CES 2019: Netgear Unveils New Orbi 802.11ax Mesh Wi-Fi System for Gigabit Internet

[WinstonRumfoord]

I have the current version and it's just awesome. The units are a bit bulky other than that I have zero complaints. Fast, long range, and easy to use.

Same! We have 1/2gig fiber internet, and with our Apple Airport Extreme from years back, the top speed we saw was about 25 down, and even less up. Switched to 2 Oribs, and we get 400+ up and down now throughout our 5,000 squarefoot property in the city.

I will happily continue to support netgear by upgrading in a couple years once devices can take advantage of the improved standard!

 

[jumanji]

there's just no point in buying this until you have devices that can support it. i have the velop and I love it.

 

[DrumApple]

Mesh networks seem like such marketing hype, what's the difference between mesh and router + access points/extenders? I have Google Wifi with 2 points and honestly it's no better than my Airport Extreme + Airport Express was.

 

[kruegdude]

Have had bad luck with the Orbi, especially with the Cable modem version. Always having to reset the router for lost internet connection. Went back to my old cable modem and the standard Orbi mesh, and it's better but still stalls and can be slow. Seems to freak out if you add too many units, so install sparingly.

I almost went for the cable modem version but they weren’t available for a local purchase and I was concerned about all my eggs being in one basket. Sorry to hear of your troubles.

 

[canyonblue737]

I'll wait for the eero version of mesh Wifi 6. Orbi is very very fast, but NOBODY beats eero for ease of use and continued support of the product.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Why do I care about gigabit speeds when nothing seems to support it?

Still buffers on streaming and servers limit your top speed.

Because you should be skating to where the puck is going, not where it is now. I’ll bet you were leaping for joy when Apple didn’t support Blu-ray and removed the optical drive from their computers.

 

[chinito77]

I eyed the Orbi for several months but that 50-50 success rate put me off. The Eero Home went on sale and included an Amazon echo so I gave that a go. It improved my brothers speeds from 60mbps on average to 225mbps. I was so impressed that I got one for myself. Unfortunately, I did not get a big speed boost (400mpbs out of 1000) but it's provided consistent speeds. I can watch true 4K streams and rarely see a packet/frame rate drop.

Looking forward to the next gen product. 2Gigabit speeds are available in some areas so it will be a matter of time before I decide to try that out.

 

[Necross]

We have an Orbi system in our home and it works great. Had some issues setting it up, it crashed when I tried to put in a custom password and took a lot of resetting to get it to work again.. eventually the new password worked but took a long time to accept it.. I think the first time I just got too impatient and reset it half way through the password changing process and it got all pissy. Other than that though I haven't had any other issues at all. pretty solid connection anywhere in the house and outside too.

 

[Baymowe335]

Because you should be skating to where the puck is going, not where it is now. I’ll bet you were leaping for joy when Apple didn’t support Blu-ray and removed the optical drive from their computers.

I'm not advocating throwing in the towel on the speed itself. I'm saying why buy this piece of hardware today when I literally can't even benefit from the the gigabit speeds?

 

[EBone12355]

Mesh networks seem like such marketing hype, what's the difference between mesh and router + access points/extenders? I have Google Wifi with 2 points and honestly it's no better than my Airport Extreme + Airport Express was.

I have the Orbi RBK50 that is sold at Costco. What's special is you get one unified network to sign into - no 'My House 2.4G' 'My House 5G' 'My House 2.4 EXT' 'My House 5 EXT' like you do with access points and range extenders. So all your devices, regardless of whether they are 2.4 or 5G, all sign into one single network. In addition, the mesh systems automatically configure your "relays" once you place the units and turn them on, e.g. they automatically configure if the hubs connect directly to the main unit, or if they daisychain with each other for best coverage.

I've had my system for the past year now and it's been life-changing in my 3,400 SF two story home. No more dead spots, no having to switch to different wifi networks when changing rooms, and fast speed everywhere.

 

[Jedwardoo]

I still wonder when Eero would come in and update their system to have Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax technology. I really hope Eero would launch a 3rd gen Eero mesh network this year.

 

[B4U]

First question is, are these backward compatible with 802.11b?

 

[Emanuel Rodriguez]

For internal network speeds this fast, I could find some uses like a media server for example.

For external, I agree. In the future, speeds like this will be common, but right now, and probably the next few years, it would be a waste for most people.

Actually, I think many people over pay their ISPs for download speeds they would hardly ever use. In my area, both Comcast and FiOS is pushing their Gigabit speeds, and I know a lot of people that signed up for it.

Many of these people use their internet for general web browsing, FaceBook, and Netflix streaming. Basically, stuff that a speed the faction of Gigabit could easily handle.

Yes, this kind of thing drives me completely nuts. I just finished dealing with a guy who was convinced that the 15 inch MacBook Pro is "clearly" better in every way than the MacBook Air, so he just had to get it for his daughter who's going to college, when the MacBook Air was recently updated, and more than adequate for her needs (plus, lighter and without the obnoxious Touch Bar™). But, more is better, right? Even if people can't quantify it, they feel that they simply MUST have the best they can afford, to make Facebook and YouTube *that* much faster. So, here his daughter is with a heavy boat of a laptop, because he just had to get it. Apparently mister random guy has more experience than me and my college degree, multiple certs and actual job experience.

/rant

Had to get that off my chest. I'm fine now, thanks.

 

[gbc204]

Are these tall devices? I have not seen one in person, but they looking surprisingly large for a device that is suppose to be hidden around the house.

I have the older/current version, and they're not much taller than the AirPort Extreme I was using, though markedly wider. But I have the base tucked in the corner where the Airport was, and never notice it, and the satellite unit is sitting in a corner in my office and I forgot it was there until my kid accidentally unplugged it the other day. And I will say, it is REMARKABLY fast.

 

[Ballis]

Still ugly. Hopefylly, linksys velop will have ax units availiable by the time this releases.

 

[friedmud]

Love my Orbi system - somewhat bummed that this wasn't out last year ;-)

I have the equivalent of an RBK53 (one router, two satellites all AC-3000) and love them for my three-story 3500 sq ft. home. The router is in the basement and everything from the theater room is hardwired into it at Gbps speed.

The two satellites are both on the top floor at either end of the house... but I have them _hardwired_ (ethernet backbone) down to the router in the wiring closet in the basement.

This gives me absolutely unparalleled speed and coverage... and the setup was super simple.

Can't recommend them more!

 

[Mac'nCheese]

First question is, are these backward compatible with 802.11b?

Yes

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.techspot.com/amp/article/1769-wi-fi-6-explained/

 

[tooloud10]

Because you should be skating to where the puck is going, not where it is now. I’ll bet you were leaping for joy when Apple didn’t support Blu-ray and removed the optical drive from their computers.

That analogy would only make sense if they were only making a handful of units and you literally had to race other buyers to get your hands on one. There are only negative reasons (early adopter price) for rushing to get these when you don't need them.

 

[smorrissey]

So goodbye TimeCapsule....wonder which brand is the best regarding this cause linksys definitely its not.

 

[dcopelandia]

Uggghhhhh Just bought a 3 pack around Christmas. Don't even have it opened!!

 

[EdT]

For internal network speeds this fast, I could find some uses like a media server for example.

For external, I agree. In the future, speeds like this will be common, but right now, and probably the next few years, it would be a waste for most people.

Actually, I think many people over pay their ISPs for download speeds they would hardly ever use. In my area, both Comcast and FiOS is pushing their Gigabit speeds, and I know a lot of people that signed up for it.

Many of these people use their internet for general web browsing, FaceBook, and Netflix streaming. Basically, stuff that a speed the faction of Gigabit could easily handle.

I’m paying Gigbit prices but I only have 40 Mb down, 10 Mb up. That’s at $90.00 a month.

Well, I also get a landline to go along with the internet connection. And the 40 is advertised as 50 but it does seem to be very consistent at 40 no matter what time I use it.

 

[igneousc]

love my orbi. Its so nice to get wifi perfectly all around the house, as well as well a hundred yards away outside and I dont need to mess with settings or anything.

 

[centauratlas]

Love my Orbi system - somewhat bummed that this wasn't out last year ;-)

I have the equivalent of an RBK53 (one router, two satellites all AC-3000) and love them for my three-story 3500 sq ft. home. The router is in the basement and everything from the theater room is hardwired into it at Gbps speed.

The two satellites are both on the top floor at either end of the house... but I have them _hardwired_ (ethernet backbone) down to the router in the wiring closet in the basement.

This gives me absolutely unparalleled speed and coverage... and the setup was super simple.

Can't recommend them more!

I am glad you but that hardwired (ethernet) part in - I was looking at the Orbi announcement and page and it had nothing, but being able to use them and have them hardwired like that is important if you have ethernet all over.

 

[Emanuel Rodriguez]

Mesh networks seem like such marketing hype, what's the difference between mesh and router + access points/extenders? I have Google Wifi with 2 points and honestly it's no better than my Airport Extreme + Airport Express was.

For anyone living in a large city, there is almost never a reason to use a mesh network. Most access points will be able to cover a typical city apartment, or even entire house. Out of large cities though, I can see the use. If you have a large property, mesh networks can give you a very cost-effective way to provide wifi access to the entire area (albeit with somewhat higher latency than the traditional wired network -> multiple access points approach).

You can kinda think of it as a reverse PoE. Rather than providing power over ethernet, you provide wifi, with nothing but a power cable. Definitely more convenient in the typical home setting which normally doesn't have wired ethernet.

 

[stars_fan]

I love my Orbi. My router is in the other room and I just did this speed test.