Netgear Orbi discussion thread

[sfx2000]

I suspect this is where the Portal and R7800, which now support DFS 5GHz channels, will come in very handy.

I suspect that once, and if, I go nuclear, that Wireless Backhaul is just going to stop working very well...

(and no, it will not be just banging out a lot of noise, I'm pretty knowledgable about 802.11... it will just stop working..)

 

[RogerSC]

I suspect that once, and if, I go nuclear, that Wireless Backhaul is just going to stop working very well...

(and no, it will not be just banging out a lot of noise, I'm pretty knowledgable about 802.11... it will just stop working..)

Now now, no point in starting a world war here *smile*. While I find that my nearest neighbor is using all of the high 5GHz. channels with his 80MHz. wide channel, I'm still able to use the high channels as effectively as I need to from one end of my house to other. I can, for all practical purposes, get my ISP's full download speed at the other end of my house from my router on 5GHz. Seems like there's enough attenuation between houses to still allow things to work, even though my neighbor's signal is higher than I expected. I do take care, though, to match his channels one-for-one.

 

[DanH]

do both of you a favor and go over there and do a site survey and show him how much overkill he has as im using 2 here in my place which is about 4,000 sq feet and its plenty , the second sat actually causes issues with roaming as there is just too much signal

It all depends on the layout and walls. I'm at 2,000 sqft and have areas the Orbi struggles in.

 

[pete y testing]

It all depends on the layout and walls. I'm at 2,000 sqft and have areas the Orbi struggles in.

then you live in a concrete bunker with metal bars enforcing the concrete jungle you live in

im in a 4000 sqft single story what you call a bungalow , what we in aust call a house on a large block and the orbi router and sat is almost too much

the orbi router and 2 x sat is def too much

 

[DanH]

then you live in a concrete bunker with metal bars enforcing the concrete jungle you live in

im in a 4000 sqft single story what you call a bungalow , what we in aust call a house on a large block and the orbi router and sat is almost too much

the orbi router and 2 x sat is def too much

Nope, I live in a relatively new apartment. Satellite is upstairs/router downstairs. In the bathroom at the far end of the upstairs, the Orbi will not reach at all, and the majority of the bedroom off of that bathroom is stuck on the 2.4ghz radio. It's like a 2000 sqft apt.

I know this because I bought the Orbi and I poop in that bathroom.

Maybe I have a defective unit?

 

[RogerSC]

I'm in a 2000 sq. ft. two-story house, and am happy with the Orbi's coverage throughout. You may or may not have a defective unit, but it could just be the construction of your apartment or the stuff that you have in your apartment. You could try moving your satellite around and see what you can do there. Don't know what the constraints of your living space are, but that could help your bathroom coverage, if it really matters to you *smile*.

 

[DanH]

I'm pretty much the only one showing on 5ghz channel 36, and there is only one other low power guy on the 2.4ghz channel 11. Also no one is on the backhaul channel 157. So it might just be what they have in the walls here, because it isn't interference from anyone else. I am happy with the orbi don't get me wrong, but I'd say 2,000 square foot for 2 stories is about the limit.

 

[pete y testing]

yes it certainly depends on what the construction materials are esp between floors , your signal levels however are fine as the local transmission is around 20db on 2.4 gig local and 35db the floor above and 17db local on 5 gig and 45db on the other floor

so there is nothing showing as problematic as far as the transmission rates are concerned , however that is only showing wifi transmissions from network gear , other gear like baby monitors and cordless phones and AV senders etc etc dont show on that app and you would need some form of spectrum analyzer to determine if anything else was effecting that overall performance

 

[y2jdmbfan]

I'm pretty much the only one showing on 5ghz channel 36, and there is only one other low power guy on the 2.4ghz channel 11. Also no one is on the backhaul channel 157. So it might just be what they have in the walls here, because it isn't interference from anyone else. I am happy with the orbi don't get me wrong, but I'd say 2,000 square foot for 2 stories is about the limit.

What program is that?

 

[DanH]

What program is that?

http://wificommander.com/

 

[sfx2000]

Now now, no point in starting a world war here *smile*. While I find that my nearest neighbor is using all of the high 5GHz. channels with his 80MHz. wide channel, I'm still able to use the high channels as effectively as I need to from one end of my house to other. I can, for all practical purposes, get my ISP's full download speed at the other end of my house from my router on 5GHz. Seems like there's enough attenuation between houses to still allow things to work, even though my neighbor's signal is higher than I expected. I do take care, though, to match his channels one-for-one.

misson accomplished perhaps...

The Orbi next door is gone... must have returned it since it was apparently not performing well... not that I personally had anything to do with that.

 

[RogerSC]

misson accomplished perhaps...

The Orbi next door is gone... must have returned it since it was apparently not performing well... not that I personally had anything to do with that.

Hmmm...interesting *smile*.

 

[pege63]

Yea i told you so........

 

[RogerSC]

The new firmware, V1.4.0.16, has fixed the router ignoring the setting of "20/40MHz. coexistence", as well as adding guest networks and other fixes:

New Features and Enhancements:

• Guest WiFi network.
• WiFi signal broadcast scheduling.
• Add-on Orbi satellite installation flow in GUI.
• Wireless region support for Japan.
• Internet speed test via Ookla SpeedTest.
• Improves band steering.

Bug Fixes:

• Fixes connectivity issue with Xbox and iOS devices.
• Fixes some security issues.
• Fixes Orbi online firmware upgrade issue.
• Fixes Orbi satellite's manual firmware update issue.
• Fixes GUI display issues in Attached Devices and Access Control pages.

Download Link:

RBR50 - http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBK50/RBR50-V1.4.0.16.zip

RBS50 - http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBK50/RBS50-V1.4.0.16.zip

 

[Chairman007]

http://m.thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-mesh-networking-kits/

 

[pete y testing]

http://m.thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-mesh-networking-kits/

man thats a lot of reading lol , needs more pictures

 

[RogerSC]

man thats a lot of reading lol , needs more pictures

And...calling the Orbi a mesh system is pretty loose. It isn't, but a lot of print media is convinced that it is. I do like the wirecutter site, though. The recommendations may be a little dated, but they try to update their reviews as new products come out.

 

[Ronv42]

I am thinking of picking this one up over the weekend at Costco. Based on all the comments and that it doesn't need cloud services or a mobile app for configuration it's a winner. I have a real tough area to cover due to the big mirror over the fireplace. Everything in that room is questionable due to that darn mirror and the wife won't let me get rid of it. If this solve the issue it's a keeper.

 

[DanH]

And...calling the Orbi a mesh system is pretty loose. It isn't, but a lot of print media is convinced that it is. I do like the wirecutter site, though. The recommendations may be a little dated, but they try to update their reviews as new products come out.

Is there a standard definition for what qualifies as a mesh system?

 

[thiggins]

Is there a standard definition for what qualifies as a mesh system?

Google, Dan.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_mesh_network

Wi-Fi marketing uses a lot of terms that aren't really true, the whole classing system for instance (AC1300, N750).

What would you suggest instead for products like Orbi, or Edimax' RE11, or Amped Wireless' Ally? Multi node / point wireless? Wireless system?