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Forum Discussion
Orbi RBK50: Do the router and satellites have the same hardware?
I've opened up my Orbi RBR50 router and two Orbi RBS50 satellites, and I can't tell a single difference between them in terms of their hardware.
I've searched this question on a number of forums and the same answer I keep seeing is that "No, they're different: satellites have all LAN ports while the router replaces one of them with a WAN port". I've also looked at the data sheets for both and, again, the sole difference between the two is that the router has 1 WAN port and 3 LAN ports, and the satellites have 4 LAN ports. All other specs and components listed are exactly the same.
But my understanding of WAN and LAN in the context of ethernet has always been that the difference is 100% purely a software-assigned functionality and not something that would require physically different types of ethernet ports. My subsequent attempts at researching the differences between the two only seem to further support my pre-existing understanding.
So is there actually a physical difference between the two devices or is the difference solely in their firmware?
1 Reply
This is a long-standing discussion. Yes, the RBR50 and RBS50 have identical hardware. There is a hack on the internet which turns a 'router' into a 'satellite'. eBay often advertises RBS50 satellites that are described as having been 'converted' from routers into satellites.
In the past 6-7 years, no one has posted a similar hack for any other model. If you have a spare RBR50 and want to convert it into an RBS50, that hack may work for you. There is little "down side"
- A used RBR50 no longer has any warranty.
- It's not doing you any good right now, so "what the heck".
Since the original model, Netgear does appear to have constructed the router and satellites to be physically different.
Good Luck!
