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I have a relatively average sized home.. About 2500Sq/ft. However, it is spread over 3 floors.
Recently had Google fiber 1gb service ran to the home and by golly, I will squeeze everything I can out it. Currently, my fiber box is in the basement chooching away at 957mbps WAN connection. I have connected the Google mesh router on the main floor via cat 6 hardwired and the satellite that it comes with upstairs in the master bedroom. Can't be more than 30ft apart. I'll say the Google mesh is horrible. Going up a floor with a satellite leaves me at around 100mbps and without a satellite 'extending' the range I'll only get 30-50mbps at best. I get about 450mbps right next to the router on the main floor which is a hit in performance, but I don't expect full speed over wifi. Regardless... The speeds that the google mesh system are providing over mesh are downright unacceptable.
Anyway... my question!
It is my understanding that the Orbi router and satellites all use the same 5ghz channel by nature. If that is the case, then the S's wouldn't be competing for signal, correct? At work I use unifi and have to take care that APs are spread as far apart on the 5ghz spectrum so they don't clash.
So if the Orbis do not interfere with each other, can I install more than the suggested amount of Satellites? I'm looking specifically at the AX6000 system with 1R and 2S's - the RBK853 kit. They suggest that this would cover 7500sq/ft. That is clearly overkill, but if it means the fastest possible speeds at any point in the home, it's worth the extra coin to me. I imagine they have a bias to horizontal area coverage rather than vertical and the 3 level thing is putting me off on just the 1R and 1S. I would really like to just have one on each floor of the house hardwired for a backhaul connection to the main router on the basement floor. Wired>wireless in my opinion. I could be wasting money by going with an orbi system in the first place if I plan on doing wired anyway... Would love feedback.
Can anyone give me a reason why I shouldn't do that?
It is my understanding that the Orbi router and satellites all use the same 5ghz channel by nature. If that is the case, then the S's wouldn't be competing for signal, correct? At work I use unifi and have to take care that APs are spread as far apart on the 5ghz spectrum so they don't clash.
36-48, which Orbi's use as the User Facing 5G channel
149-161, which Orbi's use as the 'Backhaul' channel between router and satellites (even if ethernet is used to connect router and satellites, they maintain the 5G backhaul radio link as a 'fall back' in case the ethernet connection disappears. Using ethernet to connect router and satellites is still a great idea and will provide the highest performance.)
Just idle curiosity, but which 5G channels are being used by access points at work? Does the work system meet the requirements to avoid miitary and weather radar signals and the power level restrictions for "indoor only" WiFi?
You are entirely correct that the entire Orbi WiFi system uses exactly one 2.4G WiFi channel (although it has options for 20/40MHs coexistence which combines a couple of channels) and uses exactly one 5G WiFi channel. My understanding is that selecting channel 36 results in a 20 MHz channel, Selecting 40 results in a 40Mhz channel (36+40)... and selecting 48 results in an 80Mhz channel (36+40+44+48).
Thus, all Orbi WiFi units compete for the same "air time", no matter how many units there are. If a user device is talking to the Orbi on one Orbi unit, then no Other user device and no other Orbi may transmit until it finishes.
The "good news" is that having Orbi access points relatively close to user devices results in higher "Link Rate" to that device, and thus transmission/reception take less time.
As an example, my phone currently displays a Transmit link speed of 702Mbps and a Receive link speed o 866Mbps. (Why they are different is a mystery to me). Suppose instead that it was connected to an Orbi farther away and had Link speeds in the 350Mbps range. That would mean that each radio transmission to/from my phone would take twice as long to complete. This would reduce the air time available to other user devices.
I say, go for the package deal with two satellites. There are several reasons:
Packages discount the cost of satellites relative to adding one later.
If it turns out you do not really 'need' that second satellite, you have a spare.
If you want to extend coverage outside the building (porches, patios, playgrounds, BBQ's, etc.) one satellite can be located next to an exterior wall and blast coverage outside while the other satellite provides interior service to areas that might be too far away from that 'outside' access point.
I have a 5000sq ft multi level home that I use 1 RBR and can run just 1 RBS, however I have two that are deployed. 7500sq ft would definately use 2 RBS.
Ah ok ya. That size of home just the RBR and just 1 RBS will do. Might even turn down the power transmit on the system to 50% to help with overall wifi signal coverage.
It is my understanding that the Orbi router and satellites all use the same 5ghz channel by nature. If that is the case, then the S's wouldn't be competing for signal, correct? At work I use unifi and have to take care that APs are spread as far apart on the 5ghz spectrum so they don't clash.
36-48, which Orbi's use as the User Facing 5G channel
149-161, which Orbi's use as the 'Backhaul' channel between router and satellites (even if ethernet is used to connect router and satellites, they maintain the 5G backhaul radio link as a 'fall back' in case the ethernet connection disappears. Using ethernet to connect router and satellites is still a great idea and will provide the highest performance.)
Just idle curiosity, but which 5G channels are being used by access points at work? Does the work system meet the requirements to avoid miitary and weather radar signals and the power level restrictions for "indoor only" WiFi?
You are entirely correct that the entire Orbi WiFi system uses exactly one 2.4G WiFi channel (although it has options for 20/40MHs coexistence which combines a couple of channels) and uses exactly one 5G WiFi channel. My understanding is that selecting channel 36 results in a 20 MHz channel, Selecting 40 results in a 40Mhz channel (36+40)... and selecting 48 results in an 80Mhz channel (36+40+44+48).
Thus, all Orbi WiFi units compete for the same "air time", no matter how many units there are. If a user device is talking to the Orbi on one Orbi unit, then no Other user device and no other Orbi may transmit until it finishes.
The "good news" is that having Orbi access points relatively close to user devices results in higher "Link Rate" to that device, and thus transmission/reception take less time.
As an example, my phone currently displays a Transmit link speed of 702Mbps and a Receive link speed o 866Mbps. (Why they are different is a mystery to me). Suppose instead that it was connected to an Orbi farther away and had Link speeds in the 350Mbps range. That would mean that each radio transmission to/from my phone would take twice as long to complete. This would reduce the air time available to other user devices.
I say, go for the package deal with two satellites. There are several reasons:
Packages discount the cost of satellites relative to adding one later.
If it turns out you do not really 'need' that second satellite, you have a spare.
If you want to extend coverage outside the building (porches, patios, playgrounds, BBQ's, etc.) one satellite can be located next to an exterior wall and blast coverage outside while the other satellite provides interior service to areas that might be too far away from that 'outside' access point.
A beautifully thorough answer. Thank you very much for your input.
I do have plans for potentially expanding into a backyard area in the future which I don't think of. Having a spare unit wouldn't be so bad if I ended up only using two inside.
I don't recall off the top of my head which channels my work system is using, but I did take care to avoid all of the DFS channels and run with proper power settings. All are in the VHT80 range there as well, but you can choose any channel in the range.
The unifi system basically let's you setup anything you want which I find interesting, but if it notices any radar on an ap that you set to one of those channels on it will kick itself off.
