CES 2019: Netgear Unveils New Orbi 802.11ax Mesh Wi-Fi System for Gigabit Internet

Netgear today announced a new version of its Orbi Mesh Wi-Fi System, which is equipped with 6th-generation Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax technology that supports gigabit wireless speeds.

According to Netgear, the Wi-Fi 6 version of the Orbi will allow for new performance benchmarks for Mesh Wi-Fi systems, delivery sustained gigabit wireless speeds across the home.

netgearorbiwifi6
For those unfamiliar with Orbi, it is a multi-node mesh Wi-Fi system much like the Linksys Velop that Apple sells in its retail stores. With Orbi, the idea is to set up multiple Orbi access points throughout the home to ensure high-speed Wi-Fi coverage in all rooms.

The new Orbi Mesh Wi-Fi System features 1024 QAM with a 4x4 Wi-Fi 6 backhaul, for increased speeds, coverage, and capacity.

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest version of the Wi-Fi protocol, which will be baked into future computers, smartphones, tablets, and other devices. Accessories with Wi-Fi 6 support connected to a system like the Orbi will be able to achieve higher data transfer speeds.

No Apple devices take advantage of Wi-Fi 6 at this time, but it's likely to be built into future iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

Netgear says that its next-generation Orbi system is ideal for households that have a "multitude" of connected devices running high-bandwidth internet for purposes like 4K video streaming, always-on smart home devicds, and video monitoring security systems.

The Orbi with Wi-Fi 6 will be available in Netgear's Orbi RBK50 series in the second half of 2019.

Tag: NETGEAR

Popular Stories

iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
iPhone 17 Pro USB C Port

iPhone 17 Pro Max's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Monday September 22, 2025 7:29 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the iPhone 17 Pro Max's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 36W with the following Apple chargers:40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max 61W USB-C Power Adapter 67W USB-C Power Adapter 70W USB-C Power Adapter 96W USB-C Power Adapter 140W USB-C Power AdapterFor...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

iOS 26.1 Adds New Apple Intelligence Languages and Expands AirPods Live Translation

Monday September 22, 2025 11:15 am PDT by
With iOS 26.1, Apple Intelligence is gaining support for additional languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. Apple announced plans to expand the languages that can be used with Apple Intelligence last year, and now the added language support is here. Apple Intelligence is now available in the following...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

Some iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Users Experiencing Intermittent Wi-Fi Issue

Monday September 22, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple's latest iPhone models launched on Friday, and some early adopters of the devices are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi issues. Affected customers say Wi-Fi connectivity periodically cuts out on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, with hundreds of comments about the issue posted across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Community over the...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone Like 'Two Titanium iPhone Airs' Joined at the Hinge

Monday September 22, 2025 2:16 am PDT by
Next year's rumored foldable iPhone will showcase an ultra-thin design resembling "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple's first foldable device will be "super thin and a design achievement," combining Apple's thinnest iPhone form factor with cutting-edge folding...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

Apple Blames In-Store MagSafe Chargers for iPhone 17 Pro Display Model Scratches

Wednesday September 24, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
The marks on the iPhone 17 Pro models that people have noticed at Apple retail stores are caused by the chargers that Apple uses, Apple confirmed today. Apple told 9to5Mac that worn MagSafe charging stands in stores are causing marks on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple says that the marks are not scratches, and are instead material transfer from the stand to the phone. The...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Confirms iOS 26 Wallet Passport Feature is Coming in 2025

Tuesday September 23, 2025 1:06 pm PDT by
Digital ID, the iOS 26 feature that lets U.S. passport holders add their passports to the Wallet app, is coming later in 2025, Apple confirmed today. Apple updated the release timing wording of Digital ID on its iOS 26 features page. "Digital ID will be coming later this year with US passports only," it reads. Prior to today, the footnote for the feature said "Digital ID will be available ...

Top Rated Comments

Solomani Avatar
88 months ago
LOL still loving my (now discontinued) Apple Airport Extreme base station. It will do fine for a couple more years, and by then all computers (Macs and PCs) would fully support the new n Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax ('https://www.netgear.com/landings/ax-wifi/#orbi') standard.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TTTedP Avatar
88 months ago
and they still look awful.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pier Avatar
88 months ago
I have the current version and it's just awesome. The units are a bit bulky other than that I have zero complaints. Fast, long range, and easy to use.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jazz1 Avatar
88 months ago
I've got the older version and it works great. The one near my living room window broadcasts far into my back yard.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EBone12355 Avatar
88 months ago
Mesh networks seem like such marketing hype, what's the difference between mesh and router + access points/extenders? I have Google Wifi with 2 points and honestly it's no better than my Airport Extreme + Airport Express was.
I have the Orbi RBK50 that is sold at Costco. What's special is you get one unified network to sign into - no 'My House 2.4G' 'My House 5G' 'My House 2.4 EXT' 'My House 5 EXT' like you do with access points and range extenders. So all your devices, regardless of whether they are 2.4 or 5G, all sign into one single network. In addition, the mesh systems automatically configure your "relays" once you place the units and turn them on, e.g. they automatically configure if the hubs connect directly to the main unit, or if they daisychain with each other for best coverage.

I've had my system for the past year now and it's been life-changing in my 3,400 SF two story home. No more dead spots, no having to switch to different wifi networks when changing rooms, and fast speed everywhere.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MN7119 Avatar
88 months ago
I have the current Orbi RBK50 (Costco version that comes with main unite + 2 satellites). Although the units looks awful and it is a huge piece of plastic the system is fantastic. I live in a 4k sqfeet home and I get coverage up to 2 houses away from my house.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)