ORBI RBK50

[Xx-Shadowz-xX]

Recently I purchased the ORBI RBK50. It works amazingly good in my home and I love everything about it also works smoothly and fast for my first mesh wifi setup. I know the kit comes with one router and one satellite covering 5,000 sq ft. but My house is 8.000 sq ft. so now I made the decision to buy another satellite RBS50 to work with the RBR50 already running at my house. After looking at the price of a buying just the satellite RBS50 by itself it’s more expensive compared to buying the whole kit Orbi RBK50. If I was to buy another kit RBK50 I would keep the new kit router RBR50 as a spare backup just in case or sell it and then use the satellite from that new kit to extend my coverage at home will that work perfectly fine? Or will I have to buy just the satellite RBS50 by itself in order to do that? Thank you

[michaelkenward]

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@Xx-Shadowz-xX wrote:
If I was to buy another kit RBK50 I would keep the new kit router RBR50 as a spare backup just in case or sell it and then use the satellite from that new kit to extend my coverage at home will that work perfectly fine?

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The new satellite will not be tied inexorably to the new router, but there may be other Orbi satellite options than the RBS50.

One question that comes up here is about using the router as a satellite. The answer is no.

While many questions about routers are generic and could be answered anywhere, some things need specialist knowledge.

You might get more help, and find earlier questions and answers specific to your device, in the appropriate section for your hardware. That's probably here:

Orbi - NETGEAR Communities

I will ask the Netgear moderator to move your message.

In the meantime you could visit the support pages:

Support | NETGEAR

Feed in your model number and check the documentation for your hardware. Look at the label on the device for the model number.

You may have done this already. I can't tell from your message.

I mention it because Netgear stopped supplying printed manuals and CD versions some years ago and people sometimes miss the downloads.

[plemans]

Compatible satellites: 
RBS20

RBW30

RBS40

RBS40V

RBS50

RBS50Y

Keep in mind the 50 series has the wider backhaul of 1733mbps. the other series use the 866mbps backhaul. It doesn't change performance a whole lot so if you have an area that just needs coverage but not super fast speeds, the others are an option. 

You can always buy a kit and just not use the router or use it as a backhaul. There is a guide online (not on the official forums) of converting a RBR50 to an RBS50 but there's a decent chance of bricking the router in the process. 

Also, if you check on amazon, there's been a few "renewed" kits that are also cheaper. Like the kits with 2x satellites. 

[Xx-Shadowz-xX]

Yes please switch this topic to the right section in the forums I am sorry about this didn’t know till right. Thank you for that and all your help I appreciate it with all the information you have given me to go on to look for any support or information related to my new device. I didn’t know NETGEAR completely stopped that I was surprised to see that no manual or similar came with the box lol

[Xx-Shadowz-xX]

Thank you for letting me know all that I didn’t know I can use other devices. I plan on just buying another same kit RBK50 and use the satellite from there for coverage and speed at my home. With 2 satellites and one router it will cover about 7,500 sq ft. My home is 8,000 sq ft. I don’t want to convert the RBR50 to a RBS50 to risk chances of bricking it or anything so I planned on either keeping it as a backup if I ever need it in case or just selling the extra RBR50 by itself. Now I read what you said about backhaul I was just very confused about how to use the extra RBR50 router from the 2nd kit. How would that be possible? Sorry I’m such a newbie to mesh wifi. I am trying to learn and research as much as I can about it. Thank you again for all your help on everything else I needed to know that I asked on my starting post!

[plemans]

What I meant by backhaul relates if you're using different series. 

You're using the same 50 series (RBS50, RBR50). They have the wider backhaul so you're fine.

You can even use the other ones they just run at a little lower backhaul speed. Most people don't max out the backhaul connection anyway so it isn't that big of a deal.