Possible Fix for iPhone Dropping WiFi

0tis saturation of signals is very much a possible problem. When there is over saturation, banding/node decisions are frequent and wrong.

 

Do a Google search on 'mesh nodes too close to each other' and you'll see both reddit, manufacturer sites, and other articles that mention this. Have you used a WiFi signal analyzer on a Mac or PC to check signals from each of the Orbi nodes throughout the house? Note, in my house I have 5000 square feet across a 4 floor house (basement plus 3 floors), and I have only 2 satellites. I get 900 Mbps d/l speed in the second floor, using the MLO 5GHz+6GHz connection, to the router in the basement - and each floor has 15 foot ceilings.  That's a powerful WiFi signal to get 5GHz+6GHz two floors away!  

 

I just checked here at my desk on the 3rd floor, and it sees -70dBm signals on the 5GHz band from the basement router -  again across 15 foot ceilings and concrete flooring infrastructure. That is an "Okay" signal - rated for email and web browsing, "minimum signal strength for reliable packet delivery". But it shows how powerful these Orbi 971 and 970s are.

 

You didn't mention how far apart your Orbi nodes are, Netgear recommends a minimum of 30 feet. The technical info on the 970 series also states the range of the 971 and 970 is 3300 square feet. So you could have a lot of competing signals in some areas of your house.

 

If you are interested in checking your node placements using a signal analyzer, I wrote a short document on how to do it on one of the NG forums.

 

I am not saying this is the only problem you have, but I have found WiFi dropping to 5G cellular or connections with no internet has improved about 90% on this FW release. I even have my iPhone 16 Pro set to Wifi 6E='Automatic' and Private WiFi addressing back on now! You may get a clearer picture of what problems are outstanding if you analyze the placement of the necessary satellites in your house.

I thought this was a good summary:

 

If mesh network nodes are placed too close together, several issues can arise, negatively impacting the network's performance and reliability:

1. Interference
- Co-channel interference: Nodes operating on the same frequency band may interfere with each other. This reduces signal quality and throughput as the network tries to manage collisions and retransmissions.
- Adjacent-channel interference: If nodes use overlapping frequency channels, their signals may bleed into one another, further degrading performance.

2. Redundant Pathways
- Overlapping coverage can create too many redundant paths, causing inefficiency in the routing protocols. The network may expend extra resources managing these routes, increasing latency.

3. Signal Saturation
- Strong signals from closely spaced nodes can overwhelm receivers, causing distortion and making it harder for devices to differentiate between signals. This effect is sometimes referred to as the "near-far problem."

4. Wasted Resources
- Excessively close nodes result in underutilized capacity. The network does not efficiently use its potential coverage, wasting power and hardware resources.

5. Increased Network Overhead
- Frequent communication between closely spaced nodes can increase network overhead, as routing protocols spend more time recalculating routes and managing congestion.

6. Load Balancing Issues
- If nodes are too close, some nodes may handle a disproportionate amount of traffic, leading to uneven load distribution and bottlenecks.

To mitigate these problems:
- Optimal Placement: Position nodes with sufficient spacing to reduce overlap but still maintain robust coverage.
- Channel Planning: Use different frequency channels for adjacent nodes to minimize interference.
- Power Adjustment: Configure transmission power levels to avoid excessive signal strength.
- Routing Optimization: Implement protocols that prioritize efficiency and minimize redundant connections.
- Use Antenna Directionality: Employ directional antennas to control coverage areas and reduce overlap.

 

Let me jump into the fracus about “best” number of satellites in a NG WiFi 7 mesh network.

This will be at my risk of getting an “I told you so” from donawalt , CrimpOn , and FURRYe38 .

After I explained away to the aforementioned why I was using 2 Satellites behind the RBE971 in an 1800 square foot home with metal roofing and poured concrete interior/exterior walls (thus I thought I would get better signal penetration, wrong!), I finally unplugged 1 of the satellites (the one that was equi-distance between the Router and 3rd satellite).

I was sure my signal strength to connected devices would drop. To my surprise, the devices with 2-bar strengths (using 3-nodes), moved up to 3-bars when using 2-nodes.

After the latest firmware update a few weeks ago, my dropped signals during mesh node transfers dramatically decreased, but there was still one occasionally.

After finally listening to the brain-trust of the Community, I now believe, with WIFI 7 technology, “less” (nodes) is “better” (than more WiFi congestion).

I reserve the right to withdraw this post IF I do experience a WiFi drop during a node transfer, regardless of what level the sunspot warning had specified. It might have to take this action to end “Community Member gloating” over my un-belief.

For that size of home, 3 RBS maybe too much. I have a 5K sq ft home and and run one RBS. I normally run two however with the BE series, I've really only needed one RBS. Two maybe, could be used in under 6k. 

 

You should turn OFF all but one RBS, and then test general locations and coverages with one deployed, then go to add a 2nd RBS in maybe those remote locations with little or no signal. 

 

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0tis wrote:
Newest firmware loaded. iPhone 15 Pro Max keeps dropping WiFi especially if I move around the house. I have 4 units (router and three sats). This system just doesn’t know how to do handoffs well. And yes my home may be saturated with so many units (under 6k sqft), but it doesn’t seem to me that too much coverage should be a problem …

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