Possible to Use RT-3100 with Orbi RBK50?

[NesTx88]

Hi SNB'ers,

My main setup has been a RT-3100 with a Tmobile Cell ac 1900 Tower router Flashed with asus softare so I have a good AI mesh setup.

This week I was given a orbi (1 router, and 2 additional orbi's), and I'm wondering is there a way to make these routers work together, and is there is any benefit to having them work together?

I get about 150mbps, living in a single story home almost 2k sq ft.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi SNB'ers,

My main setup has been a RT-3100 with a Tmobile Cell ac 1900 Tower router Flashed with asus softare so I have a good AI mesh setup.

This week I was given a orbi (1 router, and 2 additional orbi's), and I'm wondering is there a way to make these routers work together, and is there is any benefit to having them work together?

I get about 150mbps, living in a single story home almost 2k sq ft.

My thoughts...

Too much WiFi is not a good thing.

Proceed only if you need to solve a specific need at the cost/overhead of integrating different make systems... evolving consumer mesh products at that.

I would first update/setup/prove the Orbi network. If it works, keep it or pass/sell it on for use before it expires.

Your AiMesh might benefit from replacing the TM1900 which is unsupported, does not support Smart Connect node band steering (and using the same SSID), and has less WiFi range than the newer 86U. For reference, a 2x86U AiMesh would cover your 2000 sq. ft. and surrounding property nicely.

OE

 

[NesTx88]

I believe you posted OE, thanks for chiming in. I had a few questions:

1. What do you mean update/setup/prove the orbi network, and if it works, keep it or pass/sell it on for use "before it expires"? Do you mean sell it before losing more money?
2. And you are suggesting I replace the TM1900 with a 86U?
3. Do you think a orbi router router with 2 additional is good or rt-3100 and tm1900 with ai mesh?

Thanks

 

[OzarkEdge]

I believe you posted OE, thanks for chiming in. I had a few questions:

1. What do you mean update/setup/prove the orbi network, and if it works, keep it or pass/sell it on for use "before it expires"? Do you mean sell it before losing more money?
2. And you are suggesting I replace the TM1900 with a 86U?
3. Do you think a orbi router router with 2 additional is good or rt-3100 and tm1900 with ai mesh?

Thanks

Yeah, I posted and it's awaiting moderator approval, probably because it did mention the banned T-Mobile router.

1. I mean the first thing to do would be to see if the Orbi works... get familiar with it and get it updated and working. Then with that experience, you might decide to not mess with it further... if it works, you could give it away to a good home or even sell it for a few bucks and be able to install it, if necessary.

2. Your choice. I was just mentioning some considerations.

3. I'm not familiar with the Orbi system... I would have to work with it. All of these consumer mesh systems are evolving with growing pains. Integrating two may not be worth the trouble, and at the dawn of ax routers.

Regarding your AiMesh, I mentioned some considerations (2.). If it is working for you, you might just want to wear it out and look to ax routers down the road.

OE

 

[NesTx88]

Thanks, just following up. Had bad thunderstorms the last two days, so I just set up the orbi and one satillite. You have to be very exact setting it up, and does take about 10-15 min at most, but it's working.

I'm wondering since I do a lot of gaming, would this be good to replace the rt3100?

Should I sell the rt-3100 and tm1900, and keep the orbi, or sell the orbi?

 

[Grisu]

sell them all and get a cheap 2x RT-AC86U bundle (150 each would be a fair price).

Or if you wont need Asus functionality test your 3 Orbi if they match your needs.

 

[NesTx88]

sell them all and get a cheap 2x RT-AC86U bundle (150 each would be a fair price).

Or if you wont need Asus functionality test your 3 Orbi if they match your needs.

So far, I have the orbi router and one satellite. Coverage is great around the home, but around outside and my driveway, mbps drop to 30mbps. With the asus setup, I would get great front and outside coverage, and the back of my home, it would drop, so I'm guess add one more orbi?

I really don't want to invest anymore more money in my setup (bought routers, modems, hd homeruns, etc). So basically, I'm planning on selling either the orbi or asus products (that way I would have some money incase I plan on a ax setup in the feature).

I am a gamer as well, and I heard the orbi had ping dropouts (but I believe a firmware update, fixed it)?

 

[NesTx88]

So yesterday i was finally able to setup the orbi.

The process was kind of frustrating compared to the asus. You have to power it up, sign in with your phone, then hit the sync on both the router and each satillite to sync them. I also had issues syncing at first, which i found out you have to hold the reset button for 30 seconds.

Then i had a issue with reduced speeds. So i had to download the latest firmware. That process is not easy either.

I had to go from a 1.1 firmware to 2.0. Then from 2.0 to the latest. The whole process took about an hour to update each device and setup the whole network, setting up things, but now its running fine.

So far i will say this:

The orbi covers my entire home INSIDE easily. Areas i would go in with my rt-3100 and notice just slight reduced speeds are nonexistant with the orbi and speed wise, things seem the same. My small backyard is showing strong signals.

The only cons are two things:

1.) The interface sucks compared to the asus interface. Its hard to tell when you update the firmware because it doesnt tell you its done always. You just have to guess after 3 mins its done and relog back In.

2.) The outside coverage. With my rt-3100, i would get coverage to from my driveway to my my mailbox. As soon as i open my door, the orbi drops speeds from 180, to 30-50 at best. But as soon as i walk through the door, speeds come 172-180 strong.

So at this point, im really wondering since i need to let one go. To keep the orbi or asus?

 

[L&LD]

So yesterday i was finally able to setup the orbi.

The process was kind of frustrating compared to the asus. You have to power it up, sign in with your phone, then hit the sync on both the router and each satillite to sync them. I also had issues syncing at first, which i found out you have to hold the reset button for 30 seconds.

Then i had a issue with reduced speeds. So i had to download the latest firmware. That process is not easy either.

I had to go from a 1.1 firmware to 2.0. Then from 2.0 to the latest. The whole process took about an hour to update each device and setup the whole network, setting up things, but now its running fine.

So far i will say this:

The orbi covers my entire home INSIDE easily. Areas i would go in with my rt-3100 and notice just slight reduced speeds are nonexistant with the orbi and speed wise, things seem the same. My small backyard is showing strong signals.

The only cons are two things:

1.) The interface sucks compared to the asus interface. Its hard to tell when you update the firmware because it doesnt tell you its done always. You just have to guess after 3 mins its done and relog back In.

2.) The outside coverage. With my rt-3100, i would get coverage to from my driveway to my my mailbox. As soon as i open my door, the orbi drops speeds from 180, to 30-50 at best. But as soon as i walk through the door, speeds come 172-180 strong.

So at this point, im really wondering since i need to let one go. To keep the orbi or asus?

You will have to evaluate and compare the usability factors between the two systems and decide which better fits your needs.

I don't mind having lower signals in some areas, but really appreciate the long-range signal range current Asus routers have (with the RT-AC3100 being at or very near the top, today). When driving home, I can be connected to the RT-AC3100 (AP) from the stop sign (about 250' away), if I'm forced to wait a minute or two there. Not even the RT-AC86U does that.

The bigger decision though is moving away from Asus/RMerlin/amtm+Scripts to Netgear. Nope, I wouldn't do that no matter what immediate benefits I may see.

 

[OzarkEdge]

So yesterday i was finally able to setup the orbi.

The process was kind of frustrating compared to the asus. You have to power it up, sign in with your phone, then hit the sync on both the router and each satillite to sync them. I also had issues syncing at first, which i found out you have to hold the reset button for 30 seconds.

Then i had a issue with reduced speeds. So i had to download the latest firmware. That process is not easy either.

I had to go from a 1.1 firmware to 2.0. Then from 2.0 to the latest. The whole process took about an hour to update each device and setup the whole network, setting up things, but now its running fine.

So far i will say this:

The orbi covers my entire home INSIDE easily. Areas i would go in with my rt-3100 and notice just slight reduced speeds are nonexistant with the orbi and speed wise, things seem the same. My small backyard is showing strong signals.

The only cons are two things:

1.) The interface sucks compared to the asus interface. Its hard to tell when you update the firmware because it doesnt tell you its done always. You just have to guess after 3 mins its done and relog back In.

2.) The outside coverage. With my rt-3100, i would get coverage to from my driveway to my my mailbox. As soon as i open my door, the orbi drops speeds from 180, to 30-50 at best. But as soon as i walk through the door, speeds come 172-180 strong.

So at this point, im really wondering since i need to let one go. To keep the orbi or asus?

1. I've read on their forum about firmware that auto updates. If so, that could be unwelcome.

2. I've read on their forum about ~30' node spacing. That seemed short to me. My two 86U AiMesh nodes are 77' apart with a brick wall, siding wall, and kitchen in between. I get good 2.4 GHz coverage around a 2 acre lot and can connect much farther away on line-of-sight (~1200')... enough so to stream audio.

OE

 

[NesTx88]

Wow, i had the opposite experience. I was getting 33mbps when i started on the v1.1 firmware, and it wouldnt update for me. I had to manually update each device and firmware.

Maybe i have the front orbi placed wrong? I have one in my den that is next to my backyard, and i put one in my garage for the front (maybe thats why im not getting any good 180mbps signal)?

But yes, you are right, the asus interface and range is awesome. Even with just the rt-3100, i was able to cover most of my home.

However, i do recall not much benefit with the flashed tm19k (maybe i should sell it)?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Wow, i had the opposite experience. I was getting 33mbps when i started on the v1.1 firmware, and it wouldnt update for me. I had to manually update each device and firmware.

Maybe i have the front orbi placed wrong? I have one in my den that is next to my backyard, and i put one in my garage for the front (maybe thats why im not getting any good 180mbps signal)?

But yes, you are right, the asus interface and range is awesome. Even with just the rt-3100, i was able to cover most of my home.

However, i do recall not much benefit with the flashed tm19k (maybe i should sell it)?

I don't think you should sell an unsupported and hacked TM19k. Networking hardware should be more reliable than that.

Unrelated question... can you set the Orbi 2.4 GHz bandwidth to 20 MHz? My neighbor's Orbi squats all over the 2.4 GHz spectrum with a 40 MHz bandwidth and she doesn't seem to know how to control it otherwise.

OE

 

[Grisu]

and keep in mind tm-1k9 is a quite old router now and 3100 not much better (4 years), so they wont get much longer support!
Right now you could still make them to some money.
And you may want change to AX routers in some years when they operate stable and get much cheaper.
So I would sell them both, go with Orbi for the next 2 years and then get a popular AX router with long support.

 

[NesTx88]

I don't think you should sell an unsupported and hacked TM19k. Networking hardware should be more reliable than that.

Unrelated question... can you set the Orbi 2.4 GHz bandwidth to 20 MHz? My neighbor's Orbi squats all over the 2.4 GHz spectrum with a 40 MHz bandwidth and she doesn't seem to know how to control it otherwise.

OE

Maybe if I intend on reflashing it back to stock, and to answer the other question, I think that's where the Orbi weakness. It is using the same SSID for both bands I believe.

Here's the common items I usually have running, and here's a video of the interface of Orbi:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/m6r3flsbr7nzmho/Orbi.mp4?dl=0

 

[Grisu]

Enable 20/40 MHz Coexistence is what you are looking for, enabled it will use only 20MHz bandwith if there are other (strong enough) networks seen around.
Just test it with both Asus turned off, too many wifi will interfere each other what you have right now with 5 APs.
There is no problem in general usage to set same SSID for 2G and 5G and on all your APs, thats how Mesh should usually work.
Dont think there is any special with your T-branded router, its only still too buggy: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...on-3-0-0-4-384-45713.56052/page-3#post-489712
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...se-3-0-0-4-384-45713.56171/page-6#post-489512

 

[OzarkEdge]

Enable 20/40 MHz Coexistence is what you are looking for, enabled it will use only 20MHz bandwith if there are other (strong enough) networks seen around.
Just test it with both Asus turned off, too many wifi will interfere each other what you have right now with 5 APs.
There is no problem in general usage to set same SSID for 2G and 5G and on all your APs, thats how Mesh should usually work.
Dont think there is any special with your T-branded router, its only still too buggy: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...on-3-0-0-4-384-45713.56052/page-3#post-489712
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...se-3-0-0-4-384-45713.56171/page-6#post-489512

OP wasn't considering the 20/40 issue... I was, and he already has it enabled.

OP's AC1900 does not support Smart Connect, so he should use separate SSIDs, imo.

OE

 

[NesTx88]

OP wasn't considering the 20/40 issue... I was, and he already has it enabled.

OP's AC1900 does not support Smart Connect, so he should use separate SSIDs, imo.

OE

So it's been about a week running the orbi. So far here's my experience.

• It was a PIA to setup, but now it work great. Simple interface (not as customizable as ASUS).
  
• Only experienced one dropout with wired connection.
• At first I had issues with the range outside. I went into the settings and checked beamforming. Went back outside and managed to get 160mbps in the area I was only getting 60. Also standing by my neighbors side walk, I'm able to get 60mbps.

So I'm wondering if I should keep the orbi, and sell the 3100? I ultimately would use the orbi until Wifi is ironed out and a standard, so probably at the earliest the end of this year, early next year. I think for what I have now, the rt or orbi should get the job done?

 

[Grisu]

clear results, stay with orbi and overthink it in 2-3 years when AX standard will be stable, cheaper and common for all new devices. It will last longer then EOY.
I it fits your needs why think about changing?

 

[NesTx88]

Just wanted to keep this thread wotj a update since my goal was to give a insightful review on the situation. So the orbi seems to be identical to my rt-3100, except the backend settings are terrible compared to using merlin/asus stock backend, but its not a deal breaker.

Two days ago, I scored a Orbi with adapter router + Satellite along with a Netgear 6300 for $14. Would 4 satellites be overkill in my home? I'm guess to keep these as a backup? And sell the 6300?

Also, just a random thought, I still have the rt3100 (sold the t-mo 1900 unit for $40). I'm wondering would it be wiser to use the rt-3100 and orbis as AP's, or keep it the way I have it (K.I.S.S.)?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Just wanted to keep this thread wotj a update since my goal was to give a insightful review on the situation. So the orbi seems to be identical to my rt-3100, except the backend settings are terrible compared to using merlin/asus stock backend, but its not a deal breaker.

Two days ago, I scored a Orbi with adapter router + Satellite along with a Netgear 6300 for $14. Would 4 satellites be overkill in my home? I'm guess to keep these as a backup? And sell the 6300?

Also, just a random thought, I still have the rt3100 (sold the t-mo 1900 unit for $40). I'm wondering would it be wiser to use the rt-3100 and orbis as AP's, or keep it the way I have it (K.I.S.S.)?

Don't add more APs than you need to cover the area you want.

OE