Is there a way to force a device to connect to the satellite / router

[rampi]

1. I have the RBK50 System - RBR50 router + RBS50 satellite. (running v2.5.1.16)
2. Router is placed upstairs
3. Satellite is placed in the ground floor in the hall.

I have a TV and Bose soundbar in the hall.

But they connect to the router upstairs at 2.4 GHz instead of the Satellite which is close by.

Is there a way to force the device to connect to the satellite ?

The backhaul status between the Satellite and router shows as Poor (5Ghz though), not sure whether that affects where the device connects to.

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-router

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings
Not seen on Orbi AX.

Also try turning down the power output of the RBRs wifi radios from 100% to 50% and see if this changes anything. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-router

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings
Not seen on Orbi AX.

Also try turning down the power output of the RBRs wifi radios from 100% to 50% and see if this changes anything. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

[rampi]

> Also try turning down the power output of the RBRs wifi radios from 100% to 50% and see if this changes anything. 

> Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

Thanks for this input, I will try this out and update.

Rest of the settings like beamforming, MIMO and WMM are already enabled.

[FURRYe38]

Be sure the distance between RBR and RBS is 30 feet to start. 

[rampi]

Wanted to update here that by turning down the transmission power control of 2.4GHz down to 50% makes a difference.

The TV in the hall sometimes connects to a far away satellite on 2.4Ghz, but when that happens, if I reset the wireless connection on the TV, it connects back to the nearest satellite on 5GHz and sticks to it.

Much better, thanks.

[tomschmidt]

@rampi, as for your TV connectivity, I experience this same issue with IoT devices (IP Cameras, smart garage door openers, smart plugs, etc). Whenever the router reboots, its WiFi is turned on before the Satellites WiFi. This race condition will cause devices to connect to the first signal they see rather than continuing to search for and using a stronger signal from a closer satellite. The only workaround so far is to power-cycle the device to get it to search for a new WiFi signal. SmartTVs and IoT devices are not expected to roam, so they do not keep searching for the best WiFi signal like smart phones and tablets do (devices expected to roam).

Implicit Beamforming nor Fast Roaming affect the race condition of IoT devices binding to the router before any satellites (provided the routers signal is strong enough). This race condition is due to the radio being turned on for the router before the satellites, thus clients bind to the first strong-enough radio signal they see rather than to a closer satellite.

I can understand that the 5GHz backhaul has to be enabled first. Once the backhaul is established, then the 2.4GHz and 5GHz client radios should be enabled simultaneously on the router and all satellites. I suspect NG is instead enabling the backhaul and all client radios on the router simultaneously, long before the satellites backhaul and client radio is working, thus causing this race condition.

[FURRYe38]

Glad the change helps. You can adjust this as you see fit or put it back. 

Enjoy. 

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@rampi wrote:

Wanted to update here that by turning down the transmission power control of 2.4GHz down to 50% makes a difference.

The TV in the hall sometimes connects to a far away satellite on 2.4Ghz, but when that happens, if I reset the wireless connection on the TV, it connects back to the nearest satellite on 5GHz and sticks to it.

Much better, thanks.

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