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Forum Discussion
Orbi 870 - coverage, question. iPhone/iPad not connected to satellite?
Hello,
I was testing my i-net speeds (upgraded from RBR50 to RBR870) with an iphone app and noticed that I was having a low download speed in my office on the 2nd floor being really close to the router.
When I checked the speed with my laptop (macbook pro) the speed was good. Then I noticed that my iPhone is still connnected to the router on the ground floor (and so is my ipad on the 1st floor) when booth are very close to 1 of the satellites.
Since we both have Apple gear this is very inconveniet. Any idea on how I can have handovers to the strongest (nearest) Orbi device?
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I usually disable the wifi radio on my Apple devices for 5 seconds then turn back ON. Usually connects to the nearest signal.
Every time you move through the house when it should automaticly switch access point?
Wow.... with my RBR50 I never had this, handover were automatic and seamless.
Depends on how the device interprets the signal, noise and strength. The device handles the roaming algorithm.
Wifi5 differs from WiFI6 and 7.
Not a lot to add other than I too had a RBR850 and two satellites and never had this problem. My "upgrade" to Orbi 870 has not gone well and I'm having the same issues described above. I don't think it's an apple issue either given the only thing I've change is my router system and now see this issue.
Its not, an apple thing I have other devices which connect very illogical from different suppliers. Like a wifi managed wall socket on my 2nd floor, 3 meters from a satellite yet it connects to the satellite on the 1st floor. The signal actually has to pass the satellite on the 2nd floor to reach the other satellite.
New FW for the 870 series available: https://community.netgear.com/category/home-orbi/kb/en-home-orbi-firmware-releases
Thanks you for the info, I installed it yesterday evening. My house has 3 floors, ground floor has the router, other 2 floors each have a satellite.
My observations, 16 devices connected, 14 are to the closest router/satellite but I have 2 strange ones:
I have a wifi energy socket on the second floor that is connected to the ground floor Router on 2.4Ghz when its signal must pass the satellite that is at 4 -4,5 meters away before going down the staircase (distance to Router 13-15meter).
My iPad pro M4 is on the first floor and connected on 6Ghz to the Router on the ground floor. Distance to satellite on that floor, 3-3,5 meter (distance to router 9-10 meter).
There is probably a delay before/when your devices reconnect to a closer, or better, source. Check again and see if your devices have switched around. Immediately after installing new firmware, your router will come up first (before the satellites) so all your devices will reconnect to it. After your satellites come up they may/will switchover.
As other folks have reported, it's up to the device to switch and their own algorithm's aggressiveness when there is a more powerful signal. I imagine that switching isn't instantaneous or outage-free, so there are tradeoffs to be made. I guess that with wi-fi 6 and 7, more powerful Orbi radios, etc. devices may be happy enough with what they first connect to and they may behave differently than with older Orbi or other routers.
Hello Mikey.
You are right, the Router comes up first, always. If your theory is correct, Netgear should add in their instruction that you should take every device offline, and then when it comes back online, then it should take the strongest signal. Every update, reset you have to repeat that.
I am sorry, but I don't think that is how it is supposed to work?
I bought an extra satelitte for the back of the living to provide wifi on my terrace in the back yard.
while was watching F1 i walked outside and after 3 meter i lost connection. Probably my ipad was connected to the router in the living room and there was no handover to the satellite.
so the 600 euro spend on the extra router is wasted, so is the money spend on the 3pack. I am really, really disappointed!
my 300mb orbi worked like a charm, now i have spend over 2000 euro and the only way to make this work is to disconnect and reconnect when on the move….
