Wifi Analyzer Kevin Yuan
Cre Tran
I've just set-up my Orbi RBK23 system. Having done an RF survey of the house and garden I determined the best 2.4Ghz channels for each device. Based on the survey I went to assign cetrain devices to channel 1, 6 and 11 and discover Orbi wants all the devices on the same channel?!
Where can I find the option to manually set the channel number for each device? I guess I'm more likely to get a 5Ghz connection around my property with the Orbi system but it's disappoint that 2.4Ghz settings aren't easily changed.
Also, using a wifi analyser it looks like my 2.4Ghz signals are covering 6 channels. Is this something to do with the MIMO settings? I feel like I'm missing something and not understanding this Orbi system!
Channels are only set on the RBR using a web browser. The RBS follow and will use the same channel as what is set on the RBR. This is how they work. You cant' change any channels on the RBS. Basic function of changing channels has been around since wifi routers first came out. Still present.
Could you take a screen shot of this information? The Orbi router and satellite should be broadcasting both the primary and guest SSID's on exactly one 2.4G channel. They are all on the same channel, and there is no method to have them use more than one channel at the same time.
Wow... You tell me that changing the wifi channel of a router is a basic function that's been available forever but then tell me the satellites can't change their channel?? Why? Unless I get a proper, considered, intelligent response from some who sounds like they understand radio frequency interactions and interference I'm going to have to consider returning system.
I turned off the guest Wifi. this channel graph I'm sharing is pretty much 'car crash' stuff for 2.4Ghz wifi. I can't do that to my neighbours.... Interestingly, it seems that one of my devices has moved to ch11, with the other two on ch8.
Regardless, I've bought a wireless product that sells it's self as having a dedicated backhaul connection for speed but then allows interference between every device connected to every AP. It makes no sense. It's not marketed as mesh wifi, the implication is that it's more than that. I'm not very impressed and it's probably going back to the store.
The ethernet cables are required because (I believe) that typical "WiFi extenders" that are connected using WiFi (a) will set themselves to the same WiFi channel as the primary WiFi they are repeating, and (b) their default SSID will echo the primary SSID. Using ethernet makes these access points entirely independent.
So, I believe this will accomplish what you want. I think it will also be a "mess". Even if all of these WiFi access points have the same SSID, when a device roams from one place to another it will not "roam" as it would with a mesh system. The signal level from the first access point will have to fall to nearly zero before the device will look for another.
My understanding was that the 'Tri-band' functionality of the Orbi means that the devices are connected by a dedcated 5Ghz connection and that the other 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands were dedicated to my home network.
My home is already fully cabled, in fact all of the Orbi devices are connected to a Gigabit LAN. I wanted this system to extend out to the gardens. It seems crazy that a company would market a product that doesn't allow you to optimise a wireless network.
My understanding was that the 'Tri-band' functionality of the Orbi means that the devices are connected by a dedcated 5Ghz connection and that the other 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands were dedicated to my home network. This remains the "crux" of the problem. Early "mesh" systems used one 5G channel for both the user devices and the connection between access points. and one 2.4G channel for user devices. The "Tri-band" in newer mesh systems indicates that they use a 5G channel to connect access points that is separate from the 5G user band. My Orbi, for example, uses an 80MHz wide 5G channel (36-48) for user devices and an 80MHz wide 5G channel (149-161) for the backhaul.
My home is already fully cabled, in fact all of the Orbi devices are connected to a Gigabit LAN. I wanted this system to extend out to the gardens. It seems crazy that a company would market a product that doesn't allow you to optimise a wireless network. Using ethernet backhaul completly negates the value of "Tri-band" from any manufacturer. It remains lurking there in case the ethernet connection fails, but provides no added value. (Most of us are intensly jealous of people who ethernet cables in the walls.)
Can you recommend a product that gives more control? Which also doesn't swamp half the 2.4ghz band? I suspect the reason you see CanyonMonkey on two 2.4G channels is because "Enable 20/40 MHz Coexistence" is checked on the Advanced Tab, Advanced Settings, Wireless Settings. When I had it checked, I saw two 2.4G channels. When I unchecked it, I see only one. The 2.4G WiFi channel design is a horrible mess because they "overlap" so much. Only channels 1, 6, and 11 do not overlap (in the US. it appears you may be elsewhere where channels 12 & 13 are supported?)
The WiFi analyzer app that you are using uses an unusual "shape" to describe the WiFi signal. On my Android, I use WiFi Analyzer by Kevin Yuan and WiFi Analyzer by Abdelrahman M. Sid. Both of those apps show the relative strength of the WiFi signal as a "curve", not as an (almost) rectangle. So, a WiFi signal on channel 6 interferes mostly with other signals on channel 6. Not so much on channels 5 and 7. Even less on channels 4 and 8. And, not at all on channels 3 and 9.
When I open WiFi Analyzer by Kevin Yuan on my Android devices, it clearly shows the access point MAC addresses for my router and satellite, both on the same channel. When I change the channel on the router, the satellite changes along with it.
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