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What outdoor extender to use to connect two Orbi 860?
Have an existing Orbi 860 system and it is WONDERFUL! However, I now have an outbuilding that due to code, I had to move it further away from my main home than I wanted, and it now just beyond the recommended 2,700ft range- and I even have clear line of site between my home satellite and the one I put in a window of the distant new building- no trees, etc.
I have several devices in the new building- a smart TV, a PC, and an alarm system, and remote lighting controls.
Therefore, I need to use have an Orbi in the new building.
My question is- what can I use as an outdoor, fully-compatible NETGEAR extender that is totally compatible with my Orbi 860 system? I really want to keep it to Netgear and not some Amazon no-name product. I also want to keep everything under the great Netgear app that shows all my satellites, their status, etc. The last thing I need is a third-party device I have to horse around with.
I did see some post somewhere that Netgear has an outdoor extender and it says it's Orbit compatible, but all the inputs/reviews say it is completely false. I am in a warm climate and thought about a dedicated, environmental box with a fan and mount another 860 Satellite in it halfway between the house and outbuilding, but worry the box itself would degrade the signal. I know Orbi's alone can only handle 32F to 104F. We get down to the teens a week or two in winter but from July-October, we see triple digits.
At this point, I may build a little house with a tiny air conditioner, but want find a smarter, more compact solution. I need the full capabilities of the Orbi 6 mesh system in the new building- dumbing the gear down on the outbuilding end is not an option. Plans were shot down by the county to have the building type close to a residential structure- even my own home. Long story.
Anyhow, thank you all for any recommendations.
Extending WiFi coverage to an outbuilding has two major considerations:
- How important it is that mobile devices roam seamlessly between the main building and the outbuilding.
- If this is an important factor, then only a compatible Orbi satellite will provide this capability. RBS860 satellites are not all that easy to purchase (even used). Alas, Netgear does not show any other WiFi6 satellites as being compatible with the RBR860 router.
https://kb.netgear.com/000065169/Which-Orbi-routers-and-satellites-are-compatible - If seamless roaming is "nice to have, but I can live without it", then any brand of WiFi access point will be fine.
- If this is an important factor, then only a compatible Orbi satellite will provide this capability. RBS860 satellites are not all that easy to purchase (even used). Alas, Netgear does not show any other WiFi6 satellites as being compatible with the RBR860 router.
- Getting a network connection from the main building to the outbuilding. If the buildings are relatively close to each other (under 75 ft.) then a satellite in the outbuilding may sync directly to an Orbi unit in the main building. "Problem solved." If not.....
- If the distance is under 300 ft., the "A" solution is to install an Ethernet cable between one of the Orbi units in the main building and the unit in the outbuilding. The actual cable is relatively inexpensive. Installation can be quite a chore. (Penetrating two building walls, trenching, laying PVC pipe, etc. etc.)
- For distances greater than 300 ft. or where cable installation is impractical, the next best solution is a "wireless bridge". This appears to devices on each end to be a simple Ethernet cable, but is actually a radio link. These come in all sorts of capabilities (with prices to match) and are available from major manufacturers, such as Ubiquiti and TP-Link, plus a host of minor players. Search Amazon for "wiress bridge". Then read the user comments to see the sort of situations where people found them useful.
Wireless bridges are often rated in terms of kilometers, so people often find they can mount both ends indoors and just "blast through" the walls of both structures. If they need to be mounted outdoors, most models use Power over Ethernet (PoE) which makes getting the Ethernet signal and the electrical power through the wall much easier.
- How important it is that mobile devices roam seamlessly between the main building and the outbuilding.
6 Replies
It would help to know the actual distance between buildings (in feet).
Extending WiFi coverage to an outbuilding has two major considerations:
- How important it is that mobile devices roam seamlessly between the main building and the outbuilding.
- If this is an important factor, then only a compatible Orbi satellite will provide this capability. RBS860 satellites are not all that easy to purchase (even used). Alas, Netgear does not show any other WiFi6 satellites as being compatible with the RBR860 router.
https://kb.netgear.com/000065169/Which-Orbi-routers-and-satellites-are-compatible - If seamless roaming is "nice to have, but I can live without it", then any brand of WiFi access point will be fine.
- If this is an important factor, then only a compatible Orbi satellite will provide this capability. RBS860 satellites are not all that easy to purchase (even used). Alas, Netgear does not show any other WiFi6 satellites as being compatible with the RBR860 router.
- Getting a network connection from the main building to the outbuilding. If the buildings are relatively close to each other (under 75 ft.) then a satellite in the outbuilding may sync directly to an Orbi unit in the main building. "Problem solved." If not.....
- If the distance is under 300 ft., the "A" solution is to install an Ethernet cable between one of the Orbi units in the main building and the unit in the outbuilding. The actual cable is relatively inexpensive. Installation can be quite a chore. (Penetrating two building walls, trenching, laying PVC pipe, etc. etc.)
- For distances greater than 300 ft. or where cable installation is impractical, the next best solution is a "wireless bridge". This appears to devices on each end to be a simple Ethernet cable, but is actually a radio link. These come in all sorts of capabilities (with prices to match) and are available from major manufacturers, such as Ubiquiti and TP-Link, plus a host of minor players. Search Amazon for "wiress bridge". Then read the user comments to see the sort of situations where people found them useful.
Wireless bridges are often rated in terms of kilometers, so people often find they can mount both ends indoors and just "blast through" the walls of both structures. If they need to be mounted outdoors, most models use Power over Ethernet (PoE) which makes getting the Ethernet signal and the electrical power through the wall much easier.
Thank you!!!! I'll do a wireless bridge- that sounds perfect! Yes- my roaming per se will just be within the new, distant outbuilding. Won't need it in between, or at least I can handle the small gap between my home and this outbuilding. I have a power riser about half way between the two so a wireless bridge will be great!
Thank you and everyone here!!!
With a clear line of sight, there is no need for any device between the two wireless devices.
At 3,100 ft. any mobile WiFi device will drop the WiFi connection completely as it moves from one location to the other, so an Orbi satellite in the outbuilding is not crucial.
Good Luck!
- How important it is that mobile devices roam seamlessly between the main building and the outbuilding.