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Re: Just Bought RBK852 Orbi AX. To Keep/Use CM1200 or CAX80 for Modem?

AdamAnt1020
Aspirant

Just Bought RBK852 Orbi AX. To Keep/Use CM1200 or CAX80 for Modem?

Hi All,

 

New to the Forum, so sorry if this post is in the incorrect forum. I will try my best to explain my situation and convey my question as clear as possible. 

I very recently upgraded from Cox panaoramic equipment and 300Mbps service to 1Gbps Gigablast and self owned equipment. We live in a large 3800SF home, with an attached in law apartment. we also have a large backyard that we utilize often and having wifi to our enclosed to back there is important. 

I currently have a CAX80 with an EAX20 Extender. i tried adding an EAX80 yesterday and there are obviously issues, so i'm saving myself some headaches and switching things up a bit. The EAX20 extends wifi to my back yard but speeds are quite slow even in Fastlane mode, tried both modes and getting 40 down and 15 up MAX when connected to the EAX20. Not trying to salvage that system as a whole and i will be returning the 2 extenders and possibly the CAX80. The CAX80 is performing beatuifully and extremely stable with great speeds...averaging 350-500 down and 30-35 up. wired from the 2.5G port to my Xbox one X i am getting up to 700 down and 15 up. Very nice indeed. i am trying to future proof myself for some time and want the best setup possible. Soo..

Last night i purchased a CM1200 and the RBK852 Orbi AX System. I've been reading about the port aggregration having some issues on the CM1200. I know the Orbi AX has a 2.5G/1G Ethernet port on the router, which will be used to hook up to the Modem.

the CM1200 has either a 1G port or LAG (port aggregation) @ 2G, but again the LAG has been well documented to have issues as far as i can tell. So if i used the CM1200 with the Orbi AX, I would most likely end up using (1) 1G port for the ethernet connection and not going with the 2G port aggregation.

I will be getting the CM1200 and RBK852 systems in a few days, as i'm waiting on shipping. 

I know the CAX80 works great and ALSO has the 2.5G ethernet port, which is basically what the new CM2000 has, but that is all but impossible to track down right now. 

***My MAIN question is, should i return the CAX80 and use the CM1200 with the 1G port (and possibly try the 2G LAG setup) or should i return the CM1200 and keep the CAX80 (in modem mode only) for use of the 2.5G port??

Also, are there any other options for using the CAX80 with the Orbi AX system, rather than shutting off the router mode of CAX80 and just using it as a modem only? like would i be able to benefit from using the built in router of CAX80 along with the Orbi mesh system? Nothing that really matters too much, as im sure the Orbi AX system will be more than ample, just wondering.

I know using the CAX80 in Modem Mode would obviously be a more expensive option than using the CM1200 but i would be willing to keep that setup if its worth keeping it for the 2.5G Ethernet port and not having to deal with port aggregation issues or being left to have only a 1G ethernet connection from modem to router, which would be completely fine for now but not really super future proof. my service is 1G down, so i suppose the (1) 1G port would be just fine, i really just want to have the best i can, especially because i actually own both the CAX80 and soon to arrive CM1200, so it would just be a matter of returning one or the other.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated and i look forward to posting more as my adventures continue with my newly purchased Orbi AX system.

 

Model: RBK53|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi System
Message 1 of 6
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Just Bought RBK852 Orbi AX. To Keep/Use CM1200 or CAX80 for Modem?

This is going to be kind of a on the fence kind of thing. Both systems work pretty well actually. 

 

The CAX80 and my two EX7700 works well for my needs in a 5000 sq ft home multi level. I disabled AX mode for me and I only have 1 device that supports AX currently. For the CAX80 and EAX20, you may have needed the EAX80 to better match the wifi rates of the CAX80. 

 

 

Distance is key as well. 30 feet or more is recommended in between CAX/RBR and EX/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

 

I have also ran my Orbi AX behind the CAX80 and taken advantage of the 2.5Gb WAN access on a 1Gb ISP service. Great performances. 

 

I haven't had a chance to test my CM1200 out yet with the Orbi AX. Thought it worked great with my CM1100.

I know there was problems on the CM1200 when LAG is enabled, however for CC and XF ISP users, new FW was sent to this ISP to resolve this issue recently. Users one the rest of the ISP service companies are waiting for this to come to them as well. So if your ISP is CC or XF, you should benefit from this on the CM1200. 

 

 

On the other hand both Orbi AX and CM1200 support LAG when it's enabled. The CAX only has LAG support on the LAN side. 

 

There maybe some trade offs. So you may want to do some adjustments on the CAX and EAX and see if this might help. 

When the Orbi AX and CM modem come in, set these up and see how they work for you. Then determine which system you should send back. 

Message 2 of 6
AdamAnt1020
Aspirant

Re: Just Bought RBK852 Orbi AX. To Keep/Use CM1200 or CAX80 for Modem?

I thank you very much for the fast reply. It is wonderful having access to these forums and people out there willing to lend their time, experience and knowledge. I have a feeling you may have hit the nail on the head with the 30 foot minimum distance between the CAX and EAX. The EAX20 does work fine but the EAX80, in the same placement, kept dropping out and losing connection last night, probably because it was only spaced about 20 feet away from the CAX. Great info and I'll keep that in mind for the setup of the Orbi router and satellite. I do have COX as an ISP, so thank you for the info on the firmware update, that is reassuring if I decide to go with the CM1200 over the CAX. If you wouldn't mind explaining something for me... You said "On the other hand both Orbi AX and CM1200 support LAG when it's enabled. The CAX only has LAG support on the LAN side"
I'm not exactly sure what that means. LAN side meaning? Would that apply if I used LAG on the CAX (port 1 and 2 aggregated) rather than the 2.5G port? If so, when would that be beneficial over using the single 2.5G port itself?
Also, would it make any kind of sense to possibly setup the CAX as a separate Access Point (in router mode) on the in law side of our home and with its own wifi name and then use the Orbi system in our main side with its own wifi name, 2 separate wifi networks so to speak? Basically getting the most out of the CAX and Orbi system with tons of extended coverage. I don't know if that will be needed or totally redundant, just wondering if that would be an option for information sake.
Unfortunately I have until the 9th to return the EAX20, EAX80 and CAX80... And it looks like the CM1200 and Orbi system won't be here until the 10th, so a side by side comparison of the 2 systems may not be in the cards. I will have to make a final decision before the CM1200 and Orbi system actually arrive.
Thank You Again for your time and help, it is much appreciated!
Message 3 of 6
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Just Bought RBK852 Orbi AX. To Keep/Use CM1200 or CAX80 for Modem?


@AdamAnt1020 wrote:
I thank you very much for the fast reply. It is wonderful having access to these forums and people out there willing to lend their time, experience and knowledge. I have a feeling you may have hit the nail on the head with the 30 foot minimum distance between the CAX and EAX. The EAX20 does work fine but the EAX80, in the same placement, kept dropping out and losing connection last night, probably because it was only spaced about 20 feet away from the CAX. Great info and I'll keep that in mind for the setup of the Orbi router and satellite.
Yes 20 feet is too close. 

I do have COX as an ISP, so thank you for the info on the firmware update, that is reassuring if I decide to go with the CM1200 over the CAX. If you wouldn't mind explaining something for me... You said "On the other hand both Orbi AX and CM1200 support LAG when it's enabled. The CAX only has LAG support on the LAN side"
I'm not exactly sure what that means. LAN side meaning? Would that apply if I used LAG on the CAX (port 1 and 2 aggregated) rather than the 2.5G port? If so, when would that be beneficial over using the single 2.5G port itself?
The CAX only has LAG support on the LAN side, not the WAN side when the CAX is in router mode. 
The RBR supports LAG on the WAN side thus if you connected to a modem on the WAN side that supports LAG, i.e. CM1200, then this is feature you can use between both of them


Also, would it make any kind of sense to possibly setup the CAX as a separate Access Point (in router mode) on the in law side of our home and with its own wifi name and then use the Orbi system in our main side with its own wifi name, 2 separate wifi networks so to speak?
The CAX doesn't support any kind of stand alone AP mode. Only router and modem only modes are supported. 

Basically getting the most out of the CAX and Orbi system with tons of extended coverage. I don't know if that will be needed or totally redundant, just wondering if that would be an option for information sake.
Unfortunately I have until the 9th to return the EAX20, EAX80 and CAX80... And it looks like the CM1200 and Orbi system won't be here until the 10th, so a side by side comparison of the 2 systems may not be in the cards. I will have to make a final decision before the CM1200 and Orbi system actually arrive.
Thank You Again for your time and help, it is much appreciated! Understand. 

 

Message 4 of 6
donawalt
Virtuoso

Re: Just Bought RBK852 Orbi AX. To Keep/Use CM1200 or CAX80 for Modem?

I have the setup you are wondering about, Orbi RBK852 + CM1200, it's been installed for a month. I am on Comcast 1 gig, and they pushed the firmware update needed for LAG support - V3.2.16.6_1.4.4. I enabled LAG on mine, and using the speed test in the Orbi app (network into router), I get 1195 Mbps ddownload max speed regularly.  So it works well! 

Message 5 of 6
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Just Bought RBK852 Orbi AX. To Keep/Use CM1200 or CAX80 for Modem?

Thanks for letting us know. Hopefully the new FW for the 1200 will get pushed to the reset of the ISPs. Smiley Wink


@donawalt wrote:

I have the setup you are wondering about, Orbi RBK852 + CM1200, it's been installed for a month. I am on Comcast 1 gig, and they pushed the firmware update needed for LAG support - V3.2.16.6_1.4.4. I enabled LAG on mine, and using the speed test in the Orbi app (network into router), I get 1195 Mbps ddownload max speed regularly.  So it works well! 


 

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