How to force a device to be connected to router and not satellite?

Question

The main Orbi router is in my office and my media room is next to it on the second floor. I have a Chromecast that always connects to the satellite on the first floor. This results in buffering if I cast something from a device that is wirelessly connected to the main router. Any thoughts?

peteytesting · Answer

this would suggest the signal from the sat is better than the router and the system is doing the right thing , you cant really tell the client which it should connect to

GaryInEdmond · Answer

The problem with this is, if the satellite signal is only slightly better than the main router, it will connect to the satellite.&nbsp; Unless you are gaming, this is probaly not a big deal.&nbsp; If you are gaming, and your ping doubles because you are connected to the satellite instead of the main router, your gaming performance actually drops.&nbsp; The amplifi HD does this be connecting automatically to the main router unless the signal drops below a certain threshold.&nbsp; It will then connect to the satellite.&nbsp; I hope and pray that netgear adopts a similar approach to their router software.

rhester72 · Answer

GaryInEdmond wrote:The problem with this is, if the satellite signal is only slightly better than the main router, it will connect to the satellite.&nbsp; Unless you are gaming, this is probaly not a big deal.&nbsp; If you are gaming, and your ping doubles because you are connected to the satellite instead of the main router, your gaming performance actually drops.&nbsp; The amplifi HD does this be connecting automatically to the main router unless the signal drops below a certain threshold.&nbsp; It will then connect to the satellite.&nbsp; I hope and pray that netgear adopts a similar approach to their router software.Don't assume your ping will double on the satellite. &nbsp;My PS4 is hardwired into my satellite and I get 3ms RTT.&nbsp;Rodney

GaryInEdmond · Answer

In my testing, the ping goes from an average of 10 ms when connected to the main router to 22 ms when connected to the satellite.&nbsp; That's not a huge difference but it's enough that I want to be able to steer my connection to the main router when I know the connection is still very good, though not as strong as the satellite.&nbsp; I would imagine tapping into the satellites ethernet port would reduce the ping considerably but I personally do not have that option.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

rhester72 · Answer

LOTS of variables here. &nbsp;When measuring ping, ensure that:&nbsp;- The client issuing the ping/echo request is hardwired into the network - i.e. either the Orbi router or (if in AP mode) the upstream router/switch- Don't trust an "Internet ping" - you can't control a thing beyond your local network. &nbsp;Measure pings _inside_ the network, and not from a gaming device or the like - use a Windows/Mac/Linux/whatever machine connected as indicated above and use it to manually ping the endpoint device on the other side of the satellite- In my experience, some devices (nVidia Shield TV, I'm looking at you) perform _horribly_ in terms of latency on a wireless connection and effectively must be hardwired for any sort of gaming experience&nbsp;The actual latency, as measured between the router and the gateway (which is the added latency to any satellite connection), averages ~3ms on my network, as indicated. &nbsp;It's higher than zero, and there is a bit of unavoidable jitter, so it's not perfect, but well within any tolerances for online gaming.&nbsp;Rodney&nbsp;Rodney

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How to force a device to be connected to router and not satellite?

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