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A whole home wifi system on one 2.4ghz channel???
I've just set-up my Orbi RBK23 system. Having done an RF survey of the house and garden I determined the best 2.4Ghz channels for each device. Based on the survey I went to assign cetrain devices ...
- For anyone finding this thread with the same issue I think I've resolved it for the 2.4Ghz band. I haven't yet tried for 5Ghz.
Most of the replies have been less than helpful so I hope this will work for people finding this thread.
Note: I'm using the system in access point mode so can't confirm this works when using the Orbi as a router.
1) Setup Orbi system. All devices will be on the same WiFi channel, in my case ch1.
2) Change the router 2.4Ghz channel to ch6. The satellites will remain on the original channel.
3) Hard reset one of the satellites and set it up as if it were a new addition to the network. It should connect and use ch6, which the router is using.
4) Change the wifi channel number of the router to ch11. You will then have each device on a separate channel.
It's unbelievably weird that Netgear doesn't provide settings to make this process simple but I guess Orbi is targeted at people with limited radio frequency and WiFi knowledge.
Next will come experiments with the 5Ghz settings.
CanyonMonkey wrote:Also, using a wifi analyser it looks like my 2.4Ghz signals are covering 6 channels. Is this something to do with the MIMO settings? I feel like I'm missing something and not understanding this Orbi system! :)
Could you take a screen shot of this information? The Orbi router and satellite should be broadcasting both the primary and guest SSID's on exactly one 2.4G channel. They are all on the same channel, and there is no method to have them use more than one channel at the same time.
I turned off the guest Wifi. this channel graph I'm sharing is pretty much 'car crash' stuff for 2.4Ghz wifi. I can't do that to my neighbours.... Interestingly, it seems that one of my devices has moved to ch11, with the other two on ch8.
CanyonMonkey wrote:I turned off the guest Wifi. this channel graph I'm sharing is pretty much 'car crash' stuff for 2.4Ghz wifi. I can't do that to my neighbours.... Interestingly, it seems that one of my devices has moved to ch11, with the other two on ch8.
Oh, darn. It appears that embedded images do not show up until a forum moderator approves them. Maybe if you "Attach" it?
Here's the image again, uploaded through the photo button? Is there any other way?
Regardless, I've bought a wireless product that sells it's self as having a dedicated backhaul connection for speed but then allows interference between every device connected to every AP. It makes no sense. It's not marketed as mesh wifi, the implication is that it's more than that. I'm not very impressed and it's probably going back to the store.
I want each AP to to be able to be managed independently, based on the RF survey I've done on my property.
I think the way to attach an image (that avoids waiting for moderator processing) is to click on the "Browse" button at the bottom left.
CanyonMonkey wrote:I want each AP to to be able to be managed independently, based on the RF survey I've done on my property.
I have a strong suspicion that you are destined to be unsatisfied with any mesh product on the market from any vendor. (Google, Linksys, etc. etc.)
It is technically possible to "roll your own" WiFi system, but (a) it will not be "integrated", and (b) it will require connecting everything with ethernet cables. i.e.:
- Begin with any WiFi router of any brand that has at least one ethernet LAN port.
Set the 2.4G and 5G channels to any channels you want.
(Some products will allow setting the 2.4G and 5G channels to different SSID's. Orbi does not.) - Connect as many WiFi access points as desired to this router using ethernet cables.
Set the 2.4G and 5G channels on these access points to any channels you want.
Set the 2.4G and 5G SSID's on each access point as desired.
The ethernet cables are required because (I believe) that typical "WiFi extenders" that are connected using WiFi (a) will set themselves to the same WiFi channel as the primary WiFi they are repeating, and (b) their default SSID will echo the primary SSID. Using ethernet makes these access points entirely independent.
So, I believe this will accomplish what you want. I think it will also be a "mess". Even if all of these WiFi access points have the same SSID, when a device roams from one place to another it will not "roam" as it would with a mesh system. The signal level from the first access point will have to fall to nearly zero before the device will look for another.
I'm still interested in seeing that WiFi survey. How large is this property anyway?
- Begin with any WiFi router of any brand that has at least one ethernet LAN port.