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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...
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.
Thank you ekhalil.
1. The Satellite IP address is 192.168.1.17, which is within the preset DHCP range between 2 to 254.
2. The result of this small experiment is interesting. I set 5GHz to 25%, phone connected to 2.4GHz when I'm near Satellite, then I walked slowly towards Router which is about 10 feet away. During the short walk, the phone's wifi band changed from 2.4GHz to 5GHz & vice versa seamlessly (without disconnection / reconnection which I used to experience). I walked several times between the Satellite & Router, and got the same result, which is very encouraging; and this is exactly what I expect a mesh system should function.
So, you said it's just a coverage issue, and what does this mean ? Now, what shall I do next please ?
EKRW wrote:
Thank you ekhalil.
1. The Satellite IP address is 192.168.1.17, which is within the preset DHCP range between 2 to 254.
2. The result of this small experiment is interesting. I set 5GHz to 25%, phone connected to 2.4GHz when I'm near Satellite, then I walked slowly towards Router which is about 10 feet away. During the short walk, the phone's wifi band changed from 2.4GHz to 5GHz & vice versa seamlessly (without disconnection / reconnection which I used to experience). I walked several times between the Satellite & Router, and got the same result, which is very encouraging; and this is exactly what I expect a mesh system should function.
So, you said it's just a coverage issue, and what does this mean ? Now, what shall I do next please ?
Thanks for testing. This proves that you have a dead zone between the base stations. The 2.4 GHz has longer range and that's why you have the needed overlap between the base stations' coverage areas and roaming worked as it should between the stations. This seems not the case for the 5 GHz band. What you need to do is to improve the overlap area between the base stations. You already tried to get the base stations closer to each other, but can you also please try -if possible- to change to positioning of the base stations. The fronthault antennas are located on the sides of the router and satellite. Please try to test different combinations: wall hanging, laying down the base station, ... etc and see which way you will get better results.
Thank you ekhalil.
So can I presume the coverage would be optimum if the 5GHz can be overlapped between the Router and the Satellite ?
I'll test out different locations during the holiday to see which one can get the best result.
BTW, do you think an additional satellite would be needed if the above test is not satisfactory ?
EKRW wrote:
......
So can I presume the coverage would be optimum if the 5GHz can be overlapped between the Router and the Satellite ?
.......
Yes, I think that you will have a working roaming if you have an overlap in the 5GHz band.
EKRW wrote:
......BTW, do you think an additional satellite would be needed if the above test is not satisfactory ?
Yes, if you have the possibility to add another satellite between the existing router and Satellite you will solve this overlap issue. You probably just need to add a plug satellite (RBW30) on the way between the existing base station.
Thank you ekhalil for asking.
After I moved the Satelitte to the first floor (within 15 feet distance to Router), the result is mixed. When I walk from the Router to the Satellite (and vice versa) & stopped for a while, I still got disconnections almost 90% of the time. I believe it's not the dead zone issue as I've good connections in between the devices.
The Channels I use are Auto for 2.4GHz and 36 for 5GHz; both transmite power set to 100%; and I've my SSID hidden. Both CTS/RTS Threshold have been set to 2347 (as default ?), and the preamble mode are both Automatic. I've only enabled the Implicit BEMNFORMING for the rest of settings. Not sure if these configurations resulted the negative experience in using the Orbi.
Much appreciated your advices.
EKRW wrote:
.............The Channels I use are Auto for 2.4GHz and 36 for 5GHz; both transmite power set to 100%; and I've my SSID hidden. Both CTS/RTS Threshold have been set to 2347 (as default ?), and the preamble mode are both Automatic. I've only enabled the Implicit BEMNFORMING for the rest of settings. Not sure if these configurations resulted the negative experience in using the Orbi.
.....
- Please try to fix the 2.4GHz to channel 1, 6 or 11. It's good if you can make a wifi scan and select the 2.4 and 5 GHz channels that are not or least used.
- Please test to disable beamforming, I read that it can have negative effect on roaming
- If fast roaming is enabled, please make sure to disable it as it requires device support.
Thank you ekhalil.
I've done a wifi scan, there are other people using channel 1, 6 or 11, but not others. Can I use channel 3 or 8 or any others ? Why everyone nearby are using channels 1, 6 or 11 ?
- In the 2.4 GHz band, channels 1, 6, and 11 are the only non-overlapping channels.
In general the 2.4 GHz channels are not loaded (even though that they are being used by others as long as they don’t carry much data) so it’s better to use one of those channels rather than the other overlapping channels that have guaranteed interference. So please choose the channel from those that is least used and with the minimum received power level according to your wifi scan.