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New Orbi Setup now no disconnects on iPad and other devices
I have just installed a new orbi setup with router and 1 x satellite. I struggled for 2 days trying to work out why some devices iPad 2 and an Android Phone were disconnecting on a very regular b...
Yeah, that is related to band steering.
When your endpoint is trying to associate to the SSID, the AP will supress the responses on 2.4GHz for a bit hoping the endpoint will give up and move to the 5GHz band, where it will answer and allow association. If it never hears the endpoint on 5GHz then it will respond on 2.4GHz. In this way endpoints that support both bands will be "steered" towards 5GHz.
The reason for this is 5GHz has a whole lot more channel space. The AP can operate a 160MHz wide channel up in the UNII-1 channel space that is more often than not free of significant noise. That way it can get multiple spatial streams at nice high symbol rates and get that nice fast speed you are doing.
But when your endpoint cannot associate to the 5GHz radio, perhaps because the signal is too weak (5HGz does not penetrate obsticals in the home as effectivly as 2.4GHz does) then you are going to end up on a 20MHz wide 802.11n channel on the 2.4GHz radio. Lower symbol rates, likely single spatial stream (because the additional paths are too weak), hence your lower speeds.
Some endpoints do not bandsteer so well, so they may end up "sticking" to 2.4GHz after you move away from the AP (out of range of the 5GHz coverage) and then remaining on it when you walk close to the AP again. You can see this is the case if you are in the same room as the AP and associated at lower speed, turn off the endpoint wireless adapter for a few seconds, turn it back on again, and you will likely reassociate to the 5GHz radio.
Some endpoints don't need to be band steered, and will always "preferr" 5GHz, always trying to use it first, and always trying to get back onto it at regular intervals. This is true for iOS devices, so you may see these suffering less from the "stickiness" that other non-iOS endpoints do.
Honestly, I could prattle on for HOURS about this stuff if you let me. You'd think doing this as my day job would satisify my appetite for it, but it does not. I love this stuff. And I love this Netgear kit. Honestly, for a consumer product, this kit is amazing!
I am having Wifi connection drop outs on my Galaxy S8+ Android phone. I have 1 Orbi router Ac3000 and 2 Ac3000 Satellites. 1 on each floor. satellite in basement. router on main floor and satellite on 2nd floor. I know this is over kill as my house is only about 1800 sq ft. But I needed the ethernet ports on each floor as I have a movie theater in basement and an extensive gaming setup on 2nd floor. Is my problem overlapping? Should I try and move my satellites farther away from my router? the new firmware removed that ability to turn down the wifi signal strength (25%,50%,75%) it has been replaced with threshold and some odd numbers. I love orbi and it was working amazing until I added my 2nd Satellite. which worked fine for 2 weeks and now I cant stay connected via my Android phone for more than 5 minutes. Please give me some suggestions. Ive tried turning beamforming off and mu-mimo and even disabling 2.4ghz band. still disconnects. is there a way to maintain the ethernet port capability of the satellites but turn off the wifi signal so I just use the router for my wifi signal and the satellites just for the ethernet connection? Thanks