KitGuru KitGuru.net – Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards
The Netgear Orbi is a curious beast. The mesh networking technology is undeniably very clever. If you want the fastest router out there, you would be better off with one of Netgear's latest Nighthawks. But that's not what the Orbi is about.
Its core skill is dependable coverage over a wide area, and in that respect it's a clear winner. Being able to extend WiFi reliably across a whole house and out 20m down your garden is no mean feat, and for this the Orbi is heartily commended.
All the main router features are there for home and small business users, and the ability to extend your wired network will be really useful for some household arrangements. If your broadband enters in the lounge, the Orbi will let you share it with an upstairs office that has wired-only desktops and printers in it too. The lack of USB 3.1, or any currently operational USB at all, will mean one of these Gigabit Ethernet ports will be required for a NAS device if you want network storage outside of what your client systems are sharing.
But the lack of USB and merely good raw 802.11ac performance are the only significant flaws here. Otherwise, the Orbi does exactly what it promises, and perhaps a little more, providing wireless networking that can easily cover a large house. Add some more satellites, and it could cover an even wider area too.
Buy from Maplins for £349.99 inc vat HERE.
Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.
Pros:
- Covers a huge area with reliable networking.
- Decent performance with 802.11ac and 802.11n.
- Amazing 802.11ac range.
- Lots of useful configuration features.
Cons:
- Not as fast as the quickest current 802.11ac routers.
- Relatively expensive.
- USB 2.0 only, which is currently disabled.
Kitguru Says: The Netgear Orbi is a new style of wireless router, providing reliable WiFi that can extend way beyond what a standalone single router can manage.
Be sure to check out our sponsors store EKWB here
