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Use the satellite RBS40 instead of main base RBR40

PIerreSc
Aspirant

Use the satellite RBS40 instead of main base RBR40

Hi All,

 

I've search for this, but couldn't find the answear, so if you believe this has been answered already, feel free to direct me to the correct thread. 

 

Here's my issue :

 

I have an Orbi setup, consisting of 1 main routeur (RBR40) and one satellite (RBS40).

Router is on the main floor in my house, satellite is upstairs. The system is up and running, but for some reason, the computers upstairs are connected to the router, and not to the satellite. And consequently, signal quality is not efficient, and tends to drop quite frequently.

 

I've looked for means to manually affect the satellite as the main network access point, but couldn't find any explanation on how to do so.

 

Can you help ?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Pierre

Model: RBS40|Orbi AC2200 Tri-band WiFi Add-on Satellite
Message 1 of 8
ekhalil
Master

Re: Use the satellite RBS40 instead of main base RBR40

Smart devices like companies, smart phones, tablets,... will always move between nodes to select the node with best coverage, so I don’t think you have issues with such devices, correct?
On the other hand, IoT devices and similar “sticky” devices usually keep connected to the node the devices were first attached to and never change that. You can force those devices to start over the selection procedure by power cycling those devices, so they will now -hopefully- find the node with better coverage and attach to it.
Message 2 of 8
PIerreSc
Aspirant

Re: Use the satellite RBS40 instead of main base RBR40

Hi,

 

Thanks for trying to answer my problem. However, I can see that the connection strentgh is not so strong on all machines connected to the main base, while the satellite would provide a stronger connection.

 

I was hoping that just like one can set specific WiFi Channels on a designated computer, or sort WiFi network between preferred ones and others, one could designate an satellite as being prefered over a router. 

 

 

Message 3 of 8
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: Use the satellite RBS40 instead of main base RBR40

Alas, this is one of the most frequent issues raised on the forum.  As @ekhalil says, devices can be "sticky" about their WiFi connection, especially devices that were not designed to "move around".  Once they connect, they tend to stay connected, and since the router WiFi signal comes up before the satellites do, these devices are already connected (perhaps poorly) before the satellite is available.  Power cycling the device is the only solution anyone has found.

 

I know (literally) nothing about other mesh networks (Google, Linksys, D-Link, etc.) so I do not know if the same thing happens on those networks.  Maybe some day I will search their user forums.

Message 4 of 8
PIerreSc
Aspirant

Re: Use the satellite RBS40 instead of main base RBR40

I'm starting to wonder whether it could be an issue with the bandfrequency on my son's laptop....

 

I'll keep digging...

 

Thanks

Message 5 of 8
ekhalil
Master

Re: Use the satellite RBS40 instead of main base RBR40

What happens if you disconnect wifi on the computer and then connect again, will it then choose the nearest node?
Message 6 of 8
PIerreSc
Aspirant

Re: Use the satellite RBS40 instead of main base RBR40

That’s the thing...
We rebooted the pc, standing but a few inches away from the RBS40. The signal level was extremely low...
I don’t get it...
Message 7 of 8
ekhalil
Master

Re: Use the satellite RBS40 instead of main base RBR40

Does it connect to the 2.4 or 5 GHz bands on the Router?
Message 8 of 8
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