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50Litres's avatar
50Litres
Aspirant
Sep 14, 2023

RBR50 and RBS50 disable 5ghz backhaul and / or 5ghz wifi all together

RBR50 and RBS50 on firmware: V2.7.4.24
Daisy Chain > RBR50 > RBS50 > RBS50
- Third RBS50 at other end of property.

 

Signal between the RBS devices is reported as poor, and that is ok as it connects and with enough speed to work. Between the two RBS50 there is a brick wall and the second RBS50 is inside an insulated portable building with metal walls, so I expect the signal to be weak.


Recently have been getting constant drop outs can't go a few hours without dropouts between Orbi's. I have tried a number of settings and suggestion from the community without success: this and many others:

 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-Wi-Fi-5-AC-and-Orbi-with/Most-Stable-Orbi-Configuration/m-p/1941087/highlight/true#M97026

 

I think I have determined it is because the RBS50's are randomly changing the backhaul connection from 2.4Ghz to 5Ghz and when this happens the dropouts occur for 30 seconds to 3 minutes, I think while they renegotiate or something. I have been watching the attached devices list change the RBS - Its on 2.4 working ok, dropouts, then the devices are on 5, short time later, dropouts and the devices are back on 2.4.

 

I have cabled between them for now, but this is not a long term solution as the cable goes across the floor, out the windows and across the garden. The distance between the RBS50's would be around 10 meters but metal wall in between. Cabling it permanently is not the solution, I could throw these out and go another brand for the install cost.

 

I'd like to disable 5Ghz all together, or at least on the backhaul - I dont need 5Ghz and the 2.4Ghz covers the property sufficiently and is as quick as the internet speed.

 

Is it possible? thanks

3 Replies

  • CrimpOn's avatar
    CrimpOn
    Guru - Experienced User
    Sep 14, 2023
    50Litres wrote:

    Cabling it permanently is not the solution, I could throw these out and go another brand for the install cost.

    It might be a process of elimination finding a mesh system that can handle the brick wall / metal building issue.  i.e.,

    • Buy one.
    • Install it.
    • If it doesn't work any better, send it back.
    • Start over with another.

    Rather than use a physical Ethernet cable, other users have substituted something that appears to the Orbi as a cable, but is in fact something else.  Such as:

    • MoCA.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multimedia_over_Coax_Alliance )  If there happens to be an existing coax cable that connects the main building and this portable building, a pair of MoCA adapters can provide a connection.
    • Power-line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-line_communication ) is another technology that many users have used.  If the main building and the portable building are fed from the same electrical panel, then a pair of Power-line adapters can create a communication link.  Power-line adapters are available in all sorts of performance levels. A pair of TP-Link PA9020 units, for example, sells for under $100 on Amazon.
    • Wireless Bridge.  If you can drill a hole through the metal wall to mount an antenna outside, then a pair of wireless bridge units can create a network link.  (Search Amazon for "wireless bridge point to point".)  There are many models under $100.  Because these units are rated in terms of kilometers, the unit in the main building can be mounted indoors and will blast through the house with no problem.  The metal building walls may prove too much, forcing that unit to be attached to the outside of the building.  Many of these units are powered using the Ethernet cable (PoE), so the hole through the portable building wall would be less than 1/2" in diameter.