do i need a satellite?

[sarahgnm]

We have a 2000 sq ft house on one floor.  We set up our Orbi RBK50 with a satellite on the other end of the house (where the wifi signal has been weaker with the previous router).  There are a few seconds of drop from network on iPhone when you walk away from router and toward satellite.  One computer (a new one) experiences drops from the internet that last several minutes when it is not close to the router.  Is it because the computer is changing connection from router to satellite and getting confused?  Do we really need the satellite in this size house?

[CrimpOn]

In WiFi everything depends on the shape of the building, building materials, and where the internet access point is.

A 2,000 sq.ft. building made of studs and drywall, that is about 40x50ft, and the router can be placed in the exact center might be just fine.  When the internet access is on one end and the building is longer than wide, the far end may be too far for the router to cover.

Modern, portable devices that implement the newer standards will indeed switch from router to satellite (and back).  Do you have "Fast Roaming" enabled on the Orbi?

[sarahgnm]

I don't know what fast roaming is.

Actually at the moment I have the satellite turned off, and have not been experiencing the loss of internet on the computer that was having the trouble.  (The trouble occurred in one particular location in the house, not when moving around, and not when in the same room as the router.)

[FURRYe38]

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

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).

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@sarahgnm wrote:

We have a 2000 sq ft house on one floor.  We set up our Orbi RBK50 with a satellite on the other end of the house (where the wifi signal has been weaker with the previous router).  There are a few seconds of drop from network on iPhone when you walk away from router and toward satellite.  One computer (a new one) experiences drops from the internet that last several minutes when it is not close to the router.  Is it because the computer is changing connection from router to satellite and getting confused?  Do we really need the satellite in this size house?

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[CrimpOn]

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@sarahgnm wrote:

I don't know what fast roaming is.

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Fast Roaming is a WiFi setting that enables devices to switch more quickly betweeen WiFi access points.  It obviously has no impact on a device that does not move (the laptop).  It is activated using the Orbi web interface (not the "app") on the Advanced Tab, Advanced Settings.

[sarahgnm]

oops.  It's an RBR50.

The satellite is over 40 feet away from the router and synced easily (blue light).

Since I wrote first question, I have had the same interrupted internet on the same (new) computer, while the satellite was turned off, so that is not the problem.  Meanwhile other devices on the wifi network are functioning well.  Therefore, I conclude that the wifi network is not the problem.

I appreciate the replies.  One was like a foreign language (I don't understand wifi networking very well).  But I have learned that the phone app for orbi isn't much use, have downloaded the user manual, and will learn how to manage the wifi network using a browser.  So thanks for responding.

[CrimpOn]

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@sarahgnm wrote:

oops.  It's an RBR50.

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Yes, the RBK50 is a "Kit" containing one RBR50 router and one RBS50 satellite.  Similarly, the RBK53 is a kit with one router and two satellites. (Why 2 devices = "0" and 3 devices = "3" is one of those marketing mysteries.)

[michaelkenward]

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@sarahgnm wrote:

We set up our Orbi RBK50 with a satellite on the other end of the house (where the wifi signal has been weaker with the previous router). 

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I would put the satellite somewhere between the router and the other end of the house. That's what the manual recommends.

If you can put the satellite half way between the router and the far end, the wifi from the satellite will still reach the dead zone and there will be a stronger connection between the router and the satellite.

I don't buy the notion that there should be 30 feet between router and satellites. It doesn't make sense technically and does not appear in the Orbi manual. More of an old wives' tale than anything.

[sarahgnm]

Actually, with the older router, we did not have a dead zone, just a weak zone.  The signal from this wifi router seems to be stronger.

The biggest issue we've noticed is the small gap in reception when moving from the zone of the router to the zone of the satellite.  The transition from zone to zone is not seamless.

[michaelkenward]

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@sarahgnm wrote:

The biggest issue we've noticed is the small gap in reception when moving from the zone of the router to the zone of the satellite.  The transition from zone to zone is not seamless.

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Maybe down to the wifi clients as much as anything.

I still think that trying with the satellite between the router and the far end might be a good idea.

But without more details on this gap in reception it is hard to diagnose what might be going on. Try playing around with the wifi settings.

I suspect that @CrimpOn knows more than I do on that front.