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Forum Discussion
Does WIFI 6 satelite work with RBR50 if wired
I see on the product page that RBS850 only works with a wifi-6 router, but what If I want to add my satellite wired? Would this WIFI6 orbi satellite still work with the mesh network if it was hooked ...
Most RBS will connect to the Orbi base via eitherhet:
Same goes for Orbi AX. I have mine both wire connected. RBS require a Orbi router to connect too.
I recommend if you feel that wifi 6 isn't worth it to you and your current system is handling your needs, then stick with it. You only get the wifi AX advantage if you have and use AX supporting wifi devices. Otherwise you'r spending extra money one a feature you can't take advantage of. Same goes of wifi 6E. Its still aways out and hasn't been approved from draft and theres is no currently supporing 6E devices and would be another year or two before we even see those devices. So don't hold your breath. Still lots of testing that needs to happend before us cusumers will see anything to consider buying.
mcgixxer wrote:I see on the product page that RBS850 only works with a wifi-6 router, but what If I want to add my satellite wired? Would this WIFI6 orbi satellite still work with the mesh network if it was hooked up that way?
I need to buy another satellite and I kind of feel like spending $250 on an RBS50 when wifi 6 is out there is a waste of money.
Meanwhile, Ive only had my ORBI BRB50 and RBS50 for a year and a half, so dropping $999 on a new wifi6 router and 2 wifi6 satellites is a lot of money lost...
So I was hoping I could just add the wifi 6 satellite now, and upgrade the router and other satelite down the road. At the moment, All my orbis are hardwired.
I think the question is about "backward compatibility". i.e. it seems to be clear that
- WiFi5 Orbi satellites will connect to WiFi5 Orbi router over ethernet.
- WiFi6 Orbi satellites will connect to WiFi6 Orbi router over ethernet.
- WiFi5 Orbi satellites will connect to WiFi6 Orbi router over ethernet.
But what has not been established (to my knowledge) is if a WiFi6 satellite will connect to a WiFi5 router.
I do not see any reason why not, but every time I have seen similar questions it was always about buying a new WiFi6 router and still being able to connect the existing WiFi satellites to the new router.
This is the first time I have seen someone want to expand coverage by purchasing a WiFi6 satellite, but wants to connect it to an existing WiFi5 router. I think it's "forward thinking" wanting to expand coverage with something that will be compatible with the newer technology.
I also see the quandry about "waiting for the next generation to arrive", but the need to expand coverage is today.
From prior experiences before, wireless or wired RBS rely on getting there configurations from the RBR during the sync process, thus setting up the SSID, PW and channelization gets set from the RBR. These settings can't be configured manually with the RBS. I thought someone said a while ago in the Orbi AC forums that they tried connecting the RBS to a non Orbi router and it wouldn't work. From my experience, I had a CBK40 system online for testing and happen to put the CBR40 in to modem only mode and putting a non orbi WiFi5 router online, I happen to leave the RBS online and ethernet connected it. Using same SSID and PW as I always do, the RBS20 remained connected, however upon a reboot or it may have been a factory reset of the RBS, the RBS no longer connected and lost it's configuration and could not be reconfigured until the CBR40 was put back online as a router.
The only RBS that doesn't seem to required a RBR for operation is the RBS50Y which if extender mode FW is installed, it can connect ot any wifi router. Even the Orbi AX.Disregard this post.