dstranathan

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dstranathan
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  • Review: Netgear's Cable Orbi Kit delivers fast whole-home Wi-Fi

    dstranathandstranathan
    Update:

    After checking the Spectrum site again (after ~3 weeks of ownership with poor stability), the NETGEAR Orbi CBR40 is now "officially" supported (but it barely makes the list). Spectrum has the device incorrectly listed as a CBK40 (which is the name of the retail mesh combo system/kit. The modem is actually the CBR40).

    https://www.spectrum.net/support/internet/compliant-modems-charter-network/  (see the "Minimally Qualified Modems" section near the bottom).

    Ill have Spectrum update my MAC address upstream on their end  (from a CM700 to a CBR40) and see if that helps.
    roundaboutnow

  • Review: Netgear's Cable Orbi Kit delivers fast whole-home Wi-Fi

    dstranathandstranathan
    I bought the CBK40 kit (CBR40 modem/router and 1 RBS20 satellite). I have experienced a few major issues. Right out of the gate I was disappointed. 

    Originally, the retail box mock-up on Amazon and other sites proudly showed the Spectrum logo on the Orbi retail box. But once it arrived at my house the Spectrum logo was nowhere to be found on the Orbi packaging. Poof - gone!

    Look for yourself: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Whole-System-Built-Cable/dp/B07CMPJCQR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529805107&sr=8-1&keywords=CBK40

    Is this false advertising? Bait and switch? I'm not a lawyer. I just want my home network to work.

    Set-up failed over an over until I manually called Spectrum and talked to a human. Oh God, why have you forsaken me?

    Spectrum doesn't officially support the CBR40 at all. I don't care what NETGEAR claims. I had to 'spoof' a NETGEAR CM700 when I called Spectrum - otherwise my CBR40 would have never been allowed on their network.

    If you call NETGEAR they will tell you that the CBR40 *IS* supported. But good luck telling that to Spectrum. DENIED.

    After having the CBK40 mesh system for a few weeks, I have had nothing but troubles. Disconnections, stalls, random reboots.

    The NETGEAR support has been poor and the community hasn't been much help. "Check the logs", "Do a factory restore", "Reboot" etc. I have been vocal on Reddit, Twitter and the Orbi forums. I’m not a happy camper yet. 

    I have already given my crappy OEM  (Ubee) modem back to Spectrum, so I'm kinda screwed unless I want to go back to my ISP get another OEM unit from them and start all over again.

    It's no secret that Orbi has been struggling lately. One glance into their forums and you will see a lot of Debbie Downers. There are a lot of customers having issues with the entire Orbi line - especially Apple HomeKit, backhaul, and Xbox One (possibly other consoles, too?). Granted, the CBR40 is a brand-new product (and new product category too), but I expected better from NETGEAR.

    The web admin interface is what you would expect from NETGEAR. Actually more features than I expected - at least g compared to my previous Google Wi-Fi mesh system. However the iOS app is really weak and limited.

    I was really excited to have a cable modem integrated with my router, and typically I have had good results from previous NETGEAR routers and switches. I was also tired of my previous double-NATed environment, etc. But thus far the CBK40 has been...less-than-awesome.

    I'm giving NETGEAR one chance at a firmware update and them I'm sending the CBK40 kit back. Will be trying Eero next - if needed.

    If NETGEAR cant get the Orbi right I'm sure the competition in this ever-growing mesh space will eat Orbi's lunch. But right now I think Orbi is the only game in town to offer a cable modem & router in a single form factor - at least for now.

    My advice: I would hold-off on the CBK40 mesh system and wait for at least one firmware update.
    roundaboutnowdewme