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Forum Discussion

tln741's avatar
tln741
Star
Nov 12, 2017

Orbi - why can't we change channels on satellites?

Wireless design best practice when installing multiple access points in an area is to have non-overlapping channels. So if you have 3 APs (RBR50, 2-RBS50) in an area, for 2.4 GHz, one AP would be cha...
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Installation
NickC4555's avatar
NickC4555
Star
Nov 12, 2017

With traditional domestic wireless extenders, each access point is a separate wifi network, so non-overlapping channels are a benefit. Orbi is a mesh topology, where each node (satellite) passes the signal from one to the next, extending the coverage of a single wifi network. Client devices don't have to switch from one network to another as they do with extender based networks.

  • tln741's avatar
    tln741
    Star
    Nov 12, 2017

    That assumes optimum placement of APs operating on the same channel to avoid co-channel interference and excessive collisions. That is often not possible in real world installations. And that should not be the assumption by Netgear (just move the Orbi to an optimum location, not where you actually want it). Using the same channel does have the advantage of avoiding latency cost of channel switching when walking through the house, but most devices are stationary while in use.

     

    In addition, in higher density housing developments and apartments, co-channel interference from a foreign WLAN near one Orbi could be different from the co-channel interference near a second Orbi.

     

    So it would seem the best solution would be to allow the manual assignment of channels on the satellite.

    • t_k's avatar
      t_k
      Luminary
      Dec 23, 2017
       
       
       
       
       
      NickC4555 - your answer doesn't make sense at all. 
      tln741
       is being more than generious in his or her response.
       
       
       
       
      Regardless of how the wifi access points "work together", they all compete for the same channel to communicate on and so do the clients. The selected answer to this SO question explains it very well, so future viewers should ignore NickC4555's confused answer and read about it here. Basically tln741 is exactly right, we need the ability to change channels on satellites. The Orbi network performance is severly limited with many clients simply due to this problem.
       
      • molec's avatar
        molec
        Guide
        Jun 18, 2018

        jesus, wtf. Really?

        If I had know I couldn't put the sats on different channels I wouldn't have bought this product. It makes absolutely ZERO sense to me and that's why I didn't even look for this "feature" when making my buying decision. The possibility of the whole network operating on the same channel didn't even occur to me (until I saw it), I assumed it would automatically configure itself to use the most reasonable channels on each sat to provide best connectivity.

        What on earth?

        I'm in a totally non-congested area, basically all channels are unused and my 3 orbis cram themselves onto ONE SINGEL channel?

        I can't even start to understand.

         

        And what's the supposed upside? Better roaming for old devices? Well, forcing their customers into making such a tradeoff is not what I would expect from a company that values their customers. Maybe in some circumstances it really *is* better to use a single channel, but that should be a CHOICE the customer makes, not the product... at least not in this price category.

         

        I'm hoping netgear will fix this. It's only software after all...