Customer Ratings & Reviews

I thought that this was supposed to be an easy device to setup... never could get it to sync.

Netgear really had a great idea with this one. Most homes have their internet connection in an area that isn't centrally located so when a WiFi router is placed there also, the signal may be strong some places but not others. This system fixes that by having a router that is connected to your modem just like any other router but adds a satellite router that can be placed in the center of your home so the signal can cover every area. Both the main and satellite send out a WiFi signal so you get great coverage and better speeds because there are no dead zones.

Did not work well in my house, because of concrete walls the signal didn't reach enough

Are internet signal still goes in and out shouldn't have listened to the Best Buy guy

For the price and the name I was hoping for this to be great. It is not. I have moved them around, increased speed with my carrier and this router just keeps cutting out, poor service. Just not a good router in general. Of course I’m past the return point so I completely threw away $300 in my opinion

I debated with myself whether to order the Orbi or not, but I decided to give it a try based on the link extending capabilities it advertised. I already have a premium wireless router and tried using a link extender with it to cover my whole house (about 2500 sq ft). It worked great if I connected the link extender via Ethernet to my router, but not when I tried to use the wireless connection option. It seemed like I couldn't move the extender very far from my router at all before it was "out of range." The problem, though, was that I didn't have an existing Ethernet cable where it made the most sense to put the extender to best cover the house. So, I decided to try the Orbi and replace my current router and WiFi setup with it. First, I completely replaced my router with the Orbi router. It has an option to be used just as an AP instead of a router/AP, but I think the fewer things broadcasting in the WiFi channels the better off your signal will be. After creating a Netgear account, etc. I was able to get it working and get the firmware updated. Next, I placed the satellite Orbi in a convenient location near the other end of my house. This was my ideal location for coverage, but I was never able to get a wireless extender to link up there before. In this case, the Orbi connected perfectly, indicated by the blue LED ring on top after the initial startup. I was impressed! To me, this is the real strength of the Orbi--the special backhaul wireless link between the units. Last, I updated the firmware on the satellite and started getting all of my wireless devices re-connected to the WiFi. I used the same SSID and password as my old system, so most things connected automatically (thermostats, Wink hub, cameras, Roku, etc.) I then tested WiFi access from the far reaches of my garages and was again impressed. In locations where I had a weak signal before (even with the Ethernet-connected extender), I now had "all the bars" with a strong WiFi signal. Overall, I'm very happy with the Orbi and would recommend it. The one feature that I was surprised was not available with it was guest WiFi access. That's not a big issue for me, but if you absolutely rely on that it might be a problem for you. Otherwise, I found many other strengths with the Orbi as a router. Here are some of the features I like: o The vase-like design is actually a big plus. I was able to set the satellite unit out in the open in our utility room and not get any questions about "that alien-looking thing on top of the fridge with all the antennas sticking out of it." o The Traffic Meter feature is nice, showing you upload/download amounts for today, yesterday, the previous week, and previous month. If your home Internet has a data cap, this might be useful to monitor. It would be better if it showed usage by device (to find out who the data hog is), but I didn't see that kind of detail. o The Netgear Genie app for phones is handy, but only works when connected to the local WiFi. o Speaking of the Genie app, the My Media part of it was a very pleasant surprise. I have a Windows 7 machine I've used as a DVR/media server for years. The app found my PC and I was able to quickly browse music and movies and play them directly on my phone. This works on the local WiFi not from an Internet location, just to be clear. o In general, the web setup under advanced settings has more detailed controls and options than other routers I've seen in the similar price range. Things like the logging detail, email notifications, and detailed web site/key word blocking are the best I've seen from consumer-grade products like this. o The Parental Controls options were impressive, and not necessarily just for parents. You can select individual categories of sites to block like "typo squatting" and "parked domains" which could help protect everyone from malware. It's accomplished using OpenDNS and you can set up a free account through the Genie app or regular web browser.

So I got internet service today with their standard router, which was giving me 37 to 57 down and in the mid 20s to 40s up. I ran to bestbuy and got the Orbi router with 1 satellite. Plugged it in as per the directions, used my phone via their app to update the software and done. I'm getting now 197 down and about 180 up. I'm in a 3600 s.f. home and move all over the place doing the speedtest.net and speed is consistent all over. Best thing I've bought in a long time. Worth the $400 easily. Highly recommend it.

Just the same like my old one, so I just returned it.

When it works its great but I guess thie Orbi has a known issue of dropping wifi on some devices. Be aware. Mine worked great for about a month then in 2nd month constant drop offs. Very frustrating from a wifi system that is supposed to work so great.

Setup everything next day stopped working. Would not connect to my Router.

Did not even last 90 days. Have to reboot it everyday to get wireless connection working. Started day 87 opened case solved for 3 days now same problem is back day 91 will not connect to tech support unless I pay more money.

This elegant looking router system is definitely a piece of tech you don’t need to hide above the ceiling tiles in the basement. I placed my router component on a glass wall shelf in the downstairs family room. It is nearly dead center of our home’s lower level. The satellite component is centrally located on the main floor of the home sitting on the desk in the foyer. It looks very nice sitting there next to some porcelain figurines, almost like a piece of art itself. Our home is 2,050 sq ft on each level for 4,100 sq ft total. The physical distance between the router and the satellite is about 10 feet with a hardwood floor between them. The router and satellite wi-fi signals seem to reach all areas of the home, even one far corner that is habitually difficult to get a useable signal to. Setup was done wirelessly (Yeah! I love these new routers that allow wireless setup!) But, it did not go as smoothly as I would’ve liked. I experienced difficulty getting the satellite and router to hook up. After a couple of hours of doing and redoing they finally got together and I was up and running. I never did figure out what was wrong. The instructions were simple and easy to follow so I don’t think it was anything I did or didn’t do. The router Admin functions are basically just like any other router. Nothing new there. I was disappointed to find out this somewhat higher-end router system didn’t offer a Guest wi-fi account. But then just today I received an email from the good folks at Netgear and one of the items mentioned was that yet in 2016 the firmware for this system will be upgraded to offer a Guest account. I’ll be looking for that. We have over 30 wireless devices in our home and so far this router system has handled everything we’ve burdened it with. Hardwired directly to the router is a SmartCam and a Netgear Gigabit Ethernet Switch feeding a computer, a home server, and a color laser. All are running fast, fine, and with no conflicts.

Satellite keeps dropping connection. Speed fluctuates

not sure if it is helpful in my home or not. Time will tell

It has done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for my Wi-Fi in our home. We still have the same issue before we were recommended this product by the store tech. The only thing this has done is saved us $5.00 a month off of our Internet service.

The most garbage product ever. Not compatible with Verizon Fios, and product never connected even tho I spent countless hours every day trying to factory reset, reboot and even tried to switch to bridge mode to no avail. Such a waste of $300.

We have multiple (sometimes 10+) times per day where this router goes offline from wifi for 1 minute or much longer. Tried factory reset and other items. It actually went offline and caused me to re-setup everything twice in 1.5 months we've owned it. I am going to try to return it.

I purchased this router and have nothing but issues.. Buffering, inconsistent speeds, and a tech support that has not been as helpful as I would like, Change channels and check a box is all they will offer.

Speed slowed down from time to time. Signals dropped

Not a good fit for apple products. May work well for windows.