Re: Is there any benefit to have a wired backhaul for an Orbi Mesh system?

JamesSimpson I'll second some of FURRYe38 's comments re: number of satellites. I have a 4500 sq ft house, lots of heavy walls - a basement and 3 floors above it - original house built in 1862, completely gutted and redone in 2010.

I original put the RBR in the basement, where the cable line came in, I put an RBS on each floor. I had nothing but troubles, wired or WiFi backhaul. So, I took a signal checking app on the Mac (two - WiFiExplorer Lite, iAnalyzeWiFi), disconnected the satellites, and started walking around and seeing where signals were strong and weak. I found I could EASILY have strong WiFi throughout the home with just the RBR in the basement, 1 RBS on the 1st floor, 1 on the 3rd floor.

I have seen so many people over-saturate their houses with satellites - it just causes lots of problems.

Here is my procedure for how to figure out optimal location based on signal strength - note, the RBS location needs to be DIFFERENT if you are using wired vs. wireless backhaul! Maybe this will help, I have posted it here before...

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I would highly recommend to do this right, you need a software app that shows real time WiFi signal strength. There are a number of free ones. I use a Mac laptop, and walk around the house running either/both of 2 tools - WiFi Explorer Lite and iAnalyzeWiFi. Both are free and in the Mac App store. I am sure there are comparable tools in the Windows world, if not more of them. Both tools will give a real time view of ALL signals in your house where you are standing. As a bonus, you'll even see neighbor's signals if they are close enough, so it gets really easy to determine channels to set up with the NG routers for 2.4GHz and 5Ghz so that contention between networks is minimized.

Now there's two options with how you do this - you didn't say if your backhaul would be wired or wireless. With wired, pick the WORST signal area that you can get a wire to, to increase the coverage. With WiFi backhaul, pick a STRONG signal area so the backhaul connection is fast and reliable.

I would recommend getting an RBR and 2 RBSs to start. Get the RBR working, walk around with your laptop signal app, and place the second RBS - THAT'S IT. get them both up, and then do some more walking around to see what the final strength is. You can see them in RSSI so it doesn't take any "figuring" to know if the signal is good enough for WiFi. One e that is working, you will know whether you have an area with weak signal to set up the second RBS. Try putting it as far as you can in the apartment from either the RBR or RBS - I think Netgear recommends 30 feet minimum? Others can chime in.

With 2 RBSs in place, just keep walking around checking signal strength - and do some speed tests. Only then will you know if you have an objectively weak signal area demanding a 3rd RBS. Keep in mind as well, if that area for the third (or even the second) RBS is weak but small in size, you may need to reduce the signal power from that RBS so it doesn't overlap - you want it just strong enough to cover the weak area. Note on the two signal apps I mentioned above, I can see signals from each RBR and RBS individually - so I know if I have a strong overlap in a region of the house.

I really think you will be shocked at how few satellites you need - certainly well less than 6 unless your walls are like Fort Knox.  I was SHOCKED how strong the signal is, in some cases going to a room directly above on the next floor, but at the other end of the room - it has a lot of interference to get through but it does GREAT.

Good luck and let us know how it goes - but please don't buy 6 RBSs until you know objectively you need them - the overlap in signal between them will destroy the successful operation of your mesh!