@Rick5421 wrote:
The home is a wood/ exterior stucco construction. I attached a rough floor plan. I placed a note where the router and modem would be located on the top floor on the upper right side of the drawing. Most usage would be on the opposite side of the house where the office space is located on the first floor. I placed a note there also.
Great drawing! I agree that the RBK53 package would be a good start. My first concern is when you need to "extend" the network reach to the far end of the building. Security cameras, garage door openers, sprinkler controllers, outdoor smart plugs (Christmas decorations), etc. It also matters what kind of floor it is. I am guessing wood over regular joists. Poured concrete can be a problem.
As @FURRYe38 mentioned in passing, Orbi satellites can be farther apart when they are connected with ethernet cable rather than WiFi for the "backhaul" link. Also, using ethernet allows the farthest satellite to avoid the "Daisy Chain" hop to the first satellite. Depending on construction, it might not be too difficult to run ethernet through the attic or basement. (I REALLY miss having a one storey house!)
I would locate the router as far away from the corner as convenient. Obviously, the ethernet connection cable can't run through doorways or be tacked to the ceiling! and it requires an electrical outlet and a place to sit that is above the floor and not behind a metal filing cabinet or something like that. Then, I would sync the first satellite to the router. Unplug it and move to some convenient place about 30 ft. away. Again, not in the middle of a room (it need to be plugged in to electricity). Does it light up BLUE? Try moving farther away, stil looking for a convenient place (mounting, electricity, not behind metal things). If it fails to turn BLUE , you've gone too far. Then, sync up the second satellite and do the same thing, moving away from the first satellite (across the house). There is little point in having a WiFi system against an outside wall (except for the above concerns), because half of the signal "goes outside". (Oh, dear. the Patio!)
The good thing about WiFi mesh systems is that they can be moved easily. So, after you place them, take a cell phone around the house and see what kind of signal you get. People will want to "use the internet" almost everywhere in the house. Or, put the Orbi "app" on a cell phone or tablet (I like the bigger screen on tablets) and walk around. Periodically, look at the "Link Rate" shown for the device. If it has a strong connection, you should be "good".
I am such a Nerd that I loaded a "Heat Map" app on my Android tablet and created a signal strength map for the entire house (and outside).
LAST: Buy it from Amazon or Costco! Do not buy it directcly from Negear.
