Netgears New Orbi 860 Series Is The Ultimate Wi-Fi 6 Home Mesh System

Table of Content

• Orbi™ 960 Series Quad-Band WiFi 6E Mesh System, 10.8Gbps, 10 Gig Port, 3-Pack, 1-year NETGEAR Armor included
• Orbi™ 960 Series Quad-Band WiFi 6E Mesh System, 10.8Gbps, 10 Gig Port, 3-Pack, Black Edition, 1-year NETGEAR Armor included
• NETGEAR Orbi AX4200 4200 Mbps 4 Port Wireless Router Plus 2 Mesh Points
• Orbi 860 Series Tri-Band WiFi 6 Mesh System, 6Gbps, 10 Gig Port, 4-Pack (RBK864S)
• Orbi Tri-Band WiFi 6 Mesh Router with Built-in Cable Modem, 4.2Gbps
• Devolo Magic 2 WiFi next – The best Powerline Wi-Fi Extender

The new Orbi RBK863 is a triple-pack version of the Orbi 860 Wi-Fi Mesh System. It covers homes with up to 6,750 sq ft of living space while offering Wi-Fi speeds up to 6Gbps. Adding extra Orbi RBS860 satellites can expand the coverage even further. To achieve this level of data throughput, Netgear has developed a patented dedicated backhaul that puts data to and from the router on a high-speed Wi-Fi band. In contrast, the two other wireless bands are used to service client devices.

Netgear went in a slightly different direction however. The Orbi includes two similar-looking devices, each with a different role. This is your router of the group and functions mostly like any other, as it's able to stand on its own as your main router.

Orbi™ 960 Series Quad-Band WiFi 6E Mesh System, 10.8Gbps, 10 Gig Port, 3-Pack, 1-year NETGEAR Armor included

It can only work with the Orbi router, and each Orbi router can handle up to three of these add-on units. NetgearAnd to ensure all the data on the network is kept secure, the Orbi 860 Series uses the latest WPA3 encryption and the network has just one SSID for all the Orbi units. As users move around the home with their smartphone or laptop, the mesh network ensures the device is always logged on to the closest Orbi unit with the strongest signal. It works in the same way as a cellphone network, with each Orbi functioning as a single cell, ready to switch the user to the next Orbi with a stronger signal.

Will ship within 5 business days of receiving cleared payment. The seller has specified an extended handling time for this item. Shop your favorite products and we’ll find the best deal with a single click. The high cost aside, the Orbi System is a sure and easy way to cover a relatively large home with high-speed Wi-Fi coverage.

Orbi™ 960 Series Quad-Band WiFi 6E Mesh System, 10.8Gbps, 10 Gig Port, 3-Pack, Black Edition, 1-year NETGEAR Armor included

In our tests, we boosted speeds in the bathroom from 42.6Mbps to 85.2Mbps. That’s the slowest speed from an extender but shows that this kit can get wireless where you need it. And, third, you don’t get much in the way of extras beyond simply extending your Wi-Fi range. Still, if you want a simple upgrade for your home network, giving you a mesh-like experience without replacing your router, this is a great buy. A 10/100Mbps Ethernet port on the side can be used to connect up wired devices. You can also run an Ethernet cable to your router and run the extender as a more traditional wireless access point.

WiFi 6E future-proofs your mesh system with the fastest possible speeds. Your home wifi network is the cornerstone of your household. Cover every inch with NETGEAR's mesh wifi solutions, routers, and modem / router combinations products. Wi-Fi 5 (also known as 802.11ac) is a good, well-supported standard, with products available at a decent price. Wi-Fi 6 is the latest standard and can help you upgrade your network in preparation for new wireless devices, but you’ll pay far more for the privilege.

NETGEAR Orbi AX4200 4200 Mbps 4 Port Wireless Router Plus 2 Mesh Points

However, if you think you'll need a second add-on unit to cover your entire home, the $650 cost for the router and two extender units,is way too high to justify. Especially when you consider this system works best with just a single extender and using an additional add-on unit is the point where signal loss occurs in the extended Wi-Fi network. Lastly, if your home is larger than 4,500 square feet, it might be too large for the Orbi. The system also has an excellent hand-off mechanism.

Nevertheless, despite being expensive, this i a great add-on to a Wi-Fi 6 router or, used in access point mode, a great Wi-Fi 6 upgrade for an old router. If you just need to boost wireless performance and speed to one or two rooms, the TP-Link RE365 Wi-Fi Range Extender offers excellent value. Simply plug it in; it can be run in extender mode, creating a new wireless network for you to join, while connecting wirelessly to your router.

You get a guest network, but that’s the limit of additional features. While you can buy faster mesh systems, if you want a cheap mesh upgrade and want to keep your existing router, then this is a great set. Most mesh systems have to replace your existing router, but the BT Mini Whole Home Wi-Fi is different, since it works with your existing router. Just plug the first disc in via Ethernet, then spread the two other discs around your home to get a new, faster wireless network.

Select your product and the number of Orbi satellites in your system, then tap CONTINUE. An Orbi WiFi System is made up of an Orbi router and one or more Orbi satellites. Mesh WiFi is a whole home WiFi system designed to provide uninterrupted WiFi throughout your home. Mesh WiFi Systems include NETGEAR Orbi and some Nighthawk products. Discover our 'What is Mesh WiFi' page to learn more. And, it’s worth understanding the differences between a mesh system and traditional Wi-Fi, so you can work out what’s best for your home.

This means that you don’t share any available bandwidth between your devices and the connection to your router. It means that as long as you use just a single extender with the router, you won't experience any signal loss, since the router and extender are connected via their own dedicated band. The additional client bands -- 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz -- of the router are used solely to connect your devices to the network and the internet. While you can ruin the X4S in extender mode with its own network name, you can also run it in mesh mode with your existing router, giving you a single network name through your home. This is great for convenience, as you don’t have to manually change which network you’re connected to.

NETGEAR provides complimentary technical support for NETGEAR products for 90 days from the original date of purchase. Mesh WiFi product descriptions include basic performance stats. Look for higher total WiFi speed ratings and consider more WiFi bands.