EOR 7550 Broken, Engenius Support IGNORES Problem

[krowland]

I have several EOR7550 units. By default these units come configured as Client Bridges. I believe the intended operation is to have these dual radio units configured as A) MAIN AP with Radio 1 and 2 as AP, and B) use additional EOR7550 units as REMOTE extenders, operating in Client Bridge mode. Radio2 would operate on B/G/N (severing users) and Radio1 would operate on 802.11a and use CB (Client Bridge) mode to relay data back (BACKHAUL) to the main AP. The MAIN AP would also serve local users on Radio2.

I have documented to Engenius Support, a FLAW in the EOR 7550 firmware that will cause a problem if you use more than 1 remote unit to connect back to the main AP. I have a system of one EOR7550 operating as the base/main unit, using Radio1 and 2 as AP. I then have 5 more EOR7550 units operating in the Factory DEFAULT mode of Radio2 being the Client AP (B/G/N), and Radio 1 (the 5 Ghz 802.11a) used in the CB (Client Bridge) mode for backhaul.

I have an issue where the units are not correctly responding to ARP requests, causing DUPLICATE IP error messages showing up on users computers (rendering them useless). I have shown Engenius Tech Support the TCPDUMPs, and have extensively documented what I believe the flaw is. (The EOR 7550 sends an erroneous ARP reply back to the client side of the bridge, which causes users computers connected to that remote bridge to detect duplicate MAC/IP numbers on the AP net.) I can document this to anyone who cares.

Engenius Tech support has REFUSED to acknowledge the problem and says the unit is performing according to the design. I question the design and have submitted proof that the units are NOT working correctly in the intended Factory DEFAULT operational mode of the EOR7550 which is Client Bridge mode.

Since Engenius won't help me, I want to appeal to anyone in the Engenius community at large and ask if anyone is using EOR 7550 units in a network with more than 2 units? (The problem only shows up with 2 or more REMOTE APs)

Also, has anyone tried the WDS mode of the EOR7550? I am only able to get 4.5 Mbps throughput, whereas Client Bridge mode will yield FULL BANDWIDTH (I get my full 10 Mbps ISP bandwidth in CB mode).

Thanks to anyone who can shed light on this matter, since Engenius tech support has given up on me.

 

[keenanj]

If you are having this duplicate IP problem first I would try a engenius router like the esr9850. This will be the easiest fix.

http://www.keenansystems.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=2_31&products_id=305

I have seen problems like this with cisco / linksys routers because they do not strictly follow the DHCP standard. In the DHCP offer they use the MAC of the bridge instead of the client this causes the dupilcates.

There is no transparent mode on the eor7550 so the next best thing is to use WDS AP mode on radio 1 of both units.

more information on the eor7550 here:

http://www.keenansystems.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=2&products_id=279

 

[krowland]

If you are having this duplicate IP problem first I would try a engenius router like the esr9850. This will be the easiest fix.

There is no transparent mode on the eor7550 so the next best thing is to use WDS AP mode on radio 1 of both units.

The EOR7550 is doing MAC masquerading, to perform the bridging function. So all users connected to Radio 2, use the bridge's MAC address when asking for DHCP across Radio 1 uplink. Several routers I've tried do give out an IP and generally the EOR7550 and the router does pass traffic just fine. The router would never see the clients MAC address, no matter which one is used, the EOR7550 changes it.

My only problem is when you add a second AP, the EOR7550 sends the translated MAC address in an ARP Reply, back to the client side network, as I described in my post. (It should only go to the translated side of the bridge) I don't know why it only happens with 2 or more remotes (3 units total in network).

I've provided EnGenius with diagnostic TCPDUMPs showing the problem, but they refuse to acknowledge the problem, nor tell me what I'm doing wrong. They tell me, that's the way it is designed and is operating according to design. Well then I ask, who else is using this and what am I doing wrong? I can't use another router, as I'm using a PayWall gateway system for user access. It's based on Linux.

Turning on isolation, masks the problem, and the EOR7550 bridging function and router operates perfectly. Only when isolation is off, does one remote 7550 confuse the other 7550 and the users connected to it. (So I assume that everyone who buys these APs and use them in the DEFAULT Client Bridge mode, must turn on Isolation in order for them to work. I guess I'm the only one who tries to operate them in their stock configuration.

As I also stated the WDS mode on the 7550 is seriously limited in bandwidth performance and is not a solution. At least EnGenius has acknowledged this possibility and might be working on it. But then they LIMIT WDS to only 4 stations, I have 5 in my network. :-(

Does anyone have an alternative product, a DUAL radio, 802.11a Backhaul, and 802.11 B/G/N client side with built in antennas?

 

[keenanj]

The EOA7530 is a dual high power radio AP. One radio is 5.8Ghz and the other is 2.4Ghz each has its own N conenctor and it comes with dual 5dBi omnis.

http://www.keenansystems.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=2&products_id=320


You could also use a eoc5611p for the backhaul

http://www.keenansystems.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=2&products_id=324


and a enh200 for the client access radio

http://www.keenansystems.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=2&products_id=328


just just conenct the two network ends of the injectors and you are good to go and can aim each unit to boot.

 

[krowland]

The EOA7530 is a dual high power radio AP. One radio is 5.8Ghz and the other is 2.4Ghz each has its own N conenctor and it comes with dual 5dBi omnis.

You could also use a eoc5611p for the backhaul and a enh200 for the client access radio

I appreciate your help here. Your first option doesn't have N. The two radio approach is something I might consider, if the cost doesn't double.

I'm concerned that ALL Engenius products running client bridge mode firmware may have the same bug. So if the EOR7550 is nothing more than packaging two of their existing designs in one enclosure, I'm not confident that using two separate radio enclosures is the answer. If I could only get some confirmation that the EOR7550 firmware is DIFFERENT than the other individual units and other vendors are using these other products in a similar network configuration.

Are you willing to sell me 6 radios for test, and if they fail my bench test, give a complete refund?

 

[keenanj]

I cant take them back once opened but I can test here and send wireshak trace if you want just send me the configuration and what to look for.

And the other units run different code for sure each chipset gets its own FW the EOC5611p is a atheros radio simular to radio1 in the eor7550 but the enh200 is a new generation high power n chipset.