Options don't extend far beyond the essentials, though - the only traffic meter buttons are "Enable," "Total," and "Average" for example, and there are no built-in parental controls. It's easy to set up satellites and guest networks, monitor data use, or selectively "pause" connected devices. Its simplicity is both a blessing and a curse. If we have any complaints about the product they're limited to the Orbi app. We didn't encounter any of the HomeKit bugs affecting some Wi-Fi-only Orbi models, possibly because the Cable Orbi does use different firmware. Peak bandwidth within close range of the satellite. Standing within several feet of the satellite, we were able to top out a 400-megabit Suddenlink connection. We even managed slow but usable connections in places that previously had no signal, such as a detached garage and the sidewalk across the street. Testing using NetSpot Pro, Speedtest, and Netflix's Fast showed the house was blanketed corner-to-corner with strong signals. Previously the same phone would teeter on the edge of switching to LTE.
This seemed to bear out, since we had a full-strength signal with an iPhone 6s Plus in a car parked in front of the house. Many signals no longer had to penetrate through ceiling materials, and Netgear brags that with a lone satellite, the Cable Orbi can cover up to 4,000 square feet.
This may be attributable to better LAN bandwidth, but having a satellite - with a dedicated backhaul, no less - was probably a major factor.
Apps like Comedy Central and YouTube loaded videos quicker on our Apple TV 4K, and the live feed from the Doorbell Cam Pro would often start in two or three seconds, instead of up to twice that long. It was uncanny actually - areas of a two-floor townhome that previously struggled with an ISP-supplied modem/router showed much more reliable connections, often loading faster as well. There's no option in the Orbi app to create separate SSIDs for 2.4- and 5-gigahertz bands, but this point is largely moot, since the aim of the Cable Orbi is to have devices connect to the fastest and strongest signal automatically.ĭuring testing, all of our 2.4- and 5-gigahertz devices operated smoothly once they established an initial connection. Set aside some time for installation - even if your hardware works perfectly, you might still run into provisioning problems with your ISP, and you may have to manually reconnect household devices.
The Netgear Orbi app for iPhones and iPads does a pretty good job of guiding users through the setup process, which is of course more complicated for the Cable Orbi since you'll need to contact your ISP and supply them with a MAC address and/or serial number. Some people have complained that it's not futureproof without DOCSIS 3.1, but that technology is still expensive, and even a Google Fiber connection is unlikely to max it out.
What's new of course is the modem, which delivers 32x8 DOCSIS 3.0 with up to 1.4 gigabits of bandwidth, more than enough for current home connections. This is all pretty similar to Netgear's existing Orbi models. The router also has four gigabit Ethernet ports, while the satellite has two. One of these is a dedicated 5-gigahertz backhaul for the satellite access point, ensuring that speeds don't drop off dramatically away from the router. Local Wi-Fi bandwidth tops out at 2.2 gigabits per second, split between two 866-megabit channels and one 400-megabit path. Unlike some mesh systems, the Cable Orbi comes with just two components: a combination modem/router and a single satellite. Mobile devices will automatically switch access points as you roam. The gist of the mesh concept is that on top of a primary router, you can connect one or more satellite units that seamlessly widen your network without requiring multiple SSIDs, as with normal Wi-Fi extenders. They're probably overkill if you live in an apartment, but homes and businesses are so often saturated with internet-connected devices that it's essential to eliminate dead spots, especially when it comes to smarthome accessories like security cameras. Mesh systems seem to be the future of Wi-Fi.