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Forum Discussion
AX6000, RBR852, or RBR850 isn't compatible with RBS50Y
So I ran to Best Buy to get the new RBR852 AX6000 Orbi. Hardware installation was easy and quick. I ran into my first issue when I tried to load my backup from my RBR50 but it wasn't compatible ok no...
Hitchcock,
I just read on the Netgear products page that the AC3000 outdoor satellite will work in the extender mode with AX6000. Due to the difference in technology between the AC and AX, it will not work in Orbi mode. It looks like it could be a while before it can join a WiFi 6 mesh, if it ever can. https://www.netgear.com/orbi/rbs50y.aspx?_ga=2.215678231.1011596647.1590616610-771620495.1577827822
-sky
So after wrestling with this thing quite a bit, I think I got it to work. First I had to set it up in extender mode to connect it to the internet and upgrade the firmware.
I was unable to add the RBS50Y via the admin interface. But hitting the sync buttons on the two devices they did appear to negotiate a connection. After a while I got a solid blue light on the RBS50Y and it went dark a few minutes later, which is supposed to indicate a good connection. Using a wifi analisys tool I saw two new networks (2.4 & 5). using the utility I was able to walk around my back yard and maintain a connection to the new networks and to the internet. So I think I have it working.
The RBS50Y still does not show up in the admin interface or on either Android or iOS App.
So extender mode on the RBSY workes. Kewl. Ya, I presume Orbi App and the RBRs web page will still not be compatible until NG gets them to work fully.
Thanks for letting us know.
Hitchcock3 wrote:The RBS50Y still does not show up in the admin interface or on either Android or iOS App.
I am not certain this statement is correct. "Extender Mode" indicates that the RBS50Y is then like any other WiFi extender from any company. It connects to a WiFi network (in this case a Netgear Orbi) using the WPS button (or a web interface), and does what all extenders do. The big difference is that it is one of the few extenders designed to mount outdoors.
Does the device appear not in the "satellite" section of the Orbi web interface "Attached Devices" display, but down below as an ordinary "device"?
I'm really not sure what mode it is in. I followed the process for adding a Satellite. But I did it without using the admin web page or app. I just hit the sync buttons on both devices.
I double checked and contrary to what I said previously, the device does appear in the Admin tools, but it is showing up as a device, not as a satellite. It actually shows up twice. If I hit one of the IPs in the browser it says it can't be reached. If I hit the other IP, it is the extender setup page. I'm not going to go through the extender setup process becasue, as I said, before, it is actually working, so I'm not going to mess with it.
It seems possible that it is in extender mode. If Netgear says it isn't going to work as a satellite I'm inclined to believe them. However from a connecting device perspective there is only one SSID. Using the Wifi analizer (I'm using NetSpot) I see 6 networks with 6 separate MAC addresses for the AP. (Router, Indoor Satelite, Outdoor Satelite, each with a 2.4 and 5Ghz network) I can wonder around the house and yards and I can see the device flipping between the different networks depending on signal strangth.So did you load the Extender mode FW on the RBSY? IF you did then the RBSY is using extender or repeater mode. There would be no backhaul support like the RBS850 will have which would be the difference.
Untill NG makes the RBS50 series compatible, they won't appear in the satelllite connected section.
Hitchcock3 wrote:I'm really not sure what mode it is in. I followed the process for adding a Satellite. But I did it without using the admin web page or app. I just hit the sync buttons on both devices.
I double checked and contrary to what I said previously, the device does appear in the Admin tools, but it is showing up as a device, not as a satellite. It actually shows up twice. If I hit one of the IPs in the browser it says it can't be reached. If I hit the other IP, it is the extender setup page. I'm not going to go through the extender setup process becasue, as I said, before, it is actually working, so I'm not going to mess with it.
It seems possible that it is in extender mode. If Netgear says it isn't going to work as a satellite I'm inclined to believe them. However from a connecting device perspective there is only one SSID. Using the Wifi analizer (I'm using NetSpot) I see 6 networks with 6 separate MAC addresses for the AP. (Router, Indoor Satelite, Outdoor Satelite, each with a 2.4 and 5Ghz network) I can wonder around the house and yards and I can see the device flipping between the different networks depending on signal strangth.Circling back on this - so are the AX Wifi 6 products and RBS50Y outdoor extender still not compatible?
- The RBS50Y will not integrate as a "satellite" with anything but the original WiFi5 Orbi. So. In that sense, "no". If the "extender" firmware is loaded, it is supposed to act as an ordinary WiFi extender with any WiFi router.
