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Repeater/Static IPs

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Gil Bates

New Around Here
I have an N66R setup in repeater mode. It's connected to my Orbi router via wifi. The N66R is in a different building on my property where there are wifi devices(security cam, TV, etc). It works well to get these devices wifi/internet service. Here's the problem: I need to be able to set static IPs to the devices connected to the N66R such as the security cam so my security software can see it. What I am experiencing is that even though I set the static IP for the camera on the Orbi router via it's UI, the IP address does not hold and whenever there is a DHCP renewal, the camera now has a new IP address. The N66R, because it is in repeater mode does not have settings to set a static IP(and nor should it in repeater mode). Note that I am running the latest stock firmware from ASUS.

Where does the problem lie here? Is it the Orbi router or on the ASUS side? Would I be better served using Access Point mode instead of repeater?

Note also that when I look at connected devices in the Orbi admin UI, it usually doesn't see the the devices connected to the N66R. Further, if I run Advanced IP Scanner on my network, it does indeed see all of the attached device but, they all look like the MAC address of the N66R.
 
The problem of seeing the repeater's MAC address instead of the client's is quite common. I don't know anything about the Orbi, but if you're picking the clients from some sort of list that has the repeater's MAC address, obviously this won't work. Can you manually enter each client's real MAC address into the Orbi's DHCP reservations configuration?

Repeater mode is always the least preferred option. AP mode on the Asus would be far superior but does require that the Asus and Orbi are connected together using an Ethernet cable.
 
So it appears to be the way the MAC addresses are presented on the network to the router. It appears looking at the Orbi admin of devices, it will only see one of the devices attached to the network based on the MAC address. So I randomly get one of the devices to show. Is there any way via the repeater or the router to somehow get the original MAC address of the device?

Apparently there are virtual MAC addresses, although I don't see those in the Orbi setup.

I may just have to purchase another Orbi satellite to get over this issue and get rid of the N66R as a repeater.
 
I've had discussions with owners of Netgear repeaters and their devices used virtual MAC addresses to avoid this problem. I don't remember what model they had though.

All wireless devices should have their MAC addresses printed on their casing. Otherwise, if you connect a PC to one of the repeater's LAN ports with an Ethernet cable you should be able to see the MAC to IP address association with the following command:

arp -a
 

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