NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Orbi Satellite issues...or is it me?
I am having an issue since I purchased it actually and I am finally reaching out for help. I am technical but this issue is stumping me. I have a 3 level home where my Orbi Router is on floor 1...
OrbiOwner34 wrote:The other issue I noted it all my devices cling to my router. I am on the 3rd floor with my TV that has great signal to the satellite and poor signal to the router and it reflects connected to the router. The satellite is connected fine but every device in the house defaults to the router and does not connect to the satellite.
This is a common complaint about mesh WiFi systems. Can you be more specific about which devices are affected?
Are they all devices that do not move?
What happens if a smartphone or tablet is connected to the router and then taken upstairs and close to the satellite?
There is a theory that many devices have WiFi software that stops scanning for WiFi access points once it has successfully connected to one, whereas "things that move" have software that constantly assesses the environment. (I believe there are actual 802.1 standards about roaming that dictate how devices and access points communicate and decide when to switch.)
It might worth a few minutes to go into the network setup for that TV, "forget" the Orbi WiFi, then connect again and see which Orbi it connected to.
The other part of that theory is that the router WiFi signal comes up first and devices may connect to the router before they are aware of the satellite WiFi. This should happen only when the system is restarted. I keep all my network electronics on small a UPS so that miinor power outages do not cause a restart.
The last poiint is, "Does it really matter?" i.e. although we humans "know best" where a device should connect and are offended when it doesn't, does the TV actually work correctly?