Can I overdo it?

---

Hawsa wrote:

Anyway... my question!

It is my understanding that the Orbi router and satellites all use the same 5ghz channel by nature. If that is the case, then the S's wouldn't be competing for signal, correct? At work I use unifi and have to take care that APs are spread as far apart on the 5ghz spectrum so they don't clash.

---

In North America, the 5G WiFi band has only two groups of frequencies that can be combined into an 80MHz signal:
(see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels#5_GHz_(802.11a/h/j/n/ac/ax) )

• 36-48, which Orbi's use as the User Facing 5G channel
• 149-161, which Orbi's use as the 'Backhaul' channel between router and satellites
  (even if ethernet is used to connect router and satellites, they maintain the 5G backhaul radio link as a 'fall back' in case the ethernet connection disappears.  Using ethernet to connect router and satellites is still a great idea and will provide the highest performance.)

Just idle curiosity, but which 5G channels are being used by access points at work?  Does the work system meet the requirements to avoid miitary and weather radar signals and the power level restrictions for "indoor only" WiFi?

You are entirely correct that the entire Orbi WiFi system uses exactly one 2.4G WiFi channel (although it has options for 20/40MHs coexistence which combines a couple of channels) and uses exactly one 5G WiFi channel.  My understanding is that selecting channel 36 results in a 20 MHz channel, Selecting 40 results in a 40Mhz channel (36+40)... and selecting 48 results in an 80Mhz channel (36+40+44+48).

Thus, all Orbi WiFi units compete for the same "air time", no matter how many units there are.  If a user device is talking to the Orbi on one Orbi unit, then no Other user device and no other Orbi may transmit until it finishes.

The "good news" is that having Orbi access points relatively close to user devices results in higher "Link Rate" to that device, and thus transmission/reception take less time.

As an example, my phone currently displays a Transmit link speed of 702Mbps and a Receive link speed o 866Mbps. (Why they are different is a mystery to me).  Suppose instead that it was connected to an Orbi farther away and had Link speeds in the 350Mbps range.  That would mean that each radio transmission to/from my phone would take twice as long to complete. This would reduce the air time available to other user devices.

I say, go for the package deal with two satellites. There are several reasons:

• Packages discount the cost of satellites relative to adding one later.
• If it turns out you do not really 'need' that second satellite, you have a spare.
• If you want to extend coverage outside the building (porches, patios, playgrounds, BBQ's, etc.) one satellite can be located next to an exterior wall and blast coverage outside while the other satellite provides interior service to areas that might be too far away from that 'outside' access point.