I've been enjoying my Orbi RBK50 for over 3 years now and ready to upgrade to Orbi RBK752/AX4200. I'm looking for some tips to make the swap painless. Do I need to release the IP?
I confirmed that if I setup the new Orbi with the exact same SSID and Password as current Orbi, all of my wireless devices will be able to connect. I don't have any custom IP assignments.
Thanks in advance.
My current setup:
Verizon Fios Gigabit - OTN connected directly to Orbi via Ethernet cable. Not using ISP router.
Netgear has set up a community forum specifically for the Orbi AX (WiFi 6) products. Most of the people who watch that forum are more likely to have experience with Orbi AX and know how to work it better than those of us who follow this "general Orbi" forum. Might be more likely to find someone who has a solution if the question is posted there: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/bd-p/en-home-orbi-ax
One thing to do is set same SSID name and password on new system. You can set up the new system while leaving the RBR50 ON. Once the new system is online, just turn OFF the RBR50 and your device will and should auto connect to the new system.
If will leave RBR50 on, I will still have to disconnect it from ONT since I need to transfer internet connection to the new system, correct?
Perhaps a little more nuance would be helpful. The key in changing WiFi routers is that the new system should have exactly the same WiFi name (SSID) and password as the old system so that all devices will connect automatically. (unless for some bizzare reason you want to change the SSID and go through the hassle.)
A lot depends on how much you have done to customize the Orbi setup. Have you
Assigned specific IP addresses to certain devices?
Gone to a lot of work customizing the way devices appear in the Attached Devices list? (names, device types, etc.)
Set up DDNS or OpenVPN?
Forwarded any ports?
Customized the DHCP range?
Defined your own DNS servers?
If you have done much of this, then you do not want devices connecting before these things are defined and the plan would be to
Power up the new system, but not connected to the ONT.
Go through the setup, but do NOT set the SSID/password.
Once everything is the way it should be, then power off the old Orbi
switch the ONT to the new Orbi router and
Change the SSID/password to match the old system
If you have done nothing at all except set the SSID/password, then just switch the ONT to the new system and go through the setup.
You can disconnct the RBR50 from the ONT and leave it ON whilst you set up the ONT with the new RBR750. Once thats setup and up and running with same SSID name and PW, turn OFF the RBR50.
