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Forum Discussion
Possible Fix for iPhone Dropping WiFi
I have an RBE973S system. think I have identified the reason my iPhone keeps dropping WiFi, and I wanted to share so others can see if it solves their issues. On your iPhone, go to Settings>Cellula...
I’m with you on my Orbi 970 setup. This has been maddening. It seems to go through periods where it’s less bad, but all our Apple devices regularly drop connection. Sometimes it switches to cellular and you lose internet for a minute, sometimes it’s seemingly switching between satellites, though it’s not clear.
I’m astonished they can’t make this work smoothly with Apple devices. My old generation Orbi setup was rock solid. This has been incredibly disappointing. I’ve also manually updated to the new firmware and no real improvement.
Hoping one day I can solve this. My kids are annoyed that their iPad connections keep dropping mid game etc.
PS I tried switching to a Deco system and it was so convoluted I ended up returning it and trying Orbi again. On the bright side, I get like 900MB wirelessly to my iPhone from the couch. So, when it’s working, it’s blazing fast. But I’d probably prefer to live with slower speed and a reliable connection.
I’m also giving this a shot a while longer, but likewise may switch over to whatever is the other best WiFi 7 setup.
I’m astonished they can’t make this work smoothly with Apple devices. My old generation Orbi setup was rock solid. This has been incredibly disappointing. I’ve also manually updated to the new firmware and no real improvement.
Hoping one day I can solve this. My kids are annoyed that their iPad connections keep dropping mid game etc.
PS I tried switching to a Deco system and it was so convoluted I ended up returning it and trying Orbi again. On the bright side, I get like 900MB wirelessly to my iPhone from the couch. So, when it’s working, it’s blazing fast. But I’d probably prefer to live with slower speed and a reliable connection.
I’m also giving this a shot a while longer, but likewise may switch over to whatever is the other best WiFi 7 setup.
0tis are you on 9.12.5.3 now? Last I saw you were on 9.12.4.16. 9.12.5.3 has improved a lot for me.
Also - you never said much about power signals - yes, it can be a FW issue, but if you search you can find lots of articles about "over saturation" of WiFi signals being a real problem. If you are on 9.12.5.3 and it's not a lot better, I would strongly recommend you put a serious effort into proper satellite placement to minimize signal overlap. I can tell you, it runs a lot better than what you are seeing, so *something* is wrong in your environment/configuration/setup.
Here are some ideas:
1) If you have multiple satellites, take one offline even if it slows speeds in some areas for awhile - see if the disconnects go away with 1 less satellite.
2) Or, here is an article I wrote on how to figure out best and optimal Orbi placement based on signal strength and whether backhaul is ethernet or WiFi-based - this is the way to really get it correct:
I just went through this exercise again for a neighbor, who could not get through a 30 minute Zoom conference call without disconnects. They just told me yesterday, they had TWO zoom calls over an hour long each, without a single hiccup. I am telling you, many more people here have issues with too much signal vs. not enough. The old adage "More is better" does NOT apple with WiFi!
I hope some of this helps, good luck!
- Oh I didn’t even know there was a new firmware. You are right I’m apparently now ln the prior version. I will try this when I get home.
I struggle with the satellite placement thing. I could cut one out for slow speeds, but then why did I pay for this great system?? I feel like the manufacturer should solve for this. But helpful guidance, thank you. I’ll try the newest firmware first and then failing that will work on placement (again!).