Orbi device not connecting to satellite and airplay dropout

[Sach160]

Hi, my Libratone speaker (2.4 connection) is close to my orbi satellite but it connects to the main router 2 rooms and much further away, according to the orbi app. The signal shows as 2 bar and the airplay keeps cutting out. It used to work fine until recently. No changes made to the network. Any ideas on what might be wrong or how to force the speaker to connect to the satellite?

[CrimpOn]

Please comment on the firware release number currently running on your Orbi.

Generally, the device is what decides where it will connect, not the Orbi.  And, yes, people are very frustrated that there is no mechanism to force a connection.  So, the process is to make it more likely that the device will connect to the desired Orbi.

I would start by:

• Go into the Orbi web interface, Advanced Tab, Advanced Settings, Wireless Settings and temporarily reduce the power level on the 2.4G channel to 25%.
• Go into the speaker setup application. Tell it to "forget" the Orbi WiFi.  Then, search for and connect to WiFi again.
  Yes, it will be the same WiFi name and password, but there is a good chance that the speaker will select the satellite this time.

Please let us know if this worked.

[Sach160]

Firmware:

Model Name	Device Name	Current Version	Status
Router	RBR50	RBR50	V2.5.0.38	No new firmware version available.
Satellite	RBS50	Orbi Satellite-1	V2.5.0.38	No new firmware version available.

Thank you for the reply - much appreciated. I tried your suggestion. Whenever I reduced the 2.4 signal strength (eg to 25%) as suggested the Orbi satellite was no longer found. 

I tried to hard reset the speaker and place it so it was a lot closer to the satellite (1m) than the main hub (10m). This didn't work - it still connects to the main hub with a poor signal. I note that in 'attached devices', only 1 device is connected to the satellite (a plug the furthest device away from the main hub) - and when I check again (5 mins later) no devices are connected to the satellite. I used to have a number of devices connect to the satellite in the same room, so something has gone wrong. I also tried resetting the satellite and I get a blue light (good connection and 5g), but still no devices connecting to the satellite.

I have attached wireless settings fyi. Any suggestions on how to fix this? 

[CrimpOn]

You may have run into more than one phenomenon:

• When transmit signal is reduced, that affects every Orbi unit. (The router and every satellite.)
  Thus, it is no surprise that the number of devices connected to the satellite will drop.
  The reduction is supposed to be temporary.  The theory is that once the device has learned the MAC address of the satellite, it will continue to connect to it.
• Attached Devices has a funny quirk.  Devices show up only when they are active.
  My thermostat, for example, has an assigned IP address, so I know what to look for.  But, it's not there!
  However, when I open my Nest app and look at the thermostat, suddenly it appears.
  When I close the app, after a minute or so, it disappears again.
  A smart plug may very well "do nothing" for hours on end unless the app is open and looking at it.
• I'm not familiar with the speaker setup.  During the hard reset, it searched for a list of WiFi networks and asked you to enter the password, correct?

[Sach160]

Yes correct - I selected the network and entered the password, after hard resetting the airplay speaker (it's a Libratone Lounge).