How do I select my RBS50 Satellite on my computer?

[sunil_munsif]

Hi: any suggestions regarding how I can select the Satellite on my computer? When I check the app - I see that my computer is connected to RBR50 downstairs and not to RBS50 which is less than 15 feet away. Any practical tips? Thanks!

[vajim]

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@sunil_munsif wrote:

Hi: any suggestions regarding how I can select the Satellite on my computer? When I check the app - I see that my computer is connected to RBR50 downstairs and not to RBS50 which is less than 15 feet away. Any practical tips? Thanks!

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you don't

In a mesh system the Orbi directs the traffic.

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Can-I-choose-which-ORBI-Satellite-a-device-connects-to/td-p/17...

[CrimpOn]

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@sunil_munsif wrote:

Hi: any suggestions regarding how I can select the Satellite on my computer? When I check the app - I see that my computer is connected to RBR50 downstairs and not to RBS50 which is less than 15 feet away. Any practical tips? Thanks!

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The short answer is, "you can't".  When a WiFi device searches for access points, both the device and the access point send information in WiFi "management frames" that indicate what capabilities they have.  My understanding is that the device eventually selects which access point (and which frequency) it wants and sends a message saying "connect me." (I put a WiFi adapter into monitor mode some time ago and captured some of these connect dialogs.  There's a lot going on with WiFi besides the data packets.)

 Each device has unique WiFi software.  Some is designed to take into account the possibility that the device is inherently mobile and can move to a location where the original access point has a less useful signal than a new one.  The device constantly searches and will decide, "I want to change access points now."  Many devices are expected to remain where they are, and the WiFi software tends to "stick" with the access point it connected to.  When the Orbi system boots up, the router comes up first.  If one of these "sticky" devices sees the router and connects, it will stay there.

What some people have been successful with is going into the network control panel, "forgetting" the Orbi WiFi, scanning for WiFi access points again, entering the WiFi password, and connecting.  If the satellite signal is significantly better, the device should connect there.  It doesn't cost anything to try.

p.s. This is one of the most frequent complaints posted on the forum. "Provide a way for ME to force devices to connect where I want them."

[F_V]

You could also just unplug your downstairs Orbi for a few seconds and plug it back in.  Your computer will find the still transmitting RBS50 upstairs.  Course there's nothing stopping it from connecting to the RBR50 downstairs again in the future, but this will work for at least awhile.

[vajim]

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@F_V wrote:

You could also just unplug your downstairs Orbi for a few seconds and plug it back in.  Your computer will find the still transmitting RBS50 upstairs.  Course there's nothing stopping it from connecting to the RBR50 downstairs again in the future, but this will work for at least awhile.

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As you stated......for awhile 

[CrimpOn]

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@F_V wrote:

You could also just unplug your downstairs Orbi for a few seconds and plug it back in.  Your computer will find the still transmitting RBS50 upstairs.  Course there's nothing stopping it from connecting to the RBR50 downstairs again in the future, but this will work for at least awhile.

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Not that I doubt the concept, but I would want to test what happens to satellites when the router is unplugged.  Satellites do not serve as DHCP servers and (I am pretty certain) do not enforce things like Access Control rules.  If this works, it would be a delightful alternative.

[FURRYe38]

Also try turning down the power output of the RBRs wifi radios from 100% to 50% and see if this changes anything. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

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@sunil_munsif wrote:

Hi: any suggestions regarding how I can select the Satellite on my computer? When I check the app - I see that my computer is connected to RBR50 downstairs and not to RBS50 which is less than 15 feet away. Any practical tips? Thanks!

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[vajim]

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@F_V wrote:

You could also just unplug your downstairs Orbi for a few seconds and plug it back in.  Your computer will find the still transmitting RBS50 upstairs.  Course there's nothing stopping it from connecting to the RBR50 downstairs again in the future, but this will work for at least awhile.

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As you stated......for awhile 

[F_V]

Well, you will lose internet until the RBR50 comes back online, usually takes about 60-90 seconds, since the RBSs communicate through it to get to the internet.  Your devices will all keep their IPs while it's rebooting, but of course you won't have internet for that minute or so.  Access Control won't matter either since nothing will have access 🙂

[vajim]

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@F_V wrote:

Your devices will all keep their IPs while it's rebooting,

don't bet on it....thay would be static ip

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[CrimpOn]

My RBR50 takes a shade over 2:30 from "power on" until WiFi appears.  Messing with my network to test this hypothesis is not high on my priority list. 

My point was that when a device connects to a WiFi access point, it requests an IP address (from the router, which also verifies that this MAC address is allowed to join the network. Neither of these functions can be done by the satellite itself.)  I guess the device could sit there sending DHCP requests until the router finally came back on-line.  But, since you've done this and it worked, sounds great.

[F_V]

Well they are probably still going to hold their IPs due to lease time, but even if they try to renew the lease at the exact second you unplug the RBR, they are only going to have to wait a minute.  This is of course meant to be a quick fix to force devices to jump to your nearby RBR, and yes it has worked for me.  Shame we can't tie devices to specific routers/satellites, but I get that this is also by design.

I actually don't even use the Orbi for DHCP, I have another device which does that and almost everything else service related.  Orbi's have been much more stable since I offloaded all that stuff to another box.

[vajim]

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@F_V wrote:

Well they are probably still going to hold their IPs due to lease time, but even if they try to renew the lease at the exact second you unplug the RBR, they are only going to have to wait a minute.  This is of course meant to be a quick fix to force devices to jump to your nearby RBR, and yes it has worked for me.  Shame we can't tie devices to specific routers/satellites, but I get that this is also by design.

I actually don't even use the Orbi for DHCP, I have another device which does that and almost everything else service related.  Orbi's have been much more stable since I offloaded all that stuff to another box.

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Nice

i think you'd see even further performance increase if you let the orbi run the entire network such dhcp control 

[F_V]

You'd think so, but you'd be wrong.  I did that for a few years, nothing but issues.  Offloaded everything from the Orbi's and turned them into dutiful access points and it's been smooth sailing since.

[CrimpOn]

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@F_V wrote:

This is of course meant to be a quick fix to force devices to jump to your nearby RBR, and yes it has worked for me. 

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That's a typo, right?  We want the device to leave the router and jump to a satellite.

[F_V]

Dang it yes 🙂  Jump to the nearby RBS sat, my bad.  Acronym soup, feels like I'm back at work!