A Wi-Fi mesh system is the best way to obtain wireless access in the furthest corner of your home. The Orbi range from renowned networking solutions manufacturer, Netgear is something you should check out if you are after uninterrupted wireless technology at your place. What is Orbi? If you are thinking the same, this guide is for you.
Should you own an Orbi system too? Before you decide on that, you must verify if you really need one and its advantages. Let’s check out what Orbi is and the best Orbi systems you can get from Netgear.
What is Orbi?
As you already know, Orbi is a whole range of Wi-Fi devices especially built by none other than Netgear. With a suitable Orbi Wi-Fi mesh system, users can connect as many devices as they want. Additionally, the Wi-Fi coverage is remarkable with the help of multiple Wi-Fi broadcasting devices.
Be it 800 square feet of coverage or more, a compatible Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi mesh can handle the area for the best wireless throughput and coverage. Get stunning internet speed, uninterrupted gaming, 4K or 8K streaming without buffering, and more fascinating features with Netgear Orbi systems.
On top of that, most Orbi gears use Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 5 technology. Therefore, the greatest capacity and fastest connectivity are guaranteed with Netgear Orbi devices. So, what is Orbi used for?
Well, you can set up Orbi systems if your house is huge. If you need help with network coverage on different floors and in diverse rooms, then Orbi is the right selection. You can avoid sticking to a corner where the signal is strong in your house.
Additionally, it’s a perfect match for small offices and workspaces. With the Orbi mesh system, users can connect up to 200 devices simultaneously. And, users will get light-blazing speed while navigating the internet.
Is Orbi a Router or Modem?
Netgear represents the Orbi range or its devices as a complete solution to your Wi-Fi experience. You can channel your network-enabled devices by connecting to Orbi devices. So what is Orbi? An Orbi system is a gateway to the internet, and it works as both a router and a modem.
Hence, you can invest in a Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi system and replace the existing router-modem duo. If you are not satisfied with the internet speed or just want to upgrade your internet plan, then Orbi can be the best solution.
How is an Orbi Different from any Extender?
You might wonder about the differences between an Orbi Wi-Fi mesh system and an extender. Well, an Orbi satellite is way different and more useful compared to a typical extender. Here’s how an Orbi satellite differs from an extender:
Tri-Band Wi-Fi Privilege
Dual-band Wi-Fi extenders might not supply the internet speed you are looking for. Orbi satellites offer tri-band network technology, and one of those bands is a 1.7Gbps 5GHz band. This technology excels in extending Wi-Fi signals to other Orbi satellites.
Also, this band activates the other 2 bands that are available for all network-enabled devices to join. Orbi ensures you can get the fastest internet speed around every nook and corner of your home. Get reliable internet connectivity without worrying bout dropping performance.
Whereas a range extender doesn’t concentrate on individual extending signals and their strengths. A general extender will simply receive and retransmit the Wi-Fi signal using the same radio frequency and channel. This means that data is being transmitted twice, which might result in a loss of data packets. Extenders might be a more affordable option, but there are chances of lower efficiency and data rate.
A Single Name for a Network
An individual Orbi Wi-Fi mesh system offers everything your home need to roam around the internet. What is Orbi satellite network SSID and password? If you think that you need to remember different SSIDs and passwords to use signals transmitted by any of the Orbi satellites, then you are misguided.
The fact is that you can configure your Orbi with a single network name and password. Additionally, you need not switch from one Orbi satellite to another satellite depending upon your location in your home. Orbi automatically assigns you to the best source, relying on your presence.
However, an extender doesn’t work that way. It just repeats signals from a main access point or router, and you need to connect to the extender when you are far away from the router. To be noted, your router and extender should have different SSIDs and login credentials. It’s a different issue that you might have to toggle between the router and the extender, given the speed, performance, and proximity standards.
Your Home is Entirely Covered by Orbi
Surprisingly, an Orbi satellite can cover more area than you can imagine. For instance, Orbi RBK50 can cover an area of 5000 square feet, and that’s thrilling. However, an ordinary extender is way beyond such a possibility.
If you are looking for greater coverage along with a single network, then Netgear Orbi should be your choice.
Flexibility
Another appreciable fact about Netgear Orbi is that you don’t have to position your Orbi satellites within reach of one another. Since Orbi uses the legendary tri-band technology, it’s not necessary to keep Orbi satellites in sight of each other.
Additionally, the integrated and advanced antennas help achieve the best internet coverage. Orbi satellites are seamlessly easy to install in your home, and you can get more flexible connectivity options with this dedicated Wi-Fi mesh system.
How does Orbi Work?
So far, you might have got the hint regarding how Orbi satellites work. However, we will clarify this query here. First, Orbi is a Wi-Fi mesh system, and you will get more than one device with every purchase from Netgear. There must be an Orbi router and one or more Orbi satellites depending on your connectivity requirements.
The wider coverage you demand, the more Orbi satellites will be required at your premises. You can set up the Orbi router as the prime access point or router in place of the old one. Next, you can place one or more Orbi satellites in the places where you experience heavy internet usage.
Those Orbi satellites will extend the Wi-Fi signals from the main Orbi router. You can keep Orbi satellites wherever you want, such as in the bedroom, living room, kitchen, etc. Orbi satellites become the new and closest access points depending upon your location around your home.
As an output, you can obtain greater internet speeds and reliable connectivity from the Netgear Orbi mesh system. However, you must be careful about the difference between an Orbi router and a satellite. They don’t feature the same functionality as other mesh systems, such as TP-Link Deco X90.
That’s why you should refer to the user manual to find out which is the router and other rest satellites. You can connect the Orbi router to your own modem through the router’s internet port. Additionally, there’s no upper limit on how many satellites you can add to a particular Wi-Fi mesh system of Orbi.
How Can You Set up an Orbi System?
If you are curious about the setup process of an Orbi Wi-Fi mesh, then this section is unskippable. What is Orbi satellite setup to follow? Here we go:
- First, get your hands on the Orbi router. Plug it into a power socket. Next, power up the satellite(s) too.
- Now, you need to press the Sync button on the Orbi router. You can notice that the ring light flashes on the Orbi router. This indicates that the router can connect to a satellite within 2 minutes.
- So you must turn on the Sync button on your Orbi satellites in the next 2 minutes since you pressed the Sync button on the router.
- A steady blue light will appear on Orbi satellites if the connection is successful.
Congratulations! You have added an Orbi satellite to your Orbi system. If an amber light appears on your satellites, they are farther away from the router than they should be. You should minimise the distance. On the other hand, you might notice a magenta light if the current sync process fails. In that instance, you need to restart the setup process.
Best Orbi Devices to Check Out
What is Orbi, and how does it work? This guide was helpful regarding these queries. Which Netgear Orbi should you own? You can choose from Orbi 860 Series, Orbi 960 Series, Orbi RBK852, Orbi AX6000, or similar from the range. Seek expert intervention to figure out what you actually need according to your internet requirements.