Netgear Orbi discussion thread

[sfx2000]

strange as i didnt think they where releasing the 3 pack yet , but yes at this point both sat's connect only to the router and not to each other

Best Buy was selling the Two-Packs, along with the standalone satellite for expansion last week...

 

[wchpitt]

I guess NETGEAR has enabled multi satellite support.
How are the units placed. Is the Router between the two satellites?

As for multi-satellite support, there were some anomalies in the interface to update the firmware. In the Automatic page, it didn't want to download the firmware to the second satellite. Ended up going to the manual page, did the router first and then the system took it upon itself to update the two satellites.

As for placement, the Router is situated on the first floor toward the front center of the house. One satellite is also on the first floor in the far back left corner of the great room to provide coverage for pool, porch and media center. Other satellite is upstairs to the right in the far bedroom to provide coverage to the other end of the house and garage. Downstairs has two walls and 35' S to R, Upstairs has two walls + floor/ceiling + chimney but only 22' on the diagonal S to R. Wish Mac OS would allow me to connect by BSSID like the old days so I could do a real comparison of each unit from each room in the house...

 

[thiggins]

Thanks for the placement details. That's a good setup for two satellites, with the router fairly centrally located.

 

[thiggins]

What if the lower 5Ghz channel that is available for clients to use (the backhaul uses an upper 5GHz channel) is already heavily used by a neighbour?

This is where 5 GHz' relatively limited range is your friend.

 

[wchpitt]

So we all keep referring to this Orbi system as "mesh" but is it really?
"Mesh", would imply that every unit can and or would talk to every other unit, but it seems that the satellites sync back to the router (but do they to each other)?
Isn't this really a hub and spoke configuration that is allowing a single SSID to be shared?
Is there even seamless handoff between satellite and router?
I see myself doing a big walkabout in the coming days paying close attention so signal strength and BSSID connectivity.
I think what I really want is a bunch of tri-band routers that would allow me to use one of the 5GHz bands to connect to the primary router. Ideally, they would all use the new 4x4 radios, support SON, allow the router to use one of the 5GHz bands as the dedicated backhaul and specify it as a bridge AND they would all support 1750 or 1900. I could also choose if I wanted to use the low band or high band 5GHz group for backhaul or clients. Seems I should be able to buy these at $250 each, about the same as the Orbi units.

I will say that the whole home wifi, networking thing had gotten a bit boring lately so at least this gives me something new to poke at. Even at its early stages, "mesh" networking does provide more consistent coverage over a much larger area. But to argue vernacular, I think eero is selling mesh and orbi is hub and spoke at this point, at least from how it's been explained so far...

 

[RogerSC]

What if the lower 5Ghz channel that is available for clients to use (the backhaul uses an upper 5GHz channel) is already heavily used by a neighbour?

At least if the backhaul used a proprietary communications, you'd have some choice in channels for the user.

One thing is that not that many routers are able to use the lower channels at full power at this point. The upper channels around here have stronger signals on them, on the lower channels the signals that I see are low enough to not matter. This can vary with your situation, but I think that it's fairly common at this point. The other thing is that your own signals with excellent strength everywhere with the Orbi, are very likely to be a lot stronger than your neighbor's. Again, this could vary...but it should be the case generally.

 

[RogerSC]

So we all keep referring to this Orbi system as "mesh" but is it really?
"Mesh", would imply that every unit can and or would talk to every other unit, but it seems that the satellites sync back to the router (but do they to each other)?
Isn't this really a hub and spoke configuration that is allowing a single SSID to be shared?

Yes, you could call it hub and spoke, where the satellites talk to the router, not to each other. Not a mesh.

 

[sfx2000]

What if the lower 5Ghz channel that is available for clients to use (the backhaul uses an upper 5GHz channel) is already heavily used by a neighbour?

At least if the backhaul used a proprietary communications, you'd have some choice in channels for the user.

Channel is going to be shared perhaps - think higher density like Townhomes/Condos/Apartments - so the backhaul cannot be proprietary, otherwise it would just totally jam adjacent users... (and perhaps even itself)

 

[sfx2000]

Thanks for the placement details. That's a good setup for two satellites, with the router fairly centrally located.

And the relative location of the, what should we say, Primary, and the Satellites, plays nicely into MU for efficiency purposes...

Just my thoughts here...

 

[cosrocket]

I was at my local Costco tonight and was surprised to see they had the Orbi with 1 router and 2 satellites for $499. That is quite a bit less from what it is everywhere else, where the router and 1 satellite is $399 and an extra satellite is $249. Still expensive but if you need the extra satellite it's the best place to get it.

 

[wchpitt]

AH HA... So for the last 48 hours my Lutron MS-OPS2 occupancy sensing light switch in my bathroom adjacent to where the new upstairs Orbi lives kept turning itself on with no one in the room and staying on. I tried changing the settings, resetting the device and then replaced it and still the same thing... then it dawned on me, the only thing that had changed was the addition of the Orbi sitting about 4 feet away on the other side of the wall. Unplugged the Orbi and... problem solved. Lights no longer turning themselves on. Lutron MS-OPS2 now working correctly again. Funny, read the Orbi manual and no mention of home automation features!
Go figure. Don't know what this is about, but that sure drove me nuts for the last two days! so tag this
#Netgear Orbi turns on Lutron occupancy sensing switch.

 

[L&LD]

Is it just how close the Orbi was? Or is NG taking liberties (accessing your network) with their new toy?

 

[wchpitt]

Is it just how close the Orbi was? Or is NG taking liberties (accessing your network) with their new toy?

No... it was just strictly a proximity issue. The switch is not networked in any way. Straight up interference.

 

[thiggins]

Or is NG taking liberties (accessing your network) with their new toy?

Why woud you even think that, especially because there is no cloud service required in Orbi?

 

[L&LD]

Why woud you even think that, especially because there is no cloud service required in Orbi?

Just to clarify, it is not required, but it is an option (the 'cloud service')?

 

[thiggins]

Just to clarify, it is not required, but it is an option (the 'cloud service')?

Are you asking me or telling me? I can't tell.

 

[L&LD]

Are you asking me or telling me? I can't tell.

Sorry; I am asking.

 

[ablatt]

This is where 5 GHz' relatively limited range is your friend.

From the new R7800 1.0.2.12 firmware annoucement yesterday:

Added WiFi 5G band support for FCC DFS channels 52, 56, 60, 64, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140.

Hopefully Netgear will incorporate this into other new routers.

 

[sfx2000]

Is it just how close the Orbi was? Or is NG taking liberties (accessing your network) with their new toy?

It's not a "smart" switch in the IoT context - it's a drop-in replacement for a standard light switch - nothing networked about it...

Interesting that it's sensitive to RFI...

 

[krosswindz]

Walking through Costco tonight and there it was... a Netgear Orbi 3-Pack for $499.

Would it be possible for you to share which Costco? I went to my neighborhood Costco but they seem to only have the R6900 and R7900.