Doorbell plus cameras connecting to Netgear Orbi

[enurweb]

Okay guys!

I've bought two Arlo 3 Floodlight cameras and an Arlo Wired Doorbell on it's way with postal services right now.

As such, I'm reading up on a few things like installation and configuration.

Now... I have a growing concern that I might have a problem since all of these three units are purely Wi-Fi units and don't really need the Arlo smarthub.

At home I have a modem as the first device handeling the fiber optic internet connection. This device doesn't do anything with handing out IP-adresses (no DHCP service).

Second device behind the fiber optic modem is a Ubiquti router that doesn't have Wi-Fi capabilities. This router does hand out IP-addresses (running DHCP). So for all my hard wired devices at home the Ubiquti box is giving them service.

Third device plugged into the Ubiquti box is a Netgear Orbi 6 RBK852 router and satelite. The sole purpose of these two are to spread Wi-Fi to my smart devices throughout the house and garage.

Now to the potential problem itself. I have noticed that the Orbi mesh Wi-Fi network only distribute one SSID at home. I believe it works in that way that devices connecting through Wi-Fi is suppose to use 5Ghz if they have a good signal and then auto switch to 2,4Ghz if devices get far enough away form the satelites.

I've previously tried hooking up a panel oven I bought with Wi-Fi support and it stated in the manual that it only supported 2,4Ghz Wi-Fi network. I remember spending several hours with no luck connecting that panel oven and just gave up since I didn't really need it.

So to sum it up. I have a growing concern that I may have to return these cameras and doorbell if they will have the same issues connecting as the panel oven.

Can anyone give some advices in this regard??😔

[StephenB]

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@enurweb wrote:

Third device plugged into the Ubiquti box is a Netgear Orbi 6 RBK852 router and satelite. The sole purpose of these two are to spread Wi-Fi to my smart devices throughout the house and garage.

I am thinking that the Orbi is set up as an access point - not a router.  Can you confirm that is the case?

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@enurweb wrote:

Now to the potential problem itself. I have noticed that the Orbi mesh Wi-Fi network only distribute one SSID at home. I believe it works in that way that devices connecting through Wi-Fi is suppose to use 5Ghz if they have a good signal and then auto switch to 2,4Ghz if devices get far enough away form the satelites.

The Orbi is using the same SSID and password for both bands. Most modern routers (mesh or not) do the same.  Each device can choose which band it connects to.  In general, the mesh will suggest that clients switch to a different radio (including switching to a satellite), but the client doesn't actually have to switch.  But almost all clients will.

In the case of the Arlo cameras, they only have 2.4 radios, so they will connect using that.  They might switch to a different mesh element, but always using 2.4 gHz.

I have an older (WiFi 5) Orbi mesh, and I have onboarded cameras to it successfully.  Sometimes it's been easier using a PC (browsing to my.arlo.com).  That's not possible with the doorbells, but I have sucessfully on-boarded those with both the Android and iOS apps.  I just ignored the guidance to make sure the phone was connected to 2.4 gHz - which is impossible to do, since the phone won't let you choose the radio, and you can't disable 5 gHz in the Orbi. 

Again, this is common with new routers (and has always been the case with phones).  Arlo really needs to update their guidance (and fix the issues that create friction when on-boarding).

[enurweb]

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@StephenB wrote:

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@enurweb wrote:

Third device plugged into the Ubiquti box is a Netgear Orbi 6 RBK852 router and satelite. The sole purpose of these two are to spread Wi-Fi to my smart devices throughout the house and garage.

I am thinking that the Orbi is set up as an access point - not a router.  Can you confirm that is the case?

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 You are absolutely correct. The Orbi router and satelite are set up as access points. Their only job is to provide Wi-Fi coverage to my home.

I am most nervous for the Doorbell to be honest because right now while it is still in the package I can return it for a full refund. But the second I open the package the refund is gone from the store.

I also have to book an electrician to do the wired installment as I am by Norwegian law not allowed to do any work in my fusebox. So thinking both those costs combined makes med a bit concerned.

Of course I guess I could go ahead and waste a bit more money on the Ultra Smarthub and everything should work fine guaranteed. Then again it seems like wasting money as all the products are able to connect to Wi-Fi directly.

[StephenB]

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@enurweb wrote:

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Of course I guess I could go ahead and waste a bit more money on the Ultra Smarthub and everything should work fine guaranteed. Then again it seems like wasting money as all the products are able to connect to Wi-Fi directly.

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Smarthubs do have some advantages. They allow for local storage, which serves as a useful backup for the Arlo cloud.  Some here also use local storage only (with no subscription).  Battery life seems a bit better with the Smarthub (though honestly, I don't find it makes that much difference).  You can also get 2K local livestreaming from the floodlight cameras with a smarthub.  

The disadvantages are that you lose the coverage of the mesh, and of course the extra cost.

Scheduling (and modes generally) work a bit differently with a smarthub, since the mode applies to all cameras connected to the smarthub (with a rule for each camera).  Whether that's easier or not depends on the details of the schedule you want to set up.

You could purchase the smarthub later if you had a problem on-boarding - though unfortunately they are often out-of-stock when purchased separately.