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Orbi Router as a wired satellite / access point from another satellite?

Benmac1975
Aspirant

Orbi Router as a wired satellite / access point from another satellite?

Hi all,

 

Apologis if this has been answered before. I had a look but couldn't find anything definitive.

 

I have an Orbi system at home. It consists of:

 

1x RBR50 doing routing duties

2x RBS50

1x RBW30

 

One of the RBR50s has an ethernet cable plugged into it that runs under my lawn to an outbuilding. The ethernet is then plugged into an old Netgear modem/router I had which provides it's own wifi signal in that building as well as being physically connected to an apple TV box. That all works fine. The use of the RBS50 for this rather than the RBR50 is due to where the ethernet line comes into the house from the outbuilding which is a long way from the telephone line that serves the RBR50.

 

I wanted another Orbi satellite to use instead of the older netgear router in that building just so everything was part of the same system. I managed to pick up very cheaply a double pack of an RBW30 and an RBR40.

 

I have replaced one of my RBS50 with the new RBW30 and all remains good. I can now therefore take the spare RBS50 out to the outbuilding and plug it into the ethernet from it's partner in the house to extend things out there.

 

That should all work fine but will leave the new RBR40 redundant. I would therefore like to be able to use the RBR40 as a satellite or an access point of some form rtaher than just have it gathering dust. That would allow me to increase the number of devices in the house to maximise good coverage (my house is large and sprawling with some very thick walls so anything that aids wifi is good).

 

So, my question is can I do that? Having done some reading it appears simply making it work as a satellite isn't possible.

 

I have read the instructions for turning the RBR40 into access point mode; is that what I need. I assume that by plugging it into the RBR50 to set it up as an access point as per the instructions, then unplugging it and plugging it into the ethernet in the outbuilding so that it can broadcast wifi out there will work?

 

 

Message 1 of 4
ekhalil
Master

Re: Orbi Router as a wired satellite / access point from another satellite?

Correct. The RBR40 can't be used as a satellite.

Your best option is to use the RBR40 in AP mode wired to the main router (RBR50). In order for it not to interfere with the main wifi network you have to use for the RBR40 AP different radio channels for the 24 and 5 GHz than those used in the main network. Alos if you want to use the same SSID in this AP as in the main network then it's better to use it in the remote building (to replace the old router) to avoid roaming issues.

Message 2 of 4
Benmac1975
Aspirant

Re: Orbi Router as a wired satellite / access point from another satellite?

That's really useful thanks. I've got it to work broadly along those lines. I set it up into AP mode while physically connected to the main router. It was then working happily thus. However, due to the distance issues maintaining that physical connection would be impossible in the other building. However, I thought I would try and see what happens. Plugged into the ethernet out there (which is connected to one of the Satellites back in the house) it worked and more to the point, works very well. It's still showing as its own network rather than the main SSID. I'll maybe have a further tinker to see if I can get that switched over but for now it's done the basics of what I was after so I'm happy.

Message 3 of 4
ekhalil
Master

Re: Orbi Router as a wired satellite / access point from another satellite?


@Benmac1975 wrote:

That's really useful thanks. I've got it to work broadly along those lines. I set it up into AP mode while physically connected to the main router. It was then working happily thus. However, due to the distance issues maintaining that physical connection would be impossible in the other building. However, I thought I would try and see what happens. Plugged into the ethernet out there (which is connected to one of the Satellites back in the house) it worked and more to the point, works very well. It's still showing as its own network rather than the main SSID. I'll maybe have a further tinker to see if I can get that switched over but for now it's done the basics of what I was after so I'm happy.


Great to hear that the setup is working fine.

For the SSID, you can login to the AP-Mode RBR40 and change the SSID to what you want it to be. It's an own system (although in AP Mode) so you can name the SSID as you wish, you can either choose the same SSID as the main Orbi or give it a different name.

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