Daisy chain for Orbi RBKE963? Is it supported and if so how to connect the chained satellite?

[rbrb]

I'm moving into a house that has three floors and stone walls.  I expect getting wifi coverage will be hard and so am looking into the Orbi RBKE963 since it gets such good reviews.  

I expect also that the house will require daisy chaining -- base router on the ground floor, and a satellite on each floor above, similar to the top diagram here:  https://kb.netgear.com/000048458/What-is-daisy-chain-and-how-does-it-work-with-my-Orbi-WiFi-System-o...

According to that same web page, "Orbi WiFi Systems ... support both daisy chain and star network layout".   But when I look at the the RBKE963 user manual at https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RBKE963/RBRE960_RBSE960_UM_EN.pdf   It makes no mention of daisy chain.

So my first question:  Does the RBKE963 support daisy chain even though the user manual makes no mention of it?

If it does, next question:  How does one connect/sync the 2nd satellite?  

The user manual gives instructions for syncing the satellite to the router and says "Your Orbi satellite must be within range of your Orbi router’s WiFi signal for it to sync with your router.... The satellite automatically finds the Orbi router’s WiFi signal and attempts to sync to the Orbi router."   

If daisy chain is enabled (which it would be by default?) would the 2nd-floor satellite similarly automatically find the 1st-floor satellite's WiFi signal and sync to/through it?   Or do you have to do something like first place the 2nd-floor satellite close to the router in order to sync it, before moving the satellite to its remote location where it will find the 1st-floor satellite to daisy chain?  Or something else?

Thanks for any clarification -- I want to be reasonably confident that the RBKE963 will meet my needs before plunking down the considerable price!

[plemans · Accepted solution]

It should auto negotiate if daisy chain or direct connecting it the best method. 

And it does show as supported in the "this article applies to: " and that series 

https://kb.netgear.com/000048458/What-is-daisy-chain-and-how-does-it-work-with-my-Orbi-WiFi-System-o...

[plemans · Accepted solution]

It should auto negotiate if daisy chain or direct connecting it the best method. 

And it does show as supported in the "this article applies to: " and that series 

https://kb.netgear.com/000048458/What-is-daisy-chain-and-how-does-it-work-with-my-Orbi-WiFi-System-o...

[rbrb]

@plemans thanks for the reply.   

You wrote "It should auto negotiate if daisy chain or direct connecting it the best method" -- i'm not sure what you meant by "direct connecting it the best method"?  Do you just mean that star topology is better than daisy chain (I know that, but the point is that's not an option), or is there a way to achieve daisy chain by connecting directly rather than auto negotiation?

Thanks again

[plemans]

correct. Direct connect: star topology. 

There used to be a way to minimally control it (basically disable daisy chain) but it was removed.