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Introducing the Orbi 970 Series Mesh System with WiFi 7(BE) technology. For more information visit the NETGEAR Press Room.

Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973
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Re: Rbr50 with satellite ans one rbk43 sat

Raee
Aspirant

Rbr50 with satellite ans one rbk43 sat

It’s hard to know just how effective the satellites are and distributing the Wi-Fi signal I wish the phone app would tell you the performance of each satellite to try to get the best results from your location
Message 1 of 5
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Rbr50 with satellite ans one rbk43 sat

30 feet or more is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.
https://kb.netgear.com/31029/Where-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite

 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/Most-Stable-Orbi-Configuration/m-p/1941087/highlight/true#M970...


You can find other speed diagnosis steps in the community faq: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi-AX/Community-FAQ-My-Orbi-speeds-are-slow-inconsistent-and-don-...

 

 

Message 2 of 5
Raee
Aspirant

Re: Rbr50 with satellite ans one rbk43 sat

The other thing is the MIMO MiMu?  For best performance, do I turn this on the RBR50 Router? The information on the value of using this eludes me.   

Message 3 of 5
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: Rbr50 with satellite ans one rbk43 sat

Yes. 

Message 4 of 5
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Rbr50 with satellite ans one rbk43 sat


@Raee wrote:
It’s hard to know just how effective the satellites are and distributing the Wi-Fi signal I wish the phone app would tell you the performance of each satellite to try to get the best results from your location

I also wish the Orbi "app" provided more technical information, but it doesn't.  The only useful information (in the app) is:

  • The "color" of the circle for each satellite, which is supposed to represent the color that the "ring light" at the top displayed for two minutes when the satellite is powered on.  Blue means "Good enough", Amber means "only Fair. would  be a good idea to move the satellite closer to the router", and Magenta means "Too far away to even link up."
    https://kb.netgear.com/31030/What-do-the-LEDs-on-my-Orbi-router-and-satellite-mean 
    Having no metrics, this information is useful, but not particularly helpful beyond simply getting the satellite to function.
  • For each device, the app provides a measure of the "Link Rate" between the satellite and device.
    Very old 2.4G devices can achieve only modest link rates, even when close to a satellite.
    Modern 5G devices can achieve link rates up to 866mb (the maximum possible with Orbi's 802.11ac)
    (I feel compelled to remark that (a) this information is very slow to update - often taking several minutes, (b) the Link Rate appears to be sort of an "average" of transmit and receive link rates - my smartphone reports both directions in network settings, and (c) the reported link rate will change even when the device remains in exactly the same location.)

Given how primitive the information provided by the app is, what is a person supposed to do?

 

Some of us nerds turn to other tools:

  • The Orbi router reports the link rate between the router and satellite through a telnet command
    (satelliteinfo  wifi)
    As the satellite moves farther away from the router, the link rates drop (both transmit and receive) until at some point the status is reported as "Fair" or "Poor" (on the Orbi Attached Devices web page).  A device cannot achieve performance greater than the link rate between satellite and router.  (Since there are probably several devices sharing that link, there will be brief moments when one device's performance cannot get even to that level.)
    This is an incentive to keep satellites closer to the router rather than farther away.  But, moving satellites too close shrink the total coverage area and result in devices choosing between two very strong signals.  (That's where the "30 feet" recommendation comes in.  At about 30 feet, the link will almost certainly be "Good" and the coverage area will be substantially larger than the router alone created. If 30 ft. isn't "Blue", then it should be closer.  If 30 ft. IS Blue, then it might work at a greater distance.)
  • There are "Heat Map" apps that will report the WiFi signal strength as the user moves around the building.  Close to the Orbi unit, signal strength will be higher; farther away it will be lower.  This kind of tool is handy for documenting "dead zones" and indicating where the router and satellite signals overlap.

Well, that's a lot of work. What's the "average Joe" supposed to do?  How about this:

  • Can every device "get the job done?"  i.e.
    can security cameras stream their "live view"?
    do "Internet of Things" (IoT) devices function? (They require almost zero bandwidth, but do need an adequate signal strength
    do web pages/videos load and stream quickly enough?
    if TV's are connected, do programs show properly?
    If the answer is "Yes", then the Orbi setup is good enough.
  • Are there parts of the house where there is not coverage or devices do not function correctly?
    This calls for (a) moving the satellite around or (b) adding another satellite.
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