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Forum Discussion
RBR50 satellites (RBS50) drop WiFi connections frequently, randomly
I have an Orbi RBR50 and two RBS50 satellites, and I cannot seem to get reliable connections (with a phone or laptop) when close to either satellite. The Orbi devices are a couple of years old, c...
I'm not an "expert" but I'll attempt to answer your questions.
1) "What is the ideal distance that a satellite should be from the router?" The optimum distance for satellite placement is very dependant on your house's configuration and building materials–as well as your furniture placement and appliance locations. Normally, the recommended minimum distance is 30 feet.
2) "What settings should I change to provide a reliable connection from the satellites?" This also depends on what your current settings are. Please list your current settings, e.g., channels, beamforming on/off, etc.. My opinion is either the guest network is causing your problem or your satellites and router are too close together. Be absolutly certain the satellites and router are running the exact same firmware version!
3) "Is there an inherent issue in this router/satellite configuration that can't be resolved?" The simple answer is, "No". However, every situation is different. One more question is do you have "Daisy Chain" on or off? It may take several hours of methodically changing locations, settings, and /or devices to resolve but 99% of issues can be resolved.
4) "Are there any troubleshooting steps that I can take to track down what's causing the disconnects through the satellites?" Yes. First list all your settings and members of this forum will chime in with suggestions. I'd check for neighboring WiFi signals and deconflict channels first. Next I'd make my phones "forget" the network and reconfirure the phones for only the main netowrk. Thirdly, I'd turn off the guest network unless needed. Allow the ORBI 10-20 minutes between changes to "settle" before doing any testing. Good Luck!
First of all, thank you very much for your detailed response.
A few answers to your questions.
(1) I currently have the downstairs satellite placed in the furthest corner of the downstairs, and it's close to 30 feet from the router; I can't move it any further away. I moved it here recently, and it seems to be less reliable here than when I had it closer to the router (at about 20 feet). Do you think it would help if I changed the "Transmit Power Control" to a lower value?
(2) The router and both satellites are all running the same firmware version (V2.5.2.4), and this seems to be the latest available version. I can't really get the satellites any further away inside the house from the router. If possible, I would like to keep the guest network enabled (I have devices like Echo, Ring, etc. connected to the guest network to limit their ability to connect to devices on the primary network).
My current settings are listed here.
In Advanced-Advanced Setup-Wireless Settings
2.4GHz:
Checked: Enable SSID Broadcast
Checked: Enable 20/40 MHz Coexistence
Checked: Enable WMM (Wi-Fi multimedia) settings
CTS/RTS Threshold: 2347
Preamble Mode: Automatic
Transmit Power Control: 50%5GHz:
UNchecked: Enable SSID Broadcast
Checked: Enable WMM (Wi-Fi multimedia) settings
CTS/RTS Threshold: 2347
Preamble Mode: Automatic
Transmit Power Control: 50%UNchecked: Enable Daisy-Chain Topology
Checked: Enable Implicit BEAMFORMING
Checked: Enable MU-MIMO
UNchecked: Enable Fast RoamingOther settings:
Wireless Network:
2.4GHz Channel: Auto
5GHz Channel: 48
Security Options: WPA2-PSK [AES]Set to "Router Mode"
Checked: Use Router as DHCP Server(3) The Daisy chain setting is off, and I don't think I have ever had it enabled. I have tried various combinations of settings in the past, but as I mentioned I haven't been strictly scientific in my approach to changing and testing the settings.
(4) My current settings are listed above. Are there any other settings that you want to know about? There is only one neighbor close enough that I can see the WiFi signal from that house (for example if I scan for available networks on my phone or laptop), and it's a low strength signal (1 or 2 bars out of 5). There is a street full of houses nearby, but they are all more than 1000 feet away. I can try removing the guest network from my phone and see whether that helps. However, on my laptop, I only have the primary network setup and that also loses connection to the satellite at times if I am sitting close to the satellite.
Again, thanks for your responses and for any help or suggestions you can offer.