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My devices (laptop, phone, etc) can all see my RBR750 base, but my RBS750 satellite cannot

tpk
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My devices (laptop, phone, etc) can all see my RBR750 base, but my RBS750 satellite cannot

 
SUMMARY
My various WiFi-connecting devices (laptops, phones, etc) are able to connect to my RBR750 Base, but my RBS750 Satellite (with one exception), is not.
And that is even if the Satellite is in the same physical space as my WiFi-connecting devices.
 
DETAILS
I'm using an RBR750 Base with one RBS750 Satellite in a small, roughly 20' x 30' apartment. My various devices -- laptops, phones, TV, etc -- can all connect to the Base unit easily, regardless of where they are in the apartment, and regardless of where I site the Base. In fact, from the testing I've done, the Base is able to cover, on its own, the entire apartment and then some. The only reason I'm using a mesh at all is to have the Satelite cover the common lawn/pool area just outside my apartment. And in fact it does that very well, giving coverage of well over 100', but only if the Satellite manages to establish its connection to the Base. And thar -- to quote Adam in MythBusters -- thar's yer prablem.
 
The problem is that the RBS750 Satellite is simply unable to establish its connection to the Base from most places, even from where my devices *are* able to connect. The problem doesn't appear to be primarily distance but rather -- I think -- what physically sits between the Base and Satellite. So if I place the Satellite where it is separated from the Base by at most only one wall, then they connect fine, even at distances up to about 40' or so (that's the most I've tested). And in that case, as I say, the Satellite works really well.  But if there's anything more than a single wall between Satellite and Base, then the Satellite goes in the huff and gives me a purple light. And I've seen that happen at Base-to-Satellite distances of as short as 15'.
 
I'll note that the apartment is fairly modern with, I think, regular internal walls constructed from drywall on wooden frames. And I can't see anything else around that would block the signal.
 
Finally, to re-iterate: the Satellite fails to connect to the Base from the same physical locations and distances that all of my actual devices -- laptops, phones, etc -- always manage to connect (to the Base).
 
Firmware: V3.2.16.6
 
Message 1 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: My devices (laptop, phone, etc) can all see my RBR750 base, but my RBS750 satellite cannot

What Firmware version is currently loaded?

Is FW loaded on the RBS the same as the RBR? 
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?

 

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.

 

Its up to the wifi devices to pick and choose where they connect too. 

 

 

 

 

Message 2 of 8
tpk
Aspirant
Aspirant

Re: My devices (laptop, phone, etc) can all see my RBR750 base, but my RBS750 satellite cannot

Thanks for your rapid reply @FURRYe38 !

 

> What Firmware version is currently loaded?

 

From my original post: "Firmware: V3.2.16.6"

 

> Is FW loaded on the RBS the same as the RBR?

 

Yes.

 

> What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the

> NG router is connected too?

 

Hitron E31N2V1

> What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?

 

From my original post: "20' x 30'" So, 600 Sq Ft.

 

> What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet or

> more is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with

 

Again, from my original post: from "as short as 15'" and "... up to about 40' or so"

 

So I can see the Satellite successfully connect to the Base when they are separated by as little as 15' (and possibly less) or by as much 40' (and possibly more). But I can also see the Satellite fail to connect to the Base at exactly the same distances. Distance -- within the range I am working -- does not appear to be the deciding factor.

 

Once more, from my original: "The problem doesn't appear to be primarily distance..."

 

> ...depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.

 

My original: my apartment has, "regular internal walls constructed from drywall on wooden
frames".

 

> Its up to the wifi devices to pick and choose where they connect too.

 

Indeed. And when the Satellite manages to connect to the Base, the WiFi
devices choose Satellite or Base in the manner one might expect. But
it's kinda beside the point. The reason I mentioned the WiFi devices at
all was to show that communication per se with the Base is fine.  I'm finding

that the Satellite can fail to connect to the Base even when I locate the

former at precisely the same physical location as my WiFi devices when

they *do* manage to connect to the Base.

 

Needless to say, I went to some lengths to make that clear in my original post:
"And that is even if the Satellite is in the same physical space as my
WiFi-connecting devices."

and

"...the RBS750 Satellite is simply unable to establish its connection to
the Base...even from where my devices *are* able to connect."

and

"Finally, to re-iterate: the Satellite fails to connect to the Base from the
same physical locations and distances that all of my actual devices --
laptops, phones, etc -- always manage to connect (to the Base)."

Message 3 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: My devices (laptop, phone, etc) can all see my RBR750 base, but my RBS750 satellite cannot

600 sq ft is probably too small to have both RBR and RBS in the same house. The Orbi RBR alone can cover more than 600 sq ft by itselt. 

 

Does the RBR work ok with out the RBS online? 

Message 4 of 8
tpk
Aspirant
Aspirant

Re: My devices (laptop, phone, etc) can all see my RBR750 base, but my RBS750 satellite cannot

 

> 600 sq ft is probably too small to have both RBR and RBS in the same
> house.

 

20' x 30' was only a rough ballpark on my part. I've just measured the exact dimensions and the apartment is 26' x 37'. And my intended positions for the Base and Satellite is to have them roughly at each end of the apartment's diagonal, which would be almost 45' separation. That doesn't sound like too close (does it?)

 

But as I've said, the problem just doesn't appear to correlate with distance at all, either too little or too much. Yes, it's true, I've seen the two units fail to connect (i.e. the Satellite purple lights) when separated by as as little as 15' and at almost 45'. But I've also seen them connect fine at those very same distances. In fact, I've even had them working well when separated by only 3'.

 

 

 

 

 

Message 5 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: My devices (laptop, phone, etc) can all see my RBR750 base, but my RBS750 satellite cannot

What happens if you turn down the power output of the RBR from 100% to 25% and see if this changes anything. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

Message 6 of 8
tpk
Aspirant
Aspirant

Re: My devices (laptop, phone, etc) can all see my RBR750 base, but my RBS750 satellite cannot

🙂 One step ahead of you -- well, almost. Once you'd raised the possibility of the units being too close -- until then I'd only been worrying about too far -- I did try dropping the power for both frequencies to 50%. It made no difference -- the Satellite still gives a purple light (unless, as always, I place it in one of the few places where it does manage to connect). But I did try only 50% (hence my "well, almost"). So I'll try 25% and report back.

 

But were that to work it may suggest an alternative solution.

 

What I'm trying to do here is get coverage across my entire (small) apartment, but also into an external pool/recreation area that is shared across the apartment complex. Since I just happen to have mesh kit (from previously living in a much larger single-family home where it made sense), my plan was to have the Base cover the apartment (which, as I've described, it does easily), and position the Satellite as near to the outside wall as possible and let it handle the pool/rec area.

 

Then what I was hoping for from the Satellite, as far as range of signal out into the pool/rec area is concerned, was as follows:

  • 50' would have been acceptable
  • 75' would have great, but I wasn't expecting to get this
  • 100' would have been superb, and above and beyond the call of WiFi duty. But I was pretty sure this would be beyomd the Orbi's ability

But in practice, I actually got even better than that, (provided, of course, that the Satellite managed to make its connection to the Base, which in general it failed to do). When the Satelite managed to get its Base connection, then what it actually delivered to the pool/rec area was a consistently strong signal out to over 100', and an acceptable one to as much as 150'. (I reckon it could have gone even further, although at that range I'd have had to clamber into other folks apartments to check!)

 

So now, with talk of reducing Base power, I'm wondering if I'm missing a much simpler solution whereby I would just ditch the Satellite completely and let the Base handle the whole job; i.e. apartment *and* outside pool/rec area.

 

Do you think that's feasible? I mean, is the Base going to have the same range as the Satellite, or do Satellites have more inherent oomph than Bases do? (Yeah, I know, I should just go try it. And I will. But I thought I'd ask too.)

Message 7 of 8
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: My devices (laptop, phone, etc) can all see my RBR750 base, but my RBS750 satellite cannot

Something work trying to see if the RBR alone can handle the job.

 

You happen to have a outside shed or buiding with a power outlet do you? 

Message 8 of 8
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