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

Top Rated Comments

Solomani Avatar
64 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
64 months ago
and they still look awful.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pier Avatar
64 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
64 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
64 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
64 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)

Popular Stories

iOS 16 4 Web Push

Apple Confirms Governments Using Push Notifications to Surveil Users

Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:06 am PST by
Unidentified governments are surveilling smartphone users by tracking push notifications that move through Google's and Apple's servers, a US senator warned on Wednesday (via Reuters). In a letter to the Department of Justice, Senator Ron Wyden said foreign officials were demanding the data from the tech giants to track smartphones. The traffic flowing from apps that send push notifications...
best buy snowflakes

Best Buy's New Weekend Sale Has Record Low Prices on MacBook Pro and MacBook Air

Friday December 8, 2023 7:37 am PST by
Best Buy's month-long holiday sale continues this weekend with multiple all-time low prices on Apple's line of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers. In addition to Apple notebooks, Best Buy's event has discounts sitewide on home appliances, TVs, video games, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive...
iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
beeper mini

Apple Puts a Stop to Beeper Mini's iMessage for Android Feature

Friday December 8, 2023 2:24 pm PST by
Apple appears to have closed the loophole that Beeper Mini used to bring iMessage to Android, putting a stop to blue bubbles from Android devices. Beeper Mini quit working earlier today, with users receiving "failed to lookup on server: lookup request timed out" error messages. Beeper said on Twitter that it is investigating the issue, but Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky told TechCrunch that "all ...
maxresdefault

Review: Two Months With the iPhone 15 Pro Max

Thursday December 7, 2023 12:04 pm PST by
Apple's iPhone 15 lineup came out in September, and while most reviews are done shortly after a new device launches, we like to follow up with a longer term review that gives us an opportunity to provide a deeper dive into what it's like using these phones on a day to day basis for months. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been...
apple watch black friday

Apple Watch Ultra 2 Hits New Record Low Price of $699, Alongside Series 9 and SE Sales

Friday December 8, 2023 8:55 am PST by
Amazon has a few big discounts on Apple Watch today, headlined by a new all-time low price on the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Many of these watches can be delivered by Christmas, with delivery dates around the middle of next week for most models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site ...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 May Reuse Existing iPhone 14 Battery

Wednesday December 6, 2023 1:17 pm PST by
Recently, MacRumors has received details on the battery currently being tested on the upcoming fourth-generation iPhone SE, and the information corroborates previous findings in relation to the device. The iPhone SE 4, known by its device identifier D59, is expected to use the exact same battery found in the base model iPhone 14. Partially assembled prototypes of the next iPhone SE have been ...
iOS 17

35 Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 17.2 Coming This Week

Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 35 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released in mid-December. 1....