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NickDrake's avatar
NickDrake
Aspirant
May 14, 2023

RBK353 Guest Wifi connection problem

HI,
I currently have an rbk353 kit with the first satellite connected via ethernet cable to the orbi router in AP mode, while the second satellite is daisy chained with wifi connected to the first satellite.
The main network works fine, while the orbi guest network manages to connect the wifi devices only from the main router but not from the satellites. It is also perfectly visible from the two satellites, but I don't understand if there are frequency problems or anything else so I can only connect to the main network on those two satellites.
Thank you.

 

3 Replies

  • CrimpOn's avatar
    CrimpOn
    Guru
    May 14, 2023

    Could you please explain more about how "It is also perfectly visible from the two satellites,"?

     

    (I know how I would verify this, and am interested in your process)

    In my case, I would open a WiFi Analyzer app on an Android device or open WiFi Info View (from Nirsoft, free for Windows) and observe the number of WiFi access points broadcasting the primary and guest WiFi SSIDs on the 2.4G and 5G WiFi channels to see which MAC addresses are broadcasting each.

     

    How do you verify that devices connect to the guest WiFi only on the router? (Orbi 'app' or the Orbi web Attached Devices page?)

    • NickDrake's avatar
      NickDrake
      Aspirant
      May 15, 2023

      Hello, maybe I could try a more in-depth analysis as you suggest.
      Basically I meant that the signal is just as strong as the main network, after all it's the same hardware infrastructure so I don't understand why the main works and the guest doesn't.
      I say that it works by connecting to the router in AP mode, because it is on the other side of the house comparing two satellites, and therefore when I connect it is necessarily the one as it is the only one nearby.
      If I move and try to reconnect closely to one of the other two satellites, even the one connected by cable directly to the router, it won't connect to me. The signal is as strong as for the main network but fails to connect.

      Thank you in advance.

      • CrimpOn's avatar
        CrimpOn
        Guru
        May 15, 2023
        NickDrake wrote:

        If I move and try to reconnect closely to one of the other two satellites, even the one connected by cable directly to the router, it won't connect to me.

        Yes, the main and guest WiFi use the same WiFi radio amplifier and antenna.  In "radio sense", they are identical.

        Each Orbi unit broadcasts the main and the guest WiFi SSID on both 2.4G and 5G channels.  So, with one router and two satellites, one would expect to see a total of 12 access points appear on a WiFi Analyzer program:

        • 3 main SSID at 2.4G
        • 3 guest SSID at 2.4G
        • 3 main SSID at 5G
        • 3 guest SSID at 5G

        As long as the WiFi device presents the correct password, it should connect.  This situation is definitely not what one would expect.