Orbi RBK50 Setup with existing Netgear WiFi router

---

TJMagee222 wrote:

You bring up a great point for Step 2.  I believe it will be within the 30 ft.  However, I also have an option upstairs in the main living room where I can connect a LAN cable to the RBS down to a LAN connection in the RBR (at the main junction).  I'm hoping this won't be necessary, but is an option I should be able to leverage, if needed?

---

The "30 feet to start with" is a useful rule of thumb.  There are several factors at work:

• If the router and satellite are close together, the "backhaul link" between them will be very strong. (This is good.)
  But, the total area covered will be small (this is bad), and
  two access points broadcasting on the same channels will "overlap" and interfere with each other.
• If the router and satellite are too far apart, the backhaul link will be weak. (This is bad.)
  But, the total area covered will be much larger.  (This is good.)
• There is usually little point in having great coverage outside of the living space (building plus patio, etc.)
  So, putting a router or satellite up against a wall means that up to half of the radio strength is "going outside to the neighbors" (i.e. wasted).

What Netgear recommends is moving the satellite farther and farther away, but not so far that the "ring light" on top of the satellite turns orange instead of blue.  Roughly 30 feet is typically a good place to start.

Having an ethernet cable to link the router and satellite frees you from caring about the WiFi backhaul link.  (This is very good.)  You no longer have to care about the WiFi backhaul penetrating walls, chimneys, furniture, etc.  The satellite can go where it "makes sense" as far as radio coverage.  "Hope this won't be necessary."  Most of us envy you the opportunity to use a wired backhaul.