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andres369's avatar
andres369
Aspirant
Jun 05, 2019

Which Orbi should I buy?

Hi, I am new to mesh networking, I nothice a couple of quiet spots in my house and someone recommended Orbi. I have been looking at the Orbi systems and they look great! Tons of great reviews.

 

I have NBN but currently restricted to mas speed of 30Mbps due to my line maximum rate.

I have been llooking at the different Orbi otions but I am confused which one should I get (my download speed is so slow that Ithink I won't need a very fast system, not sure).

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

2 Replies

  • CrimpOn's avatar
    CrimpOn
    Guru - Experienced User
    Jun 05, 2019

    The key factors are:

     

    • Size and shape of house
    • Location of internet modem
    • Wiring (existing ethernet cables)

    Satellites need to be far enough away from the router to avoid interference, but close enough to get a strong signal for the WiFi backhaul.  30-40ft apart is a good distance to start with, depending on the construction of the house.  Solid concrete walls affect signal levels more than large open rooms, for example.  Obviously, a satellite is not going to be placed in the middle of a room away from electrical outlets.

     

    I would start with a scale drawing of the house.  Put the router where the modem is and draw a 30ft circle.  Locate the first satellite as close to the edge of the circle as practical and draw a 30ft circle around it.  Is the entire house covered?  Either locate a second satellite somewhere else on the first circle that is about 30ft away from the first satellite and draw a 30ft circle around it, also.  Is the entire house covered now?

     

    You are correct that the capacity of even the least costly Orbi is greater than 30MB.

    • andres369's avatar
      andres369
      Aspirant
      Jun 06, 2019

      Hi, many thanks for the reply.

       

      I have my house drawing now but I have one question. Do I draw the circle 30ft in total or 30ft radius? If I draw a 30ft circle, the house will need several satellites, if it's 30ft radius (60 ft side to side and 30ft distant from the center or the router), I'll need 2 satellites to cover the house.

       

      Just to give you an idea, the house is L shaped, timber walls and about 45x60ft maximum diameter.

       

      Given my maximum line rate of only 30Mbps, would the least costly Orbi would be enough or do you think the latest models have more features worth spending extra dollars?

       

      Thanks again.