Netgear Orbi AC3000 Mesh WiFi System Review
A Look At The Netgear Orbi Mesh WiFi Router System
Consumer WiFi router products are generally classified by three major performance characteristics: overall throughput or bandwidth, multi-client performance, and range. Although throughput and multi-client bandwidth has scaled-up nicely over the years, range perhaps hasn't improved quite as robustly and even the most powerful WiFi routers, like Netgear's own beastly Nighthawk X8, with its active antennas, can still leave dead spots in large home or office installations. That's where the recent crop of mesh router technologies, that startups like Eero and Google with Google WiFi, are making significant advancements.
By spreading out multiple, interconnected router access points (as well as their antennas), across a WiFi network, you blanket the area with a stronger, more contiguous signal. If you need to go the distance, mesh WiFi routers are the new way to go and Netgear is now entering the fray with a 3Gbps tri-band setup called Orbi.
By spreading out multiple, interconnected router access points (as well as their antennas), across a WiFi network, you blanket the area with a stronger, more contiguous signal. If you need to go the distance, mesh WiFi routers are the new way to go and Netgear is now entering the fray with a 3Gbps tri-band setup called Orbi.
If you've ever tried to solve the problem of WiFi range with a range extender, you've probably come to realize that the legacy technology just doesn't work that well. The reason is because most range extenders and repeaters rely on a single radio to transmit and receive data, effectively cutting the bandwidth in half. However, new home mesh network router technologies offer a sophisticated interconnect of multiple routers and as a result, multiple radios and antennas, to form a larger multi-radio WiFi network. Until now, this technology was usually employed in more expensive enterprise applications, and it was generally a complex setup. However, the latest generation of mesh router systems, like the Netgear Orbi, take the complexity and cost out of the equation, bringing the technology down to the consumer level.
That said, Netgear's Orbi is also different from other mesh network routers on the market currently, in a rather significant way.
That said, Netgear's Orbi is also different from other mesh network routers on the market currently, in a rather significant way.
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| WiFi Bands | Simultaneous Tri-Band WiFi - 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz + 5GHz 2x2 866Mbps 4x4 1733Mbps - Dedicated Backhaul between Orbi Router & Satellite |
| Beamforming | Implicit & Explicit Beamforming for 2.4 & 5GHz bands |
| Ethernet Ports | Gigabit Ethernet: 1 WAN & 3 LAN for Router, 4 LAN for Satellite |
| USB Ports | One (1) USB 2.0 port |
| Key Features | Six high-performance antennas with high-powered amplifiers System kit of two covers homes up to 4,000 square feet with strong WiFi signals Beamforming technology boosts range for the 802.11ac MU-MIMO capable for simultaneous data streaming on multiple devices |
| Security | WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK, WPA/WPA2, Wireless Security: Enable/Disable, WPS fast encryption |
| Processor | Qualcomm 802.11ac chipset with Wi-Fi Self-Organizing Network (SON) technology |
| Memory | 4GB Flash, 512MB RAM |
| Physical Specs | 6.67x 2.36 x 8.89 in each |
| Package Contents | 1 Orbi Router (RBR50), 1 6.5ft Ethernet cable, 1 12V/ 3.5A power adapter, Quick start guide 1 Orbi Satellite (RBS50), 1 12V/ 3.5A power adapter, Quick start guide |
| Price | $399 Currently On Amazon - One Base, One Satellite Kit |
Netgear Orbi base and satellite - yin and yang.
If that analogy doesn't ring true for you, we'll be more clear. The Netgear Orbi was designed to cover a longer range of wireless network area with a solid, high performance signal. Its max range noted in the spec table above is 4,000 square feet. If you're looking for a pretty, subdued WiFi router and have an smaller area of less than 2,000 square feet or so to cover (without many obstructions), a single Orbi unit will do the trick, but then again, so would any quality 802.11ac router. Where the Orbi excels is its scalability over distance, in conjunction with one or more Orbi satellites, to deliver full-bandwidth 5GHz and 2.4GHz WiFi coverage.
With that playing field and use case set. Let's look at the Netgear Orbi setup...
With that playing field and use case set. Let's look at the Netgear Orbi setup...
