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Forum Discussion
Connect Satellite via Ethernet
I'm considering buying a 2 unit Orbi (router + 1 satellite). I have an existing home ethernet network, so I would connect the satellite to the router via 1 GB ethernet, giving a faster more reliable ...
It is really unfortunate that the satellite can only connect via wireless and that it cannot use my existing gigabit ethernet cabling.
This forces me to use another solution. Hopefully Netgear is listening and makes wired satellite support a priority, considering that a lot of other users have requested this. If they add this feature in the next month. then I may consider switching back to Orbi, but this is really a show stopper for me and is forcing me to use another solution that does support this feature.
I hear you, but please understand that the whole main selling point of the Orbi system is to provide an effective wireless backhaul solution for folks who don't have the ability (or interest) to string ethernet all over their house.
If you have exisitng ethernet access points around yor house, you'd be better off using a (cheaper!) wired router/AP combo instead of the Orbi.
The notion of connecting Orbi router & sat via ethernet defeats the whole point of what the Orbi system is designed expressly to do (wireless backhaul).
TL;DR = if you have ethernet available now around your house that you can use, the Orbi system isn't the right solution for you.
Actually I am currently using a wired router/AP (access point) combo solution. My main reason for switching to a mesh network is to avoid having to manually switch between WiFi networks as wireless devices (phones, laptops, tablets) are moved from one end of the house to the other. All the WiFi access point solutions I'm aware of necessitates using a different Wifi network from the router.
Other mesh network solutions that support backhaul's using both wired and unwired satellites will automatically select between wired or ethernet, depending on which gives the faster connection. In my case, the satellite location would be separated from the router by 8 walls and 60 feet and the signal would be very weak, in which case a wired satellite would give a much faster connection.
Netgear would maybe do it, there have been requests for wired backhaul support before. Look at the second post here:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Wired-Connection-to-Satellite/td-p/1130282
A moderator says the feature is under consideration by Netgear.
mrudm wrote:Actually I am currently using a wired router/AP (access point) combo solution. My main reason for switching to a mesh network is to avoid having to manually switch between WiFi networks as wireless devices (phones, laptops, tablets) are moved from one end of the house to the other. All the WiFi access point solutions I'm aware of necessitates using a different Wifi network from the router.
Other mesh network solutions that support backhaul's using both wired and unwired satellites will automatically select between wired or ethernet, depending on which gives the faster connection. In my case, the satellite location would be separated from the router by 8 walls and 60 feet and the signal would be very weak, in which case a wired satellite would give a much faster connection.
If you are looking for an AP solution that you will be able to roam with, you need to look ouside home consumer devices, Ubiquity UNIFI products come to mind. I use two of their UAP-AC PRO's and all my devices roam seamlessly. iDevices, Androids laptops..
I looked at the Ubiguity UNIFI products, and decided they are quite pricy and required quite a bit of configuration work to get them to work properly. Instead I have decided to purchase the Linksys Velop solution, which from its first release supports wired ethernet satellites (it automatically switches from wireless to wired backhaul if ethernet is connected), and it automatically sets up seamless roaming from router to satellite. There are other features that I still like in the Orbi, but I could not longer wait for the wired backhaul feature to be implemented, since there is no committment yet from Netgear to support this.
I concur with mrudm. I just purchased the Orbi Router / Satellite two pack assuming that i could connect the satellite via hardwire which is quite a distance away. The satellite is supposed to give me better wireless speed upstairs where i already am prewired to my router location. Through the wireless connection from router to satellite, and then hard wired to my bluray player, playback is slow and choppy.
I have spent the last 4 hours trying every configuration (including trying to get my Airport Extreme as an access point) to no avail.
Looks like Orbi is headed back to BestBuy first thing in the morning.
Great concept and reviews but doesn't work the way i need it to.
The request is pending for wired backhaul at the Netgear idea exchange open for voting :
