Both the router and the satellite have four internal antennas and support MU-MIMO data streaming and beamforming. However, with them set up, it meant we had excellent coverage throughout the building, with our device seamlessly connecting to the nearest satellite. The system needed a minute and a half to apply the settings, and I was finished. However, if you have a very large property, or want the same Wi-Fi network to cover your entire property, then you’ll be impressed with this device. The shrunk-down size – both physical and when it comes to price – has led to reductions elsewhere. Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. So, if you’re connecting wirelessly to the satellite, your network traffic is then going through a secondary wireless connection between satellite and router. New York, The process should be simple, but we hit a snag. Another port that’s been ditched is the USB connection. However, this was to cause unforeseen problems, and nowhere in the documentation were we warned about these. High-Performance Whole Home Mesh WiFi System- Covers large homes up to 6,000 sq. At a distance of 30 feet, the Orbi RBK30 router managed 142Mbps in our SU-MIMO tests, and its satellite scored 84.2Mbps. While the original was capable of AC3000 throughput (1733 + 866 + 400Mbps), the new RBK23 is only AC2200 (866 + 866 + 400Mbps). For people who mainly use Wi-Fi, this won’t be an issue. It may lack USB support and have a limited mobile app, but the Netgear Orbi RBK30 does offer a plug-in satellite, MU-MIMO support, and relatively good throughput. Although the Orbi RBK30 delivered solid throughput in our performance tests, the Linksys Velop provided better overall performance, especially in our SU-MIMO tests. Within seconds, the router was recognized, and I hit Next to pair the satellite with the router. 411Mbps in our close-proximity (same-room) test, How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad, How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill, How to Find Free Tools to Optimize Your Small Business, How to Get Started With Project Management, Netgear Orbi High-Performance AC3000 Tri-Band Wi-Fi System (RBK50), Read Netgear Orbi High-Performance AC3000 Tri-Band Wi-Fi System (RBK50) Review, Read Portal Smart Gigabit WiFi Router Review, Read Amped Wireless Ally Plus Whole Home Smart Wi-Fi System Review, Read Ubiquiti Amplifi HD Home Wi-Fi System Review, Read Securifi Almond 3 Smart Home Wi-Fi System Review, The Best Wi-Fi Mesh Network Systems for 2020, More Wi-Fi Mesh Networking System Reviews, Amazon's Eero Mesh Routers Get a Wi-Fi 6 Upgrade, This Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi System Has Amazon Alexa Built In, and It's Half Off, Save Up to $100 on an Eero Home Wi-Fi System, Save 20 Percent on Eero Wi-Fi Mesh Network System, Get Fast Home Wi-Fi for Less Than $100 With This Budget Mesh System, Treatlife Smart Wi-Fi Color LED Bulb Review, BodyGuardz Portable 5-in-1 Emergency Hub Review. Netgear Orbi WiFi System AC2200 Review Breakdown. In fact, we’d say it actually suits the smaller Orbi AC2200 RBK23 better than the original. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. With that problem solved, however, the rest of the setup procedure went well, and the well-made app helped us finish setting up the system. This led to a rather painless setup for the router unit. In our close-proximity test, the Orbi RBK30 router averaged 141.8Mbps. As with the original, the three units look the same at first glance, but the top of the router unit has a faint blue finish. Since the original Orbi RBK50 that came out two years ago, Netgear has released many variants of its popular Wi-Fi system. Although it turned in solid scores in our Single-User Multiple Input, Multiple Output (SU-MIMO) performance tests, its score of 411Mbps in our close-proximity (same-room) test couldn't keep pace with its stablemate, the Netgear Orbi RBK50, or several other competing routers, as shown in the chart below. This is … As we mentioned, for regular internet browsing this probably won’t be an issue (unless you have a very fast connection) but streaming gameplay or moving large files around may have an impact. If you want to place the Orbi … In the original Orbi (and many other routers) a USB port was included for easily sharing files on a USB stick, or access to a printer. Having the antennas housed internally in the body makes for a nicer-looking device, but can potentially limit the coverage compared to routers with external antenna, especially ones that can be positioned to point at various devices. This story, "Netgear Orbi RBK30 WiFi System review: … 5.0 out of 5 stars Covers at least 50% larger area, easily. It also handled our wired devices well, although we used a network switch due to the lack of ports on the unit. Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2017. You can install and configure the Orbi RBK30 using the mobile app or the web console. This can be an issue when it misses out an important bit of information, or when something goes wrong and you want to troubleshoot it, which happened to us. We ended up searching the internet, and found a post on Netgear’s forums that provided the answer to our problems. A tri-band AC2200 system, the Orbi RBK30 has two 5GHz bands that are capable of speeds of up to 867Mbps, and one 2.4GHz band that can reach 400Mbps. The Netgear Orbi AC2200 RBK23 home networking kit is a great choice if you liked the look of the original Netgear Orbi but were put off by the high price and features you’d never use. Please refresh the page and try again. Google Wifi, for example, is our current pick for the best mesh Wi-Fi system, and it costs less at $279 / AU$499 for a setup with three modules, similar to the Netgear Orbi AC2200 RBK23 offering. However, it won't block the second socket in a two-socket outlet. The Orbi CBK40 shares the same design yet is different from all other Orbi sets. NETGEAR Orbi (RBK23) AC2200 Mesh Wi-Fi System Review. The back of the router holds three Gigabit LAN ports, a WAN port, a reset button, a power button, and a sync button. The Orbi CBK40 is the latest and a special … Product Review: The Netgear Orbi AC2200 Mesh WiFi System (RBK20) is suited to homes up to 3,000 square feet, aiming to fill each room with strong, fast wi-fi. System includes a WiFi router and two satellites. Supports Multi-User Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) streaming. © 1996-2020 Ziff Davis, LLC. NY 10036. However, it has the same squashed, cylindrical shape and soft-white finish, as well as the same LED light ring on top, which glows red when there is an error, magenta when the WAN port is down, and amber when the router is rebooting. © Verified Purchase. You will receive a verification email shortly. Read all about it on our hands-on review. This will also be available in the UK for £229.99 – the fact that this price is almost identical to Google Wifi is likely no coincidence. Re: How come ORBI still getting raving reviews? By Brian Nadel 07 June 2017. Overall, we think the design of the Orbi AC2200 RBK23 translates very well to the reduced size. If you do miss those features, then Netgear’s belief is that you’d be better off putting down money for the original Orbi. Best netgear orbi home review Reviews :If you are reading this, then you already know about netgear orbi home review is a great product for you, your family or any other person whom you are planning to buy. As with the Netgear Orbi RBK50, one of the 5GHz bands is dedicated to backhaul (communications between the router and the satellite), and the other two are controlled using automatic band-steering technology, which means you have one SSID for both bands and cannot dedicate a specific band for a specific purpose. The Netgear Orbi WiFi System AC2200 (RBK30) is a solid choice if you're looking to blanket a small home with seamless Wi-Fi. For example, it would be nice to be able to pause the internet or enable and disable network access for a specific client. The two-piece Orbi RBK30 ($170.00 at Amazon) consists of a router and a satellite, but you can buy additional satellites for $149.99 each. For the next five years, he was responsible for buying and configuring IBM PC, XT and AT desktops for many of New York's financial institutions. Even in this pared-down form, many people will consider the Netgear Orbi AC2200 RBK23 overkill. 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