Orbi RBK753 Lowering trasmission power of 5ghz and wireless backhaul

[andrenb]

I´m wondering if lowering the transmission power for 5ghz to 50% also will lower the power on the 5ghz-2 backhaul channel or just the fronthaul? 

[CrimpOn · Accepted solution]

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@andrenb wrote:

I´m wondering if lowering the transmission power for 5ghz to 50% also will lower the power on the 5ghz-2 backhaul channel or just the fronthaul? 

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I experimented with this and found that lowering the Transmit Power affects only the user facing radio.  The backhaul radio power remains at full strength.

Perhaps you could replicate the experiment:

• Use an application that reports signal strength
  • WiFi Info View (free for Windows at https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html ) on a laptop
  • Any of the WiFi Analyzer apps for Android (phone or tablet)
• The app will display all nearby WiFi access points (in my case well over 20).  Most of them will be broadcasting an SSID.  The Orbi backhaul link does not broadcast SSID, so it will show up as "unknown" or the field will be blank.
  WiFi Info View has an advanced option to restrict the display by channel.  In the US, the Orbi backhaul is on channel 157.
• Walk at least 20-30 ft away from the router and record the signal strength.  (Maybe record at more than one distance.)
• Reduce the Transmit Power from 100% to 25%.
• Repeat the recording at the same locations.
• Compare the backhaul signal strength with Transmit Power at 100% against the Transmit Power at 25%.

One of the least attractive features of the Orbi system is that features are not identical across all products.  It would be helpful to know if your experiment produces the same result as mine.

[FURRYe38]

I believe both are effected. 

[andrenb]

Thanks for the quick reply, good to know.

[CrimpOn · Accepted solution]

---

@andrenb wrote:

I´m wondering if lowering the transmission power for 5ghz to 50% also will lower the power on the 5ghz-2 backhaul channel or just the fronthaul? 

---

I experimented with this and found that lowering the Transmit Power affects only the user facing radio.  The backhaul radio power remains at full strength.

Perhaps you could replicate the experiment:

• Use an application that reports signal strength
  • WiFi Info View (free for Windows at https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html ) on a laptop
  • Any of the WiFi Analyzer apps for Android (phone or tablet)
• The app will display all nearby WiFi access points (in my case well over 20).  Most of them will be broadcasting an SSID.  The Orbi backhaul link does not broadcast SSID, so it will show up as "unknown" or the field will be blank.
  WiFi Info View has an advanced option to restrict the display by channel.  In the US, the Orbi backhaul is on channel 157.
• Walk at least 20-30 ft away from the router and record the signal strength.  (Maybe record at more than one distance.)
• Reduce the Transmit Power from 100% to 25%.
• Repeat the recording at the same locations.
• Compare the backhaul signal strength with Transmit Power at 100% against the Transmit Power at 25%.

One of the least attractive features of the Orbi system is that features are not identical across all products.  It would be helpful to know if your experiment produces the same result as mine.

[andrenb]

I´m not at home at the moment but I´ll try it later. Thanks for the great help, I hoped it only would lower the transmission power of the front radio and this seems promising!

[andrenb]

I tested today with my Orbi 750-set and lowering the transmission power to 25% on the 5ghz still had the hidden backhaul at full blast, as verified by the wifi analyzer on my Macbook 15 Pro. Thanks again for testing this, this is really great to know and how I hoped it would work.

[FURRYe38]

Glad you got it working. Thanks for the confirmation. Will keep this in mind. Be sure to save off a back up configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed.
https://kb.netgear.com/000062080/How-do-I-back-up-the-configuration-settings-on-my-Orbi-WiFi-System
Enjoy. 📡