Orbi 960 Wifi Extender

[lisakc]

Just learned we need a Wifi Extender for our new Orbi 960, AXE 11000, wifi 6E system to connect to an outside solar battery. Is there any alternative to a $600 extra satellite? Many thanks to all in advance.

[FURRYe38]

No. 

If you can find a RBS50Yv2 outdoor unit that has Extender mode FW loaded on it you could use this to connect out side. 

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and 📡 satellite(s)? 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 📡

How far is this device from the nearest RBR or RBS in the home? 

[lisakc]

Our home is about 3000 Sq Ft, the Router is on the second floor and the battery is outside right beneath it. There is a second-story overhang, so about 20 ft is my guess from the main Orbi router to the battery. Thank you, the add on satellites are just a little spendy now.

[FURRYe38]

That should be well with in reach and coverage to this device for it to connect to the system. 

How many RBS are you using? 

[CrimpOn]

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@lisakc wrote:

Just learned we need a Wifi Extender for our new Orbi 960, AXE 11000, wifi 6E system to connect to an outside solar battery. Is there any alternative to a $600 extra satellite? Many thanks to all in advance.

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Absolutely.  Since the solar battery is not mobile (remains fixed in one place), then any brand of WiFi extender from any company will do what you want.  Set it up to create a different WiFi SSID than the primary network  so that the solar panel will attempt to connect only to this unit.

I have a preference for the Netgear EX3700, which is available on Amazon for under $40.

The big concern is where/how the extender will  be mounted.  Extenders require electricity. (The EX3700 is designed to plug into a standard electrical outlet.)  It could, for example, be placed indoors in a room close to the solar battery.

Outdoor mounting is more of a challenge. (search for "Outdoor WiFi Extender").  The TODAAIR unit $70 on Amazon is designed to mount outdoor and has a 12v power supply.  (Low voltage can be run "through" walls, whereas line current wires cannot.)

The benefit of an actual satellite is that mobile devices can roam seamlessly between the various units.

[lisakc]

Just read this about the outdoor extender:

• Not compatible with Orbi Wifi 6 systems

Worried that it won't work with the 960??

[CrimpOn]

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@lisakc wrote:

There is a second-story overhang, so about 20 ft is my guess from the main Orbi router to the battery.

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As @FURRYe38 mentioned, 20ft should be fine for the solar panel.  How did someone come to decide that an extender is required?

[lisakc]

Yes, they did, the battery's firmware won't update, they want to drill a hole in the wall and hardwire an extender to it, I was looking for less invasive options, but $600 is spendy.

[CrimpOn]

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@lisakc wrote:

Yes, they did, the battery's firmware won't update,

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The Solar battery app works except for firmware update? or,

The Solar battery app cannot be set up at all?

Can you provide a link to the installation instructions for this solar battery?

Did they say what kind of extender they proposed to install?

[FURRYe38]

Shouldn't need a extender. 

If it's FW isn't updating then they need to look into why. 

Is the device connecting to the Orbi system? 

[lisakc]

It has its own network, but apparently, the signal isn't strong enough. I just don't like the hole in the wall.

[FURRYe38]

So does it support wireless connecting to a host router system or does it need a ethernet connection? 

There should be plenty of signal from the Orbi system for it to connect to being that distance from the system. 

Seems like the Mfr needs to troubleshoot a bit more. 
You can try the IoT wifi network on the Orbi system and see if it sees that SSID. 

Don't enable the separate 6Ghz wifi network, not needed. 

[CrimpOn]

I think we are having a hard time understanding how this solar battery system is supposed to connect to the owner's home network:

• With an Ethernet cable?
• To WiFi (probably 2.4G)?

Would really like to see a link to that installation manual.

[lisakc]

Situation is that the battery went kaput after missing about 4 firmware updates... we have no access to that info, so the tech came out and said that firmware updates are pushed from the manufacturer, and it needed a consistent strong signal on its SSID. They want to hard wire a wifi extender to the system and plug it in in the room on the other side of the concrete outer wall. I do not claim to completely understand this, but this is what I was told.

[CrimpOn]

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@lisakc wrote:

other side of the concrete outer wall.

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The magic word ("concrete"). Concrete can dramatically reduce WiFi signal strength.  I would be tempted to go outside next to the battery unit and see what signal strength the Orbi provides at that specific location.  (Would be cool to know where the WiFi antenna is on the battery unit.) If you have an Android device or Windows laptop, there are many apps that will display the signal strength of each of your WiFi access points.

Unless that floor above is also concrete, I had assumed that being "directly under" the router, the signal strength would be fine. 

[FURRYe38]

If the device has a ethernet port, have them just connect the unit via ethernet to the system. Ya, Concrete will be problematic. 

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@lisakc wrote:

Situation is that the battery went kaput after missing about 4 firmware updates... we have no access to that info, so the tech came out and said that firmware updates are pushed from the manufacturer, and it needed a consistent strong signal on its SSID. They want to hard wire a wifi extender to the system and plug it in in the room on the other side of the concrete outer wall. I do not claim to completely understand this, but this is what I was told.

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