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Jsonadam's avatar
Jsonadam
Tutor
Jul 24, 2020

Wired vs wireless backhaul with a 100mbps Ethernet

I have a 3 unit system RBR50 (router and two satellites). I also added an extra satellite (RBS20) fpr a totla of 4 units - 3 peiec RBR50 and extra satlellite.  The router (obviously) is hard wired. One of the two RBR50 sattelites is wired and the other is wireless to the router. The 4th satellite (RBS20) is also wired. Each of the wired units is on gigabit ethernet. I have the opportunity to wire the last RBR50 satellite that is currently connecting to the router wirelessly thorugh ethernet but the connection is only 100 mbps. It is old cable wired in the walls when the house was built 20 years ago so no way to change it. Would I be better keeping it as wireless backhaul or connecting to the 100 mbps ethernet? 

Thanks for any help. 

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  • CrimpOn's avatar
    CrimpOn
    Guru
    Jul 25, 2020
    Jsonadam wrote:

    Would I be better keeping it as wireless backhaul or connecting to the 100 mbps ethernet?

    Short of running extensive comparison throughput tests, there is no way to predict.  You can get a rough idea of the current situation by connecting to the Orbi router with telnet and typing this command:

    satelliteinfo  wifi

    Here's what my Orbi reports:

    root@RBR50:/# satelliteinfo wifi
    {
    "mac address" : "A0:04:60:xx:xx:xx",
    "hop" : "1",
    "bridge mac" : "A0:04:60:xx:xx:xx",
    "backhaul conntype" : "5GHz",
    "backhaul rssi" : "-71",
    "backhaul macaddress" : "A0:04:60:xx:xx:xx",
    "backhaul phytxrate" : "975",
    "backhaul phyrxrate" : "780",
    "backhaul parentmac" : "A0:04:60:xx:xx:xx"
    }

    I have only one satellite.  You have three.  If the satellite with WiFi backhaul reports a speed considerably higher than 100, that may be a reason to stick with the WiFi backhaul.  WiFi loses a considerable part of the bandwidth to overhead, whereas ethernet does not.

     

    • Jsonadam's avatar
      Jsonadam
      Tutor
      Jul 25, 2020

      Thanks - sounds good - I have no idea how to do that so for now since it seems to be working with no kids complaining, I will leave it as is unless any other comments sway me to go with wired. 

      • CrimpOn's avatar
        CrimpOn
        Guru
        Jul 25, 2020
        Jsonadam wrote:

        Thanks - sounds good - I have no idea how to do that so for now since it seems to be working with no kids complaining, I will leave it as is unless any other comments sway me to go with wired. 

        Thanks for reminding me of our forum mantra: "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it."  Happy Family is a good indication to leave things as they are.