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Is Backhaul also using 2.4GHz?
I have my Orbi 2.4GHz Channel set to 11. Using either inSSIDer Home or WiFi Commander, I see the signals form the Orbi router and each of my Satellites on channel 11. At about the same signal strength as the Orbi router signal, I also see a signal on channel 11+7 with a hidden SSID. Its MAC Address is identical to the MAC Address for the Orbi router signal except for the second character. I don't have the equipment or expertise to dig much deeper.
Nothing from the Netgear engineers yet, so I assume they haven't figured out what is going on with my Orbi. Looking at some of the debug logs, the SSID of the hidden 2.4GHz signal is identical to the SSID of the backhaul on 5GHz. Returned my Orbi to Costco.
17 Replies
From what I've read the backhaul is all 5Ghz. I also use inSSIDer and that doesn't appear to show up when I look for it.
Hm. I see it as a hidden network on both of my Windows PC's. It disappears when I turn my Orbi router off, and reappears when I turn the router back on. Since it is usiing channels 11 and 7, it overlaps over my neighbors WiFi on channel 6. If no one else is seeing this, them my router has a problem.
Did a factory reset. The hidden network is back, same MAC addrress, and is the strongest signal on 2.4GHz. The MAC address starts with a6 on the hidden network, and a2 on the visible network that I connect to. The rest of the two addresses are identical.
I've just got my Orbi and realized that it only connects with 2.4ghz for backhaul. This can also be seen in the status and, after enabling, advanced connected devices.
When I get home I can provide screens of this.
So in general you will need to place router and satellite in typical 5Ghz distance to each other :/
I was wondering that the pictures showed the placement on several floors of the house and it connects with 5Ghz because each time they say that the router and satellite communicate by a separate 5Ghz connection.
In addition to this I am facing issues with my Galaxy S7 Edge trying to roam between both and seems to switch between both forth and back, followed by a connection drop and reconnect. And my FireTV with buffering issues when streaming 720p series.