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Forum Discussion
SteveNetSpeed
Nov 14, 2022Aspirant
Orbi WiFi 6E performance
(I did look for posts about this, but I couldn't find anything that matched. If I missed it, please point me in the right direction.) I recently upgraded to faster Internet, with GotNetSpeed 1 Gbs...
- Nov 18, 2022
I'm returning it. Still have the original boxes I got it from Amazon.
I was already frustrated with the fact that it's not getting me 600 Mbps over WiFi 6MHz from 3 feet away or more than 400 Mbps upstairs, and I don't need the second satellite. At this point, I went with an Ethernet backhaul and turned off the spare satellite, so I'm barely using it for its designed features.
That's why I was frustrated. Just now, the satellite stopped working. Rebooting it didn't help. Removing the Ethernet backhaul didn't help. Turning on the spare didn't help. I could have tried rebooting the router itself and then repeating the steps to sync with the satellites and so on, but this would have been pointless.
The Orbi does not do the job I need it to and it's not even reliable for what little I ask of it. So it's gone.Thanks for your attempt to help me, though. I sincerely appreciate the time and effort you took. I am not at all likely to purchase an Orbi product in the future.
SteveNetSpeed
Nov 15, 2022Aspirant
Ok, so I did what I said I would and ran those various benchmarks.
After turning off that excessive satellite in the middle floor, I was getting 940 Mbps down with a wire attached directly to the router and 580 Mbps with WiFi at a few feet away. Since 5 GHz is rated for 1300 Mbps, that 580 Mbps figure seems really low. And if I can't get full speed over WiFi right next to the base router, how can I expect the satellite's backhaul to do any better? In fact, it doesn't: I was only getting 426 Mbps upstairs.
So I did what I really, really didn't want to do, what I bought the Orbi to avoid: I strung up an Ethernet backhaul. Now I'm getting 940 Mbps on my main computer, exactly as fast as the one in the basement.
But I'm deeply disappointed because the whole point of 6e is that it's fast enough to provide gigabit throughout the house. It's only providing half that, and now I have a spare satellite that I need to eBay or something, as well as some crude wiring that I need to cover up. If my previous system had been 6e, I'd probably just return the Orbi and give up.
As it stands, I'm not a happy camper. Any ideas before I call it a day?
FURRYe38
Nov 15, 2022Guru - Experienced User
The wifi backhaul connection may support 1300Mpbs or higher, I think 2400Mbps for Orbi AX series. however what will impact this and speeds seen at the RBS will be building materials and distances between the RBR and RBS. Nature of ANY wifi on 5 or 6Ghz is the impact of building materials. Line of sight of course will be near perfect and should see higher speeds however normal environments will always not be ideal. Wired connection will be the one resolving factor on this as it it not impacted by building materials.
The other item is there is some minor performance degradation as well as the data is doing from one point to another then out side.
Last item will be the client device. Most devices are only 2x2 MIMO supporting, so the max out at around 300-700Mpbs, DEPENDING on how they are designed and supported. Even with AX mode support. Devices with 4x4 MIMO support should see near 900Mpbs or some beyond, over wifi, depending on configuration, placement and environment. My iphone can see near 700Mpbs most of the time, however general average speeds are around 500-600m. As long as I'm seeing this I feel that's enough. My Mac Book Pro 2018 usually maxes out at around 500-600 as well on wifi, thought I have seen 700Mpbs back in history. I've connected a ASUS GT-AX1100 5Ghz router and a NG RAXE500 router in bridge mode and have never seen 4800Mpbs connection rate which NG and ASUS both support this 4800Mpbs connection speed. I was told a while go that to see 4800Mpbs speeds, system would need to be in a ideal and noiseless environment and at close range for these speeds to be seen. Why I don't care for marketing of some of these router products boasting 4800Mpbs as we the average home user will never see. I know, it's crazy. Most highest rates I see between the RBR and these routers are around 2800Mpbs to maybe 3200Mpbs.
I have seen 900Mpbs with these two routers connected to the 9 series RBR with a wired PC connected to the bridged routers. So I know that works. I have tested my RBS as well with my iphone and Mac book. However my RBS are always ethernet connected. Since the systems supports 2.5Gb on the LAN side, I wanna take advantage of that feature.
Overall WiFi is varied and can fluctuate some in users home. Wifi will never be as good as wired. Wifi has lots of factors to consider and to take in.
- SteveNetSpeedNov 18, 2022Aspirant
I'm returning it. Still have the original boxes I got it from Amazon.
I was already frustrated with the fact that it's not getting me 600 Mbps over WiFi 6MHz from 3 feet away or more than 400 Mbps upstairs, and I don't need the second satellite. At this point, I went with an Ethernet backhaul and turned off the spare satellite, so I'm barely using it for its designed features.
That's why I was frustrated. Just now, the satellite stopped working. Rebooting it didn't help. Removing the Ethernet backhaul didn't help. Turning on the spare didn't help. I could have tried rebooting the router itself and then repeating the steps to sync with the satellites and so on, but this would have been pointless.
The Orbi does not do the job I need it to and it's not even reliable for what little I ask of it. So it's gone.Thanks for your attempt to help me, though. I sincerely appreciate the time and effort you took. I am not at all likely to purchase an Orbi product in the future.
- FURRYe38Nov 18, 2022Guru - Experienced User
Sounds like maybe the system you have is just faulty. You might try getting just the RBR alone. They have the RBR alone for sale now and then you could add ON a RBS.
However understand the frustrations. Hope you find something that works for you.
Good Luck.