If you read through this thread you'll see that the Orbi app gave every indication that it was using the best possible channels for both bands and, when talking to Netgrear's paid tech support, they had me change the 2.4GHz channel as part of the testing. After adding a new mesh system to my shopping cart, it kept bugging me that the 5GHz connection seemed to be the biggest problem (though it really didn't seem to be at first) so I made a last-ditch effort of changing the 5GHz channel from the default 48 to 44 and it has been remarkably better for the last couple days so far. Crossing my fingers any lingering problems are minor and not too intrusive for now.
Moved the new mesh system to "saved for later." Still dissatisfied that I can't use 6G without getting rid of all my 2.4 and 5GHz clients. And that I can't use WPA3 without disableing WPA2 (and getting rid of all my older clients). These kinds of critical limitations should be prominent in the advertising so people don't spend $1200 on a system with fewer features than a $400 one.
Still dissatisfied that I can't use 6G without getting rid of all my 2.4 and 5GHz clients. And that I can't use WPA3 without disabling WPA2 (and getting rid of all my older clients).
Perhaps there is a typo? The Orbi 850 does not support 6G (WiFi6E) It supports WiFi6, which is on the 5GHz frequency band. The router supports simultaneous use of 802.11ac client devices and 802.11ax devices on the 5G band at the same time. It has absolutely nothing to do with the 2.4G band, which is an entirely different set of radios.
The newer (and ghastly expensive 900 series Orbi) adds another set of radios and antennas to support the 6G frequency band while continuing to provide one 2.4G channel and two separate 5G channels.
WPA3 is a confusing situation. I believe there are products which support both WPA2 and WPA3 (but not the Orbi 850). Once again, the expensive RBKE963 supports both WPA2 and WPA3 at the same time. I view this as a significant miscalculation on the part of Netgear engineering. I can sympathize with their dilemma. Suppose a customer tells his locksmith, "I want my house to have the highest security door lock. Put in Medico locks." (They require a very unusual key that can be purchased only by registered (and screened) locksmiths.) Then the customer says, "Oh, and I want all the existing Kwikset keys to open the door as well." The locksmith would be aghast. "Do you want high security, or do you not?"
I see the combination WPA3/WPA3 situation in the same light. Everybody has countless devices that will never update firmware and can do only WPA2. The only environment that can go to WPA3 authentication is one that has total control over the WiFi devices and they are all WPA3 capable.
Not a typo. Apparently, I meant WiFi6 but netgear's advertising has been capitalizing on the newness of 5G cellular by calling their routers 5G and 6G so I don't know what's real any more. I thought I read somewhere in the setup that it wouldn't support WiFi6 unless all clients supported WiFi6 but maybe that was WPA3. All this dicking around trying to get it to work has been painful and frustrating. Happy to be wrong.
As far as WPA, I'm more worried about the security of data in flight than strictly access to the network. Maybe I'm wrong but I assumed that a WPA3 handshake would be a more secure exchange of keys than WPA2. Maybe it's nothing like SSL though and it doesn't really make a difference. I also assumed with the prevelance of WPA + WPA2 there wasn't a technical issue with WPA2 + WPA3. Given I'm likely to have my Nest devices for several more years, it's unlikely I'll be able to upgrade to WPA3 any time soon. I tried setting up the guest network as WPA2 and the main network as WPA3 but that was a huge pain and I still can't get my garage door sensor to reconnect to the original network.
So for your information. Just know that NG WiFi speeds use the #G terminology for there wireless routers in the Ghz meaning and NOT cell phone services.
Ya I agree some are confused by the #G text being seen in the UI. Just know that this only referred to the 5Ghz wifi radio signal on any NG wifi router or MESH system. Nothing else. WiFi6e is the 6Ghz radio frequency that is not seen and supported on Orbi 9 Series systems and RAXE500 Nighthawk routers.
FYI NG had supported mixed mode WPA2/WPA3 initally however they removed that due to finding technical problems with non WPA3 devices not working correctly with mixed modes. So they moved it until the WPA community could review and get it fixed. This was a WPA community issue that NG had to wait to be ressolved. Was not a NG problem.
I can tell you that WPA community seems to have fixed it as WPA2/WPA3 mixed modes is working on the Orbi 9 series. Were hoping the the Orbi 7 and 8 series will see this mixed mode in the future. Not idea if or when that will happen. So don't ask. Something to post about here and let NG know of your wants for it:
Currently theres no big problems with using WPA2 only at this time. It's still a good securty mode even though it and WPA3 have been compromised at some level, it's still secure. So you don't have to use Guest Netowrk or non WPA3 devices. So you'll need to wait for NG to get the mixed mode developed and hopefully in the future we'll see it. Just have to be patient.
