Flair Bridge — Internet Isolation and POE Switch Warnings¶
Summary¶
Two critical setup warnings from MRMC Support: (1) the Flair Bridge must never be connected to a network with internet access — Linux security updates will be applied automatically and cause the Bridge to become unresponsive and stop working with Flair; (2) the Flair Bridge must not be plugged into a POE (Power over Ethernet) capable switch — this causes hardware malfunction (under investigation by MRMC as of January 2026).
Symptoms¶
Internet / Auto-update issue: - Flair Bridge becomes unresponsive after being connected to a studio LAN or network with internet access - Flair can no longer connect to the robot via the Bridge - No on-screen warning is shown before the Bridge stops working
POE Switch issue: - Flair Bridge malfunctions or fails to operate when plugged into a POE-capable switch - Root cause not publicly confirmed as of January 2026
Stable ID¶
ISSUE-NET-FB-002
First Reported¶
2026-01-08 — Simon Wakley: POE switch warning. 2026-02-25 — MRMC Support: internet isolation warning (official advisory).
Community Guidance¶
[CONFIRMED] Do not connect Flair Bridge to any network with internet access¶
2026-02-25 — MRMC Support (official)
"If the Flair Bridge is connected to the internet, for example by connecting it to your studio's LAN, it's very likely that security patches and updates will be applied to it automatically. This will cause the Flair Bridge to become unresponsive and stop working with Flair and your robot."
How to safely connect a Flair computer to the internet while using Flair Bridge:
- Connect the Flair workstation to the internet via Wi-Fi only (or a second NIC dedicated to internet).
- The Bridge's Ethernet ports must only connect to the MRMC control network — not to any network that has a path to the internet.
- MRMC confirmed: the next Flair release would disable auto-updates on the Bridge OS. Until then, isolation is mandatory.
confidence_score: 0.97
[CONFIRMED] Do not plug Flair Bridge into a POE switch¶
2026-01-08 — Simon Wakley
"Do NOT plug your FlairBridge into a POE capable switch. Seems to not like it - under investigation."
The Bridge is powered via USB-C. POE voltage on the Ethernet port appears to cause hardware damage or malfunction. Use a standard (non-POE) switch or a POE switch with POE disabled on the port connected to the Bridge.
confidence_score: 0.90
WhatsApp Excerpts¶
- 2026-02-25 01:11 - ~ MRMC Support: If the Flair Bridge is connected to the internet, for example by connecting it to your studio's LAN, it's very likely that security patches and updates will be applied to it automatically. This will cause the Flair Bridge to become unresponsive and stop working with Flair and your robot.
- 2026-01-08 - ~ Simon Wakley: Do NOT plug your FlairBridge into a POE capable switch. Seems to not like it - under investigation.
Related Issues¶
- See also: Flair Bridge — Mac Wi-Fi Routing Node Dropouts
- See also: Flair Bridge + Bolt (EtherCAT) Requires Two Flair Starts to Connect
- Flair Bridge — Product Overview, OS Support, and Setup