Netgear Mesh WiFi Systems

Blanket your home with strong wireless signals by deploying Wi-Fi through the Netgear Orbi. This is a mesh Wi-Fi kit that includes a router and one or more satellite units. The satellites serve as wireless access points for extending the range of the router. The combined setup eliminates dead zones by creating a mesh network that spans a large area. Staples carries the Orbi kit and more wireless mesh networking hardware from other brands.

Create High-Speed Internet Connections With the Tri-Band Orbi Router
The Orbi is an 802.11ac router that sends and receives data packets over three frequencies: a 2.4GHz band and two 5GHz bands. This makes it faster than single and dual-band routers. It can also handle network congestion and wireless interference better. The tri-band Orbi is an AC3000 router. This means that it delivers a maximum wireless speed of 3000Mbps. It has a throughput of 400Mbps for its 2.4GHz frequency. The first 5GHz band offers two streams for a total of 866Mbps while the second 5GHz band has four streams and can deliver wireless speeds up to 1733Mbps.

There are also four Gigabit Ethernet ports on the router. These guarantee high-speed data transfer for wired connections established between the Orbi and network-ready devices that lack built-in Wi-Fi. With these ports, you can easily add devices like TVs and printers to your Orbi home Wi-Fi network.

Extend Your Wireless Network Further With Netgear Orbi Satellites
The router included in the Orbi kit has a wireless range of 2000 square feet and each satellite adds another 2000 square feet. The size of your home will determine how many satellite units you need. The Orbi achieves an impressive wireless range thanks to its six high-performance antennas and multiple wireless signal amplifiers. The router and its satellites use technologies like beamforming and MU-MIMO to maintain excellent network quality over long distances. Beamforming is a feature that focuses Wi-Fi signals and projects them in specific directions towards devices that require higher bandwidth. MU-MIMO, or multiple user, multiple input multiple output, is a wireless standard that enables routers to serve data packets to multiple devices at the same time. This improves network performance and reduces buffering when multiple users are streaming multimedia files over an Orbi home Wi-Fi network.

What Is the Difference Between Orbi Routers and Range Extenders?
A Wi-Fi range extender or repeater receives and rebroadcasts wireless signals with the same radio. This consumes more power and reduces network speed. In contrast, the tri-band Orbi dedicates one of its bands to connecting to its satellites while maintaining high network performance with the other two. Secondly, using a repeater with a router creates two distinct Wi-Fi networks with different names. The Orbi kit creates a single Wi-Fi network with a long range.

Where Should You Place Your Netgear Orbi Router and Satellite?
For a single-floor home, place the router at one end and the satellite in the middle of the house. If you have a multi-floor house, put the router at one end of the ground floor and the satellite on the other end of the upper floor. Add more satellites where signal strength is weakest.

Can You Use the Orbi with Your Cable Modem?
Yes. You need to disable the Wi-Fi feature of the modem first. Then, you can set the Orbi as an access point if the modem has a built-in router. Alternatively, select router mode when setting up the Orbi mesh network if your modem does not have router functionality.