Possible Fix for iPhone Dropping WiFi

About 1600 sq ft over two floors. I currently have the main router upstairs at the back of the house and 1 satellite connected via Ethernet to the router on the first floor closer to the front of the house.

Thanks Sojglenn Is this an Orbi 9700 system? The specs on that is one device can handle 3300 square feet. I have found I can get WiFi 6 on my iPhone from the router in the basement, 2 floors up! WiFi 6 has a limited range too. Amazing.

 

Depending on a number of factors, it's very possible just a router could handle the house. Now, you may find due to construction/layout etc. some areas have a lower download speed...it's a tradeoff. If it works well but some bad signal areas exist that are unacceptable, you could try getting a long run of Cat 6 or 6a cable, and running a long length from your modem to your Router - to be able to more optimally place your router in that scenario. 

 

But in any case, it might just be interesting to see if the drops go away with just a router - then decide how you feel about coverage with some help from folks on here possibly. Is that a possibility to try, especially if the 1 router/1 satellite test doesn't go well (and please do it with the FW v. 9.12.5.3)?

OK for that size of home, the RBR and just one RBS is needed. 

What is the distance in between the RBR and RBS? 30 feet is starting distances. Even ethernet connected.

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Sojglenn wrote:
About 1600 sq ft over two floors. I currently have the main router upstairs at the back of the house and 1 satellite connected via Ethernet to the router on the first floor closer to the front of the house.

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This is an Orbi 770 system (latest firmware). I previously had issues with a single router setup (Comcast router) that I anticipate were due to house materials/etc. Wanted to move to a mesh setup with wired back haul so I didn’t have to rely on wireless to sync between nodes. I also live in California so getting coverage outside is important.

But it is a good suggestion. Let me see how it goes after dropping the third node and will try going to a single node if that doesn’t resolve it.

I would say the distance between the router and satellite is approx 45 ft and about 12 ft higher/lower if that makes sense.

Sojglenn Ah yes, the 770 has a range of 2750 sq feet, so any complications (floors/flooring/layout/# of floors could tax just a router. FURRYe38 is right, router + 1 satellite should work if the satellite is placed properly, at least 30 feet away.

 

Keep in mind there is a BIG difference in satellite placement when you are using wired backhaul. If you have flexibility on the wiring, with wired backhaul you put the satellite where you have the WORST signal in the house - because the Eth cable will ensure it syncs to the router, and then the satellite brings strong signal to a new part of the house.

 

But when you are using wireless backhaul, you want to place the satellite on the boundary of a GOOD signal area - otherwise it won't sync - and then it can still improve the wifi signal in an area of the house.

 

So think about this for where your 1 satellite is located, if you can still get wired BH to it.

 

Good luck, hope the router + 1 satellite test goes well!

Thanks all.

While I am about to update the firmware again (I can’t believe I have to go grab a laptop again and an RJ45 dongle and find zip files and take it all around my house like it’s 2004, rather than have such a premium device auto update over the air…but I digress), I just wanted to provide thoughts about my layout based on some of the comments above.

My home is almost 5,000 sqft, along with a small patio in the back where I want good coverage.

It’s a four floor home (including the basement). I currently have my main unit in the basement where my 2GB FIOS service comes into the house. On that same side of the house, but 3 floors up (so, on the 3rd floor), I have Ethernet up to my first satellite on wired backhaul. So, those two seem to spread the signal well across that side of the house. Then I have my 2nd satellite wireless backhaul, on the first floor but way on the other side of the house. It’s in the location that I think is at the outer boundary of a good signal from the wired main unit, and spreads a strong signal for the either side of the house and main floors.

I can try unplugging that unit, but then I’ll likely have no or terrible coverage over on that side of the house. What kills me is I thought this is exactly what a mesh unit was supposed to handle. And I may have to live with it because the developer makes a unit that is so sensitive to a home using the three units they supplied in the box in the first place….

Anyway, I will try the new firmware and cross fingers first…..Thanks for the guidance all.

i have same size home here. Both my RBS are ethernet connected. Have good coverage out side as well on on a back deck as well, however there is a RBS with in 20 feet of that area.

 

Also something everyone should try on there phones as see if this might help. Factory reset the NETWORKING SETTINGS on the phone. May not be related to this specific issue but. I ran into a odd issue on my iPhone 12 Pro Max at work, photos app would not print to any printer I had the phone connected too. While Safari browser would print fine.  Printers supported wifi connections. We found that other older phones 6 and 11 would. 12, 14 and 16 wouldn't. We did all kinds of troubleshooting and and wifi capturing. After we had just about exhausted all troubleshooting and debugging, I backed up my phone the night prior and planned to do a full factory reset on the phone and see if this would clear up the photos app printing problem. 

 

Got to work and found that there were a few different reset options on the iPhone. I found there was Networking Settings reset. I figure, lets try this first before doing the full on reset on the phone. Selected the Networking reset option and the phone rebooted. Reconnected to the printer and selected a picture to print from photos app. Low and behold the picture finally printed. Woo hoo. Been trying to figure this problem out for months. Not sure what the reset fixed. Something in the phones networking settings or programming was hosed up with photos app. 

 

Thought maybe could be another troubleshooting step for these phones connecting to BE systems and something to try if issues are seen.