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Forum Discussion
RBR850 wifi drops when moving around house, won't reconnect for several minutes
Hi everyone, hoping someone can help with this...I have a quite new (few months old) RBR850 and seven satellites (we live on a large plot, and thick walls and insulation mean that the signal doesn't ...
A few questions to help the forum troubleshoot the issue:
1) Are your mobile devices all Apple products? If so, is the "Private Address" option selected?
2) What type (make and model) MODEM do you have?
3) What is the square footage of your house?
At first glance, it would seem you have way too many satellites in use. However, with the building construction you alluded to, it may required. Try removing one sat at a time. Start with the one farthest from the router. Allow the system to "settle" for several minutes (5-10) after each sat shutdown before testing the connection.
Secondly, your RBR850 is on older firmware. The current firmware version is 7.2.6.21_5.0.20. When you update the firmware, be certain to install it on the satellites first BEFORE the router. Again, start with the furthest sat and use the web-based GUI NOT the phone app. (Better yet, is to connect via CAT6 ethernet cable and a laptop to each sat to update the firmware.)
Good Luck!
Hi, and thanks for the swift reply. Answers to your questions are:
1) Yes, mobile devices are all Apple products. Some have the 'private address' option selected, some don't. I've disabled it on mine, let's see how it goes tomorrow morning.
2) The modem is a Sky modem, model number ER110.
3) House is 2900 odd Sq Ft, not including garage and summerhouse which account for 2 of the 7 satellites, so 5 within the 2900sqft, only the kitchen satellite is wired. It's also a bit of a rabbit warren of adjoining rooms added at different times, with thick brick walls and the aforementioned signal killing insulation in the new kitchen part (no wireless signals, whether wi-fi, DAB or cellular, seem to get through it). But I also worry that I have signal overload so will try what you suggest.
Finally, thanks for the heads up about firmware - I just relied on the 'auto update' function! I have now located the firmware, downloaded, and will proceed to CAREFULLY manually update.
Thanks once again, and I'll report back with any updates.
I believe you have way too many satellites even with your home construction limiting wi-fi signals. With so many sats in the system, your mobile devices are loath to switch nodes whilst moving around, hence dropped wi-fi. Wi-Fi is designed in such a way that competing signals cannot overpower each other. (Unlike folks talking in a pub. As one gets louder, the others have to raise their voices to be heard, causing no one to be heard.) Here's a link to an older article that details why Wi-Fi does what it does:
I have a 2900 sq ft house with attached garages totaling another 750 sq ft. My home is built with a concrete block stuccoed exterior with wood stud walls and drywall inside. I run an Orbi 850 with only 2 Sats in a wireless backhaul daisy chain. The distance between Sats is >30' and I get very good coverage with speeds up to 300 mbps at my farthest point from the farthest Sat. ( I have 900/20 ISP service).
Also, be certain the wired satellites are connected via CAT 6 STP ethernet cables, or better. Sounds like you are on a good path to solving the problem.
Keep us posted!
Hi tucsontico, a belated thanks for your previous posts, and a quick update: This is just to say that so far I've run the firmware updates, and changed the 'private wifi' setting on my phone, and the result is...inconclusive. When I come down to the kitchen, sometimes the wifi drops out on my phone, sometimes it doesn't.
I certainly take your point (and don't disagree!) about too many satellites. I also have a LOT of ioT devices, from fridges & dishwashers to light bulbs, floor heating systems and entire lighting rigs, so I'm sure that I am not short of a little interference. Do you have any advice for the best channels to set my 2.4 and 5ghz wifi to?
What does puzzle me about the wifi drop out is that it is most obvious when I move from the rest of the house (which has the router and several overlapping satellites, some wired, some not) to the Kitchen, which is as previously mentioned a bit of a signal black hole, and has in it just one, hardwired, satellite. Thus I would have expected it to be easier to connect here, not more difficult. Is there possibly some issue whereby the device resists switching from a wireless to a wired node?
In any event I am going to get on with the next steps that you suggest, which is to remove a satellite at a time and see if that helps.
Thanks again, I'll update here when I have further info.