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Review on πŸ“Ά NETGEAR Orbi RBK753S: High-Performance Whole Home Mesh WiFi System 3-Pack – Router & 2 Satellites (White) by Jonathan Ulsth

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Unbeatable WiFi for WFH installation

Let me start by saying that this system is EXTREMELY powerful. By that I mean it is unmatched in terms of performance in this market. I've had WiFi version 5 for 3 years and haven't had any issues, but now that I've moved to a much larger house and have more devices connected (today I've connected about 30), I've decided to upgrade. The real reason for this isn't speed (which probably isn't your bottleneck), but rather unparalleled stability. Here's the easiest way to find out if you need an Orbi mesh network: Do your devices keep disconnecting from the network, or is it difficult to connect from one device but not another? This is a throttling issue that many routers provided by ISPs have as they are not rated for the number of devices that today's IoT world demands (think 8+ devices like Smart Speakers, Chromecast, Fire TV, etc.) . See below for more details Pros: - While WiFi 6 doesn't give you an instant speed boost, I wanted some extra bandwidth due to the large number of IoT devices I have connected to the network. Orbi is the market gold standard for mesh networking, so of course it worked as expected. No Deadzones: This is the standard for many mesh networking systems, but the Orbi is exceptionally good at eliminating deadzones. I'm testing it out in my new 3,300 square foot home in a few weeks and will post an update. It can give you 100% signal strength and virtually no internet drop out even if you plug in one router => satellite => satellite and connect to the second one. Satellite. I couldn't believe it. If you have a true fiber ISP like FiOS, no modem is required. Just plug into the wall and it works. Of course, you'll need to double-check your network setup before relying on it, but in today's world (with the exception of Comcast), many other ISPs have this capability. Bandwidth Upgrade: OK, let's face it, you don't have anything. faster than 1Gbps, and even if you do, WiFi 6's theoretical top speed is close to 10Gbps. It's said to be rated at almost 5 Gbps, which is still outrageous. I couldn't test anything above 1 Gbps, but the fact that it can support that connection on 30+ devices is just ridiculous. Easy to set up, easy to maintain, has a guest network good for those insecure (or dodgy) IoT devices. country of origin of programming) - Aesthetically pleasing Cons - Nothing wrong with that, if anything. They aren't as aesthetically pleasing as previous versions and appear to be more malleable. They're also kinda lighter, but does it make sense when the gear's gotten smaller? - It's a bit annoying that you can't buy additional satellites without spending almost as much as the entire system. I would hope to install 1 satellite and upgrade to 2 if needed, but that's not very economical. TLDR; This is the era of work from home. If you need a reliable router that will make you forget you even have a router, this system is for you. After a few exciting weeks, you'll go months or years without remembering that the internet doesn't "just happen". I've helped my friends with large families transition to this system and so far it's always been positive. If you don't want to spend so much money on such a system, I would recommend the cheaper WiFi 5 system (RBK50) or the same system but with only 1 satellite. UPDATE: After using the system in a new home for a few months I need to double down on the performance of these things. I have 2 acres of land and a 3,300 sq ft house and didn't have to use a second satellite to literally bring the internet to the edge of the property (the sensor in the mailbox has a good signal). I suggest placing the satellites as far apart as possible, otherwise it will be difficult for your devices to decide which router to use. Otherwise take it, you will not regret it.

Pros
  • Absolutely amazing!
Cons
  • Not bad, but...