Hi My home is pre-wired with Cat6 cables and I have RJ45 ports available where I want to place my Orbi satellites. Currently I have RBK50 router with two satellites configured without ethernet backhaul (i.e they are using wifi triband mode for inter unit communication). They seem to be working fine and the coverage and speed with Orbi is just a world of difference compared to 3 individual routers I used to have. But I want to connect satellites to router over home ethernet cables. I see ton of postings here that indicate ethernet backhaul is not ready for prime time. I have latest firmware installed on these units as of today (11/20/2018).I am wondering if anyone here has better luck with ethernet backhaul and I appreciate if you point me to any gotchas before I made this change. Thanks

Ethernet backhaul works fine, but there are some things you need to know. 1. Connecting satellite to router via Ethernet takes time. As in minutes, not seconds. Your network may be unusable during those minutes. Be patient and wait for the satellite to connect and the network to stabilize. Only then connect the 2nd satellite and be patient again. 2. Power glitches can make it necessary to reboot your entire network, including the modem. The satellites have trouble with power outages and may not re-connect automatically. I have all 3 of my Orbis on UPSes because in my house a 1/2 second power glitch causes me to run around the house rebooting everything and waiting for the network to stabilize.

I have wired backhaul, it’s very stable and I’ve never had any issue with it since it started working properly. I have 250/250 Mbps internet and I get the full throughput everywhere in the house regardless if connected to Router or Satellite. Beside stability, you will have good redundancy by using wired backhaul, since the wireless backhaul will be a backup to the wired backhaul and the system will fall back to wireless backhaul if anything happens with your wired network.

RocketSquirrel wrote: Ethernet backhaul works fine, but there are some things you need to know. 1. Connecting satellite to router via Ethernet takes time. As in minutes, not seconds. Your network may be unusable during those minutes. Be patient and wait for the satellite to connect and the network to stabilize. Only then connect the 2nd satellite and be patient again. ....... I have a totally different experience than yours when it comes to connection/reconnection time between Router and Satellite. I notice that wired backhaul is way faster in connection than wireless backhaul in my setup. I have only one Satellite though.

I have a 50mbps internet connection from my provider. On wireless back haul, I noticed that if three devices are streaming e.g. two ipads on YouTube and one HD Netflix, performance is degraded if a fourth device streams from YouTube.I was puzzled because utilisation of the connection was still at 60% meaning that it wasn't ISP related.I then used a netgear 4 port gigabit Ethernet switch and connected everything by Wire (i.e. Router has two cables - ISP + to the switch) and the satellites connected by Wire to the switch. 5 devices can stream and the rest of the other devices e.g. smartphones and laptops browse internet with no discernable lag. At any given time we have around 20 devices on the Home LAN. It just works wonderfully.So in general, I recommend if it's possible to use cable back haul. With the latest firmware it it's a lot more stable. As another tip I always place the satellites as close to a smart TV as possible and connect the SmartTV by LAN cable to the satellite. It's better than waiting for the TV to connect to wifi. I had a lot of other issues with LG smartTVs connecting to mesh networks but all of that went away once you connect the TV by cable. The best thing about orbi is that you have gigabit Ethernet ports on each satellite/router so why not use them as much as possible.

It should work fine. Since your home is already wired, and your current configuration also works already, you have nothing to lose by trying. Generally, wired connections are more stable, so preferred whenever possible. If you experience a performance hit, you can always go back to the wireless.In fact, you are probably the best person on this forum to answer your own question for the rest of us! :-)

Do you recommend using ethernet backhaul connections

12 Replies

DickDuke
Apprentice
Nov 20, 2018
It should work fine. Since your home is already wired, and your current configuration also works already, you have nothing to lose by trying. Generally, wired connections are more stable, so preferred whenever possible. If you experience a performance hit, you can always go back to the wireless.

In fact, you are probably the best person on this forum to answer your own question for the rest of us!
:-)
- Droidvideo
  Aspirant
  Nov 20, 2018
  I want to give current setup couple of weeks before trying ethernet backhaul. That way I should have a baseline metric to compare against. I have 200-300mbps cable modem service. Even though I am not using ethernet backhaul, I see my speed tests everywhere in the home top at 240Mbps. I never seen that rate before. Mostly it was around 50-60mbps with previous router setup I had.
  
  I am starting to like mesh networking based routers. First I thought it was marketing gimmick. I am happy with the throughput and reliability I am seeing so far with Orbi. Fingers crossed! :)
  - ekhalil
    Master
    Nov 20, 2018
    I have wired backhaul, it’s very stable and I’ve never had any issue with it since it started working properly. I have 250/250 Mbps internet and I get the full throughput everywhere in the house regardless if connected to Router or Satellite.
    Beside stability, you will have good redundancy by using wired backhaul, since the wireless backhaul will be a backup to the wired backhaul and the system will fall back to wireless backhaul if anything happens with your wired network.
FURRYe38
Guru - Experienced User
Nov 20, 2018
Yes, you can connect them via wired back haul. Works well. Just connect them one at a time and wait for the top led on the satellite to turn on BLUE. Then connect the other one. I recommend setting a IP address reservation for each satellite as well. This will help them keep same IP addresses.

Besure that Daisy Chain is disabled on the Router if your going to use wired back haul. If you updated to recent FW v.210, try enabling Daisy Chain. Some have mentioned that this seems to be working in reverse order, enabling means disabled actually.

Droidvideo wrote:

Hi

My home is pre-wired with Cat6 cables and I have RJ45 ports available where I want to place my Orbi satellites. Currently I have RBK50 router with two satellites configured without ethernet backhaul (i.e they are using wifi triband mode for inter unit communication). They seem to be working fine and the coverage and speed with Orbi is just a world of difference compared to 3 individual routers I used to have.

But I want to connect satellites to router over home ethernet cables. I see ton of postings here that indicate ethernet backhaul is not ready for prime time. I have latest firmware installed on these units as of today (11/20/2018).
I am wondering if anyone here has better luck with ethernet backhaul and I appreciate if you point me to any gotchas before I made this change.

Thanks
- Droidvideo
  Aspirant
  Nov 20, 2018
  Thanks for all the great pointers and for confirming it is working as expected.
  
  I don't remember messing with daisy chain setting. It should be set to whatever is factory default.
  - FURRYe38
    Guru - Experienced User
    Nov 20, 2018
    Ok, if you experience any issues with wired back haul. Try this setting first to see if it helps.
    
    Enjoy.
    
    Droidvideo wrote:
    
    Thanks for all the great pointers and for confirming it is working as expected.
    
    I don't remember messing with daisy chain setting. It should be set to whatever is factory default.
RocketSquirrel
Luminary
Nov 20, 2018
Ethernet backhaul works fine, but there are some things you need to know.

1. Connecting satellite to router via Ethernet takes time. As in minutes, not seconds. Your network may be unusable during those minutes. Be patient and wait for the satellite to connect and the network to stabilize. Only then connect the 2nd satellite and be patient again.

2. Power glitches can make it necessary to reboot your entire network, including the modem. The satellites have trouble with power outages and may not re-connect automatically. I have all 3 of my Orbis on UPSes because in my house a 1/2 second power glitch causes me to run around the house rebooting everything and waiting for the network to stabilize.
- ekhalil
  Master
  Nov 20, 2018
  RocketSquirrel wrote:
  
  Ethernet backhaul works fine, but there are some things you need to know.
  
  1. Connecting satellite to router via Ethernet takes time. As in minutes, not seconds. Your network may be unusable during those minutes. Be patient and wait for the satellite to connect and the network to stabilize. Only then connect the 2nd satellite and be patient again.
  
  .......
  
  I have a totally different experience than yours when it comes to connection/reconnection time between Router and Satellite. I notice that wired backhaul is way faster in connection than wireless backhaul in my setup. I have only one Satellite though.
kdbajaj22
Tutor
Mar 26, 2019
I have a 50mbps internet connection from my provider. On wireless back haul, I noticed that if three devices are streaming e.g. two ipads on YouTube and one HD Netflix, performance is degraded if a fourth device streams from YouTube.
I was puzzled because utilisation of the connection was still at 60% meaning that it wasn't ISP related.
I then used a netgear 4 port gigabit Ethernet switch and connected everything by Wire (i.e. Router has two cables - ISP + to the switch) and the satellites connected by Wire to the switch.
5 devices can stream and the rest of the other devices e.g. smartphones and laptops browse internet with no discernable lag. At any given time we have around 20 devices on the Home LAN. It just works wonderfully.
So in general, I recommend if it's possible to use cable back haul. With the latest firmware it it's a lot more stable.
As another tip I always place the satellites as close to a smart TV as possible and connect the SmartTV by LAN cable to the satellite. It's better than waiting for the TV to connect to wifi. I had a lot of other issues with LG smartTVs connecting to mesh networks but all of that went away once you connect the TV by cable. The best thing about orbi is that you have gigabit Ethernet ports on each satellite/router so why not use them as much as possible.
- Chuck_M
  Mentor
  Mar 26, 2019
  
  kdbajaj22 wrote:
  
  As another tip I always place the satellites as close to a smart TV as possible and connect the SmartTV by LAN cable to the satellite. It's better than waiting for the TV to connect to wifi. I had a lot of other issues with LG smartTVs connecting to mesh networks but all of that went away once you connect the TV by cable. The best thing about orbi is that you have gigabit Ethernet ports on each satellite/router so why not use them as much as possible.
  
  Pro Tip: get a longer ethernet cable.
  
  BLUF: Wired is faster than wireless.
- FURRYe38
  Guru - Experienced User
  Mar 26, 2019
  What is the Mfr and model# of the ethernet switch if one is in the configuration. Besure when using switches that they are unmanaged and not green ethernet supporting.
  
  https://kb.netgear.com/000051205/What-is-Ethernet-backhaul-and-how-do-I-set-it-up-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System
  
  kdbajaj22 wrote:
  I have a 50mbps internet connection from my provider. On wireless back haul, I noticed that if three devices are streaming e.g. two ipads on YouTube and one HD Netflix, performance is degraded if a fourth device streams from YouTube.
  I was puzzled because utilisation of the connection was still at 60% meaning that it wasn't ISP related.
  I then used a netgear 4 port gigabit Ethernet switch and connected everything by Wire (i.e. Router has two cables - ISP + to the switch) and the satellites connected by Wire to the switch.
  5 devices can stream and the rest of the other devices e.g. smartphones and laptops browse internet with no discernable lag. At any given time we have around 20 devices on the Home LAN. It just works wonderfully.
  So in general, I recommend if it's possible to use cable back haul. With the latest firmware it it's a lot more stable.
  As another tip I always place the satellites as close to a smart TV as possible and connect the SmartTV by LAN cable to the satellite. It's better than waiting for the TV to connect to wifi. I had a lot of other issues with LG smartTVs connecting to mesh networks but all of that went away once you connect the TV by cable. The best thing about orbi is that you have gigabit Ethernet ports on each satellite/router so why not use them as much as possible.

Forum Discussion

Do you recommend using ethernet backhaul connections