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Nighthawk upgrade to Orbi
I currently have an R9000 router and three EX8000 extenders. Just purchased an Orbi 960 router with two of its extenders. Here are some questions:
- I will have a spot where my existing third extender is. Should I: (a) keep that EX8000 in place (it primarily serves the detached garage), (b) replace it with the R9000 set up as an extender (rather than as a router), or (c) must I spend the extra $600 for yet another Orbi extender? (I am assuming the third extender is still needed - it may not be.)
- Any advice on making the setup easier? I've been told that is not possible to import settings directly from the R9000 to the Orbi 960, but I have more than 100 devices grabbing IP addresses and some with static addresses.
1. If you're not needing "the fastest" speeds in the garage you want coverage, I'd just keep the EX8000. Its a pretty rock solid extender and works great with its dedicated wireless backhaul. The R9000 doesn't have an extender mode so you'd have to hardwire it in and run it in AP mode for it to work
2. There isn't a way to import the settings. The hardware is different and trying to coble together a backup/import setup is only likely to cause issues. I'd take a screen snip of your current static addresses and just use that.
7 Replies
Is it possible to set up the Orbi 960 router manually - by connecting it by ethernet to a computer without an internet connection? I could then set the SSID, the router IP address, the WAN address information, and static addresses for other local devices, before I disconnect the old router and insert the Orbi in its place.
1. If you're not needing "the fastest" speeds in the garage you want coverage, I'd just keep the EX8000. Its a pretty rock solid extender and works great with its dedicated wireless backhaul. The R9000 doesn't have an extender mode so you'd have to hardwire it in and run it in AP mode for it to work
2. There isn't a way to import the settings. The hardware is different and trying to coble together a backup/import setup is only likely to cause issues. I'd take a screen snip of your current static addresses and just use that.
That was quick! And helpful. Thank you.
The "advanced setup" of the R9000 has this:
Maybe not worth the effort? As you say, not much going on in the garage (just some lights and the garage door opener).
- Bridge mode isn't repeater/extender mode. (Sadly)
Basically turns it into a wireless switch. Only the Ethernet ports work for devices in bridge mode. It uses the wireless as a backhaul connection to the router
