NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Orbi RBR50 range problem
Two days ago I replaced my AmplifyHD mesh router with Orbi. Orbi RBR50 to be exact.
I have a 4 story home (including the finished basement). Old. Plaster walls. I was not happy with AmplifyHD due to slow speeds and clients 'hanging'. I bought a new Orbi with the single sateliite and added one additional satelite making it 1 router and 2 satelittes.
I'm regetting my expensive purchase right now.
After tweaking various settings and relocating my satelites to different places to no avail the Orbi while providing nice fast speeds has no where near the range my AmplifyHD did. There are dead spots my prior mesh system reached that Orbi does not. I have wifi cams all around and many are now just out of range not finding the SSID.
How can this be given the price but also that Orbi is a tri-band? What am I missing? How can the range (distance) be so bad?
Thanks in advance for saving my Orbi -- I'm about to return it.
Will
32 Replies
What Firmware is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?
What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-routerWhat channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings
Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).Above suggestions working:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Throttling-Devices-RBK53/m-p/1858561/highlight/true#M81925Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update?
It's brand new, firmware version is v2.5.1.8. My Modem is an Arris modem (not sure the model off hand).
My home is a dutch colonial. Each floor is about the same dimension (again with old plaster walls mostly). Each floor is about 1000sq feet -- so total around 4000sq feet.
I have tried different location for the 2 sats. First floor (above finished basement floor) has the router. Directly above floor the first sat which would be about 25 feet away and then again Third floor for the second sat would be maybe 40 feet above the router. I now have the router and 1 sat on the first floor (distance maybe 20 feet) and then the second sat on third floor. In all cases, the app reports 'green' during my relocation attempts for each sat and the router.
I had the channel on auto -- I tried 6 and 9 and 1. No change. Have not tried 11 yet.
I def live in a congested area. The houses are maybe 10-20 feet apart. I tried 'beaming'. No change. I disable daisy chain. No change.
I'll try the 40MHz only option (have not tried this).
I don't know why after just buying this two days ago a factory reset makes sense? But I'm willing to try anything before tossing it. I will also try the suggestions you have below that I have not already tried.
Please find model # information for ISP modem.
Anything 25' or closer to too close. 30' is mimumum.
Keep the the following channels and these are primary. 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz
If you have other wifi neighbors near by, you might try lowering the power output on the radios from 100% to 75 or 50%. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings. This will change the over all wifi foot print of Orbi so there a bit less interference from neighbors.
Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update?
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Throttling-Devices-RBK53/m-p/1858561/highlight/true#M81925
Will726 wrote:After tweaking various settings and relocating my satelites to different places to no avail the Orbi while providing nice fast speeds has no where near the range my AmplifyHD did. There are dead spots my prior mesh system reached that Orbi does not. I have wifi cams all around and many are now just out of range not finding the SSID. How many access points were in the AmplifyHD system? Where were they located relative to the new Orbi units? Were (and are) the "dead spots" at both 2.4G and 5G?
How can this be given the price but also that Orbi is a tri-band? What am I missing? How can the range (distance) be so bad?
"Tri-Band" refers to having "three WiFi channels" (1) 2.4G channel for user devices, (1) 5G channel for user devices, and (1) 5G "backhaul" channel for the satellites to communicate with the router. (1+1+1=3). Each channel has a separate radio and two antennas (six total). The point of this design is to separate traffic to allow more total throughput. The AmplifyHD has two radios and two antennas.
Thanks in advance for saving my Orbi -- I'm about to return it.
For my Amplify I had one router and 3 mesh points. For my Orbi I have one router and two satelites. I have tested putting the two satelites where the meshes were (minus one). My expectation here was that Orbi would be better. The satelites are more than double the cost of the Amplify mesh points.
