Netgear has a new $1,500 Wi-Fi 6e mesh router
Netgear's latest release in its Orbi router range is a $1,500 mesh system -- and despite the high price tag, it doesn't include support for technologies such as Thread, Matter, or HomeKit Secure Video.
Tuesday's introduction of the Orbi Quad-band Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System outlines it as the first 6GHz quad-band mesh arrangement on sale in the world. With support for the 6GHz Wi-Fi band on top of the usual 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands, which promises speeds of up to 4,800Mbps for wireless connections.
The system will provide up to 16 Wi-Fi streams across all three bands, enabling it to handle many devices simultaneously. A dedicated Wi-Fi 6 backhaul is used for each of the units to communicate with each other, without affecting the bandwidth available to connected devices.
As a mesh network, the system aims to provide blanket coverage of a home, with the three-pack said to cover up to 9,000 square feet with Wi-Fi 6. Extra satellites can be acquired to extend the reach of the network, or to provide denser coverage for Wi-Fi 6E.
While Netgear mentions Wi-Fi 6E will be supported by "many devices" including the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Fold 3, the same cannot be said about Apple's product line. Even Apple's latest announcements, including the iPhone 13 Pro and iPad mini, support Wi-Fi 6, not 6E.
The system is claimed to offer support for extremely fast gigabit-class Internet connections, and includes a 10-gigabit Ethernet port for connectivity to the outside world. Other wired connections are serviced by 2.5-gigabit Ethernet and gigabit Ethernet ports.
Support for the 128-bit encrypted WPA3 for secure connections is included, along with the ability to set up four different Wi-Fi networks, such as a 6GHz-only network, guest Wi-Fi, and even a dedicated Internet of Things network. All of this is managed form Netgear's Orbi app.
While Internet of Things is mentioned, there are no references in any of Netgear's marketing material to other important smart home technologies. This includes Thread, an upcoming connectivity standard similar to Zigbee, and Apple's own HomeKit Secure Video.
The Orbi Quad-band Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System of the router and two satellites costs $1,499, with add-on satellites at $599 apiece. Preorders are open, with shipments said to happen "in time for the holidays."
Read on AppleInsider
Tuesday's introduction of the Orbi Quad-band Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System outlines it as the first 6GHz quad-band mesh arrangement on sale in the world. With support for the 6GHz Wi-Fi band on top of the usual 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands, which promises speeds of up to 4,800Mbps for wireless connections.
The system will provide up to 16 Wi-Fi streams across all three bands, enabling it to handle many devices simultaneously. A dedicated Wi-Fi 6 backhaul is used for each of the units to communicate with each other, without affecting the bandwidth available to connected devices.
As a mesh network, the system aims to provide blanket coverage of a home, with the three-pack said to cover up to 9,000 square feet with Wi-Fi 6. Extra satellites can be acquired to extend the reach of the network, or to provide denser coverage for Wi-Fi 6E.
While Netgear mentions Wi-Fi 6E will be supported by "many devices" including the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Fold 3, the same cannot be said about Apple's product line. Even Apple's latest announcements, including the iPhone 13 Pro and iPad mini, support Wi-Fi 6, not 6E.
The system is claimed to offer support for extremely fast gigabit-class Internet connections, and includes a 10-gigabit Ethernet port for connectivity to the outside world. Other wired connections are serviced by 2.5-gigabit Ethernet and gigabit Ethernet ports.
Support for the 128-bit encrypted WPA3 for secure connections is included, along with the ability to set up four different Wi-Fi networks, such as a 6GHz-only network, guest Wi-Fi, and even a dedicated Internet of Things network. All of this is managed form Netgear's Orbi app.
While Internet of Things is mentioned, there are no references in any of Netgear's marketing material to other important smart home technologies. This includes Thread, an upcoming connectivity standard similar to Zigbee, and Apple's own HomeKit Secure Video.
The Orbi Quad-band Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System of the router and two satellites costs $1,499, with add-on satellites at $599 apiece. Preorders are open, with shipments said to happen "in time for the holidays."
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Wonder how much it'll cost this time next year?
People seem to like the Google stuff, Deco has been been good for my house, I really wish Apple had stayed in the router game... But I'll never get near an Orbi again.
Unfortunately they cap out at about 350 Mbps. I want to replace them with something that can support my 800 Mbps service. I want to look at the DECO product mentioned above. However, I do not want anything from Google or Amazon and am willing to pay a premium to avoid that.
Gear from a Chinese company? Not on my network. Too many ties to the Chinese government.
I had Ubiquiti UAC-AC-PRO's (multiple) in my house for years. Junk. Nothing but trouble (slow, would stop passing traffic, poor range). Replaced with TP-Link Deco and never looked back. Deco (in the words of Apple) "just works".
I've installed many many UAP-AC-Pro's alongside nanoHDs, flexHDs, AC-Meshes, AC-IWs and AC-Lites, with associated switches and routers. Never a problem with them, apart from the odd FW update causing oddities. But I have come across situations where entirely clueless people have screwed up standalone installations by doing things like having a different SSID or different WPA key for each base station, that understandably doesn't work too well. Maybe you did that, since many people get on just fine with 1000+ clients in schools with AC-Pros, sometimes upwards of 50 clients per AP.
I have replaced many TP-link systems. They're in general trash, and there are botnets that use TP-Link routers. Terrible security, probably intentionally terrible so China can - as others have said - use them as they see fit.
Tried out the Linksys 6E Mesh and returned it 48 hours later. Unbelievably unstable.
I see suggestions for Amplifi and Meraki, but it doesn’t appear that either offer 6E, can anyone confirm?
Article says that Netgear doesn’t mention Thread, Matter, or HomeKit Secure Video. But do any current 6 or 6E mesh routers support these things?
in another house I ended up getting the Amazon Eero Pro. It’s been working absolutely flawlessly for the past year, a breeze to configure, and it’s ridiculously smart (I’m testing speeds of minimum 150mbps throughout my house, but in most areas more than 450mbps).
Of all the brands I’ve used before, the Eero is ahead by a mile in terms of performance, ease of configuration, capabilities and reliability.
To be fair I never tried the Ubiqiti router which does have great reviews, so I can’t compare. But you can definitely count me in as a very happy eero 6 pro customer and until I see better it’s the one I recommend.