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NETGEAR EX8000 added as a third satellite to an ORBI mesh WiFi?
Can an EX8000 AC3000 Nighthawk mesh extender be added as a third satellite to a ORBI AX4200 (RBR750) mesh WiFi? Bought the EX8000 a year ago and now I got the ORBI. The ORBI with 2 satellites is good for the whole house but I would like to extend to the backyard using the EX8000. Is it possible? How can I set it up?
13 Replies
MAldana wrote:Can an EX8000 AC3000 Nighthawk mesh extender be added as a third satellite to a ORBI AX4200 (RBR750) mesh WiFi? Bought the EX8000 a year ago and now I got the ORBI. The ORBI with 2 satellites is good for the whole house but I would like to extend to the backyard using the EX8000. Is it possible? How can I set it up?
There are some loooong posts regarding using an EX8000 with Orbi. (Hint: search box in upper left of this page)
The specific question asked, "be added as a third satellite" is definitely NO. No way. No chance. Only Orbi satellites can function as part of an Orbi mesh network.
The posts indicate that an EX8000 fails to connect to the Orbi as a normal "extender". Several people have commented on long back-and-forth with Netgear support trying to make it work - and failing. This is a mystery to me, because the Product Data Sheet says very clearly "using your existing WiFi." https://www.netgear.com/images/datasheet/networking/WiFiRangeExtenders/EX8000_DS.pdf The installation Guide also never specifies a limitation on "existing router": https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/EX8000/EX8000_QSG_EN.pdf
This is very clearly part of the Nighthawk product line, not the Orbi mesh. Hence the label "Nighthawk."
I have connected other "extenders" to my Orbi, but do not have $200 to invest in an EX8000 experiment, so I have to go by the comments: "it don't work."
I tried booting up mine and it connected to my orbi network and as far as I could tell worked as a mesh, it was not seperated from the rest of the network. I just don't know to what extent it was a mesh because it did not show up as a satellite. Interestingly enough the EX8000 is identical to the Orbi RBR50 as far as specs go. So I wonder if it is possible to put the orbi firmware on to it somehow. I tried uploading the orbi firmware and it rejects it, so it would potentially take some modification of the firmware to do so it seems. But I wonder if anyone has done this?
What version of FW do you have loaded on the EX8000?
I would presume it's not working a MESH, rather as a extender.
What does the status show on the EX8000 web page when it's connected to the RBR?
The EX won't appear as a satellite. I know my EX7500/7700 didn't.
Isnt wrote:I tried booting up mine and it connected to my orbi network and as far as I could tell worked as a mesh, it was not seperated from the rest of the network. I just don't know to what extent it was a mesh because it did not show up as a satellite. Interestingly enough the EX8000 is identical to the Orbi RBR50 as far as specs go. So I wonder if it is possible to put the orbi firmware on to it somehow. I tried uploading the orbi firmware and it rejects it, so it would potentially take some modification of the firmware to do so it seems. But I wonder if anyone has done this?
Yeah, it is working as an extender most likely. The funny thing is I noticed devices connecting to it seemlessly and being on the internet. Here is a screenshot of the status:
Ok, I found the solution, there is another firmware verison 1.0.1.206 that netgear offers but doesn't advertise on the product support page and this fixes connection issues with the Orbi's:
https://kb.netgear.com/000061386/EX8000-Firmware-Version-1-0-1-206
