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Forum Discussion
tkp2k2ba
Oct 12, 2017Tutor
Detached Garage
Hello, I'm thinking of buying Netgear Orbi but wanted to verify it will work for our setup. Our internet (25 mb/s) comes through a second story bedroom on top of our detached garage. That garage ...
st_shaw
Oct 12, 2017Master
Best solution is to run a Cat5e cable from the garage to the house, and connect Orbi that way. Ethernet is good for 300'.
Second best is to use a wireless point-to-point bridge between the buildings.
You might get OK results with the Orbi router in the garage and one or two satellites in the house. However, the link between Orbi's router and sats is still just WiFi, so you shouldn't count on dramatically better throughput to the Internet than what you get now with the router you are using in the garage.
tkp2k2ba
Oct 12, 2017Tutor
Thanks for your response. Some day we would like to dig a trench and lay an ethernet line between the two buildings but until then I think wifi of some sort will be our best bet.
I'm interested in the point-to-point bridge and have looked at some Ubiquiti products but it all seems a bit beyond my abilities. One question I have: would a pair of Ubiquiti Nanostations effectively act as a wireless "ethernet cord" between two routers and/or a a base station and satellite? I.e. could I plug my modem into my router/base station in my garage, run a cord between that router/base station into a nanostation, beam the signal to the nanostation in the house, and then plug that nanostation into a router/satellite in my house?
A related question: If I did run a physical ethernet line between the buildings or if I used a point-to-point bridge, can the Orbi use it as a backhaul channel between the base station and satellite (as is the case with eero)?
Finally, I know people have asked this question elsewhere, but has Netgear ever difinitely stated how far the Orbi stations can be from each other before the connection suffers if there's a direct line of sight and no walls or obstacles between them (except, in my case, for some windows)?
Thanks again!
Tom
- st_shawOct 12, 2017Master
I'm interested in the point-to-point bridge and have looked at some Ubiquiti products but it all seems a bit beyond my abilities. One question I have: would a pair of Ubiquiti Nanostations effectively act as a wireless "ethernet cord" between two routers and/or a a base station and satellite? I.e. could I plug my modem into my router/base station in my garage, run a cord between that router/base station into a nanostation, beam the signal to the nanostation in the house, and then plug that nanostation into a router/satellite in my house?
Yes-like a wireless cord. A permanent installation with maximum speed would probably require the bridges (or at least their antennas) to be mounted outside the house. It might work well enough inside though.
A related question: If I did run a physical ethernet line between the buildings or if I used a point-to-point bridge, can the Orbi use it as a backhaul channel between the base station and satellite (as is the case with eero)?
You cannot currently connect the Orbi router and sat with a wire, but the feature should be coming in a future firmware release. You could run a wire between the modem in the garage and the Orbi router though.
Finally, I know people have asked this question elsewhere, but has Netgear ever difinitely stated how far the Orbi stations can be from each other before the connection suffers if there's a direct line of sight and no walls or obstacles between them (except, in my case, for some windows)?
Netgear cannot give a meaningful specific distance, because it depends upon the RF environment and reflections off nearby obstacles, which will always be unknown factors. Also different types of windows can affect the signal differently. People on this board have estimated ~50' as a typical max distance for a decent sat-router connection in a home. Mine are 33' apart, with a couple walls between.
- pslawingJan 29, 2018Aspirant
I was wanting to put my orbi satellite in the garage that is not climate controlled but would be dry. Will it damage the circuits heat and cold?
- DarrenMJan 30, 2018Sr. NETGEAR Moderator
Here is the operating temperatures of orbi 0° to 40°C (32º to 104ºF) but if you are worried it could get moisture then you may want to look at the outdoor orbi as it has weatherproofing.
DarrenM