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Re: Orbi with wireless bridge to an out building keeping one SSID

dwalters23
Aspirant

Orbi with wireless bridge to an out building keeping one SSID

I have a basic 2-device Orbi setup, works great.  Want to add to this and extend across a field but keep a single SSID whether in the house or the barn.  A pair of wireless bridge devices seem the obvious solution, but then after that do I need another Orbi satellite at the remote site to extend the single SSID system-wide?

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

Dave

Model: RBR50|Orbi AC3000 Tri-band WiFi Router
Message 1 of 5

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CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Orbi with wireless bridge to an out building keeping one SSID


@dwalters23 wrote:

I have a basic 2-device Orbi setup, works great.  Want to add to this and extend across a field but keep a single SSID whether in the house or the barn.  A pair of wireless bridge devices seem the obvious solution, but then after that do I need another Orbi satellite at the remote site to extend the single SSID system-wide?


This is correct. ALTHOUGH...... if the distance is far enough that any device will completely drop WiFi connection when moving from one to the other, then any WiFi access point could be installed in the barn and given the same WiFi SSID and password as the Orbi system.

 

Devices constantly scan for WiFi signals and have a list of "known" SSIDs and passwords.  If something never leaves the barn, it will be connected forever.  If it completely loses the signal, it will begin searching and soon "find" the same SSID and not know that it is a different access point.  BUT, if a device still has enough signal to remain connected to the far end (at a very poor connection), it will not drop and begin looking again.  That is what the Orbi system manages.  The Orbi units coordinate and use an 802.11 protocol to tell the device, "You should change to this other access point now."

 

So, an Orbi satellite is the best solution (if you can find one), otherwise "How far away is the barn?"

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Message 2 of 5

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CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Orbi with wireless bridge to an out building keeping one SSID


@dwalters23 wrote:

I have a basic 2-device Orbi setup, works great.  Want to add to this and extend across a field but keep a single SSID whether in the house or the barn.  A pair of wireless bridge devices seem the obvious solution, but then after that do I need another Orbi satellite at the remote site to extend the single SSID system-wide?


This is correct. ALTHOUGH...... if the distance is far enough that any device will completely drop WiFi connection when moving from one to the other, then any WiFi access point could be installed in the barn and given the same WiFi SSID and password as the Orbi system.

 

Devices constantly scan for WiFi signals and have a list of "known" SSIDs and passwords.  If something never leaves the barn, it will be connected forever.  If it completely loses the signal, it will begin searching and soon "find" the same SSID and not know that it is a different access point.  BUT, if a device still has enough signal to remain connected to the far end (at a very poor connection), it will not drop and begin looking again.  That is what the Orbi system manages.  The Orbi units coordinate and use an 802.11 protocol to tell the device, "You should change to this other access point now."

 

So, an Orbi satellite is the best solution (if you can find one), otherwise "How far away is the barn?"

Message 2 of 5
Mstrbig
Master

Re: Orbi with wireless bridge to an out building keeping one SSID


@dwalters23 wrote:

I have a basic 2-device Orbi setup, works great.  Want to add to this and extend across a field but keep a single SSID whether in the house or the barn.  A pair of wireless bridge devices seem the obvious solution, but then after that do I need another Orbi satellite at the remote site to extend the single SSID system-wide?

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

Dave


It's going to depend on how far the barn is away from the closest Orbi. If the barn is too far away, and possible, I would run a network cable from either the Orbi router or one of the satellites to the barn.

You may also be able to achieve the same thing by using cost effective directional Beam bridge antennas. We installed a pair of these to get internet from 1 mobile home to another that were about 350ft apart, with a clear shot.

Message 3 of 5
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Orbi with wireless bridge to an out building keeping one SSID

You may want to review this:

https://www.netgear.com/support/product/wbc502.aspx


@dwalters23 wrote:

I have a basic 2-device Orbi setup, works great.  Want to add to this and extend across a field but keep a single SSID whether in the house or the barn.  A pair of wireless bridge devices seem the obvious solution, but then after that do I need another Orbi satellite at the remote site to extend the single SSID system-wide?

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

Dave


 

Message 4 of 5
dwalters23
Aspirant

Re: Orbi with wireless bridge to an out building keeping one SSID

It is 400' or so and thus the wifi drops way before the barn, so any access point after the bridge will do.

 

Thanks for the reply!

Message 5 of 5
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