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Forum Discussion
I'm at wits end with 870
Before Christmas I upgraded my internet to 2GIG, and purchased an Orbi 870 with two satellites to handle it. It seemed OK at the time. Then the second satellite started connecting only to the first satellite, and nothing else would connect to this second satellite. I have reset the router and the satellites, moved the satellites, cursed, reset everything, and been in touch with support. Support has proved less than useless ("is your router or satellite in the microwave oven?"). Now the router is "speed testing" 2GIG in, but my devices are reading only 100MB to a maximum of 600MB when connected to either satellite. I would have thought that the devices would connect to the closest satellite, but this is often not the case. Anyone have any ideas? Anything I can try?
32 Replies
What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6A STP is recommended.
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.
https://kb.netgear.com/31029/Where-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite
🛰
Too Much Wifi: https://youtu.be/UR0viMLISz4
Does this happen with the RBS turned OFF?
Does this happen with both wireless and wired devices?
What channel configurations are currently set on the router?
Orbi tells me firmware is current. Router Firmware VersionV10.5.20.4_1.3.5
Modem is new from All West Communications.
Cable is good. As noted, router reads 2GIG plus change up and down from Orbi app. So it seems that I am getting the speed at the router.
House is probably 5000sf on three levels. Router and one satellite on middle floor, second satellite on upper floor.
Probably a bit less than 30ft between router and each satellite, but one wall between one satellite and router and two walls between second satellite and router. One wall between satellites - probably 25ft or so.
Only testing on wireless devices - brand new Lenovo laptop and iPhone 13. Wired devices are "smarthome Control4 system."
Channel configurations are factory set. Don't know enough to change them.
If I move satellites further away, they don't seem to connect at all
What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6A STP is recommended.
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.
https://kb.netgear.com/31029/Where-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite
🛰
Too Much Wifi: https://youtu.be/UR0viMLISz4
Does this happen with the RBS turned OFF?
Does this happen with both wireless and wired devices?
What channel configurations are currently set on the router?
Sorry. Post didn't post apparently.
Orbi app says firmware current. Router Firmware VersionV10.5.20.4_1.3.5
Modem is new from All West Communications. Cable to router is good, as router reads 2+ GIG speed on orbi app.
Home is about 5000sf on three levels. Router and one satellite on middle level, second satellite on upper level. Probably around 25-30ft between everything. One wall between one satellite and router. Two walls between second satellite and router. One wall between satellites.
Devices connected to satellites are wireless. Smarthome devices connected wired to router only. Most all wireless seems to be between satellites and devices. Speeds being checked via speedtest on new Lenovo laptop and iPhone 13.
Channels are whatever factory settings are. I don't know enough to change them.
If the satellites are turned off, I cannot get wireless through house.
Channels are whatever factory settings are. I don't know enough to change them.
You can log into the router web ui using orbilogin.com on the Lenovo. Click on the wireless menu - you can see (and change) the channel assignments there.
Cable to router is good, as router reads 2+ GIG speed on orbi app.
In the web ui, click on the "attached devices" screen. If that doesn't respond, reboot the router and try again after a few minutes. The two satellites will be at the top. Let us know the connection type, and the connection quality.
Connections are wireless 5GHz + 6 GHz. Today both satellites are connected. Status green good.
Satellites both sync blue when power cycled.
Why is my first reply not posting? Does a second reply override the first?
Trying again.
Orbi says firmware is current. Router Firmware VersionV10.5.20.4_1.3.5
Modem is new from All West Communications. Cable should be good, as app is reading speed at router as 2+ GIG up and down.
House is 5000SF on three levels. Router and one satellite on middle level. Second satellite on upper level. One wall between first satellite and router, two walls between second satellite and router. One wall between satellites. Probaby 25-30 ft between each unit.
Channels are factory set. I don't know how to change them. Satellites connect wirelessly to ne Lenovo laptop and iPhone 13. Connections (smart home and Control4) from router are wired - maybe one wireless connection direct to router.
Orbi says firmware is current. Router Firmware VersionV10.5.20.4_1.3.5
In this case, the app is correct. v10.5.20.4 is the current firmware. There have been times when the app and the web interface do not report the latest firmware. It is always possible to check the Netgear support web site itself at:
https://www.netgear.com/support/product/rbe871
Since the two test devices are mobile, would it be convenient to test them again when within 4-5 feet of the router and each satellite?
The iPhone 13 is WiFi6 (802.11ax) 2x2 MIMO, which has a maximum theoretical data rate of 1,201Mbps (typically 800-900Mbps in real life)
Would be useful to know the model of Lenovo laptop.
Lenovo is a Thinkpad T16 Gen 4. It has the new Wifi 7. That's part of the reason I upgraded the internet speed and got a new router.
Depending on the location of the Lenovo, speedtest shows speed results of 1GIG to under 100MB. Sometimes it seems to connect to the most distant satellite, and then if I turn off the Lenovo wifi and then turn it back on, it connects to the nearer one.
Lenovo is a Thinkpad T16 Gen 4.
Try connecting the Thinkpad to the ethernet port of each satellite, and measure the speed there. That will give you an indication of the the backhaul performance between the router and each satellite.
Sometimes it seems to connect to the most distant satellite, and then if I turn off the Lenovo wifi and then turn it back on, it connects to the nearer one.
One thing you can try is going into the device manager on the laptop, and selecting the wifi adapter there. If you then select "advanced", you should see a "roaming aggressive" setting. You can try maxing that ("highest" for an Intel adapter). If that misbehaves (reconnecting needlessly) then you can back it down.
Thank you for taking the time to run these tests. The 870 product is different than previous generations of Orbi systems. Earlier systems used three sets of radios:
- 2.4G radio for user devices
- 5G radio for user devices
- separate 5G radio for communication between router and satellites.
The 870 Technical Specifications describe it as using the 5G and 6G radios for both user devices and to communicate between router and satellites.
https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBE871/RBE871_TS.pdf
Frustration with which Orbi unit a particular device chooses has been a factor since the first Orbi was released in 2016. There is a suspicion that some devices "stop looking" once they connect to a specific WiFi access point. This generally seems to be typical of devices which are not mobile. They seem to be affected by Orbi system restarts in which the router begins broadcasting WiFi before the satellites. Restarting the device after the Orbi system is fully operational often gets the device connected to a more desirable access point.
With Laptops being mobile, one would expect that the Thinkpad would notice when the connection to WiFi begins to suffer and automatically switch to a "better signal". What you are observing might indicate that the Thinkpad made a 6GHz connection to one Orbi unit. 6GHz suffers more from distance and building materials than other frequencies, so if the Thinkpad does not automatically switch to a closer access point, that might explain the horrible performance you are seeing ..... until the WiFi is restarted deliberately.
It might be useful to test that hypothesis directly. i.e. set up close to one satellite and perform a Speed Test. Notice which access point Attached Devices shows the Thinkpad connected to. Then move to the other satellite and test the speed there. Wait several minutes to see if Attached Devices (or Device Manager on the app) shows the Thinkpad still connected to the original satellite. (Those displays take quite some time to update. My old Orbi will show my smartphone connected to the garage unit at 2.4G for quite some time after I enter the house and sit 4 feet from the router.)
Let me ask this - is it normal if I have two satellites in locations and don't move them, and "fixed" wifi devices like Nest thermostats, a printer, and a leak detector, for the devices to switch back and forth between satellite they are connected to?
Thats called ping ponging if the devices can't pick between on RBS signal or the other RBS signal.
Mostly means that there maybe too much wifi signal over lap or signal saturation and the devices can't keep locked on to one signal.
Saw this years ago with my NEST controllers and Orbi AX system.
Maybe that's my problem. I'm going to disconnect one and leave it off the network and see what happens.
Might draw us up a drawing of your floor lay out and mark where the RBR and RBS are located, distances in between them all and mark where your stationary devices are located and post it up on a cloudshare and share the link here.
Let us know how it goes.
