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Post by garbulky on Jul 23, 2021 8:26:31 GMT -5
I have been using a Netgear Orbi router with 2 satellites. I have around 35 wifi devices at a give time. Most of the smart devices are on 2.4 GHz but laptops, streamers on 5 GHz. I always have 5 bars in the home everywhere. I do plug in my work laptop via Ethernet. Backhaul is also via Ethernet. Reception is pretty good out to the edge of my driveway. Being mesh however, the sequence in which you power on Orbi will decide if you get a star topology (each satellite connecting directly to the router) or daisy chain (1 satellite to another and that one to the router). All in all, I have been happy with it but being around 3 years old, it's not wifi-6. When I get some wifi-6 devices I will upgrade then. How do you power on to get star or daisy chain? Also how many satellites can you use? I am interested in almost all the suggestions here
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Post by garbulky on Jul 23, 2021 8:27:34 GMT -5
Get up off your butt and turn the lights on and off manually. Zero $$$. Russ Once you go smart bulbs, you never go back. LOL.
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Post by jason05216 on Jul 23, 2021 8:30:22 GMT -5
I've had good success with this as well.
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cawgijoe
Emo VIPs
"We made too many of the wrong mistakes." - Yogi Berra
Posts: 4,914
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Post by cawgijoe on Jul 23, 2021 9:03:51 GMT -5
Get up off your butt and turn the lights on and off manually. Zero $$$. Russ Once you go smart bulbs, you never go back. LOL. Yep...and smart bulbs are great to program lights on/off/dim when you go on vacation.
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hemster
Global Moderator
Particle Manufacturer
...still listening... still watching
Posts: 51,921
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Post by hemster on Jul 24, 2021 12:42:23 GMT -5
I have been using a Netgear Orbi router with 2 satellites. I have around 35 wifi devices at a give time. Most of the smart devices are on 2.4 GHz but laptops, streamers on 5 GHz. I always have 5 bars in the home everywhere. I do plug in my work laptop via Ethernet. Backhaul is also via Ethernet. Reception is pretty good out to the edge of my driveway. Being mesh however, the sequence in which you power on Orbi will decide if you get a star topology (each satellite connecting directly to the router) or daisy chain (1 satellite to another and that one to the router). All in all, I have been happy with it but being around 3 years old, it's not wifi-6. When I get some wifi-6 devices I will upgrade then. How do you power on to get star or daisy chain? Also how many satellites can you use? I am interested in almost all the suggestions here I power on the router first. Then one of the satellites, then the other satellite. The order of the satellites doesn't matter. I believe you can add up to 8 satellites but in my previous home of 4000 sq. ft, 2 satellites were plenty to get full strength signal everywhere. The Orbi app is very easy to use and includes a speed test with history.
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Post by vcautokid on Jul 24, 2021 14:41:40 GMT -5
Keith is correct. The high band wifi is a challenge in some installations. I had one installation where the Low Emissions Glass blocked the signal. Basically the dual pane glass with the Nitrogen charge in between. Even a screen door may impede or block some wifi signals.
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Post by davidl81 on Jul 24, 2021 16:08:45 GMT -5
I run the eero mesh system in the house. Each unit can either be hard wired to a cat 5 connection, or tie into the WiFi network. I run three in a two story 3700 square foot house and they work great. One unit will replace your current router, and the extra units will be placed where you best see fit for coverage. My main need for it was good coverage outside after we built the pool and patio. One unit is in the kitchen which is about 10’ away from the rear door. Highly recommend and super simple to set up. How many wifi devices in your house? Just got home from vacation. We have 43 devices connected right now between the three routers.
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jul 24, 2021 16:52:11 GMT -5
How do you power on to get star or daisy chain? Also how many satellites can you use? I am interested in almost all the suggestions here I power on the router first. Then one of the satellites, then the other satellite. The order of the satellites doesn't matter. I believe you can add up to 8 satellites but in my previous home of 4000 sq. ft, 2 satellites were plenty to get full strength signal everywhere. The Orbi app is very easy to use and includes a speed test with history. I believe Netgear and the Orbi are also on the Alexa compatibility list (and I’ve heard she and garbulky have been seen together 😉)
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dbb
Seeker Of Truth
Posts: 1
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Post by dbb on Jul 25, 2021 14:09:54 GMT -5
I have had the Netgear Orbi for almost 3 years. I use Xfinity modem in bridge mode and then Orbi RBR50 as the router assigning addresses with 3 satellites. House is 5000 SF, two floors. About 40 devices up to 60. Router and each satellite has 4 ethernet ports if desired. There is a backchannel for the mesh network which maintains communication among all the Orbi satellites and router. The back channel is neither 2.4 or 5 Ghz. I find this works great for me. have to restart modem maybe once every two months.....in sequence with modem first, router second, then satellites. App helps to quickly see when everything is connected and IP addresses assigned.
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Post by garbulky on Jul 25, 2021 19:31:35 GMT -5
Hi all, I have ordered the Orbi. I meant to purchase jsut the router and one satellite but accidentally purchased the $1000 three unit system. That's probably for the best as we have a total of two rooms (one upstairs, the other down) a living room and kitchen that isn't separated by a wall. So we would have a router for each room. A question - do you think the Cox cable modem has anything to do with this? I assume it's a wifi problem because I almost never have problems with the ethernet connections, just the wifi. I.e. I never encounter dropouts or slowdowns on the ethernet connections. But I am wondering if the cable modem has something to do with it. It is not "high end" but was updated in the last two years.
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Post by Boomzilla on Jul 26, 2021 10:46:21 GMT -5
Do you rent your cable modem from Cox, or did you purchase it? If the former, call Cox & ask if a newer modem is available - trade-ins are free.
If you have doubts about your modem, I have a Netgear N450 - CG3000Dv2 modem that I bought from Cox prior to getting my Orbi. You can have it for the asking if you want it. My Orbi, however, acts as a cable modem, wireless base station, and Ethernet router all in one. I'd be surprised if your Orbi doesn't too.
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jul 26, 2021 11:18:13 GMT -5
Do you rent your cable modem from Cox, or did you purchase it? If the former, call Cox & ask if a newer modem is available - trade-ins are free. If you have doubts about your modem, I have a Netgear N450 - CG3000Dv2 modem that I bought from Cox prior to getting my Orbi. You can have it for the asking if you want it. My Orbi, however, acts as a cable modem, wireless base station, and Ethernet router all in one. I'd be surprised if your Orbi doesn't too. I think your definition of ‘Cable Modem’ is a bit general. Technically, a cable modem would take a COAX connection coming from your cable company and give you an Ethernet connection you would then connect to your WiFi Router. If your ISP is delivering Internet service via Coax, you need a cable modem, if it’s delivering service via twisted pair (CAT5/6), then you can (usually) connect directly to the WAN port on your router. So if you don’t have a cable modem, and since the Orbi doesn’t have a Coax connection, it’s not really acting as a modem, but rather a LAN/WAN router/firewall. Just trying to keep the terminology correct. Edit: I stand corrected, I see that there is an Orbi that does act as a cable modem (and has a coax connection), but only a few have this feature — the ones with a model number that begins with CB. www.netgear.com/home/wifi/mesh/cbr750/
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Post by Boomzilla on Jul 26, 2021 12:28:02 GMT -5
My Orbi CBR750 does have the coax connection. It serves as a cable modem, Ethernet router, and WiFi base station.
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jul 26, 2021 15:15:46 GMT -5
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Post by Boomzilla on Jul 27, 2021 15:05:48 GMT -5
I've always thought it would be fun to make your own voices for digital assistants. At one time, one of the GPS boxes would let customers upload their own voices that other users could then download & install. I liked one called "Joe Dirt" (yep, yep, yep, ya might wanna get ready to turn left up ahead...). My wife hated it and forbid me to have it in the car. Another I liked was "Mr. T" (Turn right, FOOL!).
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Post by monkumonku on Jul 27, 2021 15:13:09 GMT -5
I've always thought it would be fun to make your own voices for digital assistants. At one time, one of the GPS boxes would let customers upload their own voices that other users could then download & install. I liked one called "Joe Dirt" (yep, yep, yep, ya might wanna get ready to turn left up ahead...). My wife hated it and forbid me to have it in the car. Another I liked was "Mr. T" (Turn right, FOOL!). You could have a Dr. Fauci voice. It gives you different and conflicting directions all the time.
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Post by garbulky on Jul 27, 2021 19:39:06 GMT -5
Update: Got the Orbi wifi 6 triband three piece mesh router installed. Seems to be pretty stable. I have hardwired the router to one of the satellites and the other satellite is unwired.
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novisnick
EmoPhile
CEO Secret Monoblock Society
Posts: 27,230
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Post by novisnick on Jul 27, 2021 20:36:15 GMT -5
Update: Got the Orbi wifi 6 triband three piece mesh router installed. Seems to be pretty stable. I have hardwired the router to one of the satellites and the other satellite is unwired. Nothing but a full review from you will do garbulky . Always an enjoyable read.
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Post by donh50 on Jul 27, 2021 22:07:49 GMT -5
Update: Got the Orbi wifi 6 triband three piece mesh router installed. Seems to be pretty stable. I have hardwired the router to one of the satellites and the other satellite is unwired. Very curious to see how it works for you after a little more time. I have been thinking of a mesh system for a while now, just haven't plopped down the money and keep freezing with analysis paralysis whenever I start wading through all the reviews. My problem is reaching my basement media room in a big three-story house with the cable modem and wireless router on the top floor with HVAC ducts in the basement betwixt the main router and media room. And the media room is on a separate circuit so power line adapters don't work (that was the solution for my son's bedroom and the game room also in the basement). I have a range extender now that works, sometimes, but also seems to lose its mind now and then and not reconnect to the main route after a power glitch (fairly common in our area). Lately it is dropping out more often so it may be dying -- it is pretty old. Orbi, Eero, and Asus all came highly recommended by various folks I know who do this sort of thing for a living. The TP Link seems to be hit or miss; some have used it and it worked great, others found it unreliable and went with Orbi instead. One guy suggested I run a cable outside the house and down to the media room, which would not be completely insane if the media room were on the same side of the house as my office upstairs where the modem lives. My plan is to place the master in my office upstairs at the front of the house, second unit on the main (middle) floor at the back side of the house, and see if that is enough to get decent coverage to the media room in the basement also back side of the house. Add a third unit in the basement if need be. I'm an analog engineer type, networks I found vexing.
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Post by garbulky on Jul 27, 2021 22:58:24 GMT -5
Update: Got the Orbi wifi 6 triband three piece mesh router installed. Seems to be pretty stable. I have hardwired the router to one of the satellites and the other satellite is unwired. Very curious to see how it works for you after a little more time. I have been thinking of a mesh system for a while now, just haven't plopped down the money and keep freezing with analysis paralysis whenever I start wading through all the reviews. My problem is reaching my basement media room in a big three-story house with the cable modem and wireless router on the top floor with HVAC ducts in the basement betwixt the main router and media room. And the media room is on a separate circuit so power line adapters don't work (that was the solution for my son's bedroom and the game room also in the basement). I have a range extender now that works, sometimes, but also seems to lose its mind now and then and not reconnect to the main route after a power glitch (fairly common in our area). Lately it is dropping out more often so it may be dying -- it is pretty old. Orbi, Eero, and Asus all came highly recommended by various folks I know who do this sort of thing for a living. The TP Link seems to be hit or miss; some have used it and it worked great, others found it unreliable and went with Orbi instead. One guy suggested I run a cable outside the house and down to the media room, which would not be completely insane if the media room were on the same side of the house as my office upstairs where the modem lives. My plan is to place the master in my office upstairs at the front of the house, second unit on the main (middle) floor at the back side of the house, and see if that is enough to get decent coverage to the media room in the basement also back side of the house. Add a third unit in the basement if need be. I'm an analog engineer type, networks I found vexing. My issue is not so much internet traffic but a large amount of devices. Somewhere around 43. Like you my router connection is stuck in a most innoportune place. So far when I switched wifi, my echo clock went out and the window ac lost the network immediately. I expected a few devices would feel a little bit weird (I kept the same network and password). After a quick recconection, it seemed to have fixed the matter. I had one light that didn't go off. But when I asked again without delay it went off. So I did a reboot. I'm counting on it being first day jitters of the network. Other than that it's been solid. We'll have to see how the network will hold up over time. One thing that might be helpful is that each orbi has a large number of ethernet ports. My main router is hardwired to the next router via a 100 ft cable with no issues. My next cable is going to be 200 ft from this satellite to the other one as it will go upstairs. Well it will, if the wife doesn't complain about the cables. Currently the third router is on wifi. What is interesting is that the system automatically adapts if one isn't hardwired vs being hardwired etc. I'll report back how that goes. I say this because of the distance issue you have. I will say though that spending $1k feels pretty ridiculous to me. But I was sick of dealing with routers with a bajillion antennas that couldn't keep track of low data devices in what is honestly a pretty small house. TP-Link claims 150+ devices on their totl unit, but I am unsure how this translates to real life. The competition cautions going over 35 to 50 devices before hitting "performance issues" and those devices are subtantially more expensive than TP-LINK. Nevertheless, Nick has had very good results with them so there's that. I will confide that I wonder if almost all of these routers use the same basic chipsets just with fancier chassis and charge and arm and a leg as in the case of the orbi. Now I'm wondering if the real issue is my cable modem. Does anybody know if cable modems can't handle connections from so many devices? My internet speed isn't too great - 60 mbps so it's not a speed thing. You seem to be tech savvy. My BIL who runs a company that services and provdes networking services to many companies reccomends ubiquiti amplifi alien for heavy duty needs. He uses the amazon eero at home. He also thought orbi was pretty good.
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