Some issues here and there with the new Orbi Pro 6, but all in all, nothing I haven't been able to deal with, except for the WAX610.
I can't figure out if the WAX610 can be a part of the mesh solution Pro 6 or not ?
If yes, how do you achieve it ? Sync ? How ?
If not, for a Pro solution, how the pros should upgrade from 5 to 6 without any solution for the APs mounted on the ceiling ?
After browsing everwhere, trying different methods I guess the WAX610 can't be a part of the mesh (not sure though), from a marketing standpoint, what would be the purpose of the WAX610 ? A standalone AP ? I guess, if it not part of the mesh infrastructure, it would overlap with every other APs or mesh system right ?
Re: Orbi Pro 6 - Ceiling alternative to Wifi 5 SRC60
I think I found my own answer in a Netgear webinar.
WAX610 can't be part of anything, as I thought, it is a standalone AP.
Let's say there is a market for this, not sure, but you know best I suppose.
What about the others ? What about those who want to switch from big known brands like Aruba or Cisco to Netgear Pro Wifi portfolio ?
They all have from a dozen to hundreds of AP, on the ceiling, only fed by POE... what is the answer from a representative from Netgear ?
I have a hard time understanding how a Pro solution can be market without offering a ceiling mount solution...
Even trying to put a regular sxs80 satellite reversed is not an option :
1. Because it can not be powered only through POE
2. I guess penetration will suffer from this inverted position.
Finally, the message isn't clear at all. Look at me for example, coming from Orbi Pro 5, naive as I am, I bought the WAX610 as the replacement for SRS60... if I could, I would have kept the SRS60 on the new 6 infrastructure, but then again, I can't.
I bought the WAX610 (I'll find a way to use it I guess), and I had to find the answer about it being a standalone AP, not compatible with Pro 6 Mesh in a Webinar from a month ago.
You shouldn't call your product a Pro series, it is misleading, more like Home Expert Series or Advanced Orbi Series. I am working with partners selling real professional Wifi solutions (bigger brands, I'll give you that) and you seem a little out of the ligue here.
This is just my opinion though, I would be glad to be proven wrong.
Re: Orbi Pro 6 - Ceiling alternative to Wifi 5 SRC60
Ok, I see you locked into what the industry does sell you as a Mesh. Based on another thread, we find you operate the Orbi Pro WiFi 6 system in AP mode, so all the wired SXx80 systems are wireless APs.
Primary usage for the "Mesh" systems is providing a nice throw-in network, where all devices are connected typically to a wired backhaul, and all radios are offering the same SSID, under the same security settings, and offer IEEE 802.11k and 802.11v as assistance for ideal roaming, and sometimes paired with 802.11r for fast roaming.
The WAC5xx and WAX6xx are cloud manageable wireless access points, by using Insight, it makes up a wireless system providing IEEE 802.11k and 802.11, paired with 802.11r for fast roaming. So everything what makes up a "Mesh" from the standards prospective.
In my understanding - afraid, I have no Orbi Pro WiFi 6 (SXx80) system for practical testing - it should be possible to add the SXx80 system to Insight, almost just like the WAC5xx and WAX6xx access points.
This does not imply the WAX610 for example can be integrated as a satellite (like the SRC60 with the SRx60) into the "Mesh" system [read the Orbi management].
Technically, the SRC60 and the WAC540 are very similar (even the same FCC ID)- one is an Orbi Pro Satellite, and the other is wireless AP. The difference in software is that the SRC60 can be integrated as a satellite into the Orbi management framework, typically in a wireless backhaul. The part not available to the SRC60 was the ability to operate VLANs - because the Orbi Pro (as a derivative from the consumer Orbi) does not have VLAN support.
Convinced, as soon as Netgear has tri-band WiFi 6 platform available, there will be a SRC60-like Orbi Pro WiFi 6 Ceiling Satellite appear on the market to complement the SXx80.
WAX610 can't be part of anything, as I thought, it is a standalone AP.
Nope. The WAX6xx (WiFi 6) are just like the WAC5xx (11ac) APs cloud manageable in dozens and in hundreds using Insight. And yes, I have a bunch of such set-ups in the field. And the good thing? We don't have to throw out all 802.11ac WAC5xx!
Which Netgear Webinar made you believe the WAX610 is intended as a standalone AP?
The standalone APs are the WAX214 (dual-band AX1800) and WAC218 (dual-band AX3200) - I'm fully with you ref. the market for "standalone" APs, especially when reading about the many mid and high-end features these APs have on board. Confusion guaranteed. And here Netgear held a Webinar...
Orbi Pro or Orbi Pro WiFi 6 were never intended to compete with the big brands AP systems. These are systems primarily for the "throw in" networks, typically operating on wireless backhauls - thus PoE is obvious a mandatory part, lack of cables....
The market is where the big brands like Aruba Instant or Meraki are playing high price - and here Netgear has a constantly growing base with the WAC5xx and WAC6xx cloud managed APs.
The WAX610 (again dual-band AX1800) will soon see a bigger cousins for the push into the WiFi 6 arena.
And as stated before, one (or more) SXx80 Orbi Pro WiFi 6 system should integrate with Netgear Insight so everything makes a perfect Mesh. Blame the consumer marketing (by all the players in the market) for abusing the Mesh term...
Re: Orbi Pro 6 - Ceiling alternative to Wifi 5 SRC60
I purchased the SXK80B3 (SXR80 and two SXS80's) to upgrade my orbi pro setup. I left my SRC60 installed. It is POE and fourteen feet off the floor and I wanted to see if I could leave it.
I installed the SXK80B3 without any issue. It initially showed the SRC60 as an unknown device but it did work. After a bit it correctly identified it as a Ceiling Orbi Pro.
I look at "attached devices" to get the address of it and then use the browser to log into it. It is easy to update the ceiling satellite and manage it.
The speeds are incredible. Some of this probably be due to the router itself and not the radio. I now have 700 down and 40 up. Before it was 400 down and 30 up. And this is the speed using the SRC60.
I thought that there would be a conflict but in my personal experience it works seamlessly as a nice system.
