RBR350 not a real mesh?

[rk_gearorbi]

I have a RBK353, 1 root and 2 satellite. my previous mesh the satellites could also connect to each other and in this one the satellites can only connect to the root. this seems like a poor design for my home which is a rectangle and the internet point is at one end of the home. so the furthest satellite still connects back to the root instead of connecting via the intermediate satellite. Should a mesh not be all devices talking to each and being able to backhaul via intermediate satellite? Or it is always going to work with the root always being the point of contact for all units. 

[KevinLiT · Accepted solution]

Hello @rk_gearorbi , 

Welcome to the NETGEAR Community!

I understand that your satellite does not connect to your Orbi router. This issue can be caused by having a different firmware installed on your router. The current firmware for your RBS350 is version 7.2.6.31. 

Please update your satellite to this firmware to resolve this issue!

Navigate to the link below for the download file for your RBS350: 

https://kb.netgear.com/000066438/RBK653-Firmware-Version-7-2-6-31

Navigate to the link below for step-by-step instructions on how to manually update the firmware on your RBS350:

https://kb.netgear.com/000037217/How-do-I-check-and-manually-upgrade-the-firmware-on-my-Orbi-satelli...

Best,

Kevin

Community Team

[CrimpOn]

As far as I am aware, all Orbi WiFi systems support "Daisy Chain" where a satellite can connect to another satellite.

Netgear has an knowledge base article showing their recommendation for the maximum number of satellites in a Daisy Chain:

https://kb.netgear.com/000062035/How-many-satellites-can-you-add-to-an-Orbi-WiFi-System 

Notice that the article says nothing about the 350 product (WiFi6)

The original Orbi models (WiFi5) allowed the user to enable/disable the Daisy Chain feature. When the AX (WiFi6) models were introduced, that feature was removed.  Daisy Chain is simply "on" and cannot be disabled.

What leads you to believe that this 350 system cannot Daisy Chain the two satellites?

[rk_gearorbi]

Irrespective of where I place the 2nd satellite it either connects back to the root or just stays offline ... see current snapshot where I placed it where it's a wifi black spot for the root but surely reached by the satellite (store room).

[CrimpOn]

Thanks for posting that screen shot.  What happens when the satellite is placed on the opposite side from the router, but not so far away?

What is the approximate distance between these units?

[rk_gearorbi]

Same. Connects to root always. And now shows not connected as root does not reach that spot. This daisy chaining does not seem to be working at all. the AP 'master room' is surely in the 5ghz coverage range of 'store room'. but it looks to be looking for the root to connect. 

[CrimpOn]

Actual distances would be helpful.

I was hoping to establish a pattern of

• How far the 2nd satellite would have to be from the router before it chained to the 1st satellite instead of the router, and
• How far the 2nd satellite would have to be before it did not connect at all.

One of the nice features of mesh WiFi is that the satellites are easily moved from one place to another.

[rk_gearorbi]

Thanks. I have been trying various combinations. 

hope these help

• How far the 2nd satellite would have to be from the router before it chained to the 1st satellite instead of the router, and

This has never happened so far. 

I have tried it at 15 feet and connected to root on 5 ghz

at 25 feet connected to root at 5 ghz but barely and then drops to 2.4 ghz

 around 30 feet cannot connect to root and satellite is about 10 - 12 feet away

• How far the 2nd satellite would have to be before it did not connect at all.

[rk_gearorbi]

I have a video of the satellite looking for a connect
While I am right next to it connected to another satellite
Absolutely convinced the daisy chain is not implemented or does not work and is a fail

[rk_gearorbi]

I have an Orbi Satellite RBS350. I have done a reset on it. The satellite does not connect to the network it was part of. Now the ring light remains at Magenta Solid. I do not know what to do. It does not show up in the admin page. So I cannot manually upgrade the firmware as well. Any ideas what to do? It seems the satellite just does not find a way to connect to the router and does not get an IP address.

[FURRYe38]

May be try a factory reset on the RBR and RBS. Try this PDF process:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WIFI-6-AX-AND-Wi-Fi-6E-AXE/Procedure-for-Factory-reset-of-RBS8...

Bring the RBS to same room as the RBR while you walk thru this.

[AVDRossem15]

I have the same issue. I've been using the setup for two years now and lately it doesn't daisy chain anymore.

Distance between Base and 1st satellite is 8 meters, between 1st sat and 2nd sat is about 12m

Still the 2nd satellite connects to the base though it's about 20 meters away. But backhaul on 2.4

I did a reset earlier to reconnect all units but it does not daisy chain in any way.

[FURRYe38]

What happens if you turn down the power on the RBR from 100% to say 50%? 

Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

---

@AVDRossem15 wrote:

I have the same issue. I've been using the setup for two years now and lately it doesn't daisy chain anymore.

Distance between Base and 1st satellite is 8 meters, between 1st sat and 2nd sat is about 12m

Still the 2nd satellite connects to the base though it's about 20 meters away. But backhaul on 2.4

I did a reset earlier to reconnect all units but it does not daisy chain in any way.

---

[rk_gearorbi]

Not tried that but that's not how the mesh should work. So basically it's a poorly implemented product. Very disappointed with the mesh / daisy chaining implementation of Netgear. 

[rk_gearorbi]

Given my experience with resetting the RBS I am now worried I will lose the entire system if I reset the RBR as well. 

[rk_gearorbi]

I cannot see the RBS connected to the network at all as it is not getting a backhaul connection from the RBS even though it is sitting right next to the RBR.

[AVDRossem15]

Same issue. The far end satellite looses connection all the time now.

And some of the devices that were connected to the base are now not within range anymore. So it's getting worse.

I will try again starting from scratch. I did work earlier so it should do it again.

[KevinLiT · Accepted solution]

Hello @rk_gearorbi , 

Welcome to the NETGEAR Community!

I understand that your satellite does not connect to your Orbi router. This issue can be caused by having a different firmware installed on your router. The current firmware for your RBS350 is version 7.2.6.31. 

Please update your satellite to this firmware to resolve this issue!

Navigate to the link below for the download file for your RBS350: 

https://kb.netgear.com/000066438/RBK653-Firmware-Version-7-2-6-31

Navigate to the link below for step-by-step instructions on how to manually update the firmware on your RBS350:

https://kb.netgear.com/000037217/How-do-I-check-and-manually-upgrade-the-firmware-on-my-Orbi-satelli...

Best,

Kevin

Community Team

[rk_gearorbi]

Thanks Kevin. But there is an issue. The 2nd satellite I cannot see it anymore on the Orbi app or on the web link when I login. 

How do I upgrade the satellite which is not visible on the network? The issue is that the satellite is not getting a backhaul anymore. 

[rk_gearorbi]

I have no idea what happened but now the satellite is connecting to the network and I can see now both satellites online. 

[rk_gearorbi]

Kevin, I did check for automatic upgrade and it did not work. I will try the manual one.

But the other issue remains. The daisy chain function does not work at all.

[rk_gearorbi]

Firmware is incorrect

I checked the logs and the current version I have which is 4.4.1.29 is the current one.

So the issue remains, no daisy chaining works. 

[FURRYe38]

Be sure to update the system to v7 then try daisy chain again. Update RBS first then RBR lastly. 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-WIFI-6-AX-AND-Wi-Fi-6E-AXE/New-RBK653-Firmware-Version-7-2-6-3...

[rk_gearorbi]

The SW version you pointed to does not work for RBx3xx series.

I did the setup again. It's the latest SW. I did notice that AX services was off so I turned it on.

For sure it gives better WiFi range but the daisy chain does not work. It's a poor and faulty product implementation.

[FURRYe38]

Ok, I thought you had the RBR750 with RBS350.

You might do a factory reset on the RBS and RBR and setup from scratch. 

Powering ON the RBS placed out in a line in sequence sets the daisy chain. Though with this lower end model, not sure if Daisy Chain may not be support or just broke. Something to contact NG support about and check with.