Wow!!! Orbi Firmware V2.0.0.72 Released

Version 2 is working great for me, more speed than version 1. Maxing out my 300 mb connection. I'm using AP mode. Turned off mesh mode since my orbi is in the middle of my two bridge AP's

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rhester72 wrote:

Is there any actual documentation available on what "fast roaming" actually is?  (Realistically, if it was a Magical Unicorn, it wouldn't be a selectable option and would always be on, so I'd quite like to know what it actually does.)

 

Rodney

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yes, would be nice to know when to enable this.  

Also is there any way to know if router is using daisy chain topology (I have 2 satellites in a triangle sort of shape) - not sure which is better to have - checked or unchecked.  I'm going to try unchecking it. 

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cyberprashant wrote: 

Also is there any way to know if router is using daisy chain topology (I have 2 satellites in a triangle sort of shape) - not sure which is better to have - checked or unchecked.  I'm going to try unchecking it. 

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I believe you should be able to tell from the attached devices list. Each device shows which Orbi it's connected to.

In the Attached Devices section, the last column Connected Orbi should show what the upstream Orbi is.  If it is connected to another Orbi Satellite, then it's Daisy Chain.  

After seeing this I put my Orbi back in place and upgraded.

I was pleased to see I didn't get an error (for satelites) on the "Firmware Update" page now.

I wasn't pleased to find my existing problem was not fixed (I essentially have one ongoing problem).

But then I haven't made any noise about it.

That problem is with an Intel NUC with an AC7260 wireless card.

The NUC is using Plex Media Player which means LibreELEC 8.0 underneath.

It may be the Intel Open Source driver but this has woked with a fairly large range of other routers so I think it should be fixed by Oualcomm and by extension Netgear. Given I had similar problems with the D7800 I believe this has been a problem for quite a while.

Because of the problem with the Intel wireless I put another router into media bridge mode and also had problems with stalls and disconnects. I used an RT-AC3200 with the previous firmware version and I have an EA8500 in place now and saw this same problem with both. I would have expected the Qualcomm based EA8500 to work fine with the Orbi Qualcomm wireless, that is odd!

But using a non-broadcom bridge isn't ok with the Orbi either, it sees only one device which changes IP address from time to time between the router and connected device making it really hard to get the assigned IP address of the player. Yes, there are workarounds assigning a fixed address to it but I shouldn't have to do that.

TBH I was thinking of just ripping it out again and I still might, but after seeing this thread I "might" perform a factory reset and re-configure before giving up "again".

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st_shaw wrote:

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cyberprashant wrote: 

Also is there any way to know if router is using daisy chain topology (I have 2 satellites in a triangle sort of shape) - not sure which is better to have - checked or unchecked.  I'm going to try unchecking it. 

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I believe you should be able to tell from the attached devices list. Each device shows which Orbi it's connected to.

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awesome! - they've really added a lot of useful info to the attached devices page.  I can see that even with daisy chain enabled I'm connected in star topology - that is each satellite appears to be connected ot the base.   And you're right can see which device connects to which satellite or router (including the satellites themselves). 

Roaming (AP or band) is a two way series of messages betwen AP (Orbi) and client (iphone, laptop, etc), and the Orbi's algorithm to ask a device to roam is based on reading various metrics (e.g. RSSI / SNR).  In an effort to give you a bit more control on how you want your Orbi to function, we've given you a lever to tune it.  This is really designed for the more advanced user.  

If you tune Fast Roaming to be "faster" then the Orbi will be more active in asking the client to roam to a different AP or band.  The beneift of this is that the client will more often be in a more optimum situation (higher signal strength / faster speed).  However, the downside is that sometimes this could result in a more disconnects or flip-flopping between two relatively equal situations.    

If you tune it to be "slower", then the Orbi won't be as active in asking clients to roam and leave things in a "good enough" state.  Clients will probably be in more stable situations, but potentially in the not as optimal connection, for example connected to the further AP.  

Play around with it and see what suits you best

Orbi Product Team

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AmitR wrote:

... we've given you a lever to tune it. ...  If you tune Fast Roaming ...

Amit, can you please explain more about this "tunable lever" for Fast Roaming (FR)? 

I know where the Fast Roaming checkbox is in Advanced/Wireless, and I noticed a new additonal roaming-related checkbox on the Satellite Debug page, but I haven't seen anything that's "tunable"...  

When I hear that term, I think of a slider-bar or something like that, so I'm wondering if you can please provide more details about how we can tune FR to be "faster" or "slower".

I initially had the FR option checked, but then I kept dropping wifi calls as a walked around my house., so I know have it unchecked.  I haven't made any calls yet, but I'm hoping that will solve the wifi-calling drops for me.

Thank you, Amit - we appreciate your help here in the forums!!

Chris