Wi-Fi System Roundup

[Lenny90]

5 GHz signals are reduced more than 2.4 GHz when traveling through walls, ceilings, etc. But they do go through.

Thanks for that. One more question - I also read that using Wifi extenders traditionally means less bandwidth. Without getting into the technical details (since I most likely won't understand it!), does the Orbi somehow get around this?

Would a traditional standalone router like a Netgear R7000 be better or worse if walls/doors are the major culprit?

 

[thiggins]

When the same radio is used to receive then transmit data, it uses twice the airtime. This reduces effective bandwidth by 50%. Wi-Fi extenders have one set of radios. So if the extender is serving both 2.4 and 5 GHz devices at the same time, the radios get reused.

When separate radios are used, they don't share bandwidth, so no bandwidth reduction.

Orbi uses a 5 GHz radio that is dedicated to backhaul. So no bandwidth reduction.

Some other products (eero Gen 2, Linksys Velop and ASUS Lyra) also have a second 5 GHz radio. But as far as I know Orbi is the only product that dedicates a 5 GHz radio to backhaul. The other products still share all radios between device connect and backhaul.

 

[pege63]

but for the majority thats just about all they have these days along with a few IoT devices

Well there is XBOXs, stereo, multiroom speekers, games consoles, TVs, BR, home theater facilities and so on, so on.

 

[Lenny90]

Orbi uses a 5 GHz radio that is dedicated to backhaul. So no bandwidth reduction.

Really appreciate the clear and simple explanation.

Would a traditional standalone router like a Netgear R7000 be better or worse than the Orbi if walls/doors are the major culprit? My apartment is not very large, maybe about 1300 sq ft.

 

[pege63]

You could also use a R7000 with a EX7000 or a EX7300, then you could have one with 2.4GHz band on one of them and 5GHz band on the other OR use a 5GHz backhaul from the EX7000 or 2.4GHz (called FastLane) back to the R7000, or a TP-6 kable. Or buy a second R7000 and enable the "Smart Connect" mode (one SSID and key for both) my tablets switches between them 2 when i walked from one room to a nother dont remeber if the EX7000 also enable the "Smart Connect" option.

Fast lane mode:
Router-to-Extender in 2.4 GHz only and Extender-to-Device in 5 GHz only.
Router to Extender in 5 GHz only and Extender-to-Device in 2.4 GHz only.

Smart Connect:
Selects the fastest WiFi band for your device. For Smart Connect to work, the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands must use the same WiFi network name (SSID) and network key (password).
That means that when you connect to the router with WiFi, you see only one SSID that connects to both bands.

 

[thiggins]

Would a traditional standalone router like a Netgear R7000 be better or worse than the Orbi if walls/doors are the major culprit? My apartment is not very large, maybe about 1300 sq ft.

No. Both use the same 5 GHz and have to abide by the same transmit power rules.
A single router is certainly cheaper than Orbi. What are you using now and why do you want to change?

 

[pete y testing]

How well would the Netgear Orbi system work if the satellites are behind a door or wall? I read that 5Ghz signal don't penetrate walls well, so would this make the Orbi not ideal? I need to extend my Wifi signal and don't have ethernet ports in the walls.

just for info i have an orbi router and sat separated by a plaster board wall and about 40 feet and still get close to max backhaul sync

 

[vnangia]

Pardon me for asking a stupid question - but under the wifi system section, do you exclude "pure" APs? I was thinking specifically of the new Ubiquiti Mesh systems, which don't do any routing of their own, and require a separate router.

 

[Lenny90]

A single router is certainly cheaper than Orbi. What are you using now and why do you want to change?

For shame, a really old Tplink N300 router. Which to be fair has served me quite well running as a WAP (my ISP provided router/modem is horrible) and being connected to a NAS, couple of phones and laptop. The reason I want to upgrade is the wifi signal is pretty poor at the back of the apartment - I'm guessing due to brick walls.

A newer router like a R7000 might fix the issue, but I also wondering if the more expesive Orbi would do a better job.

 

[Lenny90]

Fast lane mode:
Router-to-Extender in 2.4 GHz only and Extender-to-Device in 5 GHz only.
Router to Extender in 5 GHz only and Extender-to-Device in 2.4 GHz only.

That's quite interesting. Although that would mean the extender will only operate on one band, but this would be much cheaper than the Orbi solution.

 

[Lenny90]

just for info i have an orbi router and sat separated by a plaster board wall and about 40 feet and still get close to max backhaul sync

Thanks Pete, that's really good to know!

 

[pege63]

That's quite interesting. Although that would mean the extender will only operate on one band, but this would be much cheaper than the Orbi solution.

You can also make "cheap" version of a Orbi network with a Netgear EX7300 (450 + 1733) and use the "fast lane mode" as a the backhaul.
If you buy 2 you get to seperate wifi band one 2.4GHz & 5GHz band and still use the fast lane mode.
Fast lane mode:
Router-to-Extender in 2.4 GHz only and Extender-to-Device in 5 GHz only.
Router to Extender in 5 GHz only and Extender-to-Device in 2.4 GHz only.

 

[sm00thpapa]

A R7800 alone should be able to cover 1300 square feet.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[thiggins]

Pardon me for asking a stupid question - but under the wifi system section, do you exclude "pure" APs? I was thinking specifically of the new Ubiquiti Mesh systems, which don't do any routing of their own, and require a separate router.

APs are not included under WiFi systems.

I have not looked into the details of the Ubiquiti Mesh system.

 

[pete y testing]

You can also make "cheap" version of a Orbi network with a Netgear EX7300 (450 + 1733) and use the "fast lane mode" as a the backhaul.

sorry but thats just not even close to being correct , as fast lane removes one transmission source to use as the backhaul plus the backhaul isnt dedicated on the main router

 

[ppilot]

I would try both Netgear and Google's offering and return the one that you don't like. For google I would either get two Onhubs or one Onhub and one Google wifi. Then compare that to the Orbi system.

My suggestion would be to go with Google's offering if at all possible considering the issues a fair number of people are having or had with the Orbi Firmware.

 

[pete y testing]

i think considering tim's round up review everyone needs to make up their own minds after reading and understand the pro's and con's of all of these mesh/dw systems

what suits one wont always suit another , but also consider all these mesh /dw systems for most houses will provide whole home wifi anyway , its just under the hood stuff that might make ppl choose one over the other

 

[pege63]

sorry but thats just not even close to being correct , as fast lane removes one transmission source to use as the backhaul plus the backhaul isnt dedicated on the main router

As i said you have to choose 5 GHz band as a backhaul to the router to get the fastest lane (Router to Extender in 5 GHz only and Extender-to-Device in 2.4 GHz only (1733+450)).
Kind of poorman solution

 

[pege63]

A R7800 alone should be able to cover 1300 square feet.

1300 (square feet) =120.773952 m2 and i only have 82 m2 and it still dont cover the whole place and its placed in the middle.

 

[pete y testing]

1300 (square feet) =120.773952 m2 and i only have 82 m2 and it still dont cover the whole place and its placed in the middle.

obviously environmental conditions and building materials are you issue , i have a 350 sq meter house and with an 88u in the middle the whole house is covered with 5 gig wifi , walls are plasterboard with brick exterior

location , location , location and no solid walls helps