Orbi - the bandwidth annihilator

[sfx2000]

Apple still doesn’t like 40Mhz and Intel took so long to allow it and they still thankfully don’t allow forcing 40Mhz driver side either. For higher speeds 5Ghz is there so it shouldn’t be much of an issue.

Apple still sends out 20MHz intolerant in their client drivers for 2.4GHz on MacOS/iOS devices - their 11n AP's sent that out in the beacon frames...

I think with Intel and Apple - for 2.4, it was really about reserving space for Bluetooth... BT can get hammered hard by WiFi when considering client chipset supports both WiFi and BT.

 

[sfx2000]

Well - it jumped from CH4 on 2.4GHz over to CH2, and then over to CH8....

Orbi is the equivalent of Brawndo... it don't give a f**k for neighbors...

 

[RogerSC]

That's been my experience with the Orbi as well, doesn't care much about the neighbors, but gets heard in my house *smile*. Very rarely does it ever go to 20MHz. channel use on 2.4GHz., and there are a lot of signals that it just engulfs and devours. I don't let it set it's own channel, though, I always designate the control channel so that (at least) it doesn't pick one of the overlapping ones.

 

[sfx2000]

I always designate the control channel so that (at least) it doesn't pick one of the overlapping ones.

As long as the 2.4GHz Primary/Control Channel runs in the typical 1/6/11, should be ok...

 

[sfx2000]

This is is also a concern - all Orbi AP STA's report Max TX as 127 dBm - which is a problem for associated STA's and overlapping WLAN's

Interesting - maybe someone from Netgear read my post and fixed their bug...

User Facing

    Country: US    Environment: Indoor/Outdoor
        Channels [1 - 1] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [2 - 2] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [3 - 3] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [4 - 4] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [5 - 5] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [6 - 6] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [7 - 7] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [8 - 8] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [9 - 9] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [10 - 10] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [11 - 11] @ 30 dBm

    Country: US    Environment: Indoor/Outdoor
        Channels [36 - 36] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [40 - 40] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [44 - 44] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [48 - 48] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [52 - 52] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [56 - 56] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [60 - 60] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [64 - 64] @ 24 dBm

Backhaul

    Country: US    Environment: Indoor/Outdoor
        Channels [100 - 100] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [104 - 104] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [108 - 108] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [112 - 112] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [116 - 116] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [120 - 120] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [124 - 124] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [128 - 128] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [132 - 132] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [136 - 136] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [140 - 140] @ 24 dBm
        Channels [149 - 149] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [153 - 153] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [157 - 157] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [161 - 161] @ 30 dBm
        Channels [165 - 165] @ 30 dBm

 

[Starrbuck]

Just bought a set of refurb Orbi's (the RBR50 and RBS50) and so far I love them. It appears if you use ethernet backhaul it disables the high 5GHz channels. After using a tablet around the house to scan for channels in use, I set mine to use static channel numbers and I do not recommend leaving the channel selection in Auto. Seems like that would just add to instability.

 

[sfx2000]

This is odd - again, the neighboring Orbi network...

Seems like a firmware update occurred recently...

The Orbi backhaul is now broadcasting a wildcard SSID on the Beacon - thought it was odd, so captured on two completely different platforms...

I'm assuming Netgear folks might be watching this thread... @NETGEAR Guy

Concerns...

1) The Wildcard Beacon - Why? This isn't how WiFi is supposed to work
1a) Occasionally the same AP does broadcast SSID "Orbi-hidden-<some val>"
2) Beamforming and MU - the AP is suggesting it's MU capable
3) 160/80+80 - again, look at this cap

(hint - someone should take a look at this, might solve some interop problems later on)

4) VHT Operation - VHT Basic MCS Map and Tx Envelope are odd...

https://pastebin.com/Mud7peN9

 

[sfx2000]

And to just follow up - similar issues with 2.4GHz... see similar results with the wildcard SSID Beacon Broadcast...

Again, the whole VHT thing in 2.4GHz is not consistent with standards - 11ac is 5GHz only...

https://pastebin.com/1regyEar

 

[sfx2000]

This is odd - again, the neighboring Orbi network...

Again - Orbi isn't being nice to neighbors... must be autotune and in 2.4GHz, wide channels with the primary being on CH7...

 

[sfx2000]

Interesting stuff - neighbor's Orbi is still sucking up the bandwidth.... it's more invasive actually in the 2.4GHz space rather than the 5GHz - Orbi still takes up two channels there, and nothing in DFS...

warning - pdf link...

 

[unknown14725]

Quick comment to let you know you aren't alone with having a neighbour eating up all the airtime (this is at nighttime, though, so it's fairly quiet)...

My next door neighbour has literally peppered his house with these devices. The local 2.4GHz band is super crowded already, and it does not get any better by having a neighbour with an NG ORBI mesh apparently running with factory default settings (?).

I've been hiding my own 2.4GHz AP down in ch 1 for the most time. Luckily I'm moving to a new address this month so I won't have to deal with this anymore.

EDIT: oops didn't realize it was a 1 year old post, sorry for digging it up back again

 

[e38BimmerFN]

My next door neighbor also has a Orbi system. And yes, they run default WiFi SSID name. He only has the one system thankfully. However I have a Orbi AX system as well. Sometimes channels are limited.

Be sure to check out Voxels FW for Orbi 50 series.

Quick comment to let you know you aren't alone with having a neighbour eating up all the airtime (this is at nighttime, though, so it's fairly quiet)...

View attachment 21229

My next door neighbour has literally peppered his house with these devices. The local 2.4GHz band is super crowded already, and it does not get any better by having a neighbour with an NG ORBI mesh apparently running with factory default settings (?).

I've been hiding my own 2.4GHz AP down in ch 1 for the most time. Luckily I'm moving to a new address this month so I won't have to deal with this anymore.

View attachment 21230

EDIT: oops didn't realize it was a 1 year old post, sorry for digging it up back again