch from the RBR. Since your RBR is the main host router, it gets internet fed from the modem, then the RBR is passing that on to the switch back in the utility room

I feared this but hoped to get an answer from voxel since he has more insights on why the RBR needs to do so and if it's maybe possible to teach the RBR to only use one this - technically I don't see a reason for the current behavior.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

This is a managed switch which also has green Ethernet features. Ensure that ALL IGMP protocols on this switch are disabled. As well as Green Ethernet if that can be disabled as well.

Other than this, if the system is working with the 1 LAN cable coming from modem to RBR and then 1 LAN cable going back to this switch and the RBS LAN connected to this switch and it's working. Your fine. Nothing else needs to be done.

/edit: my switch is a simple NetGear GS108Ev3, V2.06.10EN

 

[e38BimmerFN]

This isn't a FW issue. This is how LAN cabling and routers work. Standard Networking Practices which have been in place for a while now. Long time.

WAN port is always communications for ANY and ALL Internet traffic on the WAN side of the router. LAN ports are are LAN side communications from the LAN side devices that mush traverse thru the router, NAT to the WAN side. This is why you need two cables. You have two sides your dealing with. You can't combine these two sides.
Links>http://computer.howstuffworks.com/nat.htm
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/networking/fixing_double_nat.htm


I had this same configuration once in my house. I had an office at one end where the ISP Modem was. I initially had the main host router positioned here as well. However wanting to get better wifi coverage, I placed the router out in the living room. Thus I was presented with how do I get internet back in the office where the main switch was. I had to run a cable back to the switch from the router that was in the living room.

This is how routers are and how LAN cabling configurations work. Been doing this for a while now.

I'm sure Voxel and others will reflect same information.

I feared this but hoped to get an answer from voxel since he has more insights on why the RBR needs to do so and if it's maybe possible to teach the RBR to only use one this - technically I don't see a reason for the current behavior.

 

[sphanley]

Just to let you know that the bypass is for Asus routers using RMerlins code. We haven't seen anything like that here for NG. Most WPA code only deals with wifi I believe and wired would not be supportive...since wired isn't required to use any like WPA on a wired connection. So if this isn't supported in stock FW, then it won't be seen else where. Some of most security features maybe closed to open FW, so this limits what Voxel can do. If these features are not in the open FW domain, then theirs not much Voxel can do to make changes to the FW that's closed to him.

I presume Voxel will let you know what he can and can't do.

Yeah, I understand that those directions are for AsusWRT-Merlin devices. I'm just wondering if something similar may be possible on the Orbi, since in those directions, the built-in wpa_supplicant version isn't adequate, but the author provides recompiled binaries which can be loaded in via Entware. I'm not sure whether it's currently possible to recompile wpa_supplicant for the RBR50's architecture - as you said, I'm hoping this makes more sense to Voxel than it does to me and he can tell me whether this is worth pursuing or not.