When the Netgear Orbi RBR20 is the root router, it sends "analytics data" to Netgear.
I'm considering using the RBR20 as a wired access point connected to a root router running (stock, non-OEM) OpenWrt.
Will it be able to send such data to Netgear if it is running in AP mode in this configuration?
Of course, if you don't block those requests.
I have not started using OpenWrt yet.
Can OpenWrt block those requests? Could you tell me how please?
You need to monitor where that device is phoning to and block those requests using an adblocking solution (I don't want to name any specific ones, since it's a contentious topic) and, possibly, a firewall.
It's actually quite simple... give your RBR20 a static IP on your network and then use the firewall to block all traffic from that device.
Doesn’t the AP have to communicate with the root router to serve the AP’s client devices? So blocking all traffic from the AP would effectively disable it?
Traffic on the same network doesn’t interact with the firewall. You’re only blocking access to the internet for the single device.
Thanks. I do not understand now. Maybe I will when I work with it.