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Forum Discussion
tucsontico
Oct 28, 2025Virtuoso
RBK 853 5gHz Wireless Backhaul Issues
About 30 days ago, my otherwise rock-solid Orbi 850 system (RBR + 2 RBS) began to slow way down. After some troubleshooting, I noticed the backhaul was using 2.4 gHz, not the dedicated 5 gHz band and had gone from a daisy-chain config to a star mesh config. The farthest RBS ( about 75 ft from router) shows "poor" in the connection status. I did a factory reset and a reconfiguration from scratch yesterday via the web GUI (not the iOS app). I'm still getting no signals on the 5gHz backhaul (see attached screenshot). Any ideas?
13 Replies
- StephenBGuru - Experienced User
tucsontico wrote:
I did a factory reset and a reconfiguration from scratch yesterday via the web GUI (not the iOS app). I'm still getting no signals on the 5gHz backhaul (see attached screenshot). Any ideas?
Are your RBS elements still showing up as synced to the RBR?
Did you do the factory reset on the RBS also? Or just the RBR?
- tucsonticoVirtuoso
The 2 RBSs show properly synced. I only factory reset the RBR.
- FURRYe38Guru - Experienced User
Try swapping RBS around with each other.
What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router 📡 and satellite(s)🛰️? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR 📡 and RBS 🛰️ to begin with depending upon building materials when wired or wirelessly connected.- tucsonticoVirtuoso
My house is 3000 sq ft with a 1000 sq ft attached garage/shop (temp controlled). The house has concrete block walls with stucco exterior and 2 x 4 firring with drywall interior (hock and trowel plaster finish). Not feasible to due wired backhaul due to needing multiple holes in concrete block.
Closest RBS is 35 ft with two interior walls between RBR and RBS1. Second RBS is in the garage about 75 ft from RBR and 40 ft from RBS 1 with two interior walls and 1 exterior wall between the RBSs.
- FURRYe38Guru - Experienced User
tucsontico wrote:
The house has concrete block walls with stucco exterior and 2 x 4 firring with drywall interior (hock and trowel plaster finish).
This is going to be problematic at best. Concrete and steel will inhibit good wifi signals between the RBR and RBS and thus why the RBS are connecting at 2.4Ghz and not at 5Ghz. 5Ghz can not penetrate well or at all thru concrete.
Any chance the house and garage are on same power circuit? Something that could work for you to get RBS ethernet connected if you can't get thru the concrete, try some power line adapters.
- tucsonticoVirtuoso
Here's the requested screenshot (redacted):
- tucsonticoVirtuoso
I swapped the locations of my RBSs. Got the same result–no 5 gHz backhaul. After that test, I brought an RBS into the same room as the RBR, placed it about 8 feet away, and powered it up while watching the web "Attached Devices" page. As the RBS finished syncing, it initially showed it was connected to the RBR via 5 gHz with a "Good" backhaul status. Within 60 seconds of noticing that, I watched the "Connection Type" change to 2.4 gHz and it stayed there. Absolutely zero WLAN Backhaul Tx/Rx Pkts listed on the System Statistics page (As per original post screenshot.).
Starting to think my RBR has lost ability to transmit the backhaul frequency. I used the ancient iOS Airport Utility app to search for signals. It shows the 5gHz backhaul (Ch 157) emanating from each RBS but nothing coming from RBR. Now what?
- CrimpOnGuru - Experienced User
Since you have already done a Factory Reset and have temporarily moved one satellite into the same room as the router, this does not look good.
It might be time to consider connecting at least one of the satellites with Ethernet cable. The cable itself is not expensive. In many houses, the effort to install cable is overwhelming. (why my satellites remain connected using WiFi backhaul.)
- tucsonticoVirtuoso
Agreed the effort required to install Cat 6 cable to my RBSs makes it a non-starter. I've ordered a refurbed RBR from Amazon.com. Will test that and report back.
- tucsonticoVirtuoso
Questions: 1) Does 2.4gHz backhaul prevent daisy-chaining RBSs? 2) Is it possible the v7.2.7.15 firmware is causing this bug? 3) Is the new-ish RBE 773 system measure up to the RBK 853?
- CrimpOnGuru - Experienced User
"Apples and Oranges" The 770 and 850 products are entirely different. WiFi7 with 6GHz (770) vs. WiFi6 with no 6GHz (850) Different number of antennas, etc.