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Forum Discussion
Disconnect & reconnect when I walk between router & satellite
I have been using RBK50 (one router RBR50 & one satellite RBS50, under Firmware V2.2.1.210) for several months, everything was fine ... until I recently discovered when I walk away from my router tow...
Thank you randomousity.
I tried several mobile devices after your comment, and got mixed results as follows:
Worked - i.e. No disconnect / Reconnect when I walk towards router / satellite or vice versa:
1. Samsung Android phone
2. Lenovo Window 10 notebook
Not worked
3. LG two different models of Android phones including mine
4. Apple iPad mini
5. Apple iPhone 7
And I do not aware any settings in my phone which allows fast switching between Wifi and cellular.
One item I want to add is the disconnection/ reconnection on my phone (and also those devices lable 3 to 5 as above) happens when I "walk into a 3-5 feet distance of the router or satellite and stop for around 10-15 seconds". All other locations are fine including the mid-way between router & satellite; so seems like there is no dead zone between them from my view. So strange.
Given that, it sounds like you may have somewhat of a dead zone in between the Orbi router and Orbi satellite, and it's just that a couple of your devices have better antennas and are able to get the weak signal, whereas some of your other devices have smaller/fewer antennas and see that spot as a dead zone. It's just like how you and someone else can be right next to each other with your different-model cell phones, and be using the same carrier, and one of you can have a weaker signal than the other, or even no signal, while the other can be fine. The signal coverage isn't uniform. As you increase the distance from the router or satellite, the signal attenuates, and is weaker. Obstructions, like walls, furniture, floors/ceilings, etc., will increase the attenuation, and decrease the signal strength at a give location.
I suspect you may be able to improve your situation just by moving the router and satellite a little closer together. It may be as simple as just leaving everything connected where it is and stretching the cords to their max in the direction of the other Orbi. If you can move the router a couple feet toward the satellite, and the satellite a couple feet toward the router, that might be enough to fix your issue. If not, maybe moving the Orbi satellite one outlet closer to the router will (or plugging it into an extension cord) will. Alternatively, if you don't have any wired devices plugged into the satellite, try putting it in a different room.
Basically, I think you have a dead zone, but a couple of your devices are powerful enough they aren't affected by it.
randomousity wrote:
Given that, it sounds like you may have somewhat of a dead zone in between the Orbi router and Orbi satellite, and it's just that a couple of your devices have better antennas and are able to get the weak signal, whereas some of your other devices have smaller/fewer antennas and see that spot as a dead zone. It's just like how you and someone else can be right next to each other with your different-model cell phones, and be using the same carrier, and one of you can have a weaker signal than the other, or even no signal, while the other can be fine. The signal coverage isn't uniform. As you increase the distance from the router or satellite, the signal attenuates, and is weaker. Obstructions, like walls, furniture, floors/ceilings, etc., will increase the attenuation, and decrease the signal strength at a give location.
I suspect you may be able to improve your situation just by moving the router and satellite a little closer together. It may be as simple as just leaving everything connected where it is and stretching the cords to their max in the direction of the other Orbi. If you can move the router a couple feet toward the satellite, and the satellite a couple feet toward the router, that might be enough to fix your issue. If not, maybe moving the Orbi satellite one outlet closer to the router will (or plugging it into an extension cord) will. Alternatively, if you don't have any wired devices plugged into the satellite, try putting it in a different room.
Basically, I think you have a dead zone, but a couple of your devices are powerful enough they aren't affected by it.
Completely agree. I think the best way to solve this issue is to get the base stations closer. Please try that :)
Thank you randomousity and ekhalil.
Today, I tried brought forward the satellite to about 10 feet from the router. Unfortunately, when I walked from the satellite to the router and about 2 feet apart, I stopped and waited for 1 minute, my phone's wifi signal got disconnected and reconnected agian. Very frustrating. Please help.
EKRW wrote:
Thank you randomousity and ekhalil.
Today, I tried brought forward the satellite to about 10 feet from the router. Unfortunately, when I walked from the satellite to the router and about 2 feet apart, I stopped and waited for 1 minute, my phone's wifi signal got disconnected and reconnected agian. Very frustrating. Please help.
Can you please try the following:
1. Please first check the IP address of the Satellite under attached devices, and confirm that the Satellite has an IP address within the range defined in the DHCP range in the router. Most probably it is, but please check it. For roaming to correctly work both APs should belong to the same LAN network.
2. Can we do a small experiment to confirm that it's a coverage issue!
Please set the power level of the 5GHz band to the minimum (25%), then check that the phone you will test with is connected to the 2.4GHz band (in Orbi app or in the GUI) and then move towards the other base station. If you get no disconnection then you conclude that the issue is just coverage issue.
