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Forum Discussion
Orbi: We really need separate SSID for 2.4 Ghz and 5Ghz or speed is limited to less than 200 Mbps
TLDR: With Orbi, my 5Ghz capable devices are "forced" to connect to 2.4 Ghz most of the time, slowing down speed. Tested against 3 different routers and my 5Ghz capable can connect to 5Ghz network al...
Macbooks will keep whatever WiFi connection they have, and will NOT switch, until the RSSI goes below -75 dB. So, if you ever connected to a 2.4 GHz channel, your Macbook will stick on 2.4 GHz regardless of how close you move to the router/satellite, unless the 2.4 signal drops below -75. Turn WiFi off then on again, and you should connect to the strongest 5 Ghz source.
You haven't said how you are testing the speed, or between what two points. A throughput of 104 Mbps is exactly what I get between two wirless Macbooks on 5 GHz, using Orbi or using Ubiquiti APs. Your speed doesn't seem unusual.
I get ~200 Mbps max between a Macbook and a wired computer on 5 GHz Throughput between wireless devices is about half that.
st_shaw wrote:Macbooks will keep whatever WiFi connection they have, and will NOT switch, until the RSSI goes below -75 dB. So, if you ever connected to a 2.4 GHz channel, your Macbook will stick on 2.4 GHz regardless of how close you move to the router/satellite, unless the 2.4 signal drops below -75. Turn WiFi off then on again, and you should connect to the strongest 5 Ghz source.
Yes, I am aware about automatic switching at the OS level (OSX, Windows, etc.).
However, I want to be able to have certain 5Ghz devices (MacBook, iPhones, camera, etc.) to always connect to 5Ghz because **I** know I will have good 5Ghz signal at the placement of my devices. As mentioned above, I have Time Capsule and I have this for years with separate SSID for 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz and I know I have great speed when my devices connect to the 5Ghz SSID when I placed my device.
I just did a backup of 3 GB files using Orbi (same SSID for 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz) and comparing the log files from prior backup when connected to Time Capsule wifi (separate SSID for 2.4 Ghz and 5Ghz), I see this:
- Time Capsule: 3.21 GB in 10:45 minutes (5 Ghz)
- Orbi: 3.07 GB in 36:23 minutes (2.4 Ghz)
The Orbi one is when my speed is at 104 Mbps (see screenshot attached).
I just did a turn-on-turn-off of my MacBook wireless 5 TIMES before it connect to Orbi 5Ghz and once connected, I got much faster speed (see 2nd screenshot attached). As you can see, the 5Ghz is almost 3 TIMES faster than 2.4Ghz.
As you can see with the above screenshot, both Orbi 2.4 Ghz and 5Ghz have similar RSSI (-41 and -49). Theorotically, I SHOULD still connect to the 5Ghz, wouldn't it? Unfortunately, it did not.
Remember, with separate SSID with my Time Capsule and forcing my 5Ghz device to connect to 5Ghz SSID, I can maintain consistent connection and speed on 5Ghz for years. I also tested with newly bought Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 and ASUS RTC3200 and separate SSID and I get the same result.
This is why I want to have separate SSID so I can force my device to connect to 5Ghz and not rely on OS auto-switching. I also notice that relying on OS switching often result in the device stuck with the lower speed. E.g. if I come back home, my iPhone will beon 2.4 Ghz because it has the longer distance than 5Ghz, but then I'll get stuck with 2.4 Ghz inside the house until I turn off and turn on my iPhone.
I don't know if this is a technical limitation with the Orbi hardware, but will be great if we can have separate SSID as an option.
My two Macbooks, two iPhones, and iPad all work like you want with Orbi, preferring 5 GHz. So, maybe the problem has something to do with your installation. You compared your Orbi to Time Capsule and to Nighthawk. These each have one access point. Orbi is quite different. With Orbi you have multiple access points operating.
Maybe you have interference on the 5 GHz band. You said you have an apartment and an Orbi 3-pack. I don't know how big your apartment is, or if it's multiple floors, but maybe the router and two satellietes are too close together and interfering with each other.
Standard practice when running multiple acces points is to put them on non-overlapping channels, and to use lower power to avoid overlapping. Unfortunately, Orbi doesn't let you use different channels for the router and satellites.
Try running just the Orib router (with not satellites powered) to see if your devices prefer 5 GHz. This would be comparable to your Time Capsule or Nighthawk setup. If that works, try with one satellite, and see if it stil works.
I am not a hardware engineer, so I don't know much about radio interference, but the goal of getting an Orbi for me is to AVOID the interference in the hope that my whole apartment can be blanketed with 5Ghz signal so I get the best speed.
I mentioned that I am only 5-10 feet away when the device automatically connected to 2.4 Ghz. Even with interference (if there is any), shouldn't I connect to 5 Ghz?
My apartment is ~1200 sq feet and I put the Orbi Router in the middle of the apartment. The satellites are each at the opposite edges of the apartment. I think this should be sufficient to create a distance between the router and the satellites. Unless Orbi REQUIRES that the distance of the satellites from the router / 2nd satellite to be a minimum of xxx feet?
If the Orbi router/satellites require to be at least, say 100 feet away from each other, then OK, maybe the Orbi is not for my situation then. I'd have to choose another mesh solution that support separate SSID like Amplifi
I am going to reboot the Orbi router and satellites and connect each device one-by-one, but this is long test and I will do it tomorrow. However, I still would recommend that the Orbi have the ability to create separate SSID, barring any technical limitation on the Orbi itself.
One Orbi and two satellites in a 1,200 SF space is crowded. It's probable your issue is interference with three radios all on the same channels in that size area.
To be clear, I'm not suggesting you reboot the router and satellites then connect each device one-by-one. That won't help diagnose your issue. I'm saying you should try running just the router, with the two satellites OFF and see if your devices prefer 5 GHz as you desire. Then power on one satellite and see if things still work. Then power on the second satellite and see if things work.
If things work properly with only the router powered on, but degrade with one or two satellites, then you have interference from the router and satellites being too close together.
If your problem is interference, you might be able to get teverything working by reducing the power of the 2.4 and 5 GHz radios in the Orbi under Advanced Setup, Wireless Settings, Transmit Power Control. You mght need to reduce the 2.4 GHz more than the 5 GHz because 2.4 travels farther.
You can also turn off the 2.4 G Hz radios in the same menu, but then you cannot use any device that's not 5 G Hz capable.