Satellite keeps reconnecting to the router instead of daisy chaining

[dkaplin]

My most remote satellite keeps disconnecting from its nearest satellite (when it shows great performance) to the router (when the performance sucks). I keep moving the satellites around but no joy from that. Any suggestions?

[FURRYe38]

Are same FW versions on the router and satellites?

What is the distances between the router an satellites? 30 feet in between is a good starting point.

How big is your home? SqFt?

Any wifi nieghbors nearby? if so, how many?

Try using manual channels 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz.

Disable Daisy Chain and Fast Roaming on the router.

[dkaplin]

thanks for the reply. House is about 3800 sq ft. I haven't measured distances, but the router is on the first floor at one end of the house. First satellite is in the room above it, offset towards the other end of the house by about 15 feet. The second satellite is at the other end of the house on the second floor and swings between connecting to the first satellite and the router. It performs MUCH better when daisy chained, so won't turn that off. When the second satellite connects to the router, client connections drop and music drops out etc. 

Don't know why I'd mess with 2.4; the issue is the backhaul connection. 

Wifi signals on 3 sides of course

[FURRYe38]

Your placement of the 1st satellite is not good. Starting placement should be around 30 feet from the router. The router can cover up to around 30 feet by itself. So maybe one reason why the Daisy Chain isn't working effectively.

[dkaplin]

Well that worked for only about 5 minutes. I moved Satellite 1 farther away - probably about 35 feet. then I rebooted Satellite 2 - it connected to Satellite 1 briefly, then swung itself over the the primary router. This means poorer performance for anyone connected to Satellite 2, and its connection to the router swings from good to poor. When it is poor it tends to stay locked onto the router. 

Other thoughts? Are there any settings that can affect this?

[loomis1975]

There is an aggressive roaming setting in /debug.htm on each of the satellites. I am not sure if it will help with backhaul daisy chain roaming issues.

It would be nice if we could lock in preferred daisy chain partners.

[FURRYe38]

Since you home is only about 3800 sq ft, I would disable one of the satllites. The base router and just 1 satellite should be able to handle coverage of your home. I use only 1 satellite with my router and I have a 5000sq ft home. Try it and see. 

[dkaplin]

and it does OK for most of the house with 2. The third router is all about getting a signal out onto my deck. Two doesn't cut it for that.

[FURRYe38]

OK. I think placement will be key as well. 

I get signal out on my back deck downstairs, it's about 25 feet, maybe 30.