RBS20 won't connect using 5G backhaul

[serafis]

I have an RBR20 router and two RBS20 satellites. One of the RBS20s works fine on 5G backhaul, the other won't stay connected using 5G backhaul - it drops down to 2G, then back up again, then down, which makes the connection unusable. Just can't seem to get this RBS20 to work properly at all. It seems to fire up the 5G backhaul (on ath11), but then almost immediately disables it, and repeats this ad infinitum. No 5G backhaul even if the RBR20 and RBS20 are right next to each other.

I've reflashed the firmware (on all units), tried different firmware versions, reconfigured the entire setup from scratch, dismantled it to check the antennae are connected, even swapped the antennae with the working RBS20 but no joy.

I can telnet into it, and I have a serial connection (via arduino & putty), but I don't really know what I'm looking for. Any technical gurus out there who can help me?

Thanks.

Extract from the serial log of the repeated 5G backhaul sequence :
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
5G_backhaul_disconnected...
flow soap start action= now......
send_vdev_down_cmd_non_tlv for vap 1 (cc654000)
vap-1(ath11):set SIOC80211NWID, 21 characters

DES SSID SET=NETGEAR_ORBI_hidden09
[ieee80211_ioctl_setmlme] set desired bssid 7e:d2:94:9f:4c:a8
ieee80211_match_rsn_info[806] pairwise 0x8, gtk 0x8 , keymgmt 0x2
vap-1(ath11):ieee80211_setup_node forcing sta to associate in 19 mode

OL vap_start +
VDEV START
OL vap_start -
ol_vdev_start_resp_ev for vap 1 (cc654000)
send_wmm_update_cmd_non_tlv:
ol_vdev_wmi_event_handler: device is capable of station mode DFS
Orbi : ieee80211_vap_stop : 826 IEEE80211_STATE_EVENT_DOWN called >=> PID:0 Comm:swapper/1 :: PPID:1 Commrocd <=<
Warning:Stop during VAP Init !
send_vdev_down_cmd_non_tlv for vap 1 (cc654000)

SSDK Init OK!
operate done.

SSDK Init OK!
operate done.

ieee80211_match_rsn_info[806] pairwise 0x8, gtk 0x8 , keymgmt 0x2
vap-1(ath11):ieee80211_setup_node forcing sta to associate in 19 mode

OL vap_start +
VDEV START
OL vap_start -
ol_vdev_start_resp_ev for vap 1 (cc654000)
send_wmm_update_cmd_non_tlv:
ol_vdev_wmi_event_handler: device is capable of station mode DFS
br0: received packet on ath02 with own address as source address
send_wmm_update_cmd_non_tlv:
Orbi : ieee80211_vap_start : 809 IEEE80211_STATE_EVENT_UP called >=> PID:30635 Comm:grep :: PPID:30633 Comm:ap-led <=<
su bfee 1 mu bfee 1 su bfer 1 mu bfer 0 impl bf 0 sounding dim 1
send_vdev_up_cmd_non_tlv for vap 1 (cc654000)

Number of STA VAPs connected: 2
br0: port 8(ath11) entered forwarding state
br0: port 8(ath11) entered forwarding state
WIFI EVENT: BACKHAUL_HOPCOUNT: ath11 with hop counter = 0
Otherband BSSID 78:d2:94:9f:70:1b
Otherband BSSID 82:d2:94:9f:70:19
Otherband BSSID 78:d2:94:9f:70:1b
Otherband BSSID 82:d2:94:9f:70:19
Orbi : ieee80211_vap_stop : 826 IEEE80211_STATE_EVENT_DOWN called >=> PID:0 Comm:swapper/1 :: PPID:1 Commrocd <=<
STOPPED EVENT for vap 1 (cc654000)
send_vdev_down_cmd_non_tlv for vap 1 (cc654000)
__ieee80211_smart_ant_init: Smart Antenna is not supported
br0: port 8(ath11) entered disabled state
Sending SCAN START cmd
send_vdev_down_cmd_non_tlv for vap 1 (cc654000)
Sending SCAN START cmd
send_vdev_down_cmd_non_tlv for vap 1 (cc654000)
Sending SCAN START cmd
send_vdev_down_cmd_non_tlv for vap 1 (cc654000)
vap-1(ath11):set SIOC80211NWID, 21 characters

DES SSID SET=NETGEAR_ORBI_hidden09
[ieee80211_ioctl_setmlme] set desired bssid 7e:d2:94:9f:4c:a8
ieee80211_match_rsn_info[806] pairwise 0x8, gtk 0x8 , keymgmt 0x2
vap-1(ath11):ieee80211_setup_node forcing sta to associate in 19 mode

OL vap_start +
VDEV START
OL vap_start -
ol_vdev_start_resp_ev for vap 1 (cc654000)
send_wmm_update_cmd_non_tlv:
ol_vdev_wmi_event_handler: device is capable of station mode DFS
send_wmm_update_cmd_non_tlv:
Orbi : ieee80211_vap_start : 809 IEEE80211_STATE_EVENT_UP called >=> PID:2680 Comm:hyd :: PPID:1 Commrocd <=<
su bfee 1 mu bfee 1 su bfer 1 mu bfer 0 impl bf 0 sounding dim 1
send_vdev_up_cmd_non_tlv for vap 1 (cc654000)

Number of STA VAPs connected: 2
br0: port 8(ath11) entered forwarding state
br0: port 8(ath11) entered forwarding state
br0: port 8(ath11) entered disabled state
WIFI EVENT: BACKHAUL_HOPCOUNT: ath11 with hop counter = 0
br0: port 8(ath11) entered forwarding state
br0: port 8(ath11) entered forwarding state
==========5g connnect to rootap===========
Otherband BSSID 78:d2:94:9f:70:1b
Otherband BSSID 82:d2:94:9f:70:19
FIXMEsif_forward_mgmt_to_app: Event length more than expected..dropping
FIXMEsif_forward_mgmt_to_app: Event length more than expected..dropping
Otherband BSSID 78:d2:94:9f:70:1b
Otherband BSSID 82:d2:94:9f:70:19
Orbi : ieee80211_vap_stop : 826 IEEE80211_STATE_EVENT_DOWN called >=> PID:0 Comm:swapper/1 :: PPID:1 Commrocd <=<
STOPPED EVENT for vap 1 (cc654000)
send_vdev_down_cmd_non_tlv for vap 1 (cc654000)
br0: port 8(ath11) entered disabled state
Sending SCAN START cmd

SSDK Init OK!
operate done.

SSDK Init OK!
operate done.

5G_backhaul_disconnected...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[L&LD]

Welcome to the forums @serafis.

Have you tried switching the locations of the satellites?

Have you tried moving it closer?

Have you tried with a fixed Control Channel (test them all)?

 

[serafis]

Thanks, yes, I've tried all of those things, except the 5GHz-2 Channel (backhaul) which is set at 157 and grayed out so I can't change it.

I've also tried all possible combinations of daisy chaining, MU-MIMO, Implicit Beamforming, Fast Roaming and WMM. And generating new backhaul keys, and with the RBR20 in router or AP mode. No difference at all - one RBS20 connects fairly quickly on 2G and 5G, the other takes ages before not connecting on 5G, if at all. With the 5G one, i can get data rates of around 300+mb/s. On the bad one I'm lucky if I get anything before it disconnects again.

And because it keeps trying (the status page does very occasionally show 5G backhaul for a few moments), it's unusable - seems to drop the 2G connection when it tries the 5G one, and the LEDs go from off (connected) back to magenta.

I'm beginning to think it may be a hardware issue, that the 5G backhaul radio just isn't working right.

 

[L&LD]

If you've been toggling settings on/off trying to fix this issue, that may be the issue itself.

I would fully update the firmware on all units, perform a full reset on the entire system (and not use any saved backup config files), and see if that same satellite keeps proving faulty.

I'm not sure about this model (I've never used one), but you should be able to choose the Control Channel (I would hope).

 

[serafis]

I've done a full update on all units, reset them all to factory settings and reconfigured from scratch - unfortunately no difference. Pretty sure the control channel can't be changed on this model - I can change Wifi country (currently Australia), 2.4GHz channel (default=auto) and 5GHz channel (default=36,) but 5GHz-2 Channel remains grayed out at 157.

When setting up the system, the good RBS20 connects at 5G in around 2-3 minutes. The bad one takes much longer and appears to keep losing and regaining contact (LEDs go to magenta, then blue, then back to magenta etc) and finally settles down at 2G after around 6-10 minutes.

 

[serafis]

I bought another RBS20 which connects fine, so I think something must just have gone bad with the other one. Anyway problem solved. Thanks for the help.