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Forum Discussion
Orb Mesh 50 Questions (newbie)
I am switching from the Nighthawk and looking at my options for a Mesh Network. I have a one-floor 4,000 sq foot home which is hard to cover. I currently have a repeater plus lots of deadspots not ...
leahkushner wrote:I am switching from the Nighthawk and looking at my options for a Mesh Network. I have a one-floor 4,000 sq foot home which is hard to cover. I currently have a repeater plus lots of deadspots not to mention a teenager streaming videos. (I would love to divert some that). I also have 10 TB NAS, printer on the network, one desktop hardwired via ethernet plus lots of wireless devices. I also would like to reach the backyard. Our home printer is a Netgear. I have heard that people are having a problem with the printer wired into the network. Questions: Given the size of my home, do you recommend more than the router and satellite? Is there a 3-pack available? Are there devices that can be used outside? What is your experience interfacing the printer with Orb? Thanks and sorry for all the questions. Leah
Our home printer is a Netgear. Is this a typo? I am not aware of Netgear selling printers. Whereas Nighthawk supports printers connected to the USB port for sharing, Orbi does not have this feature (and never will). The only ways to "network" a printer are by (a) connecting it to a router or satellite with ethernet, (b) connecting with WiFi, or (c) attaching it to the desktop printer and sharing it. I have one printer with ethernet and one printer hung off a PC. Both work fine.
As you have already discovered, WiFi coverage is affected by the physical location of devices. For example, if this house is 40ft. wide and 100ft. long and the ISP modem is on one wall, it would be a miracle to get fabulous coverage at the far end. An Orbi radiates an almost circular radio pattern, with the 2.4G signal penetrating farther than the 5G signal. Things like brick walls, stone fireplace chimmneys, low emission glass, all degrade WiFi signals.
The satellite has to be placed far enough from the router that it "covers different areas" Assuming that the 5G signal will be pretty decent for 40-50 ft. you can push the satellite as far away as it will go and still get a "Blue Light" (indicating strong signal). Depending on the shape of the house and where the modem is, you may be able to get away with one router and two satellites. The pricing for "add on" satellites is not attractive, so I would look at a package of 1+2.
Because of the circular pattern, a WiFi access point placed against a wall will cover quite a bit of "outside". (That's how I cover my front and back patios.) There is an (expensive) "outdoor rated" satellite that will extend outdoor coverage 60-70 ft. (RBS50Y).
This is an awkward time to be looking at new WiFi systems, since every vendor is releasing WiFi 6 compliant products (even Netgear). And, Netgear has two "mesh" products: the Orbi and a Nighthawk, in both WiFi5 and WiFi6 variants.
Sorry if this isn't much help.
I would hold off buying a wifi 6 router now that wifi 6E has been approved. A wifi 6 router will not have the new 6 ghz band.
Jetdrive wrote:I would hold off buying a wifi 6 router now that wifi 6E has been approved. A wifi 6 router will not have the new 6 ghz band.
This is indeed the constant quandry with regard to electronics. At some point, a person simply "has to make a decision." WiFi 6 is "here now" and devices that use it are already for sale. WiFi 6E will be a reality (when???) and devices that take advantage of it will be on the market (when???). I'd say a year from now is optimistic. (Sort of like that Virus Vaccine.)
Meanwhile, all the "things we already own" are pretty happy with the (affordable) WiFi 5 systems. I am certainly glad that I am not in the market for a new WiFi system right now.